RainX v Autobrite Repel

[stephenmercedes]

I confess to being a huge RainX fan, using it from the late 70s when I 1st started driving. However, a friend recently raved about a product he had used called Autobrite Repel. Well being a sucker for a recommendation, I went and bought some though was shocked at the price - £14 for just 100ml, though it's used sparingly and is supposed to last. I only got round to applying it today, so have no experience living with it. Anyone else used it and have an opinion on it's effectiveness?

 

[moonloops]

Not used either, flicked on the windscreen wipers at a cost of £0.00

 

[stephenmercedes]

Not used either, flicked on the windscreen wipers at a cost of £0.00

Methinks you're missing the point LOL

 

[rf065]

I've used both, stopped using Rain X after noticing as it aged & broke down it left a greasy film on the screen which dirt stuck to, the other stuff was much better.

 

[moonloops]

Methinks you're missing the point LOL

Not really, when you don't need to pay for a pointless product?

 

[stephenmercedes]

Not really, when you don't need to pay for a pointless product?

LOL, you ever been to a branch of Halfords? I'd suggest that 80% of their products are 'pointless' but there's a whole swath of car enthusiasts that buy stuff anyway! To me, those that have built in SatNavs that need mult £100s of updating all the time is pointless as my £60 Garmin has free for life updates, but I don't begrudge those that spend their money on something they want...

 

[moonloops]

LOL, you ever been to a branch of Halfords? I'd suggest that 80% of their products are 'pointless' but there's a whole swath of car enthusiasts that buy stuff anyway! To me, those that have built in SatNavs that need mult £100s of updating all the time is pointless as my £60 Garmin has free for life updates, but I don't begrudge those that spend their money on something they want...

I'm actually not arguing with you, just making it clear that certain products claim to make life easier when they probably don't.

Need to buy a reversing camera? - matey just look behind you.

P.S. my Waze stat nav costs zero to buy and no on-going charges. It even warns me about upcoming potholes and gives real time routing guidance based on other waze users.

Case in point, I bought a decent high end TomTom satnav last year, used it probably 3 times just to check that Waze hand't gone mad. Waze won each time.

 

[lordlee]

For those of us who travel regularly on motorways I can highly recommend Gtechniq C1 as that has lasted us for 18months - only now am I starting to see it fail. The side windows are still working well though.
It’s really handy in heavy rain as at speed the wipers aren’t even necessary. I may try the new Megs glass sealant this time around by way or comparison.

Both our cars are convertible so the rear screen is treated with these products and it massively helps clear the water on a rainy drive.

 

[MangoMan]

These products are (questionably) great - until you stop using them! Then see what happens to your windscreen!
Personally I think they should be banned!

All I use is AutoGlym "Fast Glass" - It has the same effect but if you stop using it, it just wears off and goes away - simples!

 

[ph47mf]

+1 to the 'pointless product' brigade

useful to people's cars without a working wiper

 

[daveenty]

Many years ago and in a previous life, or so it seems, we always used to carry a potato with us in our wagons. They weren't trucks then, just wagons.

If the wipers ever packed in, which they tended to do with monotonous regularity, just slice the spud in half, smear it across the screen, and you have nature's own water dispersant. You could literally drive for miles like this in most weather conditions and it was an excellent "get you home" method.

OK, it was a bit of a challenge to clean up afterwards, but it worked.

 

[stephenmercedes]

Progress report - just spent the last 5days driving round Donegal, surprisingly, it rained LOL After using RainX for nearly 4 decades, I can see no difference at all to that and Repel. It may last longer but I'll just have to wait and see on that. Yes, loads of cynicism here over these products in general, but if you're a fan, and you have a bottle of RainX in your garage, no need to rush out and buy something else thinking it may be better...

 

[renault12ts]

Where in Donegal?

 

[Smart320]

Where is Donegal?

 

[stephenmercedes]

Where is Donegal?

 

[renault12ts]

Where were you in Donegal?

 

[stephenmercedes]

Where were you in Donegal?

Balleybofey, Letterkenny, Donegal Town etc... Just a relaxing few days visiting family and lounging beside some great pub firesides

 

[Alex225]

I must admit, I'm rather partial to the Rain-X Glass Cleaner purely as it applies Rain-X as you clean the windows. Repellent abilities don't last as long though.

Angelwax H2Go is exceptionally good as well. Recommended by Ed at Divine Detail who a few of you know. Easy to apply, buffs off easily as well and lasts. Very good stuff.

 

[MrRight]

I was somewhat sceptical about RainX's supposed magical powers especially in the 2 in 1 form of the product but reluctantly bit the bullet when I started having wiper related issues on my old car. Following the car's first annual service, the technicians at my dealership ruined my previously functioning wipers by replacing them with duds.

Enter rain X 2 in 1 and i cleaned the windows with autoglym shampoo and then gave the windows a few coats of the stuff. After waiting ages for rain, it finally arrived and after giggling like a giddy school kid all i noticed was other really pronounced beading. I still needed to use my wipers. It was after driving in heavy downpours on the motorway that I realised RainX was the product for me , I hardly use my wipers now while driving at just under 70mph. At night I keep the wipers on the lowest setting and visibility is rather excellent. other than the beads reflecting light , I actually drive with the wipers off sometimes with decent visibility. I rewarded my new found love for rainX 2 in 1 by purchasing the original rain X which I apply on top of the 2 in 1 every few months. While not necessarily a game changer, it has banished my fast glass to being a place where spiders can build their webs and never have to worry about me destroying their hard work...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I was somewhat sceptical about RainX's supposed magical powers especially in the 2 in 1 form of the product but reluctantly bit the bullet when I started having wiper related issues on my old car. Following the car's first annual service, the technicians at my dealership ruined my previously functioning wipers by replacing them with duds.

Enter rain X 2 in 1 and i cleaned the windows with autoglym shampoo and then gave the windows a few coats of the stuff. After waiting ages for rain, it finally arrived and after giggling like a giddy school kid all i noticed was other really pronounced beading. I still needed to use my wipers. It was after driving in heavy downpours on the motorway that I realised RainX was the product for me , I hardly use my wipers now while driving at just under 70mph. At night I keep the wipers on the lowest setting and visibility is rather excellent. other than the beads reflecting light , I actually drive with the wipers off sometimes with decent visibility. I rewarded my new found love for rainX 2 in 1 by purchasing the original rain X which I apply on top of the 2 in 1 every few months. While not necessarily a game changer, it has banished my fast glass to being a place where spiders can build their webs and never have to worry about me destroying their hard work...

I did try RainX many years ago, and I didn’t like the smearing on the windscreen.

Whilst not the brands discussed here, I have a similar product on our cars, and I like it. It doesn’t smear either, well it does just a little for the first couple of sweeps, but no more than that. Whether it’s the product, or maybe because it’s professionally applied, I’m not sure.

Driving without wipers really comes into it’s own on very long journeys in heavy rain.