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

01GreyStangGT said:
I too use PFM towels and can’t see a big difference with a drying aid. Those towels rock!
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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.
 
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.
 
roscopervis said:
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
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 :o

- 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
 
Accumulator said:
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 :o

- 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
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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.
 
Ah yes...the Flooding Rinse...remember it fondly from the previous shop where the water delivery facilitated that...just can`t get it to work in the current shop, so I guess it`s a good thing I`m OK with all the [messing] around I do instead. Eh..the way the current vehicles retain water the basic drying is just a drop in the bucket anyhow, it`s all the work with the compressor that takes forever (along with the undercarriages and engine compartments of course).
 
Lonnie said:
Doesn`t anyone use a leaf blower as a"drying aid" or am I an outlier with this idea?
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Almost every time for me. Occasionally I get lazy and think a few more towels will be less work, but it`s more work than dragging out the extension cord and leaf blower. After the leaf blower I apply a spray wax and get the few drops that are left in one pass.
 
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