Am I wrong in NOT wanting to use a drying aid?

[Don]

Since getting the PFM, I can`t see the need for a drying aid. After rinsing, I take the nozzle off the hose and flood the hood, roof and trunk lid, which removes over 90% of the water and all I need is the weight of the PFM to absorb what water remains. Weight of a PFM = negligible, which means no marring of the paint. On the vertical surfaces, they are almost dry when I get to them so only a little blotting is needed to finish drying the car. No rubbing against the paint means no marring.

I`m sure I`ve mentioned, my financial boss is cheap and I`m lucky to have been "allowed" to buy the PFM and I don`t want to risk diminishing it by using a drying aid.

[Bill D]

No drying aid here either ever since I started using the PFM. Saves time and hassle.

[Accumulator]

So people don`t notice a diff between Drying Aid/none? On our vehicles, it`s definitely noticeable.

[Dan]

I don`t use drying aids with my PFM towels as I don`t want them non absorbent. I do dry my cars with a leaf blower meaning that even with a standard MF towel and a drying aid, I`m only using 1 or 2 towels to get the entire car dry. PFM`s come out when I don`t want anything on the surface of the car, like before polishing or applying something new.

[DownSouth]

PFM towel....Is this a GG towel?

[MisterSnoop]

PFM towel....Is this a GG towel?

Yeah, they come in 16x16 up to like 29x36. They`ve also used the PFM branding on some other towels like their glass towel.

[01GreyStangGT]

I too use PFM towels and can’t see a big difference with a drying aid. Those towels rock!

[Dan]

I too use PFM towels and can’t see a big difference with a drying aid. Those towels rock!

I don’t think drying aids made a huge difference in the drying effort on a car. They were just a way to combine two steps. QD or quick wax as you dry. In fact EO was a pioneer with their Wax as U Dry product.

[roscopervis]

If your LSP is working well, then you shouldn`t need a drying aid. Just make sure your drying towel isn`t dry, ideally with a spritz of a rinseless wash like ONR on the towel to help lubricity, before starting to dry the glass.

Unfortunately, most drying aids, become toppers which are too strong and start to seal in the hard water contamination on the paint, which in turn start to dull the finish and kill the actual LSP`s features. You then don`t know when it`s failing or whether it`s the drying aid OR whether it`s the dring aid on top of paint contaminated by hard water, getting less and less hydrophobic.

Use a good LSP and keep it clean.

[Don]

If your LSP is working well, then you shouldn`t need a drying aid. Just make sure your drying towel isn`t dry, ideally with a spritz of a rinseless wash like ONR on the towel to help lubricity, before starting to dry the glass.

Unfortunately, most drying aids, become toppers which are too strong and start to seal in the hard water contamination on the paint, which in turn start to dull the finish and kill the actual LSP`s features. You then don`t know when it`s failing or whether it`s the drying aid OR whether it`s the dring aid on top of paint contaminated by hard water, getting less and less hydrophobic.

Use a good LSP and keep it clean.

Makes sense to me. Since getting my Griot`s Garage PFM drying towel, I always flood-rinse the car, which removes about 90% of the water. Combine that with the PFM and drying is quick and easy and the PFM barely gets damp.

[William_Wallace]

Sonax ceramic detailer has been good it helps even the really grabby type coatings become slick.

[Fskof]

No drying aid needed. If you want to prevent marring use a high quality drying towel like the Griots PFM. Also use a high quality wash mitt. I use the Qtechniq WM2 Microfiber wash mitt or the Microfiber Madness Incredimitt but there are many others to choose from.

What good is a drying aid if you are using a low quality or old worn out wash mitt? Throw out all of the junk wash mitt and drying towels because No drying aid will help if you are using low quality or worn out wash mitts and drying towels.

[Accumulator]

Some sorta-random thoughts follow:

- Anything that touches the paint (mitts/towels/etc.) oughta be properly tested to ensure it`s not gonna mar. Any marring oughta be caused by too-rough washing techniques or residual dirt that just didn`t get washed off completely. (So there shouldn`t *be* any marring but Real Life just keeps on happening)

- My Drying Aids haven`t compromised the absorbency of my Drying Towels. Neither has the OCW I use on my wife`s car in the same manner. That`s despite often *not* washing those towels for a while afterwards (i.e., letting the [stuff] dry on them for days). Yeah, yeah...I know

- Eh, IMO, if you do/don`t like using a Drying Aid...then either way you`re right! Do whatever works for you and/or whatever you like doing. For that matter, if you want...just run it through a carwash and let it get marred! It`s all about enjoying the Car Ownership process and doing what satisfies you, and different people are different

[Don]

Some sorta-random thoughts follow:

- Anything that touches the paint (mitts/towels/etc.) oughta be properly tested to ensure it`s not gonna mar. Any marring oughta be caused by too-rough washing techniques or residual dirt that just didn`t get washed off completely. (So there shouldn`t *be* any marring but Real Life just keeps on happening)

- My Drying Aids haven`t compromised the absorbency of my Drying Towels. Neither has the OCW I use on my wife`s car in the same manner. That`s despite often *not* washing those towels for a while afterwards (i.e., letting the [stuff] dry on them for days). Yeah, yeah...I know

- Eh, IMO, if you do/don`t like using a Drying Aid...then either way you`re right! Do whatever works for you and/or whatever you like doing. For that matter, if you want...just run it through a carwash and let it get marred! It`s all about enjoying the Car Ownership process and doing what satisfies you, and different people are different

Before I bought my PFM towel, I coulda/shoulda used a drying aid. I KNOW I put a lot of swirls in my paint from improperly drying the car with non-absorbent microfibers, too much wiping when drying etc. I really could have used the lubrication a drying aid provides, but I know better NOW. And if for some stupid reason, I stopped using my PFM and went back to the "other" towels, I would definitely use a drying aid. Now with the PFM, I flood rinse the car, removing over 90% of the water and a single pass with the PFM and it`s perfectly dry. No excessive wiping needed.

[Fskof]

I flood rinse the car, removing over 90% of the water and a single pass with the PFM and it`s perfectly dry. No excessive wiping needed.

That`s exactly how I do it.