Screenwash?

[The Mad Monk]

sasha320 said:

That said, topping up at the next petrol station has never been that big a deal either...

Or waiting until you get home and keep it topped up on a regular basis.

[Baldchap]

The VW stuff smells the best of any screenwash I have used. It also doesn't foam up in fan jets the way some cheaper stuff does. Also, go when the agent is busy and they just give you it for free.

I used to go out of my way to VW to get screenwash for my old Lexus because I like the smell.

[chan61922]

Picked this up this morning at screwfix 4.99inc vat

[paultownsend]

OP. Just use the VW stuff. It’s cheap and two bottles last me at least a year. I have always used it in my last 4 VW’s, but put Costco Prestone in my wife’s Mini. Significant difference between both. The VW is super concentrated and gets you pished from just smelling it. 5L of the Prestone lasts as long as 1L of the VW.

I currently have a Volvo and the Volvo screenwash is rubbish. The tank needs half a litre for a proper concentration. You’d need 100ml of the VW stuff.

I have just ordered two bottles of VW from eBay. £10 delivered. Will run some plan water through the system then refil.

[chan61922]

Too late it’s gone in lol

[Shakermaker]

sasha320 said:

How flammable is screenwash?

I quite like the idea of having spare bottle of concentrated screenwash in the back of my car.

But the warning signs on the bottle suggest it is flammable and I’ve always worried about carrying a spare bottle in the boot of my (estate) car for this reason.

That said, topping up at the next petrol station has never been that big a deal either...

If you put it in a super soaker and fire it through a flame you can make a flamethrower, according to the internet c. 2001

[MUDGUTZ]

Normfest Screen Wash Concentrate

5 Litres including delivery for £19.99 (mine came via DHL within a few days)

30 ml makes 4 litres, so 5 litres of concentrate makes 666 litres of screen wash. (I had to look on the Normfest website to discover this). So it works out at 3 pence per litre. Obviously you will need to add some Isopropyl Alcohol from eBay to make it good for the winter.

[rm163603]

I too use the OEM BMW screen wash. It's not that expensive if you buy it on Amazon and I do find it works well.

I was told that the BMW stuff helps to lubricate the headlight cleaning jets that pop out.

I've experienced the jelly issue when mixing different brands and it's a PITA to clean out properly so as others said always flush the system with clean water if changing types / brands just in case.

[Brainpox]

ericmcn said:

Kev_Mk3 said:

Quick look and 5ltrs of bmw screenwash is £19.99 delivered from ebay.

anyone who spends 20 quid on 5L of screenwash needs their head checked tbh, I usually use prestone from costco

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1812653922

The concentrated BMW stuff is £2.90 per 50ml bottle, good for 5 litres. I'm surprised there is anyone who spends 10x that on pre-mixed stuff.

[jamei303]

Brainpox said:

The concentrated BMW stuff is £2.90 per 50ml bottle, good for 5 litres. I'm surprised there is anyone who spends 10x that on pre-mixed stuff.

50ml in 5 litres? I know Germans are into homeopathy but that's a bit of a piss-take surely?

[littleredrooster]

chan61922 said:

Picked this up this morning at screwfix 4.99inc vat

Hope you get on well with it - I found it to be rubbish - sorry!

...and £4.99 for 5 litres...wow...1 litre of 'stuff' + 4 litres of water. What are they using? Evian water? Volvic?

[miken2k8]

I just use water always have done, if you have decent wipers it won't matter. Apart from when it freezes obvisoulsy

[richard-p03]

I’ve used the Autoglym Ultimate screenwash (I picked up a few bottles when it was on offer) as it had really good reviews. Seems to work well but can’t really say it’s much different to anything else I’ve used. Seems that the Prestone one is rated even higher so might give that a go

[Chris32345]

rm163603 said:

I too use the OEM BMW screen wash. It's not that expensive if you buy it on Amazon and I do find it works well.

I was told that the BMW stuff helps to lubricate the headlight cleaning jets that pop out.

I've experienced the jelly issue when mixing different brands and it's a PITA to clean out properly so as others said always flush the system with clean water if changing types / brands just in case.

Starange how it's allways BMW's that have this issue never heard of any other cars having this issue always seems to be on a BMW?

Odd isn't it

[jamei303]

rm163603 said:

I was told that the BMW stuff helps to lubricate the headlight cleaning jets that pop out.

Unlike normal screen washes perhaps it has WD40 in it?

[Burgerbob]

I've been driving 28 years and for the vast majority of the time I've used water. Mind you it's been special water as it's come out of my tap.

Just occasionally in winter I've put some pre made screen wash in. It squirted at the windscreen the same as the water did.

Got to love the people who feel the need to buy branded screenwash!

[Digby]

Burgerbob said:

I've been driving 28 years and for the vast majority of the time I've used water. Mind you it's been special water as it's come out of my tap.

Just occasionally in winter I've put some pre made screen wash in. It squirted at the windscreen the same as the water did.

Got to love the people who feel the need to buy branded screenwash!

Glad I'm not the only one.

Screenwash can cut down on the chances of getting Legionnaires' disease, though.

[Flumpo]

eltawater said:

Just buy a big bottle of prestone screenwash from tesco or wherever is cheapest right now. I've been using that for about a decade across mazda, 2 Seats and a Jag with no ill effects.

This stuff is amazing, tried it last year for the first time and it’s the only thing that takes all bugs off first time.

[Mr Tidy]

rm163603 said:

I too use the OEM BMW screen wash. It's not that expensive if you buy it on Amazon and I do find it works well.

I was told that the BMW stuff helps to lubricate the headlight cleaning jets that pop out.

I've experienced the jelly issue when mixing different brands and it's a PITA to clean out properly so as others said always flush the system with clean water if changing types / brands just in case.

Yes, I've had to flush the reservoirs and clean the filters on 2 of my BMWs in recent years so I just use the BMW fluid in my E90 because the reservoir is in the front wheel-arch!

I use Prestone from Tesco in my E86 Z4 as it's inside the engine bay, so access is easy if it does all turn to goo.

[Pica-Pica]

jamei303 said:

Brainpox said:

The concentrated BMW stuff is £2.90 per 50ml bottle, good for 5 litres. I'm surprised there is anyone who spends 10x that on pre-mixed stuff.

50ml in 5 litres? I know Germans are into homeopathy but that's a bit of a piss-take surely?

Explain.