Screenwash Test - Post up the good stuff

[John D.]

B'stard Child said:

John D. said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

I use Shell winter screenwash in concentrated form and it hasn't frozen in temps down to -13c, any ready mixed stuff is useless in these conditions.

As in concentrated/neat or diluted to instructions?

I think that thats the key to the thread - are these products any good when you use them as recomended

I tried one last year and followed the dillution instructions and washers constantly froze up and ended up using in almost neat - gets bloody expensive then

Whats the price of a screen not caked in salt/road grime for 580 miles a week? A £3 bottle lasts me a week and a half at a guess.

Instructions are that its rated to -9 if used neat. Considering I regularly saw -5 at home and work and once -9.5 on commute home, tipping it in straight seemed a worthwhile cost.

Thats fine if it says it can be used neat - stuff i'm using (and others used previously) cautions against using neat....

I can see what Declan is driving at and I feel the same way - so you are buying 5L at £3 a can and using it neat (and as you say it rated to -9 when used like that)

I'm using stuff rated to -8 when diluted at a 1 part SW to 3 parts water - so the 5L can effectively makes 20L of screenwash that works at just 8 pence per litre cost v yours at 60p per litre cost - dunno about you but thats a difference over winter that can really add up

It's like running your central heating with the windows open

John D. said:

Easier than mixing it correctly too

I'm sure but enviromentally and economically not that clever... ooopps it's PH maybe I shouldn't say that.....

Fair enough. I'm not going to be using it neat for the whole winter, only whilst we have these current extreme temps (hopefully another 2-3 weeks max!!).

Personally that difference is pretty inconsequential. Its a few quid.

Factor in the ease of getting it; I can just grab a bottle doing the weekly shop, and I'm not going to be losing sleep over it.

[B'stard Child]

Leicesterdave said:

B'stard Child said:

I guess you don't use your car much

I don't- you're right!

(looks at profile - ahhh they are sweet) so cost to you over the winter months doesn't matter - fair enough

Her Polo absolutely drinks the stuff - headlights are washed when lights on and whilst it's got a huge SW tank for the size of the car - I hate pearing thro a dirty screen so I probably use more than others

[ShiresV2]

JVaughan said:

I make my own ... 75% Industrial Ethanol, 1% Methanol, 10% PEG, 14& Water.
Works a treat// and degreases nicely too.

Somewhat similar story here.

I have been making a cocktail with surgical spirit, water and car soap. Hasn't frozen yet. Or exploded.

[Wills2]

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

I use Shell winter screenwash in concentrated form and it hasn't frozen in temps down to -13c, any ready mixed stuff is useless in these conditions.

As in concentrated/neat or diluted to instructions?

I think that thats the key to the thread - are these products any good when you use them as recomended

I tried one last year and followed the dillution instructions and washers constantly froze up and ended up using in almost neat - gets bloody expensive then

As I put in my post "in concentrated form" I.e no dilution.

Feels a tad warmer today though!

Ok that wasn't clear to me - what do the "destructions" say about dilution rates - bottom line pouring in concentrate and ignoring the dilution rates doesn't prove that the product is any when used as recommended so it's not a recommendation at all - no offence but you aren't comparing apples with apples

Not comparing or recommending anything really old fruit.

Just trying to keep my windscreen clean whilst making the observation that the ready mixed stuff from the likes of "Carplan" hasn't really worked for me, and that the Shell winter screenwash when used "neat" has.

Perhaps it would work diluted but I didn't want to chance it as my engines no where near the washer jets/lines.

Hope that's cleared it up for you?

Edited by Wills2 on Sunday 26th December 14:16

[B'stard Child]

John D. said:

Fair enough. I'm not going to be using it neat for the whole winter, only whilst we have these current extreme temps (hopefully another 2-3 weeks max!!).

Personally that difference is pretty inconsequential. Its a few quid.

Factor in the ease of getting it; I can just grab a bottle doing the weekly shop, and I'm not going to be losing sleep over it.

I hope you don't but I guess if this thread is to have some relevance to people reading it then some format to the replies should be essential

1. Brand, Cost, Qty (for the cost)

2. When at recomended dilution rate (specified) Cost per L solution made

3. Results

But then again this is PH and the internet people can say what they want - Example

Fib - Brand X is the best in the world - I'm using it and it's costing me 1p per litre when diluted to 1:1000 and it's minus 32 Deg C out side right now and my washers work right from cold and it de-ices the screen for me too when it's a nasty frost

Truth - I'm actually using antifreeze cos I can't see the difference - I'm using it neat and I don't care that cats locally are dying from licking the spilages on the drive or that it's costing me £10 to do 50 miles a week

The cats and antifreeze is a serious point

[B'stard Child]

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

I use Shell winter screenwash in concentrated form and it hasn't frozen in temps down to -13c, any ready mixed stuff is useless in these conditions.

As in concentrated/neat or diluted to instructions?

I think that thats the key to the thread - are these products any good when you use them as recomended

I tried one last year and followed the dillution instructions and washers constantly froze up and ended up using in almost neat - gets bloody expensive then

As I put in my post "in concentrated form" I.e no dilution.

Feels a tad warmer today though!

Ok that wasn't clear to me - what do the "destructions" say about dilution rates - bottom line pouring in concentrate and ignoring the dilution rates doesn't prove that the product is any when used as recommended so it's not a recommendation at all - no offence but you aren't comparing apples with apples

Not comparing or recommending anything really old fruit.

Just trying to keep my windscreen clean whilst making the observation that the ready mixed stuff from the likes of "Carplan" hasn't really worked for me, and that the Shell winter screenwash when used "neat" has.

Perhaps it would work diluted but I didn't want to chance it as my engines no where near the washer jets/lines.

Hope that's cleared it up for you?

Totally - the shell stuff works well when used neat and I'm not to worried about the cost I'd rather just have working washers

[allgearnoidea]

Im not sure if anyones already mentioned this but if used in concentrated form screenwash can rot your windscreen rubbers! At least youll beable to see!

[B'stard Child]

allgearnoidea said:

Im not sure if anyones already mentioned this but if used in concentrated form screenwash can rot your windscreen rubbers! At least youll beable to see!

And possibly damage your paintwork but that's not gonna stop anyone using it neat is it?

[Wills2]

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

I use Shell winter screenwash in concentrated form and it hasn't frozen in temps down to -13c, any ready mixed stuff is useless in these conditions.

As in concentrated/neat or diluted to instructions?

I think that thats the key to the thread - are these products any good when you use them as recomended

I tried one last year and followed the dillution instructions and washers constantly froze up and ended up using in almost neat - gets bloody expensive then

As I put in my post "in concentrated form" I.e no dilution.

Feels a tad warmer today though!

Ok that wasn't clear to me - what do the "destructions" say about dilution rates - bottom line pouring in concentrate and ignoring the dilution rates doesn't prove that the product is any when used as recommended so it's not a recommendation at all - no offence but you aren't comparing apples with apples

Not comparing or recommending anything really old fruit.

Just trying to keep my windscreen clean whilst making the observation that the ready mixed stuff from the likes of "Carplan" hasn't really worked for me, and that the Shell winter screenwash when used "neat" has.

Perhaps it would work diluted but I didn't want to chance it as my engines no where near the washer jets/lines.

Hope that's cleared it up for you?

Totally - the shell stuff works well when used neat and I'm not to worried about the cost I'd rather just have working washers

Also I think my statement about "any ready mixed stuff" was misleading I was refering to the supermarket stuff I'd used but didn't make that clear in my first post really.

[B'stard Child]

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

B'stard Child said:

Wills2 said:

I use Shell winter screenwash in concentrated form and it hasn't frozen in temps down to -13c, any ready mixed stuff is useless in these conditions.

As in concentrated/neat or diluted to instructions?

I think that thats the key to the thread - are these products any good when you use them as recomended

I tried one last year and followed the dillution instructions and washers constantly froze up and ended up using in almost neat - gets bloody expensive then

As I put in my post "in concentrated form" I.e no dilution.

Feels a tad warmer today though!

Ok that wasn't clear to me - what do the "destructions" say about dilution rates - bottom line pouring in concentrate and ignoring the dilution rates doesn't prove that the product is any when used as recommended so it's not a recommendation at all - no offence but you aren't comparing apples with apples

Not comparing or recommending anything really old fruit.

Just trying to keep my windscreen clean whilst making the observation that the ready mixed stuff from the likes of "Carplan" hasn't really worked for me, and that the Shell winter screenwash when used "neat" has.

Perhaps it would work diluted but I didn't want to chance it as my engines no where near the washer jets/lines.

Hope that's cleared it up for you?

Totally - the shell stuff works well when used neat and I'm not to worried about the cost I'd rather just have working washers

Also I think my statement about "any ready mixed stuff" was misleading I was refering to the supermarket stuff I'd used but didn't make that clear in my first post really.

No problems - I've genuinely interested in what the PH masses solution is and like you found this year that the ready mixed stuff is frankly not much better than coloured water - you could make a salt solution up that coped with minus 2 Deg C and add a bit of blue dye and it would cost you next to nothing (not a recomendation I hasten to add)

[TheLurker]

John D. said:

B'stard Child said:

John D. said:

TheLurker said:

Tesco pink for me. Concentrated. Never had it freeze, latst winter or this. Difficult to get hold of though.

What I started using this winter after I was suffering frozen washer nozzles. It works. Not had that much trouble getting hold of it, although they didn't have any when I went to Tescos Christmas Eve. Think its only about £3 a bottle too.

5L or 1L never tried it but it would be good if people quoted prices per L

5L I think. Certainly not 1L.

Its a 2.5L container. Was £2, a few weeks ago, now £3 per container. For the price, you cant beat it. Its the same price as their blue stuff, which is rubbish.

Does make you wonder how drunk you can become on the fumes though - bloomin stinks. Anyone know what the active ingredients are in screenwash? Methanol/ethanol I would guess?

[ASR1]

250ml of the BMW stuff and the balance of the (c. 5L) tank filled with warm water (to ensure proper solution) has worked for me - but havent seen temps < -6 C

Incidentally some types of screen wash make the washer bottle filters clog up so tend to avoid using supermarket/ Halfords brands

Having to disassemble the washer system to clean up blocked filters isn't a pleasant task

Edited by ASR1 on Sunday 26th December 19:25

[Smike]

Leicesterdave said:

I've got the Halfords double concentrate apple. Smells good and rated to -23c.
Tried it up to -20c recently and no bother at all. It shouldn't get much cooler than -23c, wherever you are in the UK.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Edited by Leicesterdave on Sunday 26th December 13:50

The lemon flavour is even better if you look at the temperature guide

[perdu]

ASR1 said:

250ml of the BMW stuff and the balance of the (c. 5L) tank filled with warm water (to ensure proper solution) has worked for me - but havent seen temps < -6 C

Incidentally some types of screen wash make the washer bottle filters clog up so tend to avoid using supermarket/ Halfords brands

Having to disassemble the washer system to clean up blocked filters isn't a pleasant task

Edited by ASR1 on Sunday 26th December 19:25

this is true

BTDT

L reg Monjo horrid SW tank stuck inside front bumper area had to extract some kind of cloned rubbery tosh from the outlet pipe fixtures

yuk

[AlexS]

giggity said:

+1 for Frostex from Euro Car Parts - http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/...

Also I can recommend Holts High Performance screen wash 5L Conc from Costco.

Both products defo work. Cant deal with ready mix junk.

Edited by giggity on Sunday 26th December 13:36

Any idea what the recommended mix ratios are for the Frostex stuff is to bring it more in line with Southern UK temperatures. -70° is all well and impressive but slightly over the top even for Siberia.

[blueg33]

B'stard Child said:

I'm using it neat and I don't care that cats locally are dying from licking the spilages on the drive or that it's costing me £10 to do 50 miles a week

Living up to your name I see.

I am looking forward to the day when you have to see a surgeon who's cat has just died because some retard didn't give a st about antifreeze.

Edited by blueg33 on Sunday 26th December 20:47

[tezzer]

Done ALL of my windscreens / side windows / rear screens with Rain X first. Of the 4 cars on the drive, all of them have at some point suffered frozen Jests (Wife's fiesta being the worst affected), but at least the RainX allows any crud to be swiped off with a sweep of the wipers. Can;t rate the stuff highly enough, and stops the overnight snow and frost getting a cling on the glass too !

[MondeoMan1981]

Halfrauds Double Concentrate. Label says -23 undiluted. 5.99 for 2 ltrs.

I've been using it at 50% water, washers working fine up to an indicated -16

Edited by MondeoMan1981 on Sunday 26th December 21:37

[FRMATT]

tezzer said:

Done ALL of my windscreens / side windows / rear screens with Rain X first. Of the 4 cars on the drive, all of them have at some point suffered frozen Jests (Wife's fiesta being the worst affected), but at least the RainX allows any crud to be swiped off with a sweep of the wipers. Can;t rate the stuff highly enough, and stops the overnight snow and frost getting a cling on the glass too !

The 2in1 RainX I keep in the car froze the other night!

[dealmaker]

Our local service station keeps their ready mixed Car Plan crap out on the forecourt - we've had it cold up here last few weeks - as low as -15 - but typically between -7 and -3 overnight. That rubbish has been frozen solid in the containers in its display shelving for weeks now! I like Holts or VAG the best - I find the VAG/Audi stuff even SMELLS really strong when you hit the washers - good stuff!