Saloon Cars And Rear Wipers

[nrgizerbunny]

Pretty much as the topic really.

I was just wondering why the majority of saloon cars (BMW's Mercs, etc) do not have rear wipers . I had a go in my dad's passat and it doesn't have a rear wiper and it was irritating me beyond belief!

[gordypix]

I always thought it was something to do with the boot being so close to the rear window when it raised up. The wiper might get in the way.

But it's gotta be more technical than that theory......... :D

Where's the big book of building cars........ :bookworm:

[Karma Supra]

They don;t tend to need it as much as hatchbacks, as they dnt get as much road grime/mud, just water... polish the glass and it just rolls off, when moving on more aerodynamic cars, they are "windswept" clean

I'm thinking of removing and smoothing the rear wiper on my supra, as its ugly, and pretty useless!

[nrgizerbunny]

what about when your about to do a parallel park, its chucking it down and you've got no rear wiper! the word screwed comes to mind :D

[Karma Supra]

I can't park for :censor: anyway so it makes no odds

[Leeky]

I noticed this when i got my LS400, doesnt seem to be any reason for it - i think its just what is done.

Guess its kinda like the Merc style handbrake pedal, no real reason to do it that way - just that they seem to do it that way.

Reversing was a nightmare in heavy rain, couldnt see anything. Not that reversing an LS400 is easy anyway :(

[Demonic Angel]

I remember asking my ex boyfriend about this once and he gave me the answer - but me being me cant for the life of me remember what the answer is!

Because I thought that it was a legal requirement to have a rear wiper and so I remember asking about saloon cars not having them....

Rich might know, I'll ask him tonight!

[Desmond22]

The reason for rear wipers was the invention of the hatchback with the window being so close to the back end and getting covered with muck especially on the motorway.

Before that nobody really thought they were needed. Mind you we didn't have heated rear screens either!

Mazda used to put a wiper on the old 323 saloon but I think that was because the boot was quite short and they thought it was a good gimmick. :)

[Roytoner]

I had a 1964 mini with a rear wiper :D

[GIDDLEPIN]

I had a 1964 mini with a rear wiper  :D

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I fitted TWIN rear wipers to my Austin 1100 :P

[Roytoner]

I had a 1964 mini with a rear wiper  :D

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I fitted TWIN rear wipers to my Austin 1100 :P

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Les we are both showing our age here :D :D :D

[Kelvyn]

Generally saloons dont have rear wipers because the angle of the rear screen is usually steep enough to allow water to run off. The presense of a boot also means that road spray and dirt dont get sucked up onto it by the low pressure area created at the back when the car is moving. True some cars have had rear wipers but they are more of a gimmick than anything else, I remember back in the early eighties I worked with someone who had a Datsun with twin rear wipers from the factory.

[Al J]

Generally saloons dont have rear wipers because the angle of the rear screen is usually steep enough to allow water to run off. The presense of a boot also means that road spray and dirt dont get sucked up onto it by the low pressure area created at the back when the car is moving. True some cars have had rear wipers but they are more of a gimmick than anything else, I remember back in the early eighties I worked with someone who had a Datsun with twin rear wipers from the factory.

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Yep, that's the one!

The rear of a hatch is 'cut off' so the low pressure area created behind the car as it moves forwards, effectively dumps all the muck onto the rear window. Well, that answers why a hatch needs a rear wiper but some booted cars could still do with one in my opinion. :P

Many moons ago I drove a Ford 105E Anglia with a reverse rake rear window. Now that never got dirty.

[scionic]

I've seen a handful of saloons with rear wipers.

I know Subaru made a few cars like that, upper end JDM models.

But as was said, it's generally considered not necessary because although rear windows get rained on in a saloon, they rarely accumulate road grime/dirt the way an estate or SUV will.

JDM Subaru Legacy B4:

[alanbradley]

Money... It costs money to fit a wiper, motor and wiring to the car - as well as the extra time taken on the production line.

Its a case of "they've never had it so they won't miss it - we'll save a couple of quid here"

A

[Puls]

My minivan has one :P

And I'm convinced I've got the only 1990 Plymouth Voyager on the entire planet with a present and functioning rear wiper and washer pump.

My future Datsun is missing it's wiper :( All the motors and stuff still work though!

[dicey2k]

Let's face it, its ESSENTIAL on a Yaris and other hatches because of the road dirt which accumulates on the back... I'd be lost without it!

Saloons are a pain in the behind to park though, the only redeeming feature is that you can house a small family in the boot!

[Blue84]

Outside the House there are, amongst others a Citroen Hatchback, Vauxhall cHavalier (infront of the Yaris too :ffs:) and a Vauxhall Vectra - all hatchbacks and they have rear windscreen wipers. There is an Audi too - possibly an A8 on a V plate which doesnt have one tho..

I would hate to be without a rear wiper personally, my Fiesta which was my 1st car didn't have one - and when parking it was really awkward..I'm glad the Yarii have got them :D

[Fidgits]

EVO's have rear wipers...

but yeah, as has been said - its a matter of the lines of the car being ruined, and it not being essential..

but it is irritating...

[scionic]

EVO's have rear wipers...

but yeah, as has been said - its a matter of the lines of the car being ruined, and it not being essential..

but it is irritating...

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Ah yeah. Forgot about the EVO. Good one.

Must be a JDM performance car/rally thing.

[Desmond22]

My 1991 Corolla GTi had the rear roof spoiler and the airflow from it seemed to keep the rear screen fairly clear. From memory I don't think the rear wiper was used a lot but maybe someone who has one can say otherwise. :D

[System~G]

My 1991 Corolla GTi had the rear roof spoiler and the airflow from it seemed to keep the rear screen fairly clear. From memory I don't think the rear wiper was used a lot but maybe someone who has one can say otherwise. :D

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You obviously didn't do much wet or damp motorway miles... :P

The aerodynamics of hatchbacks tends to "suck" dirt and muck of the roads and onto the rear screen (as mentioned above). Because the window is so close to the road (in comparison to a saloon) it gets covered in seconds. On a motorway this is really dangerous especially when trying to overtake (or just lane swap) as you don't get clear enough vision. Not so bad in saloons as the aerodynamics tends to help clear the rear window whilst on the move.

I do over 800 motorway miles a week at the moment and I hate doing them in my current company car (Rover 25) especially in the wet as you can barely see anything at any given time. Side windows muck up just as quick as the rear - so you really only have the rearview mirror and a clean(ish) rear window to see out of. The saloon rentals and courtesy cars I've had don't seem to muck up as much on the side or rear windows for some reason...

[Desmond22]

Funnily enough I did do a lot of motorway miles in that car before someone wrote it off in a head on! :)

That's why I was surprised at how clean the rear screen was compared to the Hondas and Minis I'd had before and the '95 GLi without a spoiler that I got later. Must have been something to do with the way the spoiler circulated the air?

[nrgizerbunny]

The aerodynamics of hatchbacks tends to "suck" dirt and muck of the roads and onto the rear screen (as mentioned above). Because the window is so close to the road (in comparison to a saloon) it gets covered in seconds. On a motorway this is really dangerous especially when trying to overtake (or just lane swap) as you don't get clear enough vision. Not so bad in saloons as the aerodynamics tends to help clear the rear window whilst on the move.

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not strictly true in my opinion but i think along the right lines. Because the screen on a saloon is angled and also you get that little lip that sticks out, i think you get two distinct areas of re-circulation. I have tried to highlight it in my picture below. on a hatchback there is just one big one which includes all the crap from the road.

this only works if you are doing over 35mph (to generate enough dynamic pressure) so when your trying to park you are still going to end up not being able to see out the back.