Windshield wiper suggestions?

[Frank Lee]

Can hardly find refills anymore!

Is people's time that precious, or are they too stupid or lazy to put refills in?

[Duffman]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

You're gonna laugh at me... but I've noticed the garbage cans at the front doors of auto parts stores almost always have wipers in 'em, when customers change 'em out right there in the lot. I'm usually amazed when I look at them and see that most have nothing wrong with them- why were they replaced? Someone on a time schedule for replacement? Did one of 'em streak? Who knows- all I know is I've grabbed several blades outta there and fitted them to my cars and they seem to last just as well as new ones. I rub them down with rubbing alcohol on install and haven't had streaking problems.

Some people have bought into the idea that this is a scheduled maintenance item (I think its a recomended 6 month interval). I got 3 years 40,000 km out of my factory wipers and only replaced them because the passenger one had a tear and I was worried it may eventually scratch the glass.

My secret is to always operate the wipers on the lowest setting that will clear the rain away and in the winter to lift the wipers off the windshield if I expect they will freeze to the glass due to falling snow or precipitation.

[wagonman76]

50 bucks for wipers???

I always have used Anco winter blades, year round. $5-7 apiece. They usually last a couple years, and I think they work a lot better than any other wipers which are open frame design.

Click and Clack say they'll burn up your wiper motor, but I've never had one burn up and all my vehicles have over 200k.

[RandomFact314]

Rain X wipers are the best wipers I have ever used, I will swear by them. But my suggestion is that you can have your rain x wipers for when its not snowy and then have another crappy pair for when it is so if you do ruin them, they were cheap anyways. Good idea eh?

[cfg83]

RandomFact314 -

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

Rain X wipers are the best wipers I have ever used, I will swear by them. But my suggestion is that you can have your rain x wipers for when its not snowy and then have another crappy pair for when it is so if you do ruin them, they were cheap anyways. Good idea eh?

That makes sense. Kind of like "winter tires" and "summer tires".

CarloSW2

[Christ]

So where do I pick up my "All Season" wipers?

I don't switch my tires out for winter... I keep running all-seasons.

[Wonderboy]

Someone else mentioned Bosch... They're like $17 a blade if I remember right, but I've had very good luck with them - very long lasting, great for winter. I think they have a line of them now with some really pricey ones, but I just get the basic ones...or I should say one since I only use one wiper now. If your car is going to sit outside for a long time in the winter (in someplace like New Hampshire, maybe ?) Maybe just take em off and leave them in the car. I can't imagine a situation where it would be difficult to remove snow or ice from those little hoops on the wiper arms.





...I do not work for or endorse Bosch.

[cfg83]

Wonderboy -

I got the Bosch wipers after reading this thread :

Aerodynamic Wipers on Sale

I did a tuft test and I saw improvement. These days I am down to one driver's side wiper. I followed Frank Lee's advice and I have the unmounted passenger wiper in the trunk, along with a wingnut (ha ha, that could also describe me) to put it back on quickly if needed.

Having only one wiper can be a little annoying, but not unsafe.

CarloSW2

[Frank Lee]

I found that the one wiper thing can annoy the passenger if you have one. That situation hardly ever pops up for me though. Well- driving in rain and/or having passengers.

[cfg83]

Frank -

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I found that the one wiper thing can annoy the passenger if you have one. That situation hardly ever pops up for me though. Well- driving in rain and/or having passengers.

Me too, but they're not doing the driving, .

CarloSW2