I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last any
longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are barely
lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper refills I can
find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms as well, so it
isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

Wiper blades can't be expected to last more than a few months, even with
careful operation. Sun, heat, ozone, etc. start to degrade the rubber as
soon as you put them on. Of course, you already know full well that
*one* swipe on a frosty windshield and the micro blade edge is hammered.
The condition of the glass also factors. Nothing like a new windshield
for really *good* wiper action. An old, sandblasted, pitted, cracked
(shall I go on?...) windshield doesn't swipe well due to surface
irregularities. Also, that awful wax buildup Lemon Pledge so warns you
about will also ruin an otherwise good swipe. Sometimes, you can improve
the wiper action 100% just by wiping down the glass with alcohol.
Bottom line: New blades every 6 months around here (Seattle).
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Grant Erwin wrote:
I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would
last any longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills
are barely lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only
wiper refills I can find, the more expensive things involve selling you
new arms as well, so it isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE


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"JR North" wrote: Wiper blades can't be expected to last more than a few
months, even with careful operation. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
And, of course, blades deteriorate mostly in the Summer time, when there is
a lot of sun, and no rain. My mechanic advised me, years ago, to put back
the old blades when rainy season is over, and wrap up the good blades to be
saved for the next rainy season. Does this help? It ought to, but I have
never tried it.

You obviously don't live around Seattle. I mean to say........How much
can taking off the new blades for a weekend in August help.

Dan

Leo Lichtman wrote:

And, of course, blades deteriorate mostly in the Summer time, when there is
a lot of sun, and no rain. My mechanic advised me, years ago, to put back
the old blades when rainy season is over, and wrap up the good blades to be
saved for the next rainy season. Does this help? It ought to, but I have
never tried it.

On the day of Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:40:47 -0800...
Grant Erwin
typed these letters:

I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last any
longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are barely
lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper refills I can
find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms as well, so it
isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

The biggest problem I have had is that a lot of the refills that I
have purchased don't fit the factory arms correctly. I really don't
want to buy replacement arms when I have perfectly good ones.
Perhaps I should look into buying OEM refills from a dealership?
I've not tried this so I have no clue as to the cost difference. I am
also disappointed in the off brand refills available to me at the
local auto parts store.

Devonshire

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 03:34:36 GMT,
(Devonshire) wrote:

On the day of Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:40:47 -0800...
Grant Erwin
typed these letters:

I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last any
longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are barely
lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper refills I can
find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms as well, so it
isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

The biggest problem I have had is that a lot of the refills that I
have purchased don't fit the factory arms correctly. I really don't
want to buy replacement arms when I have perfectly good ones.
Perhaps I should look into buying OEM refills from a dealership?
I've not tried this so I have no clue as to the cost difference. I am
also disappointed in the off brand refills available to me at the
local auto parts store.

Devonshire
most universal refills are 24" long - cut with diagonal cutters to
length, but they come in three widths so you either check the
manufacturers listing for your vehicle or buy "narrow" and squeeze the
carrier tabs to fit.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On the day of Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:17:46 -0500...
Gerald Miller
typed these letters:

most universal refills are 24" long - cut with diagonal cutters to
length, but they come in three widths so you either check the
manufacturers listing for your vehicle or buy "narrow" and squeeze the
carrier tabs to fit.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

I've never bought the universals. Maybe I should try them. I've
always looked up my vehicle in the little book that is with the
refills at the store and bought the ones that were intened for my
vehicle. I'm aware of two widths. I though the wide ones were for
American vehicles and the narrow ones for vehicles made everywhere
else. I'm not aware of the third width. I'm guessing the third
width is something more modern. If I buy the refills that were
intended for my vehicle I should not have to modify the factory arms
to accomodate them. But I have had to squeeze the factory arms and
trim the refills. This particular vehicle has hide away wipers. The
arms draw up under the hood when the wipers are turned off. I though I
could fix my refill problem by buying the replacement arms that were
intended for my make, model, and year vehicle. Which ought to fit my
vehicle. That way the refills would match up perfectly with arms
since they are the same brand. Once installed, the arms were too
tall to draw up under the hood

Devonshire

Devonshire

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 03:34:36 GMT,
(Devonshire) wrote:

On the day of Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:40:47 -0800...
Grant Erwin
typed these letters:

I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last any
longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are barely
lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper refills I can
find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms as well, so it
isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

The biggest problem I have had is that a lot of the refills that I
have purchased don't fit the factory arms correctly. I really don't
want to buy replacement arms when I have perfectly good ones.
Perhaps I should look into buying OEM refills from a dealership?
I've not tried this so I have no clue as to the cost difference. I am
also disappointed in the off brand refills available to me at the
local auto parts store.

Devonshire

I was surprised to discover that some OEM parts from my Ford dealer
are competitively-priced and markedly superior to aftermarket stuff.
Two examples: batteries and wiper blades. By "competitively priced"
I don't mean cheaper, just in the same ballpark. I have been
particularly surprised by their batteries. The OEM batteries in my
two Contours lasted 8 years -- in Minnesota. They were still working
fine when I replaced them but I figured I had to be on borrowed time
and I'd rather not mess with it when it's well below zero. I have
never had a battery last anywhere near that long.

Their wiper blades seem to work and last well too.

YMMV

Don Foreman wrote:
I was surprised to discover that some OEM parts from my Ford dealer
are competitively-priced and markedly superior to aftermarket stuff.
Two examples: batteries and wiper blades. By "competitively priced"
I don't mean cheaper, just in the same ballpark. I have been
particularly surprised by their batteries. The OEM batteries in my
two Contours lasted 8 years -- in Minnesota. They were still working
fine when I replaced them but I figured I had to be on borrowed time
and I'd rather not mess with it when it's well below zero. I have
never had a battery last anywhere near that long.

Just a note on changes in the OE parts chain.
What you buy at a dealership is more and more the same parts your
neighborhood parts store sells. This is especially true of anything in a
ACDelco box. Last I looked, and ACDelco shock is a Gabriel in the box -
and not the same as the OE.
Basically, all OE replacement parts are outsourced to the lowest
bidder. Most car makers are essentially assemblers. The aftermarket
buys from the same people as the OE.

Pertinent to this thread, Anco and Trico have been OE for U.S. cars as
long as I can remember.

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last
any longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are
barely lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper
refills I can find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms
as well, so it isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

Rainx every 6 weeks...3 coats. Blades last a LOT longer.

Tom Gardner wrote:
"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last
any longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are
barely lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper
refills I can find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms
as well, so it isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

Rainx every 6 weeks...3 coats. Blades last a LOT longer.

I agree, Rain-X is great.

Clean windshield with Super Clean or similar cleaner. Don't get it on
the paint. Wipe with newspaper.
follow with alcohol and a terry towel.
Apply rain-X, let it sit overnight if possible.

As for blades, get the whole blade, not just the refills.
Get a name brand - Anco, Trico, Bosch. I also like the looks of the
Rain-X blades, but haven't tried them yet.

And if your windshield is old and pitted, spend the $200 and get a new
one. It's worth it.

Rainx every 6 weeks...3 coats. Blades last a LOT longer.

I was going to suggest Rain-X too but I use the kind that you add to the
washer reservoir and it works nearly as well and is a lot less trouble. You
just have to remember to occasionally do a wash/wipe cycle when the
windshield is dry to get a good coating on it. And I'd guess more of it
ends up on the blade itself this way which probably helps to keep them in
good shape.

I always used to have trouble with blades. The worst thing is that whenever
it would first start raining, the first time you turn them on it was just a
streaked mess. With Rain-X it's MUCH better.

Best Regards,
Keith Marshall


"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"


"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
t...

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last
any longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are
barely lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper
refills I can find, the more expensive things involve selling you new
arms as well, so it isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

Rainx every 6 weeks...3 coats. Blades last a LOT longer.

On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 15:40:47 -0800, Grant Erwin
wrote:

I'm starting to wonder if I pay more for refills if the blades would last any
longer. I live in the Seattle area, and the $2.99 wiper refills are barely
lasting through one winter anymore. OTOH these are the only wiper refills I can
find, the more expensive things involve selling you new arms as well, so it
isn't clear what you're paying for.

Any opinions? Hard information?

thx ..

GWE

I agree with Rex on name brand (Anco/Trico) stuff. I was at a friends
shop in Gunnison,CO two years ago. I needed blades. He put on what he
called snow blades.They have a rubber sleeve over the whole blade
assembly. They are about ready for replacement but I'm impressed by
how long they lasted here in the Texas sun.
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