Does the rear window stay cleaner with mud flaps fitted?

[weaver]

I'm sure I've read on here somewhere that the amount of spray that ends up on the rear window is partly to do with the way the tail of the Yeti is shaped.

That being the case, does fitting rear mud flaps mean the back stays any cleaner?

[Y4YETI]

I am amazed how clean the rear window of the Yeti stays despite the fact we have a flat back that might be expected to suck in spray.

We would not therefore consider mudflaps unless going cross country in which case protection of the bodywork might be a factor to take into account.

I often wished the Skoda Superb had been fitted with a rear windscreen wiper - it got dirtier faster and quicker than the Yeti.

[grahamar]

Hi,

the back of the Yeti gets covered with spray - with or without mudflaps. Can't say I could really see any difference.

The dirt is not an issue, rear screen wiper works well, till you come to open/close the boot!!

Graham

Edited 31 March, 2010 by grahamar

[weaver]

Hi,

the back of the Yeti gets covered with spray - with or without mudflaps. Can't say I could really see any difference.

The dirt is not an issue, rear screen wiper works well, till you come to open/close the boot!!

Graham

Do you find it sucks in over the back bumper as well? When you open the boot there's an inward sloping lip to the bumper which is actually 'inside' the car - but gets covered in mud anyway.

I pretty much have the rear wiper on permanently when the roads are wet (which seems to be most of the time at present) - even if it's not actually raining.

[Harvey1512]

Has anyone tried RainX or equivalent on the back windscreen instead of using their wiper? I have a saloon at the moment and as that does not have a wiper on the back I tried out Turtle Wax Rain Repellant. It works very well and I put it on the back and side windows. Some people put it on the front but I would not be happy with that.

Clearly this does not get rid of mud or dirt but if the wheels just throw up water then it should be able to cope with that.

[Llanigraham]

I use Halford's equivalent of RainX on the back window of the Freelander, and I don't find it makes much difference as there isn't enough wind to move the water/muck off.

[grahamar]

Do you find it sucks in over the back bumper as well? When you open the boot there's an inward sloping lip to the bumper which is actually 'inside' the car - but gets covered in mud anyway.

I pretty much have the rear wiper on permanently when the roads are wet (which seems to be most of the time at present) - even if it's not actually raining.

Yes that happens to me too - it's a good test of how well you clean/polish the car. I.e. the car looks great then you open the boot and oh - there's all the mud/muck/dust/dirt again!!!.

My only thought was whether a winglet on the top of the boot roof extending an inch or two might move the airflow back enough to reduce the amount of dirty air that gets sucked onto

the boot. then again ....aerodynamics is not my strong point. :'(

Graham

[StewartK]

Yes that happens to me too - it's a good test of how well you clean/polish the car. I.e. the car looks great then you open the boot and oh - there's all the mud/muck/dust/dirt again!!!.

My only thought was whether a winglet on the top of the boot roof extending an inch or two might move the airflow back enough to reduce the amount of dirty air that gets sucked onto

the boot. then again ....aerodynamics is not my strong point. :'(

Graham

Graham

I doubt the winglet would help, my wife's MINI Cooper has one but the back of her car gets plastered with dirt every time she drives on wet roads. She uses gloves if she has to open the boot because the crud gets up underneath the boot release.

Stewart

[scunjee]

Hi,

the back of the Yeti gets covered with spray - with or without mudflaps. Can't say I could really see any difference.

The dirt is not an issue, rear screen wiper works well, till you come to open/close the boot!!

Graham

ditto above.... it makes makes opening the boot a joy after negotiating the local slurry pit roads after our dear beloved inbred farming community have distributed a good screed of muck on them

Edited 31 March, 2010 by scunjee

[Harvey1512]

I use Halford's equivalent of RainX on the back window of the Freelander, and I don't find it makes much difference as there isn't enough wind to move the water/muck off.

Fair point. I suppose that is the disadvantage of the back being practically vertical. I guess it just means using a lot of screenwash for the back windscreen then.

[shrub]

Has anyone tried RainX or equivalent on the back windscreen instead of using their wiper? I have a saloon at the moment and as that does not have a wiper on the back I tried out Turtle Wax Rain Repellant. It works very well and I put it on the back and side windows. Some people put it on the front but I would not be happy with that.

Clearly this does not get rid of mud or dirt but if the wheels just throw up water then it should be able to cope with that.

I use Turtle Wax rain repellant on Mrs Shrub's windscreen and it is fantastic whenever you get above 40mph in heavy rain.

[aerofurb]

Allams kindly fitted my mudflaps on my YETI as part of the PDI so I can't comment on their effectiveness.

Any square cut back machine like the YETI will suffer with crud and corruption getting sucked onto its tail. I've been using the RainX cleaner/repellant which works brilliantly on the YETI side windows and mirrors. On the rear screen it helps the water bead but remember there is no real airflow to remove said beads - it's better but not the answer to all problems. You do get a bit of smearing from the wiper when you have RainX etc on the front or rear screens.

I find the rear screen keeps clean enough to see out of with the auto wipers giving the occasional sweep - need more then flick the lever.

[Sanqhar]

Surely the real issue with the back is not the glass, after all the wiper keeps that clean, but the handle.

What I don't need is dirty gritty hands after opening the hatch.

tom

[aerofurb]

I find the tailgate release does get grubby but I haven't noticed getting particularly grubby hands. This is helped by the 'electro' release button and good lift struts. Closing isn't a problem with the rubber London Underground dongle thing on the inside!

[Lady Penelope]

I find the tailgate release does get grubby but I haven't noticed getting particularly grubby hands. This is helped by the 'electro' release button and good lift struts. Closing isn't a problem with the rubber London Underground dongle thing on the inside!

I think the answer Sanqhar is... that we all troop down to Aeros... so Dawn can wash our cars on a weekly basis too

and then we would all have gleaming SM's too

Ours is 1 month old today, it has front and rear mudflaps, has only been washed once and is looking filthy and when I went out in it last night I got my hands gritty and dirty when opening the boot- that'll teach me!!

I'll either have to wash it more And yes inside the boot too :S

or buy some gloves like the ones I recommended to Agerbundsen

[Agerbundsen]

I

or buy some gloves like the ones I recommended to Agerbundsen

Lovely gloves, lady P. they arrived in a few days and fit purrrfect! Not too useful in summer, as they are a little warm.

The dongle works well to shut the tailgate completely - unlike the Octy, which needed an additional slam. The unlock button only needs the tip of a finger to activate and the struts allow you to continue lifting the gate without much effort: One finger tip ( Make your own choice) might get a littel cruddy, but gloves are not required.

The backside of Snehvide does get cruddy when the roads are wet - but no more than the Octy Combi or any other Estate. The spoiler built into the top of the tailgate (Oh, hadn't you noticed that?) is there to limit the size of the turbulence behind the car - not to wash off the crud. I suppose the two functions are not compatible. A spoler that directs airflow down across the rear would also cause lift - not desirable - and probably also increase the turbulence and fuel consumption at speed - also undesirable.

Better to live with a dirty digit.

[Lady Penelope]

Hi Agerbundsen,

Gald to hear the gloves are ok but you will have to get a summer pair too by the sound of it!

I will obviously have to practise my boot opening technique using just one finger and shutting with the dongly thing more- everytime I've tried it hasn't shut properly and I've had to open it again and got even dirtier hands :'(

Report card says: "must try harder"...

[mhjonesuk]

Better still get your other half to open the boot Lady P then the dirty hand worries will be over, I know for a fact that my other half will be doing just that.

[Lady Penelope]

Better still get your other half to open the boot Lady P then the dirty hand worries will be over, I know for a fact that my other half will be doing just that.

Excellent suggestion Mark,

Parker really should be doing that anyway- I'll dock his wages

[Agerbundsen]

Excellent suggestion Mark,

Parker really should be doing that anyway- I'll dock his wages

:'( You beat me to it

[aerofurb]

I think the answer Sanqhar is... that we all troop down to Aeros... so Dawn can wash our cars on a weekly basis too

and then we would all have gleaming SM's too

I'll have you know, Lady P, that my ever so slightly car cleaning obsessed co-worker, Dawn, has only 'detailed' the Tibetan White SM once - every other time has been done by your truly (she spends most of her time cleaning/polishing/waxing/cleaning/polishing/waxing/etc her Clio V6...)!

I've sprayed my tailgate lock with a silicon lube which has made it shut first time pretty much every time! Clean-handed aircraft engineer me!

[Lady Penelope]

I'll have you know, Lady P, that my ever so slightly car cleaning obsessed co-worker, Dawn, has only 'detailed' the Tibetan White SM once - every other time has been done by your truly (she spends most of her time cleaning/polishing/waxing/cleaning/polishing/waxing/etc her Clio V6...)!

I've sprayed my tailgate lock with a silicon lube which has made it shut first time pretty much every time! Clean-handed aircraft engineer me!

Apolgies Aero :(

But ...I guess then we're all coming down so you can make our Yetis spotless too

Lady Penelope

Have a great Easter!

[aerofurb]

Ha! Like you need to apologise, Lady P!

Unfortunately, I can only work magic on Tibetan White YETIs - wash time again tomorrow at some stage. Grubby SM at the moment - doesn't really show the dirst just changes the shade of white!

I wish Mini-Eggs weren't so moreish....

[Lady Penelope]

You mean the creme egg ones...?

[aerofurb]

You mean the creme egg ones...?

Nah! The little solid chocolate ones.

(PS I transported them home in the boot of my YETI - keeping it on a YETI track...)

Edited 3 April, 2010 by aerofurb