windshield rain repeller, anything better then Rain-X?

I find Rain-X does a good job but really doesn't last that long. To keep at or near full effectiveness you pretty much have to apply it weekly. Anybody try anything different?

I've been using Rain-X since it was a pup. Also use the orange-aid lookig Rain-X washer fluid in the washer as a "booster shot" and in a Spritz bottle to clean windows when they look dusty. Front windows last six to eight weeks and side and rear ones a whole season..

My driving is mostly 50-60 mph on rural roads with little traffic so I don't get much road sludge splattered on the windshield.

Zano Brothers makes a good product for glass, according to my cousin's results.

Gel-Gloss makes a product called "No Streek glass polish which helps prep the surface for rain X. Really makes it stick better.

STP Vision Blade used to be cheap and sold at Walmart but is no longer available. Lasts about 4-6x longer than Rain-X. Currently a similar (same?) product (that is also made by PPG) is Aquapel but it's far more expensive.

Supposedly the best out there is now Aquapel. It has a Teflon base and works very similar to Rain-X but it last about 6-9 months compare to 2-4 weeks in my case with Rain-X. But it cost about 5-10 times the amount and I figure I have to really clean the windshield at least every 2-4 weeks anyway.

I've got a friend who suggested that I add a cap full of Rain-X to my windshield wiper fluid. Any thoughts on doing this?

bfg9000 said:

STP Vision Blade used to be cheap and sold at Walmart but is no longer available. Lasts about 4-6x longer than Rain-X. Currently a similar (same?) product (that is also made by PPG) is Aquapel but it's far more expensive.

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Yup Aquapel is the same product. I got spoiled working at a shop tha carried it, so I got it for cost. It's truely an amazing product compared to Rain-X. It doesn't wear off the wiper contact area like Rain-X, it wears off evenly over the entire windshield. It also makes ice and bugs easier to clean.

I could check into getting several and doing a mini-groupbuy if there was interest.

Years ago I had a neighbor that was a clean car nut - he swore that waxing the glass would work better and last longer than rain-x. Seeing as how I would actually have to wash the truck to test this, I never got around to seeing if it worked.

I've been repairing stone damaged windshields for 17 years - chips, stars and running cracks. If you ever want to consider repairing your windshield to avoid replacement, don't use this stuff.

Years before I repaired windshields, I was driving a car and had used RainX on the windshield about 2-3 weeks earlier. I got caught in a downpour around DC on the beltway and although the manf at that time said to reapply 6-8 weeks, it not only didn't do its job, but it prevented the wipers from doing their job. Very scary situation.

Many car related chemicals are much more sophisticated than they used to be, and create havoc for repairing windshields. If any of these chemicals get in a break on a windshield, they will affect the quality of a repair and in some instances, even prevent the possibility of a repair.

Repairs prevent the need for replacement, are much cheaper than replacement and are usually paid for by comprehensive coverage EVEN IF YOU HAVE A DEDUCTIBLE. You don't break the factory seal on your original windshield and you're not adding to landfill problems.

Even if it didn't affect my business, I still wouldn't use the stuff. If you decide that you don't like it, YOU CAN'T GET IT OFF. It has to wear off. And while it looses its effectiveness rather quickly, it remains on the windshield for quite a long time.

You can actually get it off pretty easily with a polish. Even though PPG also makes aftermarket glass, I doubt they're trying to sell more windshields with the Aquapel. BTW it's $8 at Tire Rack.

I don't particularly like the scattering effect of Rain-X (a solid sheet of water is easier to see through than millions of little droplets) but it absolutely prevents water spots or other things from adhering to the window. If it didn't make cleaning the windows so easy I'd probably just apply it to the part the wiper sweeps, since it does reduce abrasion from the wipers. Wax would also protect the glass and result in little standing droplets (though they wouldn't fall off as easily as ones caused by Rain-X).

Rain-X is just siloxanes, which are the building blocks of what we normally refer to as silicones. Since they don't stick to plastic or paint nearly as well as they do to glass, they don't cause problems with repainting like silicone does. But if you're trying to glue something to the glass, polish it off first!

I've been using Rain-X for twenty years now and for me it wears like iron. I get about a month to five weeks on one application. During Winter months it's much less so I supplement with the orange-aid looking Rain-X windshield washer fluid. Not all places carry this so I stock up.

Cliff

How does the Aquapel work for the visors on motorcycle helmets? Or is there something else my bro could use?

When I used to use Rain-X I found that treating the wiper blades with Armor All helped avoid the haze caused by the wipers. Rain-X seemed to last longer when the wipers were not dried out.

greenLED said:

How does the Aquapel work for the visors on motorcycle helmets? Or is there something else my bro could use?

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I've never tried it as I could never find an answer if it was lexan/plastic safe. If someone had a spare shield I'd try it when I retreat my windshield.

And honestly I can't tell you how amazing Aquapel is, at least if it's put on correcting, to a VERY clean window. It's like the difference between a 2D maglite and a SF L4.

:thanks: VWTim! My bro bought some Rain-X for his bike helmet, but we didn't think about it working (or not) on the visor until after the fact.

I "discovered" Rain-X last year, and it's been a Godsend. I've never had the problem of it interfering with the wipers, though. Could somebody clarify what happens?

greenLED, when the wipers start to wear away the coating they leave a haze of extremely tiny droplets with each pass. Reapplying the Rain-X will fix the problem, or using their windshield washer additive will at least minimize it until you can manage to dry the window and reapply. Aquapel doesn't seem to be as bad, but at some 30x the price you might expect that.

And I could only find this about Aquapel. Rain-X was originally developed for the Lexan windshields of jetliners, and the old bottles did say it could be used on plastic. But after some polycarbonate Honda motorcycle windscreens were crazed by it, all references to plastic were removed from the label. My experience is it never lasted longer than 2 weeks on plastic or chrome anyway but has never damaged them either. OTOH it usually lasts over a year for me on glass when kept out of the sun (except where the wipers sweep).

BTW I've found a really neat product that is like Rain-X for paint! It's Turtle Wax ICE Polish (not the detailer) and is ridiculously easy to use because it doesn't stain the black trim white (instead it turns it dark like a protectant) and buffs right off (actually a lot easier than Rain-X). I highly recommend it if you have new paint. See, unlike its name, it contains no polish but is only wax. So if the freshly washed paint feels rough you'd have to clay-bar it then polish first, but after that it's so quick to use that you could wax the car every time you washed it. Seems to last far longer than any protectant on plastic because it's waterproof.

bfg9000 said:

STP Vision Blade used to be cheap and sold at Walmart but is no longer available. Lasts about 4-6x longer than Rain-X. Currently a similar (same?) product (that is also made by PPG) is Aquapel but it's far more expensive.

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I have used Vision Blade for years, and still have a small stash.

I've found it can last over a year, depending on weather. Having really good wiper blades/refills seems to really prolong it's life.

I'm really annoyed that it's no longer being made; it's great stuff!

Ever since I discovered Aquapel, I've given away all my unused bottles of Rain-X. Aquapel simply is a far superior product, and in the pretty harsh summer heat of South Florida, a single application always gives me 6 months of coverage at least. It's not really that expensive, given the quality of the product and how long it lasts. I've managed to pick up bulk quantities that works out to be around $2.50 per applicator on eBay in the past.

Seikoguy said:

Ever since I discovered Aquapel, I've given away all my unused bottles of Rain-X. Aquapel simply is a far superior product, and in the pretty harsh summer heat of South Florida, a single application always gives me 6 months of coverage at least. It's not really that expensive, given the quality of the product and how long it lasts. I've managed to pick up bulk quantities that works out to be around $2.50 per applicator on eBay in the past.

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Wow that is cheap, I'll have to look into that. The Auto shop I used to work at was paying ~$4 per applicator from Service Champ last year.