Winter's here! Warning: Dirty pics enclosed ;-)

[Booth11]

Under no circumstances would I use my rear wiper if my rear window was even close to being as dirty as that Rebecca.
Guaranteed scratched rear glass ( although I'm sure you'd buff them out with your trusty DA )

Using your car regularly I find its no too difficult to get the rear filthy like that in the curent weather until it gets its clean.

I have no qualms using the rear wipe/wash which gives plenty of wash fluid onto the rear screen as part of the wipe if you use the full on push of the stalk.

Have had no issues of scratched rear glass myself & probably a bit OCD when it comes to such matters.

Same here. Never ever had a scratched rear screen using rear wash/wipe, and used it on plenty of cars this dirty or dirtier, and like you a little OCD about car things.  It takes a lot to scratch glass.

[TwoSheds]

Smearing dirt across anything will result in scratches sooner or later.

Thats true but if you use your wash/wipe system as designed you can minimise the possibility.

I use 2Cv3 sealant on the rear screen as protectorate which works well.

At the end of the day I prefer not to be driving about with a totally dirt blacked out rear screen, in these current conditions, worrying about using the rear wash/wipe.

To me its more important on my travels to keep some rear vision for obvious reasons.

[Booth11]

Also use C2v3 on all my glass although currently got another glass sealant on atm that I'm trying out for a detailing company, but both provide good protection, and as said the lubrication of screen wipe is the way to to it.

Ridiculous to drive around at this time of year in challenging light conditions and darker evenings with a rear screen you can't see out of.  In this case, if the 'detailing' is at the expense of driving safety then it's gone too far.

[JoeGTI]

I've read daft things on these forums but not using the rear wiper if the window is dirty (i.e. when you most need it) takes the biscuit!!

My rear end looks a lot like Rebecca's (ooh err!) at the moment. Haven't washed it in 5-6 weeks. It's impossible to find the time at this time of year when you work office hours, it's dark at 4pm... and then your weekends are filled with other stuff and/or the weather's too crap to bother. Hoping to find time this weekend but it'll be ruined again within 24 hours!

[LRWmotorsport]

After years of MK2's and Rados that I de-wipered at the rear and lately lugging a trailer round in the Tranny I've got used to not using the rear wiper.

Scared me to death when the MK7 decided to turn it on by itself the other day.

[dubber36]

Scared me to death when the MK7 decided to turn it on by itself the other day.

You can code out the 'auto when reverse is selected' rear wiper function using VCDS. At least then you only use it when you are happy that the screen is wet enough to risk a wipe.

[monkeyhanger]

Since fitting a dashcam (again) - i'm ensuring my windscreen and rear window are iimmaculately clean - I have probably doubled my screenwash use! 

[kalimon]

I've read daft things on these forums but not using the rear wiper if the window is dirty (i.e. when you most need it) takes the biscuit!!

My rear end looks a lot like Rebecca's (ooh err!) at the moment. Haven't washed it in 5-6 weeks. It's impossible to find the time at this time of year when you work office hours, it's dark at 4pm... and then your weekends are filled with other stuff and/or the weather's too crap to bother. Hoping to find time this weekend but it'll be ruined again within 24 hours!

I've not washed my car in nearly 2 months but I always find 2 minutes to hose the dirt and grit off the windows. It's just common sense.

[JoeGTI]

I've had Golf's for 10 years and I've never scratched any window with the wiper, and the rear end of every Golf attracts dirt like no other. I can see how it might happen if the blade was in bits but otherwise you'd be very unlucky to do any noticeable damage.

[monkeyhanger]

I've had Golf's for 10 years and I've never scratched any window with the wiper, and the rear end of every Golf attracts dirt like no other. I can see how it might happen if the blade was in bits but otherwise you'd be very unlucky to do any noticeable damage.

More likely to scratch the front windscreen where a stone fragment could hit it from the car in front and sit on the screen and be dragged across it by a wiper blade sweep.