Rain x or other hydrophobic products on windscreens

John_Rambo

Hi motorists. I'm on the fence with this stuff and only use it if I'm going to be traveling long distance in rain. On the motorway it's amazing. You literally don't need wipers, rain is expelled from the window in droplets leaving it free from wipers and streaks..

The problem is a low speeds when there's not enough wind to move it off. The wipers shudder and jump leaving streaks. Also, when it wears off there's residue of it left and you're in between application and it's hard to know to reapply or get rid.

Anyone else use it?

Another one... Has anyone heard of putting some carnauba car wash in to the windscreen wash? I was told it works well as a wax over the windshield. I tried it once and it was fairly effective on a clean windscreen.

wonski

I just use wipers. This stuff is aimed at motorcyclists rather than cars to be honest, and your issues prove it. Get a good set of wipers, keep your windows relatively clean and windscreen washer topped up:)

I can see some benefit on side windows if you really want great visibility at all times, but nothing a quick window up/down won't fix

Tuco88

I wont use that rain x anymore. Dose it was to remove from the wash bottle and windscreen.

Worked well for a bit, wreaks the wipers and windscreen long term.

mikeecho

I use Rain-X on every window except the windscreen. , it's also great on the side mirrors.

John_Rambo

Right. That’s the end of the Rain X experiment.

Alanstrainor

I used it a couple of times on my windscreen and never again. It does work well for a time. But it is difficult to apply and a nightmare to remove. I found that when it wore down it left horrible marks on the glass and it took a huge amount of effort to remove. Using it on all other glass asides from the windscreen does make sense though.

JoeA3

Be careful with any product you apply to windscreens. Rain X being one example. There is nothing much more irritating than squeaky, juddering wipers and this stuff causes that in my experience.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I use rain X on all windscreens inside and out. I love it. Yes tricky to apply and you need to put the elbow grease in to get a streak free finish. Water just rolls off so far less wipers which saves wear on them. Interior fog and condensation is less, and dirt sticks less. I use the top up glass cleaner in between and rainx wsher fluid in the washer bottle to keep it active.

Here is a photos from some years ago of the rain beading off a windscreen, you nearly dont need the wipers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdux6flaiGs

H3llR4iser

I use it on all glasses except the outside of the windscreen - it does prevent condensation quite effectively during the winter.

I actually often put it on the bathroom mirror as well, helps the same way

What I actually despise is the wax some car washes put on the glasses - it does create weird and distracting banding/lines when the wipers are on.

EPAndlee

I've only ever used Soft99 Glaco and Gtechniq C1 on my windscreen. Have never had a problem with either of them. Can't say it ruins my wipers either as I change them every 6 months anyway

vectra

I used it on my first Octavia vRS and found it excellent
Used it on my second vRS and hated it
Tried a few others and one I found great and still use is Angelwax H2Go
I do the side windows as well,
One thing on windscreen use though is to thoroughly clean the windscreen first.
Once finished
make sure the wipers are squeeky clean as well, then apply some on the blades.
No more wiper judder or smear.
BTW
This should be moved to the detailing forum.

Chippy01

At a boat show some years back, my buddy got a product called RainRacer for the windows of his power cruiser.
I was quite impressed with the results, that I eventually found a bottle to try on the GS300 I was driving at the time.
Apply twice a year onto clean glass, and it worked brilliantly. Anything over 30mph and the water just disappeared.
Haven't seen it for sale in any shops over here for years now.

MetzgerMeister

Gtechniq G1 is a much better option than Rain-X as you apply it once and it lasts over a year. Wiper juddering can happen at the beginning just after application but I use Gtechniq C2V3 on all the glass aswell as the rest of the car and wheels after each wash and it keeps the wipers nice and smooth with zero juddering or noise.

Moved to detailing forum

GustavoFring

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Gtechniq G1 is a much better option than Rain-X as you apply it once and it lasts over a year. Wiper juddering can happen at the beginning just after application but I use Gtechniq C2V3 on all the glass aswell as the rest of the car and wheels after each wash and it keeps the wipers nice and smooth with zero juddering or noise.

Moved to detailing forum

I've started using C2V3 on the windows too and it works a treat.

MetzgerMeister

GustavoFring wrote: »

I've started using C2V3 on the windows too and it works a treat.

Have you got G1 on underneath? C2V3 works a LOT better with G1 as opposed to on its own.

MAJJ

Odd question especially as it's moved to detailling forum but what product would you recommend for house windows especially velux

GustavoFring

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Have you got G1 on underneath? C2V3 works a LOT better with G1 as opposed to on its own.

No, just a quick spray after every second or third was is working fine the last while. I'm not a perfectionist :pac:

MetzgerMeister

MAJJ wrote: »

Odd question especially as it's moved to detailling forum but what product would you recommend for house windows especially velux

Gtechniq G5 is perfect for this.

Zoney

I've not had issues with the rainx combined washer/repellent. Does seem to do both. Had a higher concentration for the cold weather, but seems just as effective with a lower concentration now that things are warming up.

TallGlass

wonski wrote: »

This stuff is aimed at motorcyclists rather than cars to be honest.

Don't apply it to any visor! It says on the bottle, not to apply it to any platics. I nearly made that mistake about a month ago, but read the bottle just before I did. Just in case you might think of doing it.

wonski

TallGlass wrote: »

Don't apply it to any visor! It says on the bottle, not to apply it to any platics. I nearly made that mistake about a month ago, but read the bottle just before I did. Just in case you might think of doing it.

It was more of a general opinion that it was for helmets etc, boats being good example, too.

Things without wipers in general.

After reading above posts it seems that these products are more popular than I thought.

Always learn something new. Thanks for the warning

Del2005

TallGlass wrote: »

Don't apply it to any visor! It says on the bottle, not to apply it to any platics. I nearly made that mistake about a month ago, but read the bottle just before I did. Just in case you might think of doing it.

They have a version for visors.

DPolo

One I can recommend is Angelwax H2Go from experience, no wiper judder or smearing, above 50km/h the rain flies off and windscreen is basically dry at eye level. Doesn't last as long as the Gtechniq G1 though before needing to be re applied.