Safe Speed Forums

Has anybody here tried Rainx (or something similar) and if so, does it work?

I use rain wizard, and at 40mph+ (depends on the rake of the windscreen) wipers are not required in the rain, raindrops just fly up the screen and over the roof. Visability is as good as using wipers when you consider the momentary smear of the moving wiper.
It is not much use for, dirty damp (not wet) road spray as that is more sticky, but it does help the wipers and screenwash clear it.


fatboytim

Yes it works fine but you have to keep re-applying it. I get about a month out of an application.

Autoexpress recently did a test on several similar products:


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews ... lents.html

I'm currently trialling one for my employer that is supposed to last up to a year. It's (I think) the Ombrello product in different packaging. It works very well in heavy rain and / or above about 40MPH. (as said earlier, depending on the aerodynamics of the car concerned). It isn't that good in fine drizzle or on slower roads though. Where it is absolutely BRILLIANT is when passing trucks on the motorway in heavy spray.

The downside of the one I'm using at present is that there is some wiper judder.

When it works it's nice enough, but when it wears out it's horrid at best.

Clean glass doesn't suffer from this problem. I like windscreens that are chemically clean and I regard Rainx as an unwelcome contaminant.

We have discussed this before and I don't think I was in the majority. I might even have been a minority of one.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I absolutely hate the stuff. See here for some comments (good and bad) on the topic that were made when I asked how to remove the wretched stuff from my windscreen.

Two years, half a bottle of Autoglym Glass Polish, and three sets of wiper blades later, the smearing has finally cleared.

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Will

RainX was designed to be applied to aircraft windows to shed water without wiper usage. IMHO it doesn't work very well where you do use wipers which slowly grind it off (hence the once a month application).

I'm with Paul. Very well cleaned glass is pretty good on its own. I use AutoGlym Glass Polish also.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

On the TVR I find it's excellent on side windows and the rear screen (which doesn't have a wiper). It's particularly effective on the rear screen because it's a plastic window which gets scratched over time, and the scratches cause particular problems with glare at night. Rain-X seems to cure these problems, I guess by filling in the scratches.

On windows with wipers it's a mixed blessing, fine as long as it lasts but horrible when it starts to come off, and a pain to reapply (the glass has to be scrupulously clean otherwise you get streaks trapped under the Rain-X which stay there practically forever).

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Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

There's a poll here: http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1392

I'm the single 'hater' at the time of writing.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

greenv8s: to get scratches out of your (presumably flexible) plastic rear windscreen try toothpaste! Works on the spitfire!

.....or Brasso, or Solvol Autosol. Great on 'phone screens, too!

I find metal polishes (such as Brasso, or Solvol Autosol) a little too coarse unless you can feel the scratches with your nail. Much better IMO is Fenwicks Windowize, which is made specifically for the job.

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Will

T-cut is about right on plastics as well as paint, and is also useful for removing contaminants from glass.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Thanks for the tips, but as I said, Rain-X works a treat for me, and has the advantage that it stops water beading on the rear window, two birds with one stone and all that.

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Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

That's interesting because the bottle of Rain-X that I have says not to use the stuff on plastic. If it does work on plastic without adverse affects, I might try it on my headlamp covers and monsoon shields (both of which are either polycarbonate or acrylic).

Has anyone else used Rain-X on plastic screens etc?

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Will

I agree with Paul a clean windscreen (vinegar and newspaper is my top tip) is probably the best, but in winter weather when motivation for doing the above wanes, properly applied treatment is a very good second best.

I was dubious but have been converted.

fatboytim

I tested it on an "inconspicuous" area first - like there's an inconspicuous area on the back window! I used the bit behind the driver's head because I didn't care if that went a bit milky, as it turned out, it was OK.

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Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

I have used RainX for many years on various cars. It does NOT work on plastics. I have a bad experience of applying it to plastic headlamps and after some weeks they appeared foggy. An expensive error on my part. It also fogged an MX5 rear screen of a freinds car. (This was a few years ago though, I have not tried the newer formula on plastic)

The current RainX is a different furmula from that of just a few years ago and I find it easier to apply without getting a smeared finish.

It's all in the application I believe, clean the windscreen first and apply as per the instructions and it's a fine product. Cut corners and it can be a nightmare.

I find it easier to clear ice and snow from the glass also.

Snert

Rain Ex is the Devils work. It worked great for about 5 days then I could not clean the windows no matter what I did. Evil stuff. Tescos window cleaner works fine. Auto Glym is good when I'm feeling flush.

Coming from a part of the UK where the rainfall is highest - i believe that a clean windscreen and decent wiper blades are the answer. I was introduced to Clearalex years ago --i used double quantities with something to stop freezing in winter and sometimes a cheap washing up liquid ---suspect some of the rally fraternity will remember Clearalex,though i haven't seen it for years. Nowadays , i use double strength propertiery windscreen wash and a touch of a very cheap supermarket washing up liquid - ( the cheap ones don't foam, but get oil off fast) ,and of course - keep the wipers in decent order. Add to that cleaning the windscreen when it starts to get oily - the same washing up liquid neat on the screen, put on wipers and rinse off with hose - takes a few minutes .There is a school of thought that says that washing up liquid is bad ,it clogs up jets - never had that problem in 40 years ,nor any adverse effects from it on bodywork.

I use clearalex sachets usually... Don't like it during the summer though, makes an awful mess of the front of the car, but during the summer that doesn't bother me, it gets a wash every week or so...

I have a lot of trouble with the wipers juddering and leaving curtainy patterns... I've tried new rubbers, but I guess the blades are just worn out. Kids in school lift the wipers up by the rubbers, let them smack into the windscreen, cant do much good! Anyone got any ideas before I go buy a new complete set of blades?

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Mike