My '01 RX300 has rain-repelling glass and I find them
extremely helpful in bad weather... I used to use Rain-X
on my other cars/SUVs...

Why doesn't Lexus use the same glass for the windshield? Any ideas?

 

I'm guessing here, but I suspect it has to do with the difference in construction.

Side and rear windows are tempered one-piece. First they are heat formed and then tempered.

Windshield is laminated glass/plastic multi-piece sandwich that is layered and then heat formed into the windshield shape.

Wonder if the rain-repelling feature is somehow accomplished in the tempering process.

OK, so now I've posed my hypothesis. Anybody know for sure?

 

I attributed that to the swipe of the wiper, which over time would make a difference based on wear of the product ... scrubbing action ONLY where the wipers move over ...

Maybe folks who used RainX can comment (long term users).

The trick that has worked for me has been keeping the windshield clean and a very very thin coat of wax.

Salim

 

Long ago (in a galaxy far, far away........) I tried RainX on windshield as well as side and rear glass. Worked great, as long as I was driving reasonably fast (freeway speeds), but at in-town speeds, I soon reached a point when I needed the wipers. After about 15 minutes of that, the RainX layer had obviously abraded somewhat and I had really annoying streaking patterns to look through.

Feeling that this was likely to be a problem every time I had to deal with rain for any lenght of time, I have since quit doing the windshield but continued to do sides and back.

Marty, I suspect your hypothesis is correct; it CAN be done, as Lexus offers it on the LS430 windshield as well as side glass. So obviously there is a durable method available. BTW, the 01 GS (that you are no doubt beside yourself waiting for, since it's GOT to be nearly here!!!!!!!) has rain-repellent front side glass. I RainX'd the rear side glass and rear glass and can see no difference between the Lexus treatment and the RainX'd glass when it rains!!!! Just won't ever have to do the fronts while I will occasionally have to retreat the back. (I could wish that Lexus had elected to do the same with our GS as they have done with the new LS.)

 

Tom,

At about the same time, long ago, in the adjacent galaxy I too discovered RainX. I found there's a trick to getting a good RainX coat on the front glass...go easy. If I put it on heavily I will get the streaking you experienced, but if I put on a reasonable, but lighter coat and wipe it off WELL, I get the performance I want. No, it won't clear the windshield at 15 mph in heavy rain -- physics determines that -- but it won't streak either. Might be worth revisiting.

And yes, I'm growing restless with the neverending wait for my GS430. The 400 goes back to SouthTrust on Monday the 25th. The 430 shows up ???

 

No semicircular streaks even after extended use of wipers??? I'll indeed have to take another look (sorry.....bad puns follow me wherever I go and won't go back home) since I was quite impressed with performance w & w/o wipers, until the streaking started.

As previously mentioned elswhere, am performing the accelerated delivery date rituals. Possibly the hot weather is making them less effective. Beginning tomorrow, I'll perform them from down around Sandestin, Florida for a week or so. Was notified that breweries were going to have layoffs and golf courses close, so must perform patriotic duty of stimulation economy. (Would stimulate more if this were not a family type vacation.)