Screenwash

[ejstubbs]

A friend who has an Audi (two, in fact) has told me that VAG service centres will kick up a fuss if you use any screenwash apart from that supplied by VAG retailers. Is this true - and if it is, is there any good reason for it beyond trying to persuade you to buy VAG's expensive screenwash?

With the recent weather, my washer reservoir is getting very low. There is a VW dealership just ten minutes walk from the office and I popped in there at lunchtime today to see if they had any screenwash. After spending five minutes being professionally ignored by the woman on the Customer Service reception desk, I turned around and left, having firmly resolved never to go through those particular doors again.

There is an Audi showroom not too far from work that I could call in at. Is it worth trying them? Or should I stop worrying and go with whatever Halfords/supermarket/DIY shop screenwash which claims to be able to cope with the current cold weather?

Actually I've heard that Lidl screenwash is quite good, and there is a Lidl closer to the office than the Audi showroom. Anyone have any opinions on the Lidl stuff?

[phantomlurker]

I believe there is a couple of reasons for choosing VAG

1) In warranty period, use VAG or any problems with windscreen wash system could be deemed your fault for using non-approved products

2) Is better than other screenwashes

I personally use the Halfords concentrate stuff, in lemon. Does a good job, plus as a concentrate it dilutes to the strength I require. I was left a bottle of VAG stuff after a service (a couple of years ago) and it was good, but I can't say any better than the Halfrauds wash.

If you want VAG I believe there may be a groupbuy on currently

brisky link

hth

PL

Edited 14 December, 2010 by phantomlurker

[Agerbundsen]

There is no reason to be held for ransom over washer fluid. It is all a mixture of alcohol, water and a little detergent, so buy whatever brand you feel is good, or make your own:

3/4 liter water, 1/4 liter ethanol or isopropanol, a teaspoon dishwashing liquid, a tablespoon hopusehold ammonia and a few drops citric acid or acetic acid or a tablespoon vinegar. Mix in a plastic jar and use. It is OK down to about -15°C.

It is the alcohol that provides the freeze resistance. The ammonia helps cut the crud film and the acid dissolves any clogging of the sprinkles from calcium deposits.

Demineralized or distilled wate is best, but the condensate from a condensing clothes dryer is also excellent.

[Llanigraham]

I love to see someone try and say I'd compromised my warranty by using a non VAG screenwash! No way would that stand up in court.

I'm currently using Holts undiluted because it is only £1 a bottle at Harry Tuffins, and on the weekend I shall buy a couple of bottles of Halfrauds stuff as we will be in Cardiff.

[Photoemt]

I've been using Lidl's screenwash during the recent cold spell and have to say its as good as any other brand out there.

[Macdemon]

I've checked page 215 of the owners manual and it says choose a that wont attack or affect the polycarbonate coating on the headlamps, says nothing about HAVING to use VAG screenwash.

I'm popping off to Halfords later to pick up that pink screenwash that you can use neat. :yes:

[jst_at_home]

I've always been a fan of Autoglym. Couldn't get any last time around from local car shop. Bought two litres of concentrate from Skoda dealers and I have to say that it was half the price of Autoglym and seemed to clean extremely well.

John

[jst_at_home]

I love to see someone try and say I'd compromised my warranty by using a non VAG screenwash! No way would that stand up in court.

LOL! Me too. A bit like saying you can only use 1 kind of air in your tyres!

John

[Terfyn]

I bought the Lidl screenwash just to get hold of the bottle with its side spout. Attached a short length of garden hose to the side spout and NO MORE SPILLS!!!

The screenwash is OK too.

[ejstubbs]

Thanks for all these comments, they make me feel less tentative about not using VAG screenwash. I agree that it would be difficult to justify an allegation that the use of non-VAG screenwash voids the warranty. As far as I can see the manual says nothing about only using the VAG stuff. And how could it possibly be proved, without a forensic investigation?!

I've heard it said that the VAG washer nozzles are different to normal ones. Certainly the spray pattern looks different to what it used to be on my old Impreza (which did also have headlight washers). Does this make them any more sensitive to the quality of fluid used?

[tuscan30]

From what I've read on various forums the trick is not to MIX the Vag screenwash with any other make of screenwash fluid. There have been reports of such admixtures turning to jelly in the washer bottle and clogging pumps and jets.

Never experienced it myself but just to be sure I always run the reservoir completely dry after the car comes back from service if they've filled it with the Vag stuff. Been using Decosol for years now with no problems on at least six Skoda's and an Audi.

The washer jets are a fan-spray pattern and produce a "mist" of water droplets, guess the holes in the jet must be pretty microscopic and would tend to block up more readily than some other styles.

Current problem is keeping the damned things clear at the sort of temperatures we've had recently (and are set to return soon)

[EdmundBlackadder]

The Yeti uses a Fan style nozzle and the claim is that normal screenwashes are too viscose and so over time will jam the nozzles. This has been discussed a lot on other Skoda model and Audi forums as they use the same fan jets. I believe the considered opinion is that the Skoda screenwash is very good but the nozzle claim is a load of phooeeey. I remember one poster pointing out that if the nozzle did block then a replacement is less than £1, far less than the savings you make on not using Skoda screenwash.

I have been using the Lidl concentrate screen wash for 3 years now in various cars and it does a pretty decent job at a very reasonable price. As a secondary point I think the fan jets are rubbish compared to a good old blaster style of jet but supposedly they use less liquid.

[bilun777]

I bought some Lidl liquid 2 years ago and have never seen it since......... Where do you all find it? :wonder:

[EdmundBlackadder]

I bought some Lidl liquid 2 years ago and have never seen it since......... Where do you all find it? :wonder:

I have concentrate bottles which they sell for about 99p and you get 25 litres from it. They do not have them out all the time and so I bought 2 lots last time. Needless to say I am still going through them. It is just a matter of keeping your eye out for them. In my local one they have a little shelf with car cleaner items on, branded W5 I think, and they are found there. I do not know if they are out at the moment but I definitely saw them last summer / autumn just gone. The bottles are only small by the way and it really is concentrated, I didn't believe them when I first used it but did when the bubbles started flowing over.

I emailed Lidl regarding the fan style jets and they confirmed that their screenwash is suitable for them. It may well be that the concentrate is not winter strength but just before winter I emptied my reservoir, filled it up with neat blue concentrate and that still did not come out of the jets first thing in the morning, either it was frozen or the nozzles were frozen over, so I am just going back to using the Lidl stuff all year round now.

Edited 14 December, 2010 by EdmundBlackadder

[Fred_Bristol]

Hi

This subject has been well aired on the Octavia forum, and the argument for using the VAG stuff was that using Halfords and similar resulted in the rear wash jet getting blocked, the tube coming off, and the interior trim and boot getting flooded with screen wash. It didn't seem to happen using the VAG product.

Don't know what's different about it, but never gave me any problems in 4 years.

I also use either distilled water or purified osmotically filtered water to prevent limescale deposits in the system.

The VAG concentrate from Skoda was not expensive when I last bought it. VW & Audi might be different.

[Freshacre]

Fred - I concur with your unspoken comment!!

Why NOT use the VAG product? I know it is the Scrooge time of year, but surely buying the right stuff aint gonna skint us?

[loskie]

Fred - I concur with your unspoken comment!!

Why NOT use the VAG product? I know it is the Scrooge time of year, but surely buying the right stuff aint gonna skint us?

The LIDL stuff I have used is in 5l containers and neat does down to minus 60 deg C. I bought 2 containers in Nov cost was £4.99 I think. It's different to the small containers which is summer screenwash IIRC

[EdmundBlackadder]

Fred - I concur with your unspoken comment!!

Why NOT use the VAG product? I know it is the Scrooge time of year, but surely buying the right stuff aint gonna skint us?

Because I don't pass a VAG garage and I don't like being blackmailed. It is fine to recommend their own product but to to say we HAVE to use it is wrong. We are in to stubborn principle territory.

[EdmundBlackadder]

The LIDL stuff I have used is in 5l containers and neat does down to minus 60 deg C. I bought 2 containers in Nov cost was £4.99 I think. It's different to the small containers which is summer screenwash IIRC

I have never found the winter stuff otherwise I would be using it. Minus 60C is pretty impressive but then as Lidl are German and Germany gets harsher winters then I guess they have to be prepared. The summer stuff is in little containers as you say and a small amount goes a very long way.

[StewartK]

Hi

This subject has been well aired on the Octavia forum, and the argument for using the VAG stuff was that using Halfords and similar resulted in the rear wash jet getting blocked, the tube coming off, and the interior trim and boot getting flooded with screen wash. It didn't seem to happen using the VAG product.

Don't know what's different about it, but never gave me any problems in 4 years.

I also use either distilled water or purified osmotically filtered water to prevent limescale deposits in the system.

The VAG concentrate from Skoda was not expensive when I last bought it. VW & Audi might be different.

I bought some from my local Skoda dealer, something like £2.85 for a litre of concentrate. I'd rather pay a little extra to protect the polycarbonate headlamp covers and paintwork and to avoid a situation where the jets clog up and I've got to mess around.

Stewart

[Agerbundsen]

I bought some from my local Skoda dealer, something like £2.85 for a litre of concentrate. I'd rather pay a little extra to protect the polycarbonate headlamp covers and paintwork and to avoid a situation where the jets clog up and I've got to mess around.

Stewart

Hi Stewart,

the best you can do to avoid clogging the jets is using distilled or demineralized water to dilute.

Incidentally, the headlamps are not coated with polycarbonate. The lens covers are moulded from polycarbonate plastic. That is what makes so strong. I seriously doubt if ANY brand of WW fluid will do any damage to them.

[EdmundBlackadder]

I don't think the issue with using VAG screenwash has anything to do with the lens or affecting paintwork. I am pretty sure it is purely about clogging up the nozzles alone.

[StewartK]

Hi Stewart,

the best you can do to avoid clogging the jets is using distilled or demineralized water to dilute.

Incidentally, the headlamps are not coated with polycarbonate. The lens covers are moulded from polycarbonate plastic. That is what makes so strong. I seriously doubt if ANY brand of WW fluid will do any damage to them.

Hi Abergundsen

Page 214 of the manual says

"If the vehicle is fitted with headlight cleaning system, you should only add cleaning

products which do not attack the polycarbonate coating of the headlights to the windscreen

washer fluid. Please contact your specialist garage, who will tell you which

cleaning agent you can use."

You may be right that using any brand of fluid will not damage the polycarbonate coating but my view is that I've bought a car that cost nearly £20,000, which I want to keep for a long time, so I'm going to do the best I can to make sure it stays in great condition. If that means spending £2.85 on VAG screenwash rather than 55p on XXXXX screenwash then I'm prepared to spend the extra cash.

Stewart

[Llanigraham]

Stewart

I think that is just a poor translation, as the headlight cover is actually polycarb.

All the decent fluids I have looked at, Holts, Halfords, Comma, all say they are safe.

[finebone]

Stewart

I think that is just a poor translation, as the headlight cover is actually polycarb.

All the decent fluids I have looked at, Holts, Halfords, Comma, all say they are safe.

This makes sense. I'm going to keep using the cheap and cheerful stuff!

Edited 14 December, 2010 by finebone