You should replace blades twice a year: fall and spring. The rubber takes a set when it gets very hot and very cold, so you want to replace it just before. This is coming straight from my dad who worked in Bosch's wiper division for 25+ years. (he designed many wiper systems for production vehicles still on the road today)
Windshield Wiper Rant
- Thread starter JHZR2
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Been using the cheapy frame type Michelins for years.
Finally decided to take the plunge and get the bracketless when my last set started to chatter.
Bought the Michelin Optimum. Almost $40 all the way around. (rear wiper too)
Looked inside the mounting clip....made by Pylon.
I hope I get two years instead of the usual one out of these.
Finally decided to take the plunge and get the bracketless when my last set started to chatter.
Bought the Michelin Optimum. Almost $40 all the way around. (rear wiper too)
Looked inside the mounting clip....made by Pylon.
I hope I get two years instead of the usual one out of these.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: dparm
You should replace blades twice a year: fall and spring. The rubber takes a set when it gets very hot and very cold, so you want to replace it just before. This is coming straight from my dad who worked in Bosch's wiper division for 25+ years. (he designed many wiper systems for production vehicles still on the road today)
Of course, he wants to sell more wipers...
J/k to a point, it is a good baseline, and some wipers in some conditions definitely need this. But it is climate, sunlight, ozone, windshield angle, etc. related. This is why Ive come to love PIAA wipers, they are truly a 3+ year rubber, as it is a synthetic silicone type that just lasts.
You should replace blades twice a year: fall and spring. The rubber takes a set when it gets very hot and very cold, so you want to replace it just before. This is coming straight from my dad who worked in Bosch's wiper division for 25+ years. (he designed many wiper systems for production vehicles still on the road today)
Of course, he wants to sell more wipers...
J/k to a point, it is a good baseline, and some wipers in some conditions definitely need this. But it is climate, sunlight, ozone, windshield angle, etc. related. This is why Ive come to love PIAA wipers, they are truly a 3+ year rubber, as it is a synthetic silicone type that just lasts.
Originally Posted By: rshunter
Originally Posted By: dparm
...my dad who worked in Bosch's wiper division for 25+ years. (he designed many wiper systems for production vehicles still on the road today)
AH-HAH!!! So he's the one to blame!
LOL. He actually designed the motors more than anything. I remember back in 1992 he was working on the (then new) 1996 super-rounded Taurus and got to see and drive it well before anyone else did because he did the wipers. Same for the original Windstar. Cool stuff.
Originally Posted By: dparm
...my dad who worked in Bosch's wiper division for 25+ years. (he designed many wiper systems for production vehicles still on the road today)
AH-HAH!!! So he's the one to blame!
LOL. He actually designed the motors more than anything. I remember back in 1992 he was working on the (then new) 1996 super-rounded Taurus and got to see and drive it well before anyone else did because he did the wipers. Same for the original Windstar. Cool stuff.
Same thing on my friends VW Toureg, they ripped her off
big-time! Including the installation it was near $75!!
big-time! Including the installation it was near $75!!
Kestas
Staff member
I guess we can add wiper blades to the many botique items that manufacturers have fiddled with to make profit. That includes headlamp housings, transmission fluid, and antifreeze to some extent.
I remember getting new wiper blades for 50¢ each at discount stores.
I remember getting new wiper blades for 50¢ each at discount stores.
Originally Posted By: Kestas
I guess we can add wiper blades to the many botique items that manufacturers have fiddled with to make profit. That includes headlamp housings, transmission fluid, and antifreeze to some extent.
I remember getting new wiper blades for 50¢ each at discount stores.
Absolutely...
The problem isn't only with VW but with ENTIRE auto industry...GREED and penny gains in profit is what drives things today.
Until the consumer fights back and refuses to play these greed mongers will continue to nickle and dime consumers in the most outlandish ways! ...heck I would call up VWoA and complain about this fact...
I guess we can add wiper blades to the many botique items that manufacturers have fiddled with to make profit. That includes headlamp housings, transmission fluid, and antifreeze to some extent.
I remember getting new wiper blades for 50¢ each at discount stores.
Absolutely...
The problem isn't only with VW but with ENTIRE auto industry...GREED and penny gains in profit is what drives things today.
Until the consumer fights back and refuses to play these greed mongers will continue to nickle and dime consumers in the most outlandish ways! ...heck I would call up VWoA and complain about this fact...
Originally Posted By: bobbob
Same thing on my friends VW Toureg, they ripped her off
big-time! Including the installation it was near $75!!
Why didn't she install them herself? It takes all of 2 minutes, requires no tools. The VW blades have instructions right on the box!
Same thing on my friends VW Toureg, they ripped her off
big-time! Including the installation it was near $75!!
Why didn't she install them herself? It takes all of 2 minutes, requires no tools. The VW blades have instructions right on the box!
In one year, I went through two sets of the Michelin beam wiper blades since they would streak after about 5-6 months. First they would streak a little, then streak more and chatter. In the meantime, the Bosch Icons in my girlfriend's car have gone over a year and still wipe perfect and silent.
I have since switched to Icons. If they do the same as the Michelins then its my car and not the blades. We'll see.
I have since switched to Icons. If they do the same as the Michelins then its my car and not the blades. We'll see.
What has happened to wiper blade prices the past few years?!?
Im 30. I remember 5-10 year ago, you could get good wiper blades, $4 max. And sometimes they went on sale BOGO!!
Now I see wipers on the shelf for $16/each. Either somebody is smoking crack or wiper blades have experienced a 3000% inflation, even during/after a period of recession, and that no other automotive product has ever experienced!!
Im 30. I remember 5-10 year ago, you could get good wiper blades, $4 max. And sometimes they went on sale BOGO!!
Now I see wipers on the shelf for $16/each. Either somebody is smoking crack or wiper blades have experienced a 3000% inflation, even during/after a period of recession, and that no other automotive product has ever experienced!!
Yeah my Latitude blades weren't the cheapest.
Couple days ago I was in Costco, I saw GoodYear blades for something like $7.99 each. They looked like my Latitudes. Figures.
Couple days ago I was in Costco, I saw GoodYear blades for something like $7.99 each. They looked like my Latitudes. Figures.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
And frankly, compared to the frame PIAA wipers I have on my other cars, Im not convinced that the frameless designs do any better than framed ones. Ive yet to replace a frame PIAA wiper for poor performance, and I have multiple that are going on 3-4 years now... living outside, summer, winter, direct sun, etc.
Not fun or a cost effective thing...
Good idea. I think I will try that next time with the PIAA refills. BTW, how is the PIAA wiper refills holding up and how are they performing now?
And frankly, compared to the frame PIAA wipers I have on my other cars, Im not convinced that the frameless designs do any better than framed ones. Ive yet to replace a frame PIAA wiper for poor performance, and I have multiple that are going on 3-4 years now... living outside, summer, winter, direct sun, etc.
Not fun or a cost effective thing...
Good idea. I think I will try that next time with the PIAA refills. BTW, how is the PIAA wiper refills holding up and how are they performing now?
You know I was thinking the same exact thing. I have bought four windshield wiper blades in 1 1/2 years. That is ridiculous. I had to buy four blades from three different types: Goodyear from Costco-(2) different sizes for Driver and Passenger. These were no good. When I exchanged them for smaller sizes even smaller than OEM size due, to them hitting the sides and bottom of my windshield when wiping. I got the Michelin (1)-framed wiper blade. These had no problem making noise or hitting the sides of the windshield. I also got the (1)-Rain-X beam blade from all the hype over these. These streak and make noise when there is not enough rain. I then realized I spent lot of time and money on getting wiper blades of all things. Five years ago, I bought refills for four different cars and it only costed about 40% of what I paid for these blades for one car! There are no refills for any blades now. Go to any auto parts store like Autozone, Pep Boys, Kragnen, etc. and there is none! You could buy refills for like less than $10 for a pair. You either have to buy the whole blade or buy it from the dealer now if, they have them. That is what I call "true nickel-and-diming!"
Originally Posted By: Errtt
Yeah my Latitude blades weren't the cheapest.
Couple days ago I was in Costco, I saw GoodYear blades for something like $7.99 each. They looked like my Latitudes. Figures.
They aren't the same. The Latitudes are a little narrower. The Goodyears are pretty thick. I had both. The Goodyears don't squeak though.
A couple of months ago Costco had a coupon which you could buy 1 and get one free. I bought mine almost 3/4 year ago and did not get this offer either.
Yeah my Latitude blades weren't the cheapest.
Couple days ago I was in Costco, I saw GoodYear blades for something like $7.99 each. They looked like my Latitudes. Figures.
They aren't the same. The Latitudes are a little narrower. The Goodyears are pretty thick. I had both. The Goodyears don't squeak though.
A couple of months ago Costco had a coupon which you could buy 1 and get one free. I bought mine almost 3/4 year ago and did not get this offer either.
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