[arkadhome]

Folks,

Anyone knows if there is a recommended windshield washer fluid to use / not to use for 2024 530i? Or just put in distilled water?

Arkadiy

[claykin]

If you live in an area that freezes during winter, distilled water would not be a good idea. I suggest you buy a gallon of washer fluid from an auto parts store. Or take it to the dealer and they should top it off for no charge.

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by arkadhome

Folks,

Anyone knows if there is a recommended windshield washer fluid to use / not to use for 2024 530i? Or just put in distilled water?

Arkadiy

Distilled water won't do much for bugs, etc. I see it says you're in the Golden State. Distilled water will also freeze solid if you're going into anywhere with below freezing temps, like the Sierra.

If you want to play it really safe, BMW makes a concentrate you can purchase for like $5-8 dollars. P/N: 83192221702

Just mix it with Distilled Water at a ratio that best describes the lowest temperatures you typically encounter.

Not sure how good it is, other folks that have used it can comment on that though

[whofelt]

go to your local parts store and buy washer fluid, this is not rocket science, i've never heard of using just distilled water, makes no sense.

[TLK]

I just buy a jug of the blue washer fluid whereever opportunistically. It’s all the same. Large grocery stores often have it in their tiny little automotive section. So do pharmacy stores like Walmart and CVS. It contains a kind of anti-freeze agent so it won’t freeze and also prevents anything from growing in reservoir

[ToddRGuy]

After thought: I would do research before deciding to use RainX products. I have read where people said that it both smeared their windshields, and created some clearcoat related issues. I can't attest to the validity of it, but I would do more reading before I'd consider using them.

[TLK]

I gave up on RainX in the ‘80’s, because it leaves a smeary, prismatic sheen that looked to my eye like grease and defies wiping away, and worse leaves the trail of where you just wiped behind. Yes the water beading action is really great, but I don’t like greasy looking smudges on my car windshield.

That’s said, you can actually get a similar hydrophobic effect just by intensively cleaning the glass using a windshield clay bar the same way you would use a paint cleaning clay bar. I had a video somewhere where I rest a bottle of instant detailer on my car’s windshield which is pretty sloped. The bottle stays put from friction from microscopic dirt on the glass, even though the glass is quite clean from car washing and wiping down. Then I use the glass cleaning clay. Without applying any chemical coating afterwards, the bottle slides ride off the windshield if I try to rest it on it and it’s impossible to get it to stay put. Water beads up also and tends to blow off from the airstream if you are going fast enough.

[AiredaleDad]

Prestone makes on that is pretty good clearing bugs. It's orange in color. What you want to try to avoid is one with a high alcohol or ammonia content as this can deteriorate rubber gaskets over time.

[NJ530]

The BMW where I get my car serviced in NJ has a huge tank with complementary washer fluid