I'm with Steve, above. In fact I notice he contributes high-order wisdom here regularly.
I don't doubt an expensive ceramic coating works better and lasts longer, but I'm also pretty sure it is not a permanent fix. Glass gets sandblasted.
The effectiveness and longevity of Rain-X does depend very much on the installation method. The important parts include the cleaning of the glass and the polishing of the new Rain-X surface. The latter is much more important than the former, in my experience.
Do not apply in sunshine. Do not use a cotton cloth to polish. I use a microfiber cloth. I apply the Rain-X rather liberally using circular motions both clockwise and counterclockwise. I wait. And wait. Then I use the microfiber cloth. This is the hard part. Rub rub rub. The more you rub and polish the effective surface of the product, the better it will work and the longer it will last.
Properly applied, the need for wipers will be eliminated for speeds well below the 45 mph mentioned. Indeed, rain will skittle off the glass at 45 mph many months after application.
If you have every put Rain-X on your windshield, then here is something I want you to notice using the method in #1 below without having to use the #2 method:
#1: Remember what it was like before Rain-X. At that time, water simply did not bead up on the glass. The thing that made it hard to see during a rain event is the refractive effect of having a watery surface pretty much constantly on the outside surface of the glass. This caused blurriness pretty much everywhere, particularly if the rain event is more than just a sprinkle. In a good downpour, wipers only do a little bit of good. In a downpoor, your visibilty was dangerously poor even with the wiper on full speed. If you have ever put Rain-X on your glass, some of it is still there and it helps visibility more than you think.
#2: If you must, the go to the trouble of removing everything from the glass surface including the Rain-X. Then drive your car normally. The next time you are in a downpour, you will see what I described above.
I use Rain-X, and I re-apply it about every 6+ months. Can't remember the last time I did it, and it is still working fairly well. Annual rainfall in my area is 50".
Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
....They also say you want to prepare the glass properly......
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It is difficult to get glass truly clean. Most solvents are a waste of time. Wax & Grease Remover available at auto paint stores is helpful. Also, there remains a very difficult to remove layer of grime, particularly where the wipers do not travel. At least slight acidity is your friend here. Vinegar is something that gets mentioned a lot, but I do not find it particularly effective. I am afraid to use Bar Keeper's Friend, even the non-abrasive kind, because ANY abrasive is a bad thing. Glass is softer than I wish it were. Old School guys use Cream of Tartar to remove this film. That, and elbow grease. I do not actually get all that persnickety about clean-ness. I spend ten minutes getting it "good enough" then apply the new Rain-X. I do get serious about the polishing, however.