While washing the CS this weekend, it occurred to me that some of you might be interested in a car washing - or rather car drying - technique that I use.

After I wash the car I use a leaf blower to partially dry the car. The best thing about the blower is that you can blow out all of those small cracks that continually seep water back onto the dried surface. The disk brakes and rotors can be completely dried by the blower in just a few seconds so that they don't drip rust colored water on the inside of your clean rims, and the calipers come out spot free. You can also blow the water out of the lug nut holes in the wheels and around the headlight/taillight edges. The Cayman has a deep channel around the rear window that seems to want to hold water, but you can blow all of this out with the leaf blower. I blow most of the standing water off of the paint so that a slightly damp surface of very tiny water beads is all that remains. I then use a single terrycloth towel to buff the finish. The tiny water beads help provide lubrication for the towel, but they prevent the towel from becoming soaked. If you are in a hurry you can actually dry the entire car with the blower, and it will be almost 100% spot free.

I learned this technique on my Harley. The blower blows all of the water out of the complex cracks and crevices, and because it drys spot free, it cuts the chrome polishing chore to almost nothing. Hope this helps!

I have a Harley and a custom bike as well and the leaf blower works OK but I was warned to be careful of blasting bits of dirt that the leaf blower could suck up so I stopped using it. You can go with one of the units from metro-vac like the blaster or commander that are designed for drying cars and bikes. They have a filter to ensure clean air and it also warms the airflow to help dry. Either way, however, NEVER use air from a compressor to dry your car. It will blow oil and with the air.

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2007 2.7 Cayman, Atlas Grey / Stone Grey, 19" HRE 542R color matched w/Nitto INVO's, 5-spd, heated seats, auto climate, clear side markers, 3M bra, Boothe Design chrome exhaust tip

2003 BMW X-5
2006 Harley Davidson Road Glide

I used a leaf blower (back pack Stihl 320) for 4 years on my previous car and the paint was flawless.

I've been using it on the CS and see no problems. I guess to each his own.

leaf blower convert fall 2006...i have flat black c\s and microscratches occur from simply staring at my car (a regular occurance).

leaf blower seems like a good idea. I actually use my compressor sometimes, it has an "oil catch, condensation collector" on it. I will try the leaf blower.

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Cayman GT
369BHP 325LBSTQ
313WHP 276WTRQ
some people like the regular stock factory look, cool people modify the car.

I have used a leafblower ever since I purchased my CS. It definitely removes water quickly but still leaves microspots of water that I must go back over with a damp cloth to remove. With the extreme hardness of our water if I don't attend to these spots quickly it dulls the wax job.

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Laissez les bontemps rouler,
Swamp

Good suggestion. I will have to try this since the gap on the rear window and rear lights always drip water for what seems like hours after I wash it.

Thanks!

Hey Chops

That Stihl you have?
Is that a Swedish Stihl or Brazilian Stihl?

Seriously I use mine all the time for the same thing it helps big time.

Opening the hatch all of the way (and even beyond to the service position ) will vacate the water from the rear window very quickly.

Leaf blowers may appear to be good for drying, but anything in the air or on the surface of the car will get blown across the paint, possibly causing scratches.

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Cayman S - a portable amusement park

- 2006 Cayman S
- 2003 Dakota SXT
- 1963 Studebaker Avanti, R2, 4-Speed
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LL

It looks like the paint that Porsche uses must be very soft and scratches easily? I guess you guys can't drive faster than 125 mph since most leaf blowers rated 125 to 150 mph. Another reason that Cayman don't need more HP.

The paint shines like glass. And the glass nicks easy too

__________________
*******************************
The search tool is your friend. It is very
likely that your question has already been
answered countless times.Very,very likely.
*******************************
*******************************
Cayman S - a portable amusement park

- 2006 Cayman S
- 2003 Dakota SXT
- 1963 Studebaker Avanti, R2, 4-Speed
*******************************

LL

I have a few funny responses to allof the above.

First off, it was here on this forum that I read about the metro-vac. My immediate reaction was...hey, why not use my backpack blower (Stihl)? So as soon as Spring really breaks and the car wash ritual kicks in..I will definately use it. My CS is black and at 2 weeks old I already see a few micro scratches. UGH!

But this leads me to something else... Grown men (and women) leaf blowing cars and Harleys. It is a bit funny.....if you are the neighbor looking across the street. At the last house I owned...I had three walnut trees that produce enough fruit to kill a cow. The problem with them was that if you did not pick up the fruit in a day or so...it became mushy and gooey (and rotten). I am a hard working lawn man and this bothered me. Until one day I had an idea.... THE SHOP VAC! Lo and behold...the diameter of that thing was PERFECT for sucking these ugly things up off the lawn. I mean PERFECT. in 10 minutes I could remove hundreds of these things. What normally took me over an hour. I was so happy I could scream.

But then one day a neighbor walked by and asked me why I was vaccumming the lawn.... The look on her face was like "this dude is INSANE." It never occured to me how I looked to others. I am sure it looked stupid. But if it works..I could care less. I kept on vaccuming! I did so until 2 years ago when I sold the house. No more walnut trees for me!

But now you people have me leaf blowing my car!!!

you could be the next bill murray in caddyshack!!!
I think you should dress the part and really make your neighbors cringe!

i have black too (repeat; "UGH") with 15K miles. yes the microscratches add up and next time (never?) Ill get the seal grey that was my first choice. but, i have had a fun time adding all the expensive goops and synthetic products keeping my car like a shiney jewel. the leaf blower idea (sans air-dirt syndrome) really does work well. good luck fellow microscratcher!



oh, one more thing...i have a REAL wacko for a neighbor. He fires up his gas powered leaf blower, puts it on his back and NOISILY blows every speck of dust off his LONG driveway. It takes hours and drives me crazy. (sorry, not car related but this guy needs a real neighborly lesson).