Rain X Latitude Blades - Anything I can do?

[xBa380]

I bought these blades two weeks ago at Walmart for my 2008 xB...

I placed the packaging and receipt in my garage and did not put them away (like I should have).

Few days later when it rained, the wipers just are not that good. Toward the edge of the blade it does not contact the windhshield at all parts, and just developed this streaking on my passenger side blade.

For the price these are, I am dissapointed. I even wrote to customer service @ rain-x and they are yet to write back to me.

Now I would return them, but the original packaging is gone along with my receipt (mom threw them away on trash day)... So am I SOL?

I tried the Bosch Icons and now these and yet, none are as good as the OEM arm/blade...

Hate wasting money though

 

[EricF]

bring them back to walmart, even w/out the receipt. you'll probably get a store credit, but who cares.. buy oil later with it!
WM usually takes care of its customers.

 

[jetblacknismo]

Originally Posted By: EricF
bring them back to walmart, even w/out the receipt. you'll probably get a store credit, but who cares.. buy oil later with it!
WM usually takes care of its customers.


Too bad it does not take care of its employees

 

[97f150]

Originally Posted By: jetblacknismo
Originally Posted By: EricF
bring them back to walmart, even w/out the receipt. you'll probably get a store credit, but who cares.. buy oil later with it!
WM usually takes care of its customers.


Too bad it does not take care of its employees

Really? Here? WM employees are more than free to seek employment at others establishments if they feel they are not being treated fairly. No one is forcing them to work at Wallys.

 

[Johnny]

What length are they? I might be interested if the price is right and they are the right size for my car. I love the Rain-X blades, all I've used for the past three years.

 

[John_K]

I'd take them back and explain, they will likely let you try another pair or a different brand.

John

 

[5150ds]

I had the same blades and hated them. They lifted at speed (75 mph) and left areas they were supposed to wipe, untouched. I eventually bought cheap blades at Kragen and they worked better than the supposed high end blades.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Similar experience with the Latitudes. However, it worked on the passenger side, but not on the driver's side. Took the driver side one off and used it to replace the driver's side on my wife's car (different car), where it does work! Works great on the passenger side of my car. I've got a Trico on the other side now. I'd suggest trying them on another vehicle if you have one, or just using on the side of your windshield they work on.

 

[97prizm]

The regular rain x blades scored second or third in last years consumer reports article. I had the regular rain x blades and they lasted a solid 7 months. The regular rain x blades were the only blades that made it past the 6 month time and still had life left.

 

[Colt45ws]

Seems to be a vehicle thing. I dont think these type of blades like windshields with a lot of curvature. I have had latitudes on for over a year and they have yet to streak. The right end of the passenger side blade does not touch at the very bottom of the sweep but its no big deal because there is nothing down there I need to look at anyway.
I actually went slightly oversize with them too with a 24" driver instead of a 22"..

 

[ctc]

I think performance of the latitudes varies from windshield to windshield. They work well on my CX-9.

 

[FL_Rob]

The Walmart by me wont take anything back without a reciept ,not even for store credit.They have zero tolerance.They just point to the return policy displayed behind the c/s counter.I feel your anxiety with this ,and how about that disappearing ink on those reciepts?Anybody here experience this at their local Walmart?

 

[mechanicx]

You probably would've been better off with Trico Neoforms. Meijer has them for $13/ blade and Trico has a $15 mail-in rebate, so about $11 for 2 Trico Neoforms, can't beat that. I would take the blades back to Walmart and try to get store credit and buy something else you need there. Then pick up a set of Trico.

 

[RF Overlord]

The factory blades on my Mercury Marauder were so bad I replaced them 2 months after I bought the car. Streaked and chattered. Since then I've tried NAPA Silicone and Bosch Micro-Edge XL. Both worked fine while they lasted, but that wasn't very long for what they cost ($13. Each.) Finally settled on Michelin blades from Wally's. $8 and they work every bit as well as the others, plus they last longer, too.

 

[dsmith41]

I use RainX Weatherbeaters. They are the "normal" RainX blades and they have worked well for me. I just put some new ones on last week.

 

[ps49556n]

That sure is odd that RainX customer service has not acknowledged your problem...wal mart tends to be quite good with issues like this and usually will give you store credit if nothing else, given the blades look new.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Have you tried cleaning the windshield and wipers?

They work perfectly on my car.

 

[Dave Hess]

Quote:
The WM by me wont take anything back without a reciept ,not even for store credit.They have zero tolerance.They just point to the return policy displayed behind the c/s counter.I


Thats because people are stealing expensive merchandise are returning it for store credit. I must admit that I am very pro Walmart and see nothing wrong with the company.

 

[xBa380]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Have you tried cleaning the windshield and wipers?

They work perfectly on my car.


Yes... I also clayed it to remove any bonded contaminants.

Maybe I will try just taking it to Walmart and see if they can refund it... Feel weird without the box or anything though.

Just wish they worked better. I guess the curvature of the glass is tricky with these wipers.

 

[dime]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Quote:
The WM by me wont take anything back without a reciept ,not even for store credit.They have zero tolerance.They just point to the return policy displayed behind the c/s counter.I


Thats because people are stealing expensive merchandise are returning it for store credit. I must admit that I am very pro Walmart and see nothing wrong with the company.

this is true,they also will buy something(battery for example) and switch packaging/stickers with the old product and return the old prouct with the new packaging/stickers. they know to do this late at night since most of the people working then have no knowledge of the merchandise on the shelves.