[Mystikal]

What do you guys think of this little do-hickey? I just picked one up for the mere price of $20, which is about $12US.

 

[pod13]

I used it for the first time, yesterday.

I think its OK. I found it hard to hard to pull evenly over the surface so it tended to jitter.

It doesn't get everything so I also use a P21S drying towel.

 

[Mystikal]

I figured it wouldn't cover everything, and for obvious reasons. Ah well, it'll be useful for quick gotta-go-out-now washes.

 

[in_d_haus]

Some people swear by them. I used mine once and wasn't too impressed. They work great to clean glass shower doors though...

 

[awd330]

I've used mine for a couple years with good results. It's great for quickly removing water from flat surfaces(glass, hood, and trunk). Make sure you rinse it off before using it, and use your fingers to wipe the blade after each swipe. This will minimize the chances of dragging dirt particles across your paint.

You'll still need to follow-up with some type of towel to completely dry your car. I recently bought a Big Blue Drying Towel for this purpose. For me, the Big Blue works much better than my P21S towel or Absorber. Your mileage may vary.

 

[JPinTO]

What do you guys think of this little do-hickey? I just picked one up for the mere price of $20, which is about $12US.

Where'd you get it for $20?

 

[Mystikal]

Re: Re: Opinions on the California Water Blade?

Where'd you get it for $20?

Costco on Kennedy. It's like 34.99 at Canadian Tire. :tsk:

 

[Nat Brown]

The big advantage

The big advantage of the water blade is that you avoid using towels on the car, which will scratch the surface. This is where most microscratches come from.

I swear by the blade.

--gary:thumb:

 

[solmagic2]

i love mine, but i also use a towel to get the stuff the blade doesn't get.

 

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

It scared me and I couldn't get it to move across the car well.

 

[ChrisTO]

well i finally bought one today. i bought the smaller one, dry blade for $15CDN. unfortunately, it's raining here in TO today so i can't try it out. hopefully it works as advertised.

from the searches here, lots of complaints that it 'dances/squeaks' along the surface alot. is there a technique to using it?

 

[Nat Brown]

I would say:

1. Also have a towel. Don't worry about getting all the water, just swipe off as much as possible and have a few microfiber towels ready to mop up the rest.

2. Hold on! There's a tendency to have the blade grab, resulting in the handle smacking into the paint. That's a bad thing, although it's usually not a danger to the paint.

3. Keep the blade wet and clean. I always wash my blade before I use it to make sure it's wet and debris free.

The advantage of a water blade is that you're not using an abrasive to dry your car (a towel). Combined with a few microfiber towels and a wool wash mit, you'll avoid scratches.

well i finally bought one today. i bought the smaller one, dry blade for $15CDN. unfortunately, it's raining here in TO today so i can't try it out. hopefully it works as advertised.

from the searches here, lots of complaints that it 'dances/squeaks' along the surface alot. is there a technique to using it?

 

[Guest84]

I would say:

1. Also have a towel. Don't worry about getting all the water, just swipe off as much as possible and have a few microfiber towels ready to mop up the rest.

2. Hold on! There's a tendency to have the blade grab, resulting in the handle smacking into the paint. That's a bad thing, although it's usually not a danger to the paint.

3. Keep the blade wet and clean. I always wash my blade before I use it to make sure it's wet and debris free.

The advantage of a water blade is that you're not using an abrasive to dry your car (a towel). Combined with a few microfiber towels and a wool wash mit, you'll avoid scratches.

I couldn't add anything further that you haven't already said. :thumbup:

 

[gray330]

They are great. I use mine to get off most of the water, and then a final dry with a few MF towels!

 

[FireFly]

I used mine on sunroof and windows before getting the Mr. Clean car wash system.
I use the Mr. Clean for my final rinse only and believe it or not, the car will dry spot free. No towels, no water blade.

If you buy the Mr. Clean system, don't use the soap provided with it- it's junk and does not produce enough foam to clean the car without scratching.

Good luck.

 

[Keith]

I would say:

1. Also have a towel. Don't worry about getting all the water, just swipe off as much as possible and have a few microfiber towels ready to mop up the rest.

2. Hold on! There's a tendency to have the blade grab, resulting in the handle smacking into the paint. That's a bad thing, although it's usually not a danger to the paint.

3. Keep the blade wet and clean. I always wash my blade before I use it to make sure it's wet and debris free.

The advantage of a water blade is that you're not using an abrasive to dry your car (a towel). Combined with a few microfiber towels and a wool wash mit, you'll avoid scratches.

Holy crap (Nat Brown) Gary, is that you, I haven't seen or heard that name for a long time.
Hey, are you going down to Bimmerfest this year with me (Keith) and the Bay Bimmerz crew?
I hope so, last time I saw you, you were breaking in the E46 with that "pretty" interior.

Are you still in the Bay Area? (East Bay) and on the Bay Bimmerz email/evite list? :dunno:

Take care

 

[Nat Brown]

Yep, it's me. I sold the E46 last month and I'm waiting on a Dodge Magnum. I'm picking it up in Cleveland and driving it back to the Bay Area, so I've got my own little Dodgefest going on.

Holy crap (Nat Brown) Gary, is that you, I haven't seen or heard that name for a long time.
Hey, are you going down to Bimmerfest this year with me (Keith) and the Bay Bimmerz crew?
I hope so, last time I saw you, you were breaking in the E46 with that "pretty" interior.

Are you still in the Bay Area? (East Bay) and on the Bay Bimmerz email/evite list? :dunno:

Take care

 

[Keith]

Yep, it's me. I sold the E46 last month and I'm waiting on a Dodge Magnum. I'm picking it up in Cleveland and driving it back to the Bay Area, so I've got my own little Dodgefest going on.

WOW :yikes: You got rid of your baby!
It was great to see your name and to see that your still aound.
What made you buy the magnum, I'm a Dodge guy and just curious. :dunno:
I've had more Hot Rod Dodges, that I'd probably have to write them all down just to remember them all.

Anyway, great to hear from you and hopefully I'll see you around.

 

[Nat Brown]

The bottom line is that the E46 rode too harsh for me. I wanted more of a touring car. Man do they hold their value!

The Magnum RT has 340HP and 390 ft/lb of torque with rear wheel drive. The guess is that it does a 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. It has the suspension, steering, 5-speed automatic, and a lot of electonics from the Mercedes E-class. Meanwhile, it's supposed to be a comfortable cruiser that also handles well -- all for about $32k. Chrysler cars are rated as high as Honda and Toyota when it comes to reliability.

WOW :yikes: You got rid of your baby!
It was great to see your name and to see that your still aound.
What made you buy the magnum, I'm a Dodge guy and just curious. :dunno:
I've had more Hot Rod Dodges, that I'd probably have to write them all down just to remember them all.

Anyway, great to hear from you and hopefully I'll see you around.

 

[Keith]

Damn that sucker is SWEEEEEET! :wow: :thumbs: