Screenwash

[EuroCarParts]

Now we're getting to that time of the year - I wanted to know what screen wash you guys use?

Have you got any tips or tricks?

 

[@MARK]

Now we're getting to that time of the year - I wanted to know what screen wash you guys use?

Have you got any tips or tricks?

This may sound odd, but the genuine BMW screen wash have used for the last 3 winters is amazing (and cheaper than the nice smelling stuff in Halfords)

It is rated down to minus 63 degrees centigrade and in the last 2 winters I have enjoyed washers that have worked at all times regardless of it being minus double figures.

Not sure if MB do their own branded stuff but if not, the BMW stuff is worth every penny.

BTW

There was a lot of talk last year from people who had frozen washer bottles and washer jets and also people complaining about their headlamp wash systems breaking.

It is up to you to put enough washer fluid in in the first place. A litre of cheap fluid in a 6 litre washer tank isn't going to hack it so you will end up with a frozen washer.

Read the label.

Check that the fluid is OK for low temps and then look at how much you need to add. Sometimes this means NEAT fluid.

Anybody who fails to follow this advice and then ends up with frozen washers is a danger to themselves and others and for the safety of others should stay off the road.

 

[Troon]

+1 to the above.

I used to be an active participant on a Ford forum. Most Fords with heated screens also have heated washer jets (as do many other cars), live all the time the ignition is on to prevent the washer nozzles freezing up. There was a long thread with people complaining these didn't work and trying to work out ways to hack up a bottle-and-pipe heating system. In reality, the heaters did work but weren't intended for the job that the users were expecting them to perform - to allow the use of any old screenwash at any temperature.

Of course, if you did actually use a heated bottle and pipe system to keep your inadequate screenwash liquid, as soon as you squirt it onto the screen it'll freeze solid and render the screen opaque.

The only solution, if you'll forgive the pun, is to ensure you have an adequate concentration of suitably-specified screenwash for the conditions. Halfords sold out of their double concentrate (good to -23°C neat) as soon as last winter got "interesting", so stock up in advance of poor conditions.

I use various screenwashes good to at least (most?) -20°C all year round, with heavy dilution in the summer.

Couple of years old now:

Screenwash solutions - We test twelve | Products | Auto Express

 

[davidjpowell]

Tend to buy whatever is being sold at the Petrol Station ready mixed, albeit last winter I then topped it up with additional concentrate.

I'd like to be organised to buy it beforehand, but am not and have been caught out in the past waiting to buy it from a specific place.

 

[moonloops]

Holts screenwash from Costco. It's approx £4 for 5 litres.

 

[fuzzer]

Holts screenwash from Costco. It's approx £4 for 5 litres.

It kept all the nozzles in the bumper fine and working with no sticking out as i was seeing on others cars.

One word to note , on cars with headlamp wash when scraping the car its wise to free up the flap and remove any ice to save the flap going walkies and costing about £60 to replace.

 

[steve333]

Using comma concentrated screenwash at the mo & it works great.

 

[EuroCarParts]

I'm really suprised that theres only a few people who specifically look for screenwash with low freezing points.

The normal screenwash that you buy at petrol stations or in high streets, when used neat will freeze between 0 and -7c - And last year there were many nights when it dropped below.

This year will see a massive demand for real winter screenwash (as we are seeing a demand for real winter tyres aswell)

The screenwash of choice for me goes down to -72c when used neat! So its good to see others are on board!

 

[fuzzer]

I'm really suprised that theres only a few people who specifically look for screenwash with low freezing points.

The normal screenwash that you buy at petrol stations or in high streets, when used neat will freeze between 0 and -7c - And last year there were many nights when it dropped below.

This year will see a massive demand for real winter screenwash (as we are seeing a demand for real winter tyres aswell)

The screenwash of choice for me goes down to -72c when used neat! So its good to see others are on board!

Which brand fo you use? and do you have any paint left after you use it? lol

Seemingly the costco stuff is good down to -36 when neat.

 

[EuroCarParts]

Which brand fo you use? and do you have any paint left after you use it? lol

Seemingly the costco stuff is good down to -36 when neat.

We have 2 popular screenwash's last winter - Have a look a tthe comparison here:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=25ef3958deecbbd7d54639c90&id=f4e7283ca6

The Normfest Screenwash is excellent! and I've used it for the past 2 years (along with the carplan -36c which is great aswell!)

 

[whitenemesis]

I always use MB screen wash, diluted as advised, never had a blocked or frozen nozzle.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I always use MB screenwash too.

The last batch of summer screenwash I bought is in super concentrated form, in a weeny test tube sized bottle, and replaces the old pink screenwash. It does a great job, and is cheaper than the pink stuff too.

I use MB winterscreenwash too, and up the concentration as the temperature drops.

I had to use some Shell ready mixed stuff a few months ago, and that was fairly good albeit expensive. Convenient though - dealers don't open 24h like fuel stations do!!

 

[Dryce]

Holts screenwash from Costco. It's approx £4 for 5 litres.

Ditto.

Costco do the -36C version.

 

[goldenii68]

Holts screenwash from Costco. It's approx £4 for 5 litres.

Tesco sell 5 litres of Holts screenwash for £3, it was down to £1.50 a few weeks ago (so guess who stocked up:bannana

 

[Dryce]

Tesco sell 5 litres of Holts screenwash for £3, it was down to £1.50 a few weeks ago (so guess who stocked up:bannana

There are different types of the Holts stuff.

Costco do the concentrate that claims it can be used neat for -36 and progressively diluted for higher temps.

Tesco tend stock products that claim something like -7 or -5.

 

[Shude]

The MB stuff is very good. Often at this time of year the winter kits are available/promoted which tend to include a couple of bottles of pink, a bottle of blue, a can or spray of de-icer and a plastic scraper. The whole kit is similar in price to a bottle of blue and pink.

 

[silver_star]

I bought a 25ltr drum from the local factors for about £13 last year and am still working my way through it

I ran a 1:1 mix and had no issues last winter. Through the summer I upped it to 1:10.

 

[goldenii68]

There are different types of the Holts stuff.

Costco do the concentrate that claims it can be used neat for -36 and progressively diluted for higher temps.

Tesco tend stock products that claim something like -7 or -5.

Just checked and its actually -2!!!

 

[Dryce]

We have 2 popular screenwash's last winter - Have a look a tthe comparison here:

http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=25ef3958deecbbd7d54639c90&id=f4e7283ca6

The Normfest Screenwash is excellent! and I've used it for the past 2 years (along with the carplan -36c which is great aswell!)

Pithy 500ml and 1l quantities at several £ per bottle.

Have you seen how much it takes to fill a W211 screen wash reservoir

 

[EuroCarParts]

The Frostex screenwash (-72) is also available in 30ltr but nothing in between! Maybe we could all share

However, the good news is, this is the screenwash the RAC have choosen for all 800 vans on the road this year! (Last year a lot of their patrols faced problems with frozen washers, and even worse, the fluid freezing over when applied to the window)