Lidl used to do a fantastic screenwash with protection down to -60 degrees C.
I bought a job lot a couple of years ago and I was sure it was about this time of year, but now I am almost out of stock.
They have just started their 'car products' week, but no screenwash there.
Does anyone know if they still do it, and if so, have I missed the boat, or will it be coming soon?
Other ones on the market (Halfords for example) do not give very low temperature protection to allow for the extremes (I have had the stuff freeze to my screen in extremis), and now it seems they are only in silly colours / scents.
Is there another commercially available alternative anyone else would recommend to save me stopping at every garage?
Thanks all.
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I have been looking out for it too, not seen any for a couple of years. I give my screenwash a boost with a stiff dose of Tesco concentrate, I dump a whole 1.5 L bottle in and then top up.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 29 Nov 16 at 13:36
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VW do a good screen wash. Available at all VAG dealers
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>> VW do a good screen wash. Available at all VAG dealers
>>
When I couldn't get the Lidl suff last year I bought loads of this: tps.trade/quantum/screenwash-de-icer_q/premium-screenwash_q/Quantum-ZGB00QPSWC05L - still got most of it due to last year's mild winter!
Not all TPS's will deal with the general public though. From memory it was £3.99 for 5L.
VAG dealers usually sell it too, or may have one with relevant brands own name on.
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I use triple qx, it's about 4 quid delivered from ECP. I think it covers down to -20, never had any issues with it.
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Carrying a fairy liquid bottle with a mild mix of water and fairy works well. Just lean out and squirt it over the window when you stop or slow down if the jets are frozen up.
Lorry drivers are never without it:)
Pat
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I'm coming to the end of my LIDL screenwash anti-freeze and I object to buying a container of mostly water.
Found this: www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/subcategory/15
I'll be getting some tomorrow.
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>> Found this: www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/subcategory/15
>> I'll be getting some tomorrow.
Neither of my local Comma outlets had any of either screenwash antifreeze, in fact they had no screenwash antifreeze of any sort. Has this cold snap caught them out?
I settled for some from Wilkos: www.wilko.com/car-care-products/wilko-screenwash-concentrate-extra-strength-1l/invt/0324578
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>> Carrying a fairy liquid bottle with a mild mix of water and fairy works well.
>> Just lean out and squirt it over the window when you stop or slow down
>> if the jets are frozen up.
>>
>> Lorry drivers are never without it:)
>>
>> Pat
>>
Fairly liquid and their ilk are full of Sodium Chloride, I believe. This is used to 'thicken' the product by making the base surfactant almost become insoluble thus giving a thickening effect.
Wouldn't pour anything with salt in it over my car whether it was just the windscreen or anywhere else.
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Agree OG although it probably will not damage modern paintwork.
Fairy liquid or similar bottle with dilute mix of screenwash liquid will do nicely although washer jets on many cars are now either heated or sited just below the edge of the bonnet out of the airflow so don't seem to freeze as easily
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I wouldn't worry too much about a few 00cc's of slightly salty water on the screen, given the daily bath it gets in 000s of litres of salty water off the roads every day of the winter!!
I've got about 10l of the Lidl stuff in stock, and damned good it is too. The comma stuff can be had off e-bay for £20 / 20l so I might get one of those if my current stock runs out and Lidl haven't re-stocked. I find that anything that says it is good for -10 simply isn't and freezes at anything below 0.
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>> I wouldn't worry too much about a few 00cc's of slightly salty water on the
>> screen, given the daily bath it gets in 000s of litres of salty water off
>> the roads every day of the winter!!
In practice, you might be correct.
In theory, because detergents work in part by reducing surface tension and making the water wetter, the salt will be better able to insinuate itself into the any unsealed seams or joints which would not be a good thing.
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Perhaps I should have pointed out that you squirt it AT the windscreen.......tut.
Pat
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I remember coming back from Uni in my Maxi and running out of screenwash on the motorway.
No problem, thinks me - I had a can of diet coke so proceeded to lean out the driver's window with my gibbon-esque arm and pour it onto the screen.
At a junction or driving slowly that would have been fine, but at 70mph most of it came straight back in through the window and over yours truly.
Skill.
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"At a junction or driving slowly that would have been fine, but at 70mph most of it came straight back in through the window and over yours truly."
That reminds me of a work colleague, one of our bright engineers, who was looking for a way of assuaging his thirst whilst driving between jobs on a hot summer day. He had some neoprene pipe in the car, so decided to hold a 2-litre bottle of fizzy pop between his thighs and suck from the bottle using a length of said tubing as he was driving along. He drew his first mouthful but, when he released the suction, the liquid shot back down the pipe and fizzed out of the bottle - soaking his crutch and flooding the seat of his brand-new Passat estate.
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>> Wouldn't pour anything with salt in it over my car whether it was just the windscreen or anywhere else.
I assume you never drive on salted roads then, do you lay your car up for the winter?
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No idea if its "good" but I've been using some stuff from Pretstone - picked it up in costco for something like a fiver for 5 litres, Appears to do the job OK
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I remember in the 50s or was it the 60s, my cousin bought a Riley Elf in white finish and lots of Chrome adornment.
Unlike myself (blowing my own trumpet) he wasn't all that au fait with car matters and used to come over most weekend to eat with us. If the car was dirty he brought his cleaning kit with him, comprising a bucket and sponge and a box of Laundry detergent of the day - perhaps OMO or similar. He used this in a bucket of hot water to wash his car despite what I told him about corrosion and effect on the paint finish.
Months of this caused havoc to the car, resulting in rust runs and a dull paint finish.
Ah! those were the days.
Hmmm, perhaps some salt in Fairy liquid is small fry after all.
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Thanks all!!
Sooty, I have ordered a load of your suggestion via EuroCarParts and will collect tomorrow and see how I get on.
Some stuff I bought from a BP once caused so much smearing that I had to flush it all out and get rid of the rest, so it does seem to vary from place to place.
Interestingly Pat, I always add a few drops of Fairy to the watertank for the washers along with the water and screenwash mix and it always seems to give a clearer finish.
I do remember the contents of the tank in my Ford Escort company car (eeek, nearly 20 years ago.....) being frozen solid - or the pipes were at least - and the heat from the engine had not melted them after a decent drive. The windscreen was virtually opaque with crud and I had to stop on the A303 to clean it with something. The tap at the garage had frozen and they had no screen wash and so I had to resort to pouring top-price Evian onto the screen by hand every few miles to get some visibility. I was skint at the time and that was an expensive journey.....
Never again said I and when I found the Lidl's stuff I thought I had struck gold. Thought they would just do it every year through, so gutted if that is not the case.
Hopefully I will be sorted with Sooty's suggestion though. Oh, it was also with 30%+ off at the mo.....
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>> Thanks all!!
>> Never again said I and when I found the Lidl's stuff I thought I had
>> struck gold. Thought they would just do it every year through, so gutted if that
>> is not the case.
>>
Google search indicates the time of year for Lidl screenwash to be on sale can vary from November to January
>> Hopefully I will be sorted with Sooty's suggestion though. Oh, it was also with 30%+
>> off at the mo.....
>>
Note that their "TRIPLE QX Concentrated Screenwash All Season" is not rated for winter use.
The winter rated is "TRIPLE QX Concentrated Winter Screenwash" is currently out of stock but is claimed will:
cleans all types of dirt, grim, tar and sap from your windows, leaving a spotless, streak clear finish.The formula prevents freezing to - 15C
Severe Winter Conditions = 100% (Freezing Point -15C)
Normal Winter Conditions = 75% (3 Parts Screenwash / 1 Part Water) (Estimated Freezing Point -10C)
Mild Winter Conditions = 50% (2 Parts Screenwash / 2 Parts Water) (Estimated Freezing Point -5c)
Summer Conditions = 25% (1 Part Screenwash / 3 Parts Water) (Estimated Freezing Point -2C)
Last edited by: BrianByPass on Wed 30 Nov 16 at 18:34
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Sorry, I should have been clearer, it's the concentrated stuff you want. Yes there seems to be a slight delay on getting it delivered. When I ordered a bulk order of stuff from ECP, the screenwash followed on 1 or 2 days later.
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I remember the LIDL stuff. It was originally W5 branded and went to -64˚C and then rebranded Ultimate Speed and went down to -60˚C and up £1 in price. They didn't stock last year so I nought some of the Quantum stuff from TPS as above tps.trade/quantum/screenwash-de-icer_q/premium-screenwash_q/Quantum-ZG
B00QPSWC05L
and still have some from last winter.
TPS also have some FOURPLUS branded stuff that goes to -50˚C in a 2 litre bladder pouch. ~£2.50 IIRC.
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>> TPS also have some FOURPLUS branded stuff that goes to -50ËšC in a 2 litre
>> bladder pouch. ~£2.50 IIRC.
>>
Thanks - hadn't seen that before. They have it in a whole bunch of sizes:
tps.trade/search?s=screenwash
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>> Sorry, I should have been clearer, it's the concentrated stuff you want.
>>
Both are "concentrated".
One is "all season" and other is "winter".
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The majority of Lidl's W5 brand products are excellent and, as a bonus, are usually cheaper than the the more familiar brands.
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Both are "concentrated".
>>
>> One is "all season" and other is "winter".
>>
Aye, cheers I'll get there in the end!
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Cheapest vodka in the supermarket.
1:5 ratio with water.
Problem solved.
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At £27.66 of duty per litre of pure alcohol, I think not.
To create 5 l of screenwash at 1:5 ratio requires £27.66x40%*(5/6)=£9.22 of duty.
Methylated spirit is about £2 per litre.
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5lt Screenwash (ready to use type) -15 protection £2.49 @ B&M stores yesterday.
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>> 5lt Screenwash (ready to use type) -15 protection £2.49 @ B&M stores yesterday.
>>
Where's B&M?
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Next to Poundland and Primark.
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We have a B&M store in town, used to be a Homebase. I wont shop in there as it is frequented by the lower classes. Homebase was much more upper lower middle class.
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Surely Homebase is lower upper lower upper middle class ? There were Astras in the car park.
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>> Surely Homebase is lower upper lower upper middle class ? There were Astras in the
>> car park.
>>
Judging by the cars in their car park locally, Aldi is now middle class!
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I think Aldi pay people to park those cars.
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Surely there must be a Wikipedia entry for this sort of thing?
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Aldi managers are issued with Audis, which they park prominently to attract aspiring types who flock together. It must be working.
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>> Aldi managers are issued with Audis, which they park prominently to attract aspiring types who flock together. It must be working.
>>
Google search shows Aldi were reportedly offering £40K + Audi A4 in January 2009. The same package was reportedly being offered in December 2015.
My local Aldi's manager comes on a 50cc scooter.
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Talking of Audis, I tuned one of these ones once back in the previous century. What a fantabulous -looking jamjar, beautiful, says the missus. Wouldn't mind owning one today!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Union#/media/File:2007-06-16_Auto_Union_1000_(Frontpartie).jpg
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"to attract aspiring types "
Aspiring to what? My heart sinks when I venture into our local Aldi. it might be cheap but it does remind you that price isn' t everything.
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>> " My heart sinks when I venture into our local Aldi. it might
>> be cheap but it does remind you that price isn' t everything.
>>
I think that may be where you live, rather than Aldi, Mr Norwich.
Over here in leafy Surrey the Aldi shoppers are absolutely fine.
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I'm never quite sure why so many people are worried about who else goes in the supermarket when they are there, what they are upto, what car they drive etc.
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>> Over here in leafy Surrey the Aldi shoppers are absolutely fine.
>>
Yes, the one in Guildford/Burpham - you'd think you were in Waitrose.
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Not just the shoppers, the gloomy interiors, the checkout queues, the piles of cheap tat in the middle of th store, the limited range of products with strange names. Definitely avoid as far as I am concerned. If they're different in Surrey well lucky old you.
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>> I think that may be where you live, rather than Aldi, Mr Norwich.
>>
Or his Waitrose aspirations. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 08:17
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>> Or his Waitrose aspirations.
I've had some of these and they are really tasty.
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>> 5lt Screenwash (ready to use type) -15 protection £2.49 @ B&M stores yesterday.
>>
Went today but didn't see any of it, although their stock does seem to vary from store to store.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Sat 3 Dec 16 at 14:31
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>> 5lt Screenwash (ready to use type) -15 protection £2.49 @ B&M stores yesterday
>>
Curious that their ready to use one is rated at -15C when some others makes so-called "concentrated" don't offer the same protection even undiluted.
www.bmstores.co.uk/products/ready-to-use-screenwash-5l-235726
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I take very cheap items labels with a pinch of salt. Maybe a small test sample in a freezer is called for.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 08:21
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Just bought some Tesco stuff £2.89 for 2.5 litres, down to -10c (how do you do a degree sign?)
www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-25l-screenwash/159-3080.prd?source=others
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>>how do you do a degree sign?
alt+ 0186 (newer m/cs) or alt+186 on number pad should work on a PC -
Do not know about phones & I-pads - my knowledge dates back 30+ years but I am sure
the codes for the IBM 256 character set from 1983 still work..
In early PC days you could make a pal by showing FDs, & the like, how to get a £ sign in Lotus 1-2-3 (version 1a) when spreadsheets of all types seemed to be able to show $s only.
When they then presented the OHP slides at the next meeting there was an intake of breath in the audience - no more GBP or handwritten ££ signs.
Last edited by: Falkirk Bairn on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 10:35
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Works on my PC - 10 ºC
hold down alt & then type on number pad!
Last edited by: Falkirk Bairn on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 10:40
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>>hold down alt & then type on number pad!
º . Works on my elderly desk top.
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On MacOS Ëš is ALT + K
On iOS, you tap and hold 0 (zero) for Ëš (same as holding any letter for accents)
..but why is my degree symbol on here smaller than yours?
Last edited by: Shiny on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 11:24
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"On MacOS � is ALT + K"
Many thanks for that - I always wondered how to get the ˚. Your post also led me to uncover that alt+m = µ and alt+/ = ÷
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>> the Ëš
What on earth is that?
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"What on earth is that?"
When I apply it to a Word document, it's a 'degree' symbol, but on here it just comes out like a dot.
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If you hold down ctrl, command and space bar every conceivable symbol will be offered.
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>> Nothing happens?
>>
>>
>>
Nah. Still nothing.
I hold down alt, then
0186 nothing
186 nothing
shift + 0186 nothing
shift +186 nothing
OK words of one syllable. What am I doing wrong?
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>> OK words of one syllable. What am I doing wrong?
>>
Your PC must be feeling 1º under today. Probably due to the cold weather.
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My Windows 10 is 0186 not 186. You need to keep alt (not Alt GR) held down until you've finished entering the numbers (which must be on the keypad, not the numbers above the letters) then when you release Alt the º should appear
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>> My Windows 10 is 0186 not 186. You need to keep alt (not Alt GR)
>> held down until you've finished entering the numbers (which must be on the keypad, not
>> the numbers above the letters) then when you release Alt the º should appear
>>
º
oo er missus
>>which must be on the keypad, not
>> the numbers above the letters
Was the key to it. Thank you.
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Tried your suggestion last night and put an egg-cup full in the freezer! - What temp is a domestic freezer -18?, this morning it was "slightly slushy" but the leg of lamb I put in at the same time was solid! - Screenwash is branded "Auto-tech" ;-)
www.bmstores.co.uk/products/ready-to-use-screenwash-5l-235726
Last edited by: devonite on Sun 4 Dec 16 at 11:51
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kkkkkkk˚kkk˚˚˚˚˚˚˚
Got it ! :))
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>> Put an egg-cup full in the freezer! -the leg
>> of lamb I put in at the same time was solid!
That sounds like an interesting way of marinading.
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>> www.bmstores.co.uk/products/ready-to-use-screenwash-5l-235726
Happened to park by B&M in Burnham on Sea this morning - met daughter and her beau for weekend sort of halfway fron us to them.
Sold out of screenwash but Mrs found a bucket of mealworms for the garden birds at a very good price.
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>> Tried your suggestion last night and put an egg-cup full in the freezer! - What
>> temp is a domestic freezer -18?, this morning it was "slightly slushy" but the leg
>> of lamb I put in at the same time was solid! - Screenwash is branded
>> "Auto-tech" ;-)
>>
>> www.bmstores.co.uk/products/ready-to-use-screenwash-5l-235726
>>
Thanks for testing it, our local B&M had a 5' high pallet full of the stuff outside their door. Ten litres now in the garage, it should see out the winter.
Just proof read that, I did take them into the shop and pay for them! :-)
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A small Sainsbury opened near us.
Proper posh,manager wouldn't let me in with me clogs on.
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Years ago there was this teacher who lived down the road from us and he wore clogs. You could always hear him coming from some distance away. I heard from a neighbour that this wig-wearing clog-clad mathematician would hurl one of the wooden things at any misbehaving youth in his class. Apparently he was a good shot as well.
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>> Apparently he was a good shot as well.
I wonder if anyone popped their clogs?
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I passed the B&M mentioned above later in the day and the pallet was almost empty, popular stuff. It has not rained in this area for some time and the roads are damp, salty, and filthy, we need a good dose of rain to wash them down.
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Lidl screenwash - alternatives? - Old Navy
