Rain-X Summary: Mostly very bad experience w/ RainX on plastic, lexan, and especially any coating you might have on your windscreen or faceshield. Alternative products recommended include many of the Usual Suspects: Plextor, Can-Do, Plexus, ProtectAll, Pledge, Aquatech (boat product), vinegar based window cleaning product and Maguire, 210 plastic cleaner polish, Novus Plastic Polish, Honda/Pro Cleaner and Polish. Long version: -----Original Message----- After Ron's message to the list, I went back to my archives and found a few messages I has saved (appended at the end). I checked in my garage as well, and the regular RainX doesn't exclude plastics, but only mentions glass for the surfaces it's compatible with, whereas teh antifog rainX specifies "glass, plastic and mirrors"... I use Maguire, and like it. Cheers! =========== I have heard or read somewhere that it is the alcohol in the Rain-X that causes the problem with the plastics. Supposedly if you squirt some on a rag and let it sit to let the alcohol evaporate it will work fine. I do not use Rain-X. I just wanted to pass on this bit of info. YMMV. I use to use Plextor, now I use Can-Do. >> >> More BMW windshields have been ruined with rain-ex than anything >else >> (including one of mine years ago). The chemicals just aren't made >> for plastics and will delaminate the coatings. If you are really >> using it they've either changed the chemicals or it hasn't been on >> long. >> >I second your warning, not from personal experience but from >anectdotal evidence. >Rain-Ex may work just fine on a car's glass windshield (though I >can't even vouch for that), but I have heard horror stories about >applying it to plastics. >I'd highly avoid it . . . ============= > ABSOLUTELY DO NOT USE RAIN X ON PLASTIC WINDSHIELDS OR HELMET VISORS!! > > Unfortunately I did, not on my K12 but on a Gold Wing. It cost me $160 for a new windshield. There is something in the Rain-X that attacks the hardened scratch resistant coating on these plastics and causes it to craze or spider web. At night when on coming headlights hit it, it lights up like the ceiling in a planetarium and you positively cannot see through it. I now use plexus or one of several other products that are formulated specifically for that purpose and have not had any problems. > ================= there are several things you CAN use - the one I like is ProtectAll, which is nice because it can be used on any type of surface - on the windscreen, bike body, and chrome - pretty much everywhere. It not only cleans, but has carnuba wax in it, yet doesn't dry white in the cracks like most waxes do. Give it a try - you'll like it. =========== I also fly private aircraft, and almost everyone uses Pledge brand furniture polish on the plastic windshields of aircraft. These are VERY expensive, and for years Pledge has been the item of choice for routine maintenance when polishing is not needed. Has proven safe for the plastic and helps keep the windshield clear in rain. ============= A highly regarded product used in the sport fishing world is called Aquatech. It is a great cleaner, and while not quite as water repellant as Rain-X on glass, it does provide improvement over just wax. Furthermore it is harmless to plastics. I've been using the product on my boat and bike...no problems. ============= > << One point to consider is that BMW will not warranty any windshield defects > if such cleaner/polish/wax is used on them. Right or wrong, their specs > officially call for just water to be used on the windshields. > >> > I know that Harley doesn't like Rain-X on their windshields.. its not the > Lexan per se, but instead the Rain X plays havoc with the scratch resistant > coating on the windshield. Could BMW be the same? > Anyway, that's what I've read. FWIW... I talked to the guys who maintain the canopies on the F-16s here at work. First, use plain water to rinse off the surface before attacking the bug guts and other grime. They said to use only a vinegar based window cleaning product as amonia based products will ruin the surface and any coatings on lexan and aircraft grade poly carbonates. They use Maguire's polish and resotrative products to handle minor blemishes. Maguire's is specified by the T.O. which means the tax payers paid big bucks for product testing to validate Maguire's for use. Following these guidelines on my cheapo Bell face shields has increased their life by a coupla months. ============ I use a product called 210 plastic cleaner polish. I would highly recommend it. I have had my current windshield (Tulsa) for several years now, bought it before they moved from CA. It works great if you use clean water to get the majority of the bugs first, then use the 210. It is manufactured by Sumner laboratories. Their phone number on the can is, 1-800-542-8656, butt, I would expect you can find it in most M/C shops. I don't have any connection to the manufacturer, just everyday use. =============== I've been using a product called Novus Plastic Polish. I originally bought it from Aeroflow and was very pleased with the results. It comes in three grades: #1 which cleans, polishes and resists static and fogging, #2 which removes light scratches and #3 which removes heavier scratches. Aeroflow sells the #1 grade for $2.75 for 2 oz and $5.50 for 8 oz - the other grades are a little more. =============== Like I mentioned yesterday. Honda/Pro Cleaner and Polish. It's the greatest stuff you can use for giving your bike a spit-bath and it works great on Lexan.