Winter Screenwash Recommendations

[TomsFocus]

Evening all,

I've been using the Halfords berry screenwash for a few years now and wondering if there any cheaper alternatives...needs to clean well, not freeze to at least -5, not clog filters and must be cheaper than the Halfords stuff. (£3.38 5 litres ready mixed).

Cheers!

[TimST2]

Buy concentrate? I buy Holts on eBay in bulk.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Stoney871]

I use Prestone and in winter I throw a bottle of white vinegar in which helps to stop road salt residue sticking to the windscreen.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

[stef123]

The cost of screenwash infuriates me lol.

I buy 25 litre drums of concentrate. Last load I bought from the local ford garage were £10 plus the vat each!

[TomsFocus]

12 minutes ago, stef123 said:

I buy 25 litre drums of concentrate.

I live in a studio flat...storage is an issue here.  Don't have anywhere to store a 5 litre bottle let alone a 25 litre drum!

1 hour ago, Stoney871 said:

I use Prestone and in winter I throw a bottle of white vinegar in which helps to stop road salt residue sticking to the windscreen.

Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)
 

How much do you dilute the Prestone by?  I've seen decent reviews for it before but is more expensive than the Halfords one.

[Stoney871]

I vary dilution depending on expected temperatures.
Usually one part wash to four parts water mix works for me.
Bargain fluids are false economy tbh.


Sent from my SM-G965F (S9+)

[Zico]

I was caught up in the hype last year when HotUKDeals had a post for Euro Car Parts / Car Parts 4 Less - Triple Q -7 All Season 5L screenwash for £2 delivered. I picked up 3 or 4 but if you mixed it less than 50/50 it froze. For the price I used it neat in winter and then 50/50 or less as the weather got better.

Back to using Halfords Cherry Berry for the moment.

[TimST2]

I can't stand that Halfords stuff. Screenwash should be blue. I've no idea why they don't make blue concentrate but they do make blue ready-mixed. If you add Halfords purple concentrate to any other brand you end up with brown goo 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[TomsFocus]

I can't say I'm overly fussed about the colour tbf.  Though subconsciously I seem to assume blue stuff is cheap stuff.  Was really surprised when the blue stuff that was in my car when I bought it is actually really good...better at shifting bugs and bird dirt than the Halfords tbh...but I have no idea what brand it is!  Doesn't seem to have any smell to it either so I can only go off the colour.  Also don't know whether it's frost proof or not yet as it hasn't been cold enough here so far.  The previous owner wasn't a fan of spending on the car so I can't imagine it was anything decent lol.

Has anyone tried the RAC stuff from B&M?  Difficult to work out the pricing without knowing how much it can be diluted by though! https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/rac-concentrated-screenwash-1l-333077

 

[Zico]

9 hours ago, TimST2 said:

I can't stand that Halfords stuff. Screenwash should be blue. I've no idea why they don't make blue concentrate but they do make blue ready-mixed. If you add Halfords purple concentrate to any other brand you end up with brown goo 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

To be honest I think I stuck with Halfords Cherry Berry as I managed to get a few 2L bottles of the stuff through the O2 app in the past and/or picked it up when it's been on offer. It's pretty good but the purple colour does leave a bit of a stain if it dribbles out of the jets.

6 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I can't say I'm overly fussed about the colour tbf.  Though subconsciously I seem to assume blue stuff is cheap stuff.  Was really surprised when the blue stuff that was in my car when I bought it is actually really good...better at shifting bugs and bird dirt than the Halfords tbh...but I have no idea what brand it is!  Doesn't seem to have any smell to it either so I can only go off the colour.  Also don't know whether it's frost proof or not yet as it hasn't been cold enough here so far.  The previous owner wasn't a fan of spending on the car so I can't imagine it was anything decent lol.

Has anyone tried the RAC stuff from B&M?  Difficult to work out the pricing without knowing how much it can be diluted by though! https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/rac-concentrated-screenwash-1l-333077

 

Not quite sure how the Concentrated 1L is only good to -7 deg when the 5L Ready to use is good to -15 deg https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/rac-all-seasons-screenwash-5l-328048

If they did a 5L of the Concentrated to -15 deg then I would likely pick up some when my Halfords bottle runs out.

[martyntdci]

I just use the cheap bubble gum flavour from euro diluted 50/50 does a ok job for me. does smear but only minor, it hasn't got cold enough yet to see if this freezes at this ratio or not tbh...

[TimST2]

I can't say I'm overly fussed about the colour tbf.

It's not the colour per se, just that you can't mix Halfords purple screenwash with anyone else's.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[TomsFocus]

2 hours ago, Zico said:

 

Not quite sure how the Concentrated 1L is only good to -7 deg when the 5L Ready to use is good to -15 deg https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/rac-all-seasons-screenwash-5l-328048

If they did a 5L of the Concentrated to -15 deg then I would likely pick up some when my Halfords bottle runs out.

Oh yeah, good point!

Theres a similar issue with the Halfords one.  The berry concentrate is only -10 when used neat.  The berry ready mixed is also -10.  So the ready mixed is cheaper for what appears to be exactly the same stuff!

I've only recently discovered O2 priority...I'll have to keep an eye on there for screenwash!

[Zico]

1 hour ago, martyntdci said:

I just use the cheap bubble gum flavour from euro diluted 50/50 does a ok job for me. does smear but only minor, it hasn't got cold enough yet to see if this freezes at this ratio or not tbh...

I can't remember the exact temp's but it was probably around -1 deg when my 50/50 cherry scent stuff froze last winter. After that I just used it neat until the weather got warmer.

11 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Oh yeah, good point!

Theres a similar issue with the Halfords one.  The berry concentrate is only -10 when used neat.  The berry ready mixed is also -10.  So the ready mixed is cheaper for what appears to be exactly the same stuff!

I've only recently discovered O2 priority...I'll have to keep an eye on there for screenwash!

Normally the 50p difference between the concentrate and ready mix is still in favour of the concentrate even if you managed to do a 50/50 mix and got 10L out of it compared to the 5L ready mix.

The O2 priority offer is few and far between nowadays but when it does pop up you can usually get a 2L bottle for free. Other than that, the Halfords BOGOF on the 5L is the next best offer.

I just checked my remaining 5L bottle and it's less than half full, that and I'm pretty sure that I have already mixed it 50/50. I'm also pretty sure that I need to fill the washer fluid in the car as the last few weeks has been pretty grim with lots of wet roads and splashes from oncoming lorries covering the screen ☹️.

@Stoney871 will possibly like this, picked up a few 4L Prestone Extreme Performance Screenwash good to -23 for £5.31 inc. from CarParts4Less using the bye18 code (Product Code: 552996320).

https://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/p/-/-/-/-/?552996320&0&cc5_701

[martyntdci]

this may sound silly, but do you have like a heat shield fitted to the underside of your bonnet? its got to -1 hear a couple of weeks ago and my mixture on the Nissan juke was still ok also on the focus. 

[Zico]

There is a mat fixed on the underside of the bonnet yes. I'm probably off on the temp's then if -1 deg has been ok for you. Likely it was around -3 deg as the undiluted triple qx is only good to -7 deg.

[martyntdci]

you could always push the boat out and treat yourself the the -15 stuff lol

[martyntdci]

perfect solution for your issues lol :- https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/summer-essentials/car-accessories/summer-essentials-deals/?553999160&0&cc5_1055

[Zico]

Gone with some of the 4L Prestone Extreme Performance Screenwash for this winter. My remaining Halfords mix should last me until CarParts4Less deliver the Prestone.

[martyntdci]

hope you have more than 4ltrs lmao

[Zico]

I've actually been lucky with deliveries from CarParts4Less. Including the cherry triple qx stuff I got the other year, the few times I have used them most items have arrived within a week.

[TomsFocus]

Just got some of this in Home Bargains.  £1.69.  If it really does work to -10 that's a decent price for ready mixed.

[martyntdci]

good find. my local h/b never has much car stuff in, just mats and air fresheners really. they have some jelly bean air vent fresheners for 99p grab many if u can. in euro these are like 4 or 5 quid 

[TomsFocus]

Ah, didn't see any jelly fresheners, will keep an eye out next time I'm in there!

[SeanW]

I used to use the Lidl stuff - was really good quality.  Haven't seen it for a few years though 😞