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I use Splash from Lowes for around $3.50 a jug. Got it mostly for winter use for melting ice but use it year round. I also clean my windows regularly with glass cleaner from the Dollar Store. So its not like the windshield wash has to work that hard at cleaning. I will clean the wiper blades while cleaning the windows. For wipers I have been using the same ones since i bought the car, I just replace the blades themselves with silicone ones off Amazon, cut to fit.
MB Dealer service advisor states anything but Rain-X. Rain-X supposedly has wax in it that damages coating on headlight and sensors.
There was a class action suit against RainX for damages to washer level sensors about 6 or 7 years ago. I had an old BMW which had a sensor replaced and the SA told me not use Rain X washer fluid. Its a German car issue but the sensor material might have been redesign or changed since then.
There are quite a few listings on eBay for SummerFit. Like 12 bottles for $20 (but $10.40 shipping), making the price per bottle $2.53 each, which isn't too bad. Or 6 for $16 plus $10.40 shipping, or $4.40 per bottle.
Including shipping and sales tax, SummerFit (I don't do minus temperatures....ever) when mixed 1 to 100 is about $7.50 per gallon. Good price? You decide.
I have been using Rain-X for over 4 years, (from Costco) with no problems.
Your SA is totally misinformed.
Glad you have had success with Rain-X, but with these high end cars and the technology involved, why take a chance on incurring costly repairs for the relatively inexpensive cost of using MB Summerfit/Winterfit or what the SA recommends.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by MEAC
Glad you have had success with Rain-X, but with these high end cars and the technology involved, why take a chance on incurring costly repairs for the relatively inexpensive cost of using MB Summerfit/Winterfit or what the SA recommends.
Because the products are basically the same and the products your SA recommends cost 5X to 10X more.
In other words pure profit for MB and money taken out of your pocket by your SA!
With regard to the class action lawsuit against RAIN-X.
This case was limited to a small class of people who used RAIN-X before 2015, mainly BMW's, almost 10 years ago. The problem was that RAIN-X had chemicals that caused the sensor that monitors the reservoir level of the washer fluid to malfunction. The law suit alleges that when there is fluid in the reservoir there is an electrical current between the two probes in the sensor in the reservoir. When the fluid level drops, the electrical current is broken and a light indicating low fluid level appears as a warning in the instrument panel. There were chemicals in RAIN-X that prevented the electrical current and false warnings indicating low fluid levels. Those sensors needed to be replaced.
Again this problem was limited to a minute number of cars (less than 6,000 - mainly BMW's) who used this monitoring system. The suit was settled by granting $250,000 to the plaintiff, which was between $20 and $200 to each member to cover the cost of replacing the sensor.
If you car had a different way of monitoring windshield washer fluids, which 99.9% of cars do, RAIN-X was not a problem.
Thanks for the information! I will consider on the next refill. MB and stores don’t even sell the Summerfit and Winterfit, so it is inconvenient. Extra cost is going to MB.
I have been using Rain-X for over 4 years, (from Costco) with no problems.
Your SA is totally misinformed.
I've actually replaced the windshield washer sensor in my W212. Probably the same in the W213, car had over 100k at the time. Sensor looked fine, maybe had some coating on it. New one worked fine. Sensor wasn't that expensive, in the $20 range, but had to remove a bunch of panels to get to it. You don't need to use the MB fluid, but just basic windshield washer fluid without any special features should be fine.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by MEAC
Thanks for the information! I will consider on the next refill. MB and stores don’t even sell the Summerfit and Winterfit, so it is inconvenient. Extra cost is going to MB.
Some Euro windshield washer fluid low level sensors are capacitance sensors. Basically, any washer fluid that creates a coating on the windshield might affect the capacitance reading of the sensor and cause it to transmit a false reading.
I put one of the windshield specific ceramic products on. It is very impressive and works very very well...EXCEPT when it comes to bugs.
The problem is made worse by the commonly available fluids in Western Canada. In some kind of supply optimization genius move, the gas stations have decided to run one product. More or less it is just winter washer fluid. If you're in an area where there are a lot of bugs it's incredibly frustrating. It doesn't clean bugs off the windshield, rather it smears them around in an awful way. The ceramic does make it easier to remove the bugs...but only if the fluid does its job. When I can find summer, or bugs guts compatible fluid, then it cleans quickly and easily but leaves a very small remnant of fluid that provides a streak of sorts. Not in a nice way.
So...if you don't have bugs, the ceramic is something I would say has benefits that outweighs the negatives. But in a bug area it produces a 'wash' between having the ceramic or not. Can't comment on winter just yet.
I put one of the windshield specific ceramic products on. It is very impressive and works very very well...EXCEPT when it comes to bugs.
The problem is made worse by the commonly available fluids in Western Canada. In some kind of supply optimization genius move, the gas stations have decided to run one product. More or less it is just winter washer fluid. If you're in an area where there are a lot of bugs it's incredibly frustrating. It doesn't clean bugs off the windshield, rather it smears them around in an awful way. The ceramic does make it easier to remove the bugs...but only if the fluid does its job. When I can find summer, or bugs guts compatible fluid, then it cleans quickly and easily but leaves a very small remnant of fluid that provides a streak of sorts. Not in a nice way.
So...if you don't have bugs, the ceramic is something I would say has benefits that outweighs the negatives. But in a bug area it produces a 'wash' between having the ceramic or not. Can't comment on winter just yet.
We seemed to have killed all the bugs in my area. I remember years ago you'd go for an hour or two drive at night and your bumper would be covered with dead bugs and of course also all over the windshield. Not so much anymore. I used to carry one of those gas station squeegees, the rubber on one side and the foam pad/abrasive to remove the bug residue. All you do is scrape the windshield to remove the bug residue after using the windshield washer fluid. No need for it now and the regular fluid is fine.
Look, I don't know anything about the mechanical aspects of cars. All I do is drive them. I am lucky I can start the car. Although I did change the battery on the key fob and it still works, LOL.
That said, in one aspect of my professional life, I do know a bit about glass. Here's the bottom line....IT'S WASHER FLUID!!! LOL. Buy a good quality one and you'll be fine.
07-10-2024, 07:53 PM
