My manual recommends oem windshield washer fluid but i was wondering if using aftermarket windshield fluids would crack the paint or so to speak? Im looking to purchase some windshield fluids and would like to know if there's a good "universal" type i can buy off-the-counter or i can just choose whichever one doesnt matter type?
Any Good Windshield Fluid?
- Thread starter Highroller
- Start date
- Status
I always buy the "blue" kind at Pep Boys, or the Super Tech brand if I'm at Walmart. The only kind I've ever had a problem with is the Rain X brand. I've found that it stains the paint.
Cool sounds like supertech is the clear winner for not messin up the paint and provides good cleaning. Advice noted thanks.
The blue juice has alcohol in it, that tends to evaporate during the heat of summer.
Some stores have a 'green' juice (bug juice?) for summer use, should work well in the Texas heat.
Switch to the blue stuff come December.
Some stores have a 'green' juice (bug juice?) for summer use, should work well in the Texas heat.
Switch to the blue stuff come December.
Kestas
Staff member
In the summer climate I use tap water with a spritz of car wash detergent mixed in. There's no need for blue washer fluid in the summer - a waste of money. Save it for the freezing temps.
I seasonally change out the washer fluid on all my cars. Yes, I'm that cheap!
I seasonally change out the washer fluid on all my cars. Yes, I'm that cheap!
ST for 97 cents? You're getting ripped off. I just bought a couple of gallons for 94 cents each.
Highroller, what you would look for in a washer fluid is probably different than what I would look for.....
probably doesn't get to -20F there in TX (for long, anyway !!)
I use alcohol fluid year-round,...(did you ever forget to change it only to find the reservoir frozen/split the first cold Fall evening ?? Kestas has a better memory than I do !!)
I always get the -45F or -50F fluid. Costs a little more but it sure clears a frosted windshield faster than the -35F fluid on a Winter morning.
if it doesn't freeze in your area I would use Kestas tap water and dish detergent (Calgon, no spots left).
probably doesn't get to -20F there in TX (for long, anyway !!)
I use alcohol fluid year-round,...(did you ever forget to change it only to find the reservoir frozen/split the first cold Fall evening ?? Kestas has a better memory than I do !!)
I always get the -45F or -50F fluid. Costs a little more but it sure clears a frosted windshield faster than the -35F fluid on a Winter morning.
if it doesn't freeze in your area I would use Kestas tap water and dish detergent (Calgon, no spots left).
I like either standard Prestone Bug Wash or the Rain-X equivalent. I believe neither works in freezing weather.
If I lived in a warm climate, I'd be interested in the 303 "Instant Windshield Washer Tablets". Not that its always below freezing in Kentucky, but I'd probably never be into "flushing" my washer reservoir.
http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cf...FTOKEN=49728553
http://www.303products.com/tech/index.cf...FTOKEN=49728553
I just use whatever's cheapest.
Sometimes it's Super Tech, and others are from local gas stations, meijer, etc.
As Kestas said, just dilute it in the summer, Mostly water with a spritz of washer fluid.
Kestas
Staff member
Remember that not all blue fluid is winter fluid. Some of it is summer fluid. My sister inadvertently grabbed some summer fluid thinking it was winter fluid. She didn't look past the blue color of the fluid. And even within the winter fluids there are different levels of protection. They sell the -20°F fluid here. I understand there are weaker fluids, probably sold in the milder climates.
Kestas tap water?
Kestas tap water?
Kestas, we could go down to Wyandotte and get some Detroit River water from around the old BASF plant. It probably wouldn't freeze either ??!!
Might be a little hard on the paint though .....
Might be a little hard on the paint though .....
At my walmart, their blue ST brand fluid is rated to -20F. I still have a few gallons of the "Winter Formula" and it seems to work fine even in the summer heat. They have a yellow "Premium De-Icer Washer Fluid" rated at -30F. I actually really love this stuff.
Back in Feb we got a TERRIBLE week of nonstop ice storms that coated every car in 1-3 inches of ice and with daytime temps in single digits, it wasnt meltin anytime soon. I picked up 10 gallons of the yellow jugs the week before when I heard about it. It worked to de ice my whole car by pouring about half gallon on top! Almost as good as Prestone De-Icer imo. Did this same thing for a few neighbors who could not get into their cars.
Yellow stuff is not a good cleaner though imo. In winter I mix the blue and yellow(75% yellow, 25% blue). Cleans great and is a very pretty neon green shade
Back in Feb we got a TERRIBLE week of nonstop ice storms that coated every car in 1-3 inches of ice and with daytime temps in single digits, it wasnt meltin anytime soon. I picked up 10 gallons of the yellow jugs the week before when I heard about it. It worked to de ice my whole car by pouring about half gallon on top! Almost as good as Prestone De-Icer imo. Did this same thing for a few neighbors who could not get into their cars.
Yellow stuff is not a good cleaner though imo. In winter I mix the blue and yellow(75% yellow, 25% blue). Cleans great and is a very pretty neon green shade
I like using 303's windshield washer tablets. $3.99 per package of 5 at Canadian Tire, and they work just as well as any other brand of washer fluid I've used.
I, nor my parents, have never used or topped up their washer fluid before.
- Status
Similar threads
