It winter and my rear window does not have a wiper

BrokenArrows

Ok so i have bought a passat and its really annoying not having a rear wiper. Cant see a thing when i get into the car in the morning and try to reverse out of the drive. I can only see it getting worse as the winter drags on with ice and possibly a bit of snow.

Is there anything i can put on the rear window but help the water fall off easier? as it tends to just sit there on the widow when it rains.

746watts

I heard of Mr.Sheen furniture polish sprayed on clean dry window and the rain forms droplets earier and rolls off. But I don't know how long it lasts or if its worth the hassle.

EPM

you could try one of the glass cutters or something from a motor factors. They kinda repel water a bit

CJhaughey

Go to the local motor factors and buy some Rain-X , there is also a Turtle wax variant which I cannot remember the name of.
Rain-x has a yellow bottle, don't buy the rain-x defogger it is rubbish.
Turtle wax Clearvue is the stuff, I had to go and look it up.
And it does work on stationary vehicles, not as well as when the car moves but the water beads up rather than smearing.

PaulKK

You could always reverse into your drive when you get home in the evening, so that you can drive out in the morning.

_Kaiser_

I use the rear window demister/heater on mine (06 model). That combined with a brisk spin down the N3 and it's all clear in about 5 mins

JHMEG

Or just use your wing mirrors... are they heated? If so, problem solved.

BrokenArrows

PaulKK wrote: »

You could always reverse into your drive when you get home in the evening, so that you can drive out in the morning.

and let the weather dictate how i park. hah, i laugh in the face of mother natures watery residue.

CJhaughey wrote:

Go to the local motor factors and buy some Rain-X , there is also a Turtle wax variant which I cannot remember the name of.
Rain-x has a yellow bottle, don't buy the rain-x defogger it is rubbish.

Thanks CJ, that sounds like the stuff.

TestTransmission

CJhaughey wrote: »

Go to the local motor factors and buy some Rain-X , there is also a Turtle wax variant which I cannot remember the name of.
Rain-x has a yellow bottle, don't buy the rain-x defogger it is rubbish.

Great stuff

....

buy a small car - they all have rear wipers.
dont understand why big expensive cars dont have them

tossy

.... wrote: »

buy a small car - they all have rear wipers.
dont understand why big expensive cars dont have them

Big expensive cars do have them where necessary saloons generally don't have or need a rear wiper.

Small car - no wiper...


Big expensive car - wiper.

....

how long did you have to search for them ?
its a bit stupid to post them examples.
they are the exception.
in general most small cars have rear wipers and most big cars dont

congo_90

As another said, Reverse into driveway. safer and in this case easier.
Rain X doesn't really work unless your moving (ironic I know)

reason for other posters as to why a saloon, 4 door of such type doesn't have a wiper is due to fitment restrictions and aesthethics.

A 5door would and smaller cars fall into this categorey as generally their boot door includes the back window. This is hard to explain but those who know a saloon from a hatch back will get it.

Can you park somewhere sheltered perhaps op?
Last resort, a big car cover but be wary of storage as dirt and stones can and will gather leading to scratches!

@...., go easy on you're last post. op has a 5door car and for above reasons doesn't have a wiper. Also there are plenty of big cars with and lots of small cars without rear wipers

R.O.R

4 door saloon cars don't have rear wipers. 3&5 door hatchbacks and Coupe's have rear wipers.

It's like Socks+Sandles = Beard - I think you'll find that's generally always the case.

It's something to do with the Aerodynamics. Rear windows on Saloon cars tend to clear of rain when you are moving, on hatchbacks it quite often brings the spray on to the rear window. Why the hell this happens I haven't a clue, but it's what I've found in my experience.

It is a pain in the hole not having a rear window wiper if you are in heavy rain and slow moving traffic (like the M1 northbound last night at 18.15). I had the rear window heater on and the heated mirrors, but still found it difficult to guage if a gap was big enough to pull out in to (so I stayed on the inside lane moving 1km/h slower than the outside).

peasant

put a squegee in the car.
wipe window just before you drive off

win

Alun

peasant wrote: »

put a squegee in the car.
wipe window just before you drive off

win

Exactly ... I have a combined ice scraper / squeegee in the car, and always have. Takes all of 10 seconds to clear the rear window and any side windows that are covered in condensation before driving off.

Harcrid

peasant wrote: »

put a squegee in the car.
wipe window just before you drive off

win

Sometimes the simple ideas are the best!

listermint

As stated use your side mirrors.

Try driving a van with no back window. Patience is the key..

Anyway redmisters work a treat when powered up. dont be in such a rush to move.:D

ShayK1

i've the same problem.
I put something like rain-ex on the back window and its great. But as stated already it only works when you're moving so as suggested, reverse into the drive.

YraggarY

Just a mad idea that popped into my head..
I was using some WD-40 in work on some mild steel parts to stop them rusting whilst in storage. The reason we use WD-40 is because its an amazing water-repellant, and it stops the moisture in the air from oxidising the steel. It wouldn't allow condensation to settle on it. Would spraying a light layer of WD-40 on the rear windscreen have any adverse effects (i.e. Drip and stripping paint work etc.) or do you reckon it'd be safe enough on the rear window alone?

CJhaughey

YraggarY wrote: »

Just a mad idea that popped into my head..
I was using some WD-40 in work on some mild steel parts to stop them rusting whilst in storage. The reason we use WD-40 is because its an amazing water-repellant, and it stops the moisture in the air from oxidising the steel. It wouldn't allow condensation to settle on it. Would spraying a light layer of WD-40 on the rear windscreen have any adverse effects (i.e. Drip and stripping paint work etc.) or do you reckon it'd be safe enough on the rear window alone?

Don't even think about it, the amount of crap that would stick to the wd40 is incredible!
Just use rain-x
It works by braking the surface tension so that the water beads up and rolls off rather than sticking to the glass. It still works on stationary windows just not as effectively.

YraggarY

You're completely right! 3 o'clock in the afternoon and I'm still asleep! WD-40 fumes must've gone to my head! :P I use Rain-X everytime I wash the car (which hasn't been too frequently lately given the weather) but one thing I can say is never, ever use it on the front windscreen. Its great 'til you use your wipers on it, then its good luck to you trying to see through that smeared silicon-like haze when driving against traffic at night! Great for the first 2 weeks or so on all other windows though.

BlackWizard

Same car as the OP. I just use what ever I see near to me to wipe it. Even a cereal box or underpants.

Long Onion

Tie a dog to your rear bumper, brake when you hear a muffled whine.

-Chris-

This thread is getting silly now. OP's question is answered I think.

Closed unless someone has better ideas...