[alex2112]

I bought my last car, a 2000 Honda Civic, pre-owned back in 2001. When I got it it had some kind of permanent window treatment that made water bead up on all the windows just like Rain-x. This lasted all 6 years I owned the car without fading at all. I know of Aquapel, which is a treatment that lasts months, and of course rain-x which doesn't last that long. Anyone ever heard of anything permanent like this? Could it have been a sealant or a wax?

[BK]

Lexus claims their windows are "rain repellent." Take a look at this page, for example: http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/features/exterior.html

Water-Repellent Windows

To help improve visibility in rainy conditions, the GS comes equipped with water-repellent glass on the front side windows.

[L~R~G nor cal]

Originally Posted by BK

Lexus claims their windows are "rain repellent." Take a look at this page, for example: http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/features/exterior.html

Water-Repellent Windows

To help improve visibility in rainy conditions, the GS comes equipped with water-repellent glass on the front side windows.

I am sure all cars have it to some point. All it has to do with is the correct amount of ions and charges when molding and setting the glass. If it was some new state of the art thing, then they would have made a big deal about it. They would have some special name and some special add about it.

[JO3]

I used PIAA silicone wiper blades in my previous car. When installed correctly, they leave a thin layer of silicone on your windshield which repels water, and every time you use the wipers, it refreshes that layer of silicon. Worked very very well. Everytime someone rode in my car in the rain, I'd always get a comment or they would ask what I clean my windshield with, and I'd tell them it's the wiper blades

http://www.piaa.com/WiperBlades/silicone.html

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by JO3

I used PIAA silicone wiper blades in my previous car. When installed correctly, they leave a thin layer of silicone on your windshield which repels water, and every time you use the wipers, it refreshes that layer of silicon. Worked very very well. Everytime someone rode in my car in the rain, I'd always get a comment or they would ask what I clean my windshield with, and I'd tell them it's the wiper blades

http://www.piaa.com/WiperBlades/silicone.html

I remember I used it on my 2003 Volvo S40....and the result was fantastic!
But the process to "correctly" apply the silicone was a bit PITA....

[JO3]

I don't remember it being that bad... Just a denatured alcohol wipe and then running the wipers dry for 5 minutes, no?

[alex2112]

I don't think my Civic had rain repellent windows (friends that drove Hondas were amazed at my windows) and I never had silicon wipers. Reason I think it was some kind of treatment is because on the windshield one rainy night I noticed that there were some small places where the "stuff" had worn off. Such as the pressure points of the wipers, like the very tips of them and where the passenger side wiper stops and goes back in the middle of the windshield.

[san~man]

I tried some Aquapel on the 3, and it seems to work well. You do have to reapply it every 6 months or so.

[Ryan323i]

My 2000 323i was like that! And it worked out well too because my wiper motor was shot so the wipers never worked anyway!

[weddler]

Originally Posted by alex2112

I bought my last car, a 2000 Honda Civic, pre-owned back in 2001. When I got it it had some kind of permanent window treatment that made water bead up on all the windows just like Rain-x. This lasted all 6 years I owned the car without fading at all. I know of Aquapel, which is a treatment that lasts months, and of course rain-x which doesn't last that long. Anyone ever heard of anything permanent like this? Could it have been a sealant or a wax?

Could be something to do with how long the glass is left under the heat when the glass is manufactured. My E90 does this. This is the only thing that i can think could be causing this problem. Problem is my wiper Skip and judder as a result.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by BK

Lexus claims their windows are "rain repellent." Take a look at this page, for example: http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/features/exterior.html

Water-Repellent Windows

To help improve visibility in rainy conditions, the GS comes equipped with water-repellent glass on the front side windows.

So do Porsches. The funny thing is that in the manual, it says "Depending on vehicle usage, the suface finish may require occasional renewal" ...I guess what that means is bring it to the dealership and they will apply Rain-X and act like it's some major breakthrough in vehicle engineering.