O T windshield wiper blades

Is there any brand of w s w blade that is any good? I have always bought Trico but they don't last now days and are noisey as well. I tried another brand that Advance Auto sells, I don't remember the brand but they were crap also.

I think there is a conspiracy. It seems they used to last at least a few years. Now, maybe a few months. And, at these fucking asshole auto parts stores, you can't just buy a blade, you have to buy half the whole fucking mechanism.

Stores like Dollar General, Fred's, Family Dollar etc. usually have blades for about $5. not any better than the parts stores but just as good.

I wouldn't mind the whole mechanism if it was quiet...

I think I have Bosch on the wife's '02 Explorer, been there forever and they are quiet. I have Michelin's on my Lincoln LS and they chatter terribly unless it's pouring.

I have Bosch Icons on both of my trucks and my car. Love them. A little pricey but going on 3 years of northeast weather on 1 truck. The arm design doesn't let snow and ice in.

I tend to agree with conspiracy theorists.

Remember when you could buy the "refills" for a couple of bucks (just the rubber part and two flimsy pieces of wire)?

Bosch and Rainex are the best. I've had both, they don't chatter, do a great job of wiping the window, and last maybe up to two years if I'm lucky. Of course you have to buy the entire deal at about $20 each, can't just buy the insert anymore.

Bosch, Rainex. I get 2-3 yrs.

Bought some from NAPA 1 year ago. They were the totally enclosed type, great for the ice and snow we have here. Not bad but time to get replaced. Will try the Bosch next.

Bosch Icon.
I used to use 'winter' blades.
The sun here would blow them apart in months.
The Icons hold up for 2-3 years.

I worked in an auto parts store for a couple years. I am partial to the Bosch blades. But in reality, they are all kind of garbage now.

My big recommendation is to get the frameless style (like the Icon). They last a little longer, and tend to be much quieter. I always buy from places like amazon for wipers. The mark up on things like that at the auto store is insane. If memory serves, it was $25 for each blade, but on $11 with my discount.

Wiper blades are consumable items. You don't expect tires to last the life of the car, I don't
expect wiper blades to last more than a year. The good ones and the cheap ones last about
the same, I do find the better ones do a better job during that year. So I spring for the extra.

It is all about making $$$$$ Money. Companies do a lot of research on their product to make it last long enough for the warranty expires. 40 years ago wind shield wiper blades lasted several years but now days they are junk in 6 months. Companies no longer sell the $4 refill packs you have to buy the whole assembly $15 each. I bought new blades again 3 days ago it cost me $33 with sales tax for 2 blades. DAMN!!! If a company makes their produce last 6 months instead of 3 years that means you have to pay $180 instead of $30. That means sales are up 300 percent. Big money in someone's pocket. The Rich get Richer and WE get Screwed.

You all need to learn the lesson and make your tool and die work ware out sooner. Instead of using D2 on your next punch press die make it with case hardened CRS so you make more money from your customer in repair work. LOL.

What the HELL is this country coming too. Everyone seems to be out to cheat and screw the other guy in the name of MONEY. I had to put hidden security cameras on my vehicle before having it serviced. Workers will steal the jack in the trunk, cut wires, cut hoses, do all kinds of damage to your vehicle just so they can repair it and make extra money. It pisses me off. I use to insist NO one works on my vehicle unless I watch, if they refuse then they don't work on my vehicle. I got video of a worker cutting the protective wheel bearing boots on the front wheel drive of my vehicle I had the guy arrested. I insisted the guy pay through the ass to the judge and go to jail too. This crap makes me so damn mad I can not stand it. I return to the same business 6 months later and get video of a different worker doing damage to my vehicle. I have to ask, does the company promote this type of criminal activity to make more money?

I replaced 3 of 4 Rain-X Latitude blade assemblies on my two vehicles last week. Rain-X Latitude® Wiper Blades - Rain-X They lasted about three years. The Rain-X work pretty well in both rain and snow and much quieter than the stock wipers. I live at 6K ft elevation, three years in the unfiltered sun up here is pretty good. Just in time for today's big storm here in Southern California that just turned to snow. Rain-X Latitude blade assembly was $15 each from Wal-Mart. More money than replacement wipers used to be however when I bought my first car gas was $0.25 a gallon and tuition at Cal Poly state university was zero. Conspiracy theory?

Don C.

I prefer genuine Delcos as they tend to last a few years even with her trying to push frost with them. Bosch is not nearly as good IME but is fairly decent too. There's quite a few bottom end crap brands that I wouldnt touch.

A couple years ago when I still lived in NY the local dealer tried hard to sell me a few things during the annual inspection so I let them sell me the cheapest suggestion (wipers) to make them feel good. Being a GM dealer I thought theyd use genuine Delcos but nope, they put on POS Rain-Xs. Literally the first time it rained I flipped them on and one wiper broke almost instantly and the wiper arm scratched my windshield.

they are generally really cheap online. never buy in stores. order them a few at a time.
consumer reports had some recommendation.

We had a discussion at our last safety meeting, and it appears the wax that is sprayed on in our truck wash might be the culprit to bad wipers instead of the wipers themselves. Just a thought....as changing wipers all day long won't fix that problem. We figured it out, because guys that "hated" to drive thru the washer spoke up, in defense of the existing blade supplier. The guys that went thru the truck wash every day were really upset with the wiper blade problem.
David from jax

I use the form fit blades Napa sells. Going on 3 years in the northland.

Don Clement said:

More money than replacement wipers used to be however when I bought my first car gas was $0.25 a gallon and tuition at Cal Poly state university was zero. Conspiracy theory?

Click to expand...

Ok, I'll concede that conspiracy is a strong term, and global manufacturing trends and inflation play a larger role here.... However, using gasoline prices (which are largly controlled by an international cartel) and university tuition (which most experts agree base their costs on guaranteeing exclusivity, rather than keeping up with actual operating costs) are too really bad examples to use as ammunition AGAINST conspiracy theories....

Royldean said:

Ok, I'll concede that conspiracy is a strong term, and global manufacturing trends and inflation play a larger role here.... However, using gasoline prices (which are largly controlled by an international cartel) and university tuition (which most experts agree base their costs on guaranteeing exclusivity, rather than keeping up with actual operating costs) are too really bad examples to use as ammunition AGAINST conspiracy theories....

Click to expand...

That sounds just like a conspiracy theory. Using my Rain-X blades in the rain and snow today, they are working great. BTW last month I replaced the Wal-mart battery that lasted 7 years in my Camry with another Wal-mart battery. There must be a conspiracy to make batteries last only seven years.

Don C.