To Treat or Not Treat Windshield? Aquapel Rain-X

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Jazee

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Over the years through my own experience I tended to prefer to just keep my windshield really clean. On a newer car with a windshield in good condition and a good set of wiper blades, this seem to offer the best rain performance. I put Aquapel on the sides, mirrors and rear since there are not wipers so the water roll-off is more crucial there. Works good.

I wondering if other people found that. I know I tried Rain-X on the front and didn't like it, but it's been so many years I can't remember if I tried Aquapel on the front.
 
I put aquapel on my windshield around 3 months ago. IMHO it is an amazing product. It eliminated the wiper squeaking, and the water literally flies off once you get to around 40-50
Km/h. I don't really use the wipers anymore even in the heaviest downpours. I don't think that rainX is anywhere close to the same league of product especially in terms of longevity.
 
I do recommend Detailer's Pro Glass Coating

Detailer’s Glass Coating, glass sealant, rain repellent

I have had it on the glass of my daily driver for 5 months and it is still going strong. I don't have to use the wipers as often when it does rain in Southern California. The blades still glide across the glass if I do need them. Water starts to sheet around 37 MPH.
 
Jazee said:
Over the years through my own experience I tended to prefer to just keep my windshield really clean. On a newer car with a windshield in good condition and a good set of wiper blades, this seem to offer the best rain performance.

I wondering if other people found that.
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I'm in the same camp.

Jazee said:
I put Aquapel on the sides, mirrors and rear
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Not me:
I've never put Aquapel, RainX, or any other of those
types of "treatments, on any of my vehicles' glass
surfaces---front, rear, sides, mirrors---none of 'em.


Bob
 
I need to (or want to) revisit Rain X and Aquapel. I've used both in the past. Of the two, I've had better experience with Aquapel (didn't it have a different name before?). In the last year, I have tried Gtechniq, both G1 and G5. Honestly, I don't think either works any better than the cheaper products. I'm not getting that lower speed water shedding everyone raves about ... but I wonder if part of the problem is the much more vertical windshield of my Honda Element?
 
If you have used aquapel on the windshield and are happy with the results I think it would be helpful if you could also provide the following additional information:

How old is the windshield and is the condition of it typical, better, or worse (in your opinion) for the age?
 
I agree that Aquapel is on par with the nano glass coatings
 
Jazee said:
If you have used aquapel on the windshield and are happy with the results I think it would be helpful if you could also provide the following additional information:

How old is the windshield and is the condition of it typical, better, or worse (in your opinion) for the age?
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I've used aquapel on all of my cars over the past several years and I've been very satisfied w/ its performance. All kept outside 24/7 and the windshield conditions are typical for their age....new & near new cars included. IMO one advantage over an untreated windshield is better visibility in-between wiper passes in many rainy conditions as the rain beads tightly on the glass & rolls off at speed versus an untreated windshield where you get loose drops and smearing.
 
I vote for coating the windshield regardless if it's Rain X, Aquapel, KSG or some other coating because sometimes it just rains so hard that the wipers can't keep up which creates a very hazardous condition and not to forget the times when you are splashed by an oncoming or passing car and your windshield is completely covered in water for several seconds.
 
Anyone every done an A/B test on a brand new are very new car/windshield. Seal one half, don't seal the other. I may try that, although my windshield has 45K miles on it. Do 1/3 Aquapel, 1/3 Klasse AIO, and 1/3 nothing.

Oh, and I would venture to say that anyone using Rain-X has never used Aquapel. Aquapel is so much superior in it's longevity it's not even a close contest. It's just that your big auto parts chain stores don't carry it so most people don't even know it exists.
 
I have been using RainX for as long as I can remember. Its cheap and easy and it works. I cant imagine not having a coating of some sort on my windows. It makes visibility better, period! I have been in cars in heavy rain without coatings and the water just sits there, especially on the sides and rear making visibility difficult.
 
Jaretr1 said:
I have been using RainX for as long as I can remember. Its cheap and easy and it works. I cant imagine not having a coating of some sort on my windows. It makes visibility better, period! I have been in cars in heavy rain without coatings and the water just sits there, especially on the sides and rear making visibility difficult.
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Agree with you that I need something on there. I just use whatever sealant I am putting on the car. I've used DG, Colinite, and Prima Hydro max. All work great, no streaks, and the rain just fly's off the windows. Super easy to apply.
 
I applied opti-glass in November of 2013 and surprisingly after 15,000 mi. it still beads like it was applied yesterday
 
IMO:
There's whole lot of difference between
auto-glass "treatments" like:
Aquapel, RainX, and their ilk...

and...AIOs/Sealants like:
Klasse AIO, Klasse HGSG, and their ilk.


Bob
 
I really like the Pinnacle Glass Cleaner and Pinnacle Sealant one-two punch. Applied it on an '03 dd and a newer dd with similar results. Rarely use the wipers. The glass cleaner does amazing things on household items like mirrors and glass endtables. Tossed my Windex in the trash.
 
My wife had Rain-X on a van years ago and when it got close to the end of it's life it got milky and made it hard to see. She got it in her head that all glass treatments do this. I put Optiglass on her MDX worked great. She started saying it made it so she couldn't see. I polished it off. I put Optiglass on my daughters cars and she loves it. My daughter was riding with my wife the other day and sent me a text saying" I don't know what the deal is but mom is right you can't see anything through the windshield in the rain with this coating on her vehicle" I got a good laugh and responded " you can't see anything because your used to driving with Optiglass on your car, I polished it off her truck, your just looking through clean glass with wipers"
 
Jazee said:
Over the years through my own experience I tended to prefer to just keep my windshield really clean. On a newer car with a windshield in good condition and a good set of wiper blades, this seem to offer the best rain performance. I put Aquapel on the sides, mirrors and rear since there are not wipers so the water roll-off is more crucial there. Works good.

I wondering if other people found that. I know I tried Rain-X on the front and didn't like it, but it's been so many years I can't remember if I tried Aquapel on the front.
Click to expand...

Rain-X offers a better hydrophobic effect than Aquapel. The problem is that it rubs away very easilly when the wipers are used. So for the windshield and the back window if there is a wiper present, I prefer to offer Aquapel.

On the side Windows and mirrors, I always use Rain-X.
 
Don't forget to do your headlights too with either an good beading LSP or RainX/Aquapel it makes driving at night in the rain a LOT better
 
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