Washer Fluids

[Gashde]

DONT use household glass cleaner in your washer bottle unless you are going through a full bottle every couple of weeks. Apparently the ammonia compounds in the cleaner will either coagulate or precipitate out if left in the bottle for longer than about a month - something to do with temperature and/or agitation I have been told. The result is a snot-like goo which will clog the filters, lines and pump. It took 3 hours of labour to dismantle my wife's BMW 1 Series so they could clean and replace the filters. Look up YouTube snot in windscreen washers.

Clean water is OK by itself if you're cleaning dust or dirt from your 'screen, but on any highway or city streets the spray will be filthy with oil based products and needs something to cut through the grime. I use Einszett 1Z Kristallklar: A$13.99 for 250ml which is diluted 1:100,( so it's cheap) from CarCareProducts.com.au.

Cheers on the insight! Guess you (or your wife) experienced it the hard way.
Finally got around to get my bottle of washer fluids these days, would be glad to remove that warning sign off my dash...

[numnut]

The warning light has come on for me. I guess I use it too much because lately been parking outside and so much bird poo.....

I asked my local vw. They quoted me $13.20 for a 1l.

Should I buy this? Or should I just go to super cheap or even Kmart?

[Gashde]

The warning light has come on for me. I guess I use it too much because lately been parking outside and so much bird poo.....

I asked my local vw. They quoted me $13.20 for a 1l.

Should I buy this? Or should I just go to super cheap or even Kmart?

SCA windscreen concentrate 1L at Supercheap is $12.99 each , Kmart should be the same.
I'd say just go with the VW ones since there's not so much price difference.

[The_Hawk]

The warning light has come on for me. I guess I use it too much because lately been parking outside and so much bird poo.....

I asked my local vw. They quoted me $13.20 for a 1l.

Should I buy this? Or should I just go to super cheap or even Kmart?

That sounds like the stuff I was (and still am) using, 1L makes 5L and basically fills your washer bottle once. It works great, but is somewhat expensive. It's also designed for very low temps which we don't generally get in Australia. I've been using it for almost 8 years mostly because I didn't know there was an alternative so was getting a few bottles everytime the car when in for a service (under lease) and am only just running out now three years later.

The summer wash (also listed earlier in this thread) is what I'll be putting in next time it runs out. It's only 250ml but at 1:100 it should make up much much more. No idea what it actually costs ot how well it works in comparrison, but will update eventually.

[portas1971]

What is the capacity of the wiper wash bottle on the Tiggy please anyone?

[Flipper Dog]

Can't recommend the Einszett 1Z Kristallklar enough, one bottle has lasted me years - like may be 6 years on 2 x cars.
I make some up in a spray bottle and use it as a regular windscreen cleaner which does the job fantastically.
I had used the OEM Volkswagen stuff a while back but for value for money the Einszett 1Z Kristallklar beats it hand down.

[JustCruisn]

Cost comparison of some of the products discussed in the tread so far

Product	Size (Litres)	Mix Rate	Total (Litres)	Cost	Cost / Litre
Bars Bugs conc	5	40	200	$33.99	$0.17
SCA Conc	1	50	50	$13.49	$0.27
Einszett 1Z Kristallklar	0.25	100	25	$13.99	$0.56
Invisible Glass conc	0.3	33.33	10	$11.49	$1.15
Rain X	0.5	30	15	$18.99	$1.27
VW	1	4	4	$10.00	$2.50
Invisible Glass RTU	3.78	1	3.78	$10.49	$2.78

This forum does not do tables very nicely.

[Ozsko]

I first used Bars Bugs in the early 1970's and I have never seen it block washer jets yet. When the washers are used the first time after starting the headlight washers activate and if you hold the first press for a long time you continue to use excess water. I give the washers a very short hit, release and apply again to stop the headlight washers. I think the headlight washers operate every 4th time the washers are used if the vehicle is not restarted.

[Gashde]

My washer fluid has gone low again lately, haven't been using the function as much as previously.
This time decided to switch up and try the Goodyear Windshield fluid, looks quite basic but very cheap, 1 cap to 2000ml Water, the washer fluid itself is 2500ml, hopefully this would last for sometime.

[INASNT]

I just use old fashioned H2O