Windshield wipers - a bit too slow?
 

Anyone else finding that the windshield wipers (at max setting) are not quite up to snuff in moderate-to-heavy rainfall?
Had a couple days/nights of moderate rainfall (Weathernetwork called it "light rain"), and I found myself feeling like the wipers in my old Celica handled the constant flow of rain better...

Not sure what to expect as I'll be going through my first winter with the BRZ this year (aside from snow tires, and slower driving)... Can't really modify the wipers to go any faster...

Rain-X. Treat your windshield and you'll never use the high setting unless you're caught in a monsoon.

I use Rain-X as well. Stuff works.

rain-x is good for high speed.

I have also found that blu-blockers (epic old school weirdo glasses from the movie hangover) make seeing thru the rain droplets on your windshield much easier without making the environment too dark.

Polarized glasses seem to help as well.

side note: It scares me when the rain stops and i still see cars w/ wipers at full speed...if the driver doesn't notice the lack of rain + violent wiper action...what else aren't they paying attention to?

Optimum Opti-Glass is a good option as well. Functions a bit like Rain-X, but lasts a good bit longer.

It's good for all speeds. The coating makes the rain drops bead up when they hit. This mean sthey cover less of the surface area than if they flatten out. Even around town you'll have greater visibility as the rain is essentially bouncing off the windshield instead of splattering.

Rain-X effects can last a very long time. One good application from the bottle will last nearly indefinitely if maintained by using the Rain-X washer fluid. I only re-apply once a year, and that's really just a spring maintennance thing. I've had past cars go YEARS with just one application and using the Rain-X washer fluid.

Rain-X ftw and you will don't need to use your wipers anymore lol.

Will have to try that...

Yes wax work well also.


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F it get http://www.neverwet.com/anti-wetting.php

If that stuff didn't dry to an opaque haze they'd be getting a significant percentage of my next paycheck, lol.

I don't know about slow but I think the frequency gap between the highest setting in the INT mode and the LOW setting is too large.

You know you're supposed to let it dry/haze and then buff it out like a coat of wax, right? Edit: Oh you meant the neverwet.

I've used Rain-X with their wiper fluid as an excellent combo for years now, but just started using PPG. I've used it before, there's no question it lasts months longer than Rain-X does. I use it every year at the start of the rainy season here in WA and re-apply half way through because it rains all the god damn time here in the winter.

I don't need my wipers over 35mph

What bugs me about the wipers is how slow they are to activate. I don't like using the settings as it's never quite right for the situation. So I usually just flick the stalk with my hand when I need it. HOWEVER, if you flick the stalk too quickly the wipers will raise about 3 inches and stop. It's very frustrating.

Rain-X is great though. I've heard good things about PPG AquaPel, but I tried it and didn't like the results.

You know he's talking about the NeverWet being opaque, right? Not Rain-X.

Beat you by a minute on my correction :)

I use Aquapel.. Lasts for about a year
http://www.aquapel.com/

Keep in mind, whether you garage your car or not is going to have a considerable effect on how long any glass treatment lases. Not to mention how frequently you use your wipers.

Quoting my own post to state that I was being a moron. :slap:

It turns out what I though was the highest setting in the INT mode is actually the slowest speed. Going clockwise, my old Ford's settings were from lowest speed to highest speed. The BRZ's settings are from lowest time gap to largest time gap.

I keep cleaning my windows with Stoner's glass cleaner with some newspaper and for some weird reason, it repels water great without rain-x. I could only imagine with both the combination, it would be like opti-coating my front windshield again ( I never used my wipers even in downpour).

Drive faster. Water blows off.

THIS. Can confirm as well.

Applied Aquapel this weekend. We'll see what happens!
Used the expended applicator to go over my rims too (should've done the headlamps instead).

TheharderitrainsThefasteryougoThequickeryoumakeanu nintendedstop.

Ive yet to use max setting on mine... even on 0 visibility rain... in moderate to heavy i'm usually using the shortest intermittent setting

I am surprised everyone is recommending Rain-X and not Aquapel: http://aquapel.com/

I find aquapel incredibly better than Rain-X. It lasts longer (I apply once a year), doesn't force you to use their windshield fluid and at highway speeds or anything about 60km/hr, water just shoots off the windshield.

I usually apply once in the spring. It also works in the winter.

It rained today so I can say the Aquapel does work - only issue is I'm getting windshield wiper chatter - feels like the wiper blade (brand new Michelin) is no longer contacting right...

Are you talking about the cheapo Michelins you find in CT or Costco? I find they skip in winter, period. I used to have them in my dad's Corolla and they skipped once it dropped below 5 deg C. Currently I am using the PIAA on drivers side.

Bingo.
Damn... I thought they'd be pretty decent...

Bingo.
Damn... I thought they'd be pretty decent...

what didn't you like about it?

i've used rain-x for the longest time, though i never cared for the 'sloppiness' of how the raindrops streak with rain-x. during that time, i also used a product called phaze glaze, which did a better job and didn't streak as much, but also didn't last as long..

last year i tried aquapel after i tossed it on a massive autogeek order, figuring it couldn't be any worse.. i applied it to the car and then a week later took a 10 hour road trip, 4 hours of which was spent in heavy rain. after heavy wiper use for that long, the coating started to not work as well, but still seemed to be better than rain-x.. it only took a little glass cleaner for the glass to start repelling water again, and at that point, i still felt it performed better than rain-x did..

i sold the car 6 months later, and was still happy with how aquapel performed..

I couldn't get the AquaPel to go on smoothly and not streak. Ive never had any problems getting a streak-free/haze-free Rain-X application.

While we're talking about windshield wipers, is it just me or do the twins only have 3 settings? There's low, medium, and high, which you have to move the stalk for. Then there's the little thing you twist on the stalk to adjust a little more granularly, but it does literally nothing on my car. In my 240sx and my Camaro, the little twisty thing obviously adjusted the wiper speed.

Not just you - short of pulling out a stopwatch and timing the intervals myself, I can't readily tell much of a difference between the two extremes of the fine-tuning knob

Surprised people are having issues with wiper speeds, I feel like between the main wiper settings and then the fine tunning knob this car has a wiper speed for any level of mist, drizzle, rain, or typhoon.

That's for the intermittent wiper setting the first setting pulling down on the stalk.That nob on the stalk just sets the laps of time between swipes.

You're not doing it right then - I've applied it now 5 times over 3 cars and never had hazing issues. In fact, it's on the manual where it says you have to keep up the waxing motions till the haze disappears. It does require a LOT of elbow grease but it does work.

By the way, does anyone know who makes the wipers for the FRS/BRZ?

That's how I use it. I don't think the change is imperceptible, just too subtle and insignificant across the full range