Seeing clearly
A spotless windshield
Salt, dirt, snow and ice are enemies of your windshield. There are products and treatments that allow water and other particles to literally slide on the glass. RainX is one of them. Though it requires a good half-hour of washing and polishing, its effectiveness will last between four to six weeks. You can also let car window specialists take care of your windshield by applying a special treatment. Aquapel ($25), for instance, is similar in effect to RainX. My collaborator, Pierre, tried it out for me. Since he regularly drives to Quebec City and back to Montreal, he was very satisfied with the treatment and wouldn't change it for the world -- you know what I mean. While the manufacturer promises a six-month effectiveness, expect Aquapel to serve you well for only three good months. That said, my friend uses less washer fluid and his windshield wipers work much less often. Price for RainX: $10.99.
Good windshield wipers
I often have doubts about some products advertised on TV, but I must say that the new Reflex wiper sold at Canadian Tire proves to be quite  |
| The Reflex is the lower one of these wipers. |
effective. (I wasn't paid to tell you that.) Last December, I bought two types of winter windshield wipers. On the passenger side, I installed a Reflex, while on the driver side, I put a traditional winter wiper. At low speed, both gave me satisfying results, although under icy rain or heavy snow, the Reflex was slightly better. At highway speed, the difference is really significant: the Reflex remains totally flat, slides better and cleans the windshield more effectively. I decided to buy a second Reflex wiper to replace my traditional wiper. True, the Reflexes are expensive, but they're really worth it. It's possible that they don't fit on every car, however. For example, on the passenger side of the Subaru Impreza, the Reflex wiper doesn't stick to the windshield as much as on the driver side. Price for a Reflex wiper: between $19.99 and $26.99.
New on the market: the RainX Latitude wipers
I'm currently testing new wipers designed by the manufacturer of RainX products. These wipers feature a curved contour and an aerodynamic profile to better stick to the windshield. There are no metallic parts, which prevents snow and ice from building up on the wipers. They're made from a synthetic rubber, called chloroprene, that's sturdier and more resistant than natural rubber. The blade is covered with graphite, which reduces friction. My first tests were conclusive: the RainX wipers proved to be even better than the Reflexes. In the next few weeks, I'll be able to confirm or invalidate my initial results.
Windshield washer
All kinds of colors and mixes exist. True, the more expensive ones clean more effectively and are tougher during very cold days. However, here's a proven advice to make your washer fluid more effective at cleaning your windshield: add a few drops of dish liquid before pouring the windshield washer fluid into the tank. Winter or summer, grime is better dissolved this way. Don't forget to keep a full gallon in your car at all times.
