Water? Soft or hard... Or that catch all `fluid`..
Pink or blue? There generally has to be a colour of course to give `confidence` that it`s not plain water. Even though that leaves an opaque coating on the screen round the edge of the wiped area.
I had a recent dream (time shift induced) that included the usual cream and red Triumph twin (last seen age 17yrs in the 60`s) but the main thrust was a guy telling me that cod liver oil kept the pipes soft.. the washer pipes that is.
It was a 1950`s engine bay and seemed like one of my teachers with a Hillman Minx. Then I was back in class aged about 8yrs cracking down with my teeth (pop!) on one of those school provided cod liver oil tablets and slugging back one of those little bottles of milk.
Outside cars motored past and there was an awareness that the road outside was connected to all other roads and there was no limit to possible travel.
Actually, that last paragraph is a memory from age 5yrs.
Then I woke up and Cilla Black came on in an advert seeming to tell me to `prepare for death` by taking out insurance...
The washer bottles full of pink `fluid` anyway - how about yours?
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In my washer bottle? Generally bottled water, the more expensive the better! I take a perverse pleasure in buying a large bottle (2 litres) and dumping the contents in my washer tank. In a boggo 9-year-old hatchback ...
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Holts pre-mixed screenwash. Bought a 5 litre container of it on impulse for something truly ridiculous like £1.50 last time I was at the supermarket.
Apart from one I picked up in Halfords a good few years back, which stank the inside of the car out every time it was used, I've never noticed much difference between brands.
Edited by DP on 24/03/2009 at 14:54
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A Homebase brand [blue] and filtered water to top up.
Works well.
screwtape
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Finest sparkling rose, hence the pink colour.
Why would anyone use anything else?
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Tap water and Lidl washer fluid (blue non-freeze for Winter, yellow citrus scented for Summer).
I do hope you haven't started drinking this stuff!
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Blue stuff from Lidl. I am trying to never to use Halfords {please note correct spelling} again as they are to Customer Service what Politicians are to Financial Probity- sorry I digress. Anyway I saw this stuff in Lidl which had a handy pourer on the side of the 5l tub. On the strength of that thoughtful touch I bought it.
As an aside, I also refilled my de-icer sprayer with it as well to see what happens as I reasoned it was probably the same stuff (glycol/IPA or whatever) just a bit more dilute. Seems to work OK and I get my screen washed at the same time so I pay myself a quid.
On that note - I have been driving for over hmhmty years and all this time I don't think I have never had a de-icer spray that has not leaked out more than I have used - you can buy disposable kids' drinks which seal better than these.
Jono
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 24/03/2009 at 19:03
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A load of gunge it seems, as my washers have just got blocked.
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Gin - kills all known bacteria
Tonic: the bubbles aerate the solution and prevent blockages.
Ice - for those really hot underbonnet conditions when the fluid might boil..
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Finest New Forest tap water with a hint of dishwasher rinse aid - doesn't bung up the filter / jets like washing up liquid tends to.
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oilrag are you sure you havent been drinking whats in yours :-)
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Finest tap water from the deepest darkest valleys of...Wigan. And a load of Fairy up liquid....usually until it starts frothing up out of the filler neck.
Free! What more could you want?!
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Halfords Advanced Screen wash, sort of bright yellow, diluted with water from the Derwent Resevoir. Used the stuff for years and keeps the fanjets/nozzles clear.
A special '3 for 2' offer made it worthwhile venturing into Halfords once in a blue moon.
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The works vans: what smells like cat's wee, because nobody can be bothered to flush it out with a hose and just keep topping up with water and additive. The bacteria love it. ;>)
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I am not sure why they sell ready mix when concentrate costs a few pennies more. I use Halfords concentrate 3 for 2 and get 15 litres and change from £12 Readymix is too strong for Summer and often not strong enough for the winter. I use 1 part in 20 for summer and up to 1 in 3 for the winter.
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 24/03/2009 at 17:23
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Convenience as much as anything. If I've got a new bottle of concentrate it's a bit more hassle to measure out a suitable amount of concentrate, then top up with plain water. Also, when I'm out and about it's a lot easier to dump in some ready made stuff.
While the concentrated stuff works out cheaper, the actual extra costs involved work out pretty low over time.
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If I've got a new bottle of concentrate it's a bit more hassle to measure out a suitable amount of concentrate then top up with plain water.
If you do it the other way around, you don't get a whole lot of foam pouring out as you're putting water in. The "concentrate" soon mixes in afterwards.
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Same as FotheringtonThomas - Tap water and LIDL washer fluid - blue non-freeze for Winter (£3.99 for 5 litres down to -70degC) . W5 Green apple scented for Summer (89p, makes 200 litres).
I do hope you haven't started drinking this stuff!
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Couldn't say - the CC3's bottle is buried in the wing and all you can see is an inch-long bit of filler neck.
No idea how much is in, either.
Suppose it might have a low fluid level warning light.
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Did some speculation last Autumn and bought 15 litres (for the price of 10) from Halfords - saw me through the winter and beyond - strangely not used much for some reason.
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Also invested in Halfords screen wash 3 for 2 deal in October. Just starting the third one. Kept three cars topped up all Winter. Must have reached that stage in life I guess.....
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I pre-mix mine in a spare 5l container which also has a convenient pouring spout. I rarely need to go stronger than 25% concentrate for winter use and for the summer mix - around 10% suffices. So the 15l Halfords deal will keep me going for some time.
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I too bought the three for two, but for a different reason.
About eight litres of it were thrown down the various drains/sinks/toilets in my caravan in leafy North Yorkshire.
It's part of a process known as winterising and very interesting it is, too.
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Gosh, I knew if I stuck around here for long enough I'd learn something.......
;-)
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Car Plan ready mixed, it was half price at Morrisons and then BOGOF as well, so i've got gallons of the stuff.
Didn't need that much really cos i use 'rain clear', but couldn't resist the bargain price..;)
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Soft rainwater from the butt - it doesn't leave streaks....2 drops washing-up liquid.
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Did you know that if you use higher than average concentrations of proper screenwash and scoosh your windows a bit too often that your wiper blades will last much longer. I reckon to get 2 years or 80k out of a set of blades.......
must get a hobby.....
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What`s all this about washing windscreens? I really meant `washer bottle` as a metaphor for life....
;-)
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In that case, didn't get where I am today by having pink fluid in my bottle......
Green man m'self.
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I always tend to use Halfords pink ready mixed stuff. However I did once buy a pre-owned 2.5PI Triumph from a pharmacist and it had methylated spirits in the bottle!
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My dad used to put meths im along with his screen wash. I bought/use Lidl stuff and water from the water butt. Don't believe in buying pre mix. Why pay more for water?
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I use diluted methylated spirits as well. It's about the same price as the pre-mixed stuff but at least it doesn't freeze and it keeps the windows clean.
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I have 2 homes. 1 in Dorset (very hard water) and Sussex (very soft water). I take a 25L container down to Dorset with the soft water, and use it for screen wash and coolant. It does make a less smeary screen. I use a Halfords green concentrate diluted accordingly to the time of year.
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Microbiological sludge blocks the jets of cars with fine nozzles (Rear of Mondeo is a favourite). High strength liquid seems to make it worse, so now adding one squirt of fungal / mould remover and one squirt of antiseptic spray per litre with 1:5 -15 deg C rated screenwash ...3 weeks no problems so far.
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My windscreen washers only get used come MOT time. Never get charged for screenwash additive for a service either :-)
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