Life on the edge - the Diary of a C5

[Hell Razor5543]

You might want to ask him about some Rain X on the windscreen. It is like a wax coating, which means the rain doesn't stick and make those weird refracting shapes. I feel it helps the visibility a lot. The two downsides are that if it is dark and drizzling, you may not notice until you pass under a street light (and the droplets fluoresce for a moment), and in severe rain you may not realise how slippery the road is until you come to brake (as your visibility is so much better than before). Backside pucker time, if you are not careful. Rain X can be got from Halfords (and some branches of B&Q, strangely), and is in a yellow bottle with black top. It comes in either neat form (small bottle) or wash form (spray bottle). I prefer neat, and a bottle lasts me 2 years.

[Stickyfinger]

Rain-X.
I use it on all windows except the screen, I hate it there about as much as I hated it on my helmet visors. Squeaks and smears for me, on the side/rears/mirrors I find it superb.

[CitroJim]

I've tried Rain-X and never got along with it at all...

I find squeaky-clean windows done the old traditional way with a chamois does the trick a treat

[Xantianut]

I shall ask him for that. In fact, he has just shown me the bottle!

Washed, vacuumed and now waxed with some Rain X to come? I have not been so pampered since I was new!!!!!

I'll get him to put a pic up!!!

[Hell Razor5543]

When I am planning to apply Rain X to a windscreen I do go a bit OCD on getting it clean first (ideally to the point where I have to feel for it; I cannot see it). The on with the Rain X (following the instructions).

I can see why some people don't like it, but I have done a lot of wet weather driving (work, mainly), and I do appreciate the clearer visibility it gives.

[Zelandeth]

I've found that it seems to vary a lot in performance on the windscreen from car to car. Saab it works pretty well on - to the extent that you often don't even need the windscreen wipers when it's raining because it just slides off to the sides on its own. Skoda on the other hand it didn't work so well on shifting water itself (lack of forward speed may have played a part too!), and seemed very prone to smearing (probably the fact that the springs in the wiper arms are a bit wimpy doesn't help).

If you're using it on any screen though it's imperative that A: The screen is surgically clean before you start, and that B: Your wiper blades and arms are in perfect condition, or it will tend to squeak, judder and/or smear. The same tends to happen when it starts to wear off, so you need to keep on top of it. If you've got a worn screen, probably worth steering clear as well as it tends to make it streak over worn areas - that's the main reason I don't use it on the Saab's windscreen.

Noted a couple of years ago when I did the headlights with it in the snowy season that they accumulated a lot less salty grime on them than the usually did.

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends!!!!

Daddy did indeed use some Rain X on me and it did not help much. My screen is nearly flat and my back window slopes too much for it to do it's job properly. Pity that. It did work on the side windows though?

He also went watching trains last weekend and they were smoky old steam engines. Cleaner than a VW diesel though! He enjoyed himself and I fluffed up my comfortable seats for him. He has promised to take me to see some BIG diesels this weekend. Looking forward to that. I like big diesels with their big turbos,

Other than that, I have been a Good Girl and not giving Daddy any headaches at all. I am sipping diesel, much to his delight, and being as comfy as only a big Citroen can. He has not even thought about using his big hammer....

[CitroJim]

I love big diesels too Especially Deltics...

Watched a fantastic BBC4 Timeshift Documentary on the history of the diesel engine last evening on the BBC I-Player..

Citroen got a mention with the Rosalie being the first ever production diesel car using British (Ricardo) technology..

Highly recommended...

[Chris570]

Did you notice the can of easy start in the door?

[CitroJim]

Did you notice the can of easy start in the door?

[Xantianut]

Hello, friends!

Well, Daddy did indeed take me to the Severn Valley Railway's diesel gala and parked me where I could see them all 3 days! There were some truly massive engines running there making lovely sounds. But the smoke? They were disgusting! I have a lovely clean exhaust and I'm proud of that! I had to tell them all off for making vast clouds of smelly black smoke. Daddy, needless to say, liked the smoke from them so I do sometimes wonder why he wanted me! After all, we HDi diesels are known for low emissions!!!! Having said that he did give me a pat on all three days, telling me I was a good girl and saying my clean exhaust was a Good Thing on the road.

I sometimes wonder what planet he is from? Oh, here he comes with some dashboard polish and a vacuum cleaner. Pamper time!!!!!

Have fun

Otterchops,

[CitroJim]

If you want to see a big diesel locomotive really smoking, watch a Class 37 starting up on a very cold day:



I love that video...

Hope Daddy did a great job of pampering you

[Xantianut]

Hello!

He likes those locos, they make a lovely sound. So do I but I prefer these......



SO does Daddy!

[CitroJim]

Nice! I like!

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends.

Daddy has been diagnosed as lacking in Vitamin D. I could feel his hands trembling on my steering wheel but his tablets are starting to work so I am going straighter on the road!

Just waiting for him now to fix my auxiliary pulley!