Topic: Wiper Blades

[Wetson]

I replaced the wiper blades on my coupe with Canadian Tire ones and they were to short compared to the factory ones.  I ended up getting after market ones from NAPPA and they are just okay.

My question is... who sells decent after market wipers?  I don't want to fiddle with replacing the rubber and prefer replacing the whole blade but don't want to pay an arm and a leg.

[The Mighty Duck]

Depends what you consider expensive, and what you mean by Canadian Tire blades.  If you bought the cheap ~$10 ones, then yeah, you're going to run into trouble.  They're absolute crap, and we never recomend them to customers.

The Teflon blades are great, and generally seem to fit pretty well and do a great job.  The Aerofoil and whatever those really expensive ones are are supposed to be good, too.  But for your money, the CT Teflon blades should do pretty well.

[Wetson]

Depends what you consider expensive, and what you mean by Canadian Tire blades.  If you bought the cheap ~$10 ones, then yeah, you're going to run into trouble.  They're absolute crap, and we never recomend them to customers.

The Teflon blades are great, and generally seem to fit pretty well and do a great job.  The Aerofoil and whatever those really expensive ones are are supposed to be good, too.  But for your money, the CT Teflon blades should do pretty well.

When I tried the CT Teflon blades they were an inch too short.  I took them back to verify with the guy at the counter and they were the right ones for my car.  The package hadn't been opened when I bought them.  The ones from NAPPA were the right size.  I'd go back to HONDA to get replacement blades but they want $50 a piece for each blade.  A HUGE rip off.  Their rubber is good though.

[tortoise]

I have a set of BOSCH wipers on my car right now that I am happy with.  They fit nicely and weren't too expensive, say around $15 a piece.   I got them at Partsource.

I've also used the aerofoil blades.  They worked well, but would whistle at highway speeds whenever they were used.  To make matters worse, they would only whistle at the end of their travel so it was intermittent. **GGGGGGRRRRRRRRR**. 

[zeeboy47]

I put a pair of these on my Blazer, and "what a difference!"

http://www.silblade.com/

6 months, and they still do a great job. Am thinking of getting a pair of their winter blades, but with the wear and tear in my climate, they might not last the winter. We'll see!

[citydude]

The OEM Honda rubber blade insert is $5 each.  Most of the time, that's all you need.  They fit perfectly, installation only take 5 minutes even if you go slow.

Citydude

[ovr50]

I have Lucas wipers but they're always shorting out when it rains.....

[AVToller]

I have Lucas wipers but they're always shorting out when it rains.....

  Having owned 3 MGs and 3 Austins, 

[susan_t]

I have to agree with citydude that the OEM Honda inserts are the way to go, and they're only $5.  I've tried Crappy Tire wipers and they cost more and they are...well, crappy.  So, then I was told to try the OEM inserts and they are great!  Only $5 ea., you can't go wrong. 

[barrie1]

Strange you should bring this up as I bought 2 sets of blades today myself for a friend who's 96 Astro work van needed them.  I got him a set of Winters and a refill set for his old blade holders  Paid almost $30.00 for the best real rubber ones which in my mind are the best there is in cold weather conditions. I like the real rubber blades like Trico which I find more pliable under heavy winter cold and conditions. I think they are much more flexible then the synthetic blades and last long er too. I change my own out almost every year and rotate them between my other vehicles as well. Every windsheild is different so a old blade from one is still good on another in a pinch. 

[si]

you pay for what you get... but some recommend replacing your blades every year.

[tpl]

Replacing every year is good. I do it and of winter before the bug season

As for the too short.... a measuring device is a good REGARDLESS of Crappy tires out of date aoolication book. More and more cars have different lengths for drivers and passengers

I just get the  inserts and spend a 1/2 hour cursing them at the kitchen table.

[tenpenny]

Speaking of wiper blades, I once put winter blades on the Legacy.  You know, the ones where the blade assembly is sheathed in a rubber boot so ice doesn't build up in between the holder and the blade....anyway, as I set out one night at 8 pm for a 5 hr drive, in reasonably heavy rain, I discovered that at any speed over 100 km, the blades caught enough wind that they lifted off the windshield.  I had to stop at the first place I found open to buy regular blades, and change them right there.

Now I don't use "winter" blades, but I do put new ones on in November.

[Wetson]

I have to agree with citydude that the OEM Honda inserts are the way to go, and they're only $5.  I've tried Crappy Tire wipers and they cost more and they are...well, crappy.  So, then I was told to try the OEM inserts and they are great!  Only $5 ea., you can't go wrong. 

This is what I do for my sedan but the coupe is a different story.  I had the coupe first and I made the mistake of assuming that the whole blade got replaced and not just the rubber inserts.  So here I am at Crappy Tire changing the blade in the parking lot with their poopy ones.  I threw the OEM honda blades out and drove off.  When I went to use the blades (when it finally rained) I noticed it was too short but there was nothing I could do.  The old ones were in the garbage.   SO I searched for after markets that were an exact fit.  CT's exact fit blades are BS.  Tried them and they were to short.  I found the proper ones at NAPPA and they are just okay but seem to have degraded after just 4 months.

So... do I fork out 100 big ones to Honda for replacement blades? Or keep putting aftermarkets on?

I've learned my lesson on this one.

[citydude]

I threw the OEM honda blades out and drove off.

ouch... they are like $35 each, but I'd still get those.  Hassle free = priceless.  After that, you can just get the rubber insert every year or two.

Citydude

[ovr50]

I may get dumped on for this blasphemy, but I treat wiper blades like spark plugs - run them until they fail and then replace them. Winter blades? Na. Life's too short IMO.

 

[froggy]

 

As long as they work, why change them??? It is not like an internal engine component you can't see that may seize without warning or a part the wearing of which will cause premature deterioration of the car...
Remember the engineering motto: "If it ain't broken, don't fix it"
As for changing them every year, the "auto specialists" will tell you it is compulsory as they are selling the damn thing!

[tenpenny]

I may get dumped on for this blasphemy, but I treat wiper blades like spark plugs - run them until they fail and then replace them. Winter blades? Na. Life's too short IMO.

 

I used to use winter blades because I thougth they'd do a better job...now I just spend $20 on a new set of regular blades every November.   Cheap at half the price, as they say.

[random006]

I use winter blades in front during the winter and a regular blade in back.  The winters in front are essential for me as I've had my fronts ice up too many times to count.  Even with a fancy windshield wiper de-icer, you are better off with proper winter blades, IMHO.

As for the rear, in previous cars I've never had a good fit from winter blades owing to the curvature of the rear window.  Maybe on my current car it would be different but I haven't seen the need yet.  Maybe this year I'll give it a try.

In short, change 'em twice a year with quality blades that you know will fit and you'll be fine.

On the matter of teflon blades:  I've used them before and had no serious complaints.

[jamie1]

I bought a set of michelin blades for the 'zuki at costco. Bought them about 6 months ago. Still are as good as the day I bought them.  I hate streaks and wipers that chatter,so I usually change them about once a year.