those car drying blades

Matt82 · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:16

anyone got one? what do you think of it?

i want to get one, i think it should be a good labour saving device

anyone got any specific recommendatons or reasons to avoid?

Matt82 · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:18

like this

Sukh · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:20

Avoid, as if a tiny bit of grit is somewhere, you end up dragging along your car and creating scratches.

Phil W · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:20

Scratch Magnets.

Finglonga · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:25

Sukh said:
Avoid as if a tiny bit of grit is somewhere, you end up dragging along your car and creating scratches

Think it was Fifth Gear that showed how bad those things are a couple of weeks ago. Thought they seemed a good idea until I watched that.

brakeinup · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:27

I had one of these a while ago. It managed to put a 1 metre scratch on the bonnet of my S3 which I had removed by a man than can. The blade is purely for glass only now.

Howard · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:29

I use it to remove dew (and snow :rolleyes:

) from the windows, but nothing else

paradigm · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:30

As said, I use one for the windows only.

Matt82 · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:32

Sukh said:
Avoid as if a tiny bit of grit is somewhere, you end up dragging along your car and creating scratches

just a like a leather or chamois would then

beermonster · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:33

I was recommended a waffle weave drying towel in the clean your card thread and must say its the best car cleaning purchase i've made, no more streaks or smears, just super clean finish.

MarkDavis · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:33

Fifth gear did a review of this as part of their car wash roundup. This is was the 1st episode of the current series.

The water blade came pretty bad and worse than a car wash as microscopic bits of grit get caught in the blade and dragged along the paintwork/clearcoat of your car causing very obvious scratching!

Only thing touching your paintwork should be lambswool mits.

oli collett · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:45

Get a decent towel instead.

Matt82 · 3 Feb 2009 at 19:54

and its impossible for a decent towel to scratch with grit?

oli collett · 3 Feb 2009 at 20:03

Matt82 said:
and its impossible for a decent towel to scratch with grit?

No, not impossible, but surely less likely. I would have thought it's like comparing washing a car with a sponge with a wash mitt.

*Moangroan* · 3 Feb 2009 at 20:18

reply #3

thepharcyde · 3 Feb 2009 at 20:37

anyone use a leaf blower?

ShakenNstirred · 4 Feb 2009 at 08:42

Sukh said:
Avoid, as if a tiny bit of grit is somewhere, you end up dragging along your car and creating scratches.

but the same applys to a cloth if the dirt is still on the car after you have cleaned it

Wicksta · 4 Feb 2009 at 08:55

ShakenNstirred said:
but the same applys to a cloth if the dirt is still on the car after you have cleaned it

There will be less (if any) pressure on the grit though.

NathanE · 4 Feb 2009 at 09:50

I would only dare use a "drying blade" if the car had just been freshly clayed and what not. But then, if you've gone to that much trouble in cleaning the car then why would you then skimp on drying?

I just use 2 or 3 very large drying towels. I really can't see anything, short of perhaps an industrial drying room

, being quicker!

Gaijin · 4 Feb 2009 at 09:56

Been using one of these for quite some time. If you are careful, and wash your car properly - the chances of something happening is quite minimal.