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Author	Topic: Automatic Wipers vs Rain Repellant	Post a Reply Back to Topics

Pugpal Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,061 Points:39,745 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Jan 20, 2013 10:19:58 PM Ignore Pugpal Report Abuse As a long time (almost 40 years) user of rain repellant, I rarely, if ever, use my wipers, even during nighttime monsoons on a dark road. It has been my experience that at 50-60 mph, repellant is better than any wiper and a heck of a lot less distracting. To be sure, there are downsides to rain repellant. It doesn't work unless you have 40 mph of airspeed on the windshield. It ablates, so you have to make sure it is refreshed prior to a heavy downpour. It can deceive you at night, at the onset of rain, because you won't notice the rain on your windshield until the road becomes good and wet - which may be too late to throttle back on the speed. You have to buy the stuff and put it on. That said, I get queasy thinking about a car that turns its wipers on anytime it detects rain. Are drivers these days assumed to be potted plants? Can they exercise any meaningful discretion on anything these days?

Pugpal

Champion Author
Toronto

Posts:2,061
Points:39,745
Joined:Jul 2005

Message Posted: Jan 20, 2013 10:19:58 PM

Ignore Pugpal Report Abuse

As a long time (almost 40 years) user of rain repellant, I rarely, if ever, use my wipers, even during nighttime monsoons on a dark road. It has been my experience that at 50-60 mph, repellant is better than any wiper and a heck of a lot less distracting.

To be sure, there are downsides to rain repellant. It doesn't work unless you have 40 mph of airspeed on the windshield. It ablates, so you have to make sure it is refreshed prior to a heavy downpour. It can deceive you at night, at the onset of rain, because you won't notice the rain on your windshield until the road becomes good and wet - which may be too late to throttle back on the speed. You have to buy the stuff and put it on.

That said, I get queasy thinking about a car that turns its wipers on anytime it detects rain. Are drivers these days assumed to be potted plants? Can they exercise any meaningful discretion on anything these days?

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

keriazy4 Sophomore Author Montreal Posts:120 Points:7,760 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Feb 13, 2013 1:52:15 PM Ignore keriazy4 Report Abuse wipers
gvan Champion Author Chicago Posts:21,557 Points:2,839,215 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 2:07:27 PM Ignore gvan Report Abuse Had rain sensing automatic wipers on a 2001 and I didn't like them......seemed like there was no correlation between the amount of rain and the wiper speed. Maybe newer ones are better.
toms1120 Champion Author Maryland Posts:8,598 Points:1,814,820 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Jan 26, 2013 10:10:24 AM Ignore toms1120 Report Abuse Both (rainx)
LKnight598 All-Star Author South Carolina Posts:828 Points:190,615 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 23, 2013 12:40:35 AM Ignore LKnight598 Report Abuse Think you just about have to use wipers, but I use repellant too.
dieharder Rookie Author Ottawa Posts:48 Points:219,580 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 8:30:39 AM Ignore dieharder Report Abuse I don't really know how to take this question. If someone finds windshield wipers distracting, then I think driving just really isn't for them...
FieroGT Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:14,337 Points:2,509,035 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 7:22:47 AM Ignore FieroGT Report Abuse I don't even know what a rain repellent is. Is there a snow repellent too>
Quick68 Champion Author Columbus Posts:8,272 Points:1,229,800 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 6:05:32 AM Ignore Quick68 Report Abuse Both.
DanFMA Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:1,126 Points:1,075,410 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:28:13 AM Ignore DanFMA Report Abuse Wipers.
jessjames Champion Author Huntsville Posts:15,314 Points:3,307,135 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:26:04 AM Ignore jessjames Report Abuse Wipers
bearone2 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:3,325 Points:1,595,645 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:01:12 AM Ignore bearone2 Report Abuse auto
daddymopar Rookie Author Ventura Posts:45 Points:82,680 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 2:10:24 AM Ignore daddymopar Report Abuse I use both, seems to help in all weather trends. Besides, if a few bucks helps ensure I can see through anything what do I care.
Saab93turbo Veteran Author Washington Posts:485 Points:85,235 Joined:Dec 2012	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 3:18:14 PM Ignore Saab93turbo Report Abuse I don't like automatic wipers. They generally wipe too fast.
CactusBobs Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,736 Points:488,510 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 1:33:38 PM Ignore CactusBobs Report Abuse Rain ?............What is Rain ?
PatAZ Champion Author Tucson Posts:9,253 Points:122,460 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 1:17:31 PM Ignore PatAZ Report Abuse I use Rain-X and have never encountered your problem Grunpycat.
jimmy544 Champion Author Boston Posts:4,138 Points:656,780 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 1:15:02 PM Ignore jimmy544 Report Abuse I have used RainX for years and liked the effect. It is especially useful at night with pitted and scratched windshields. I dislike the labor involved and now with a new Rainx additive to wind shield wash that problem is gone! I have never had any automatic windshield wipers but expect them on the next car as Massachusetts mandates wipers and lights on in rainy weather. Probably both will come on with the first drops.
GrumpyCat Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,634 Points:792,620 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 12:55:54 PM Ignore GrumpyCat Report Abuse I dislike Rain-X because when wipers wipe over a Rain-X treated windshield a coating of fog is left behind. Wipers can not remove all water. What they do is leave a very thin layer of water on the glass which is flat and functions as a zero power lens, very easy to see through with no distortion. When that very thin layer can not wet the Rain-X treated glass it forms into beads. Very small beads. Otherwise known as fog. This fog usually clears in a second or so but its still there and annoying. Plus 1 second is a significant percentage of the time before the next wipe. Pugpal lacks the imagination to grasp the benefits of automatic wipers. The issue is not whether/when to turn on the wipers, but for dynamic control of the intermittent wiper interval for misting conditions.
OceanArcher Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,723 Points:1,331,300 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 12:30:25 PM Ignore OceanArcher Report Abuse I still have manual control over my wipers, and plan on keeping it that way
WEPSMAN Champion Author South Dakota Posts:10,523 Points:2,026,425 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 12:02:04 PM Ignore WEPSMAN Report Abuse Vehicle manufacture are trying to take all the thought process out of friving. I like the automatic headlights, but I do not need the rest. TPMS is OK if you run over something and the tire deflates while driving. I do not need auto windshield wipers. I like the option to use them when i need them. I do use Rain X and like it.
WES03 Champion Author Maryland Posts:4,859 Points:1,267,995 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 9:05:49 AM Ignore WES03 Report Abuse Both.
bearone2 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:3,325 Points:1,595,645 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 8:45:02 AM Ignore bearone2 Report Abuse auto
EdPG Champion Author Boston Posts:12,198 Points:2,671,910 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 8:36:41 AM Ignore EdPG Report Abuse I will still use my wipers
Maintroll Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,649 Points:1,706,060 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 8:00:06 AM Ignore Maintroll Report Abuse I have been driving well over 50 years using my wipers and I think I will finish out using them.
jes Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:16,180 Points:3,355,400 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Jan 21, 2013 4:44:00 AM Ignore jes Report Abuse Look at the vehicles that now have 'parking assist' to parallel park.