Rant: windshield wiper arm vs. refill

[Squisher]

Does anyone think that metal windshield wiper arms suffer as much fatigue as the wear the actual working rubber that wipes the rain and snow off your windshield does? I know I don't. IMHO arms seem to become misshapen through use and should be changed out maybe after 3 or 4 years, but the actual rubber usually last a year or so. I really have no experience with the one piece plastic arms like the RainX Latitude.

So, why can't you find wiper refills in stores anymore? Not Napa, not Autozone, not O'Reilly's. 3-4 years ago you could, but all of a sudden you can no longer find wiper refills @ maybe $5-$7/ pair, now you have spend $10-$20 a piece for the entire arms.

The only place I could find refills is at Advance Auto Parts and they come in 3 widths and are like 28 inches long and you have to cut them to length. Otherwise us cheap skates will have to order them online, if they're out there.

 

[Throckmorton]

Just buy the one piece rubber ones. They look cool and are more aerodynamic. I've had good experiences with the Bosch Icons, bad with Silblades (streaked as soon as I got them).

 

[Vdubchaos]

Costco

They have high quality 1 blade Good year wipers for like 8-9 bucks each

 

[exdeath]

Because it costs 5 cents more to make the arm in China and they can sell it $20 because it's the whole arm.

Duh. Its always about how to nickel and dime people.

 

[EagleKeeper]

People used to install them wrong, damaging the blade, arm and window. But not selling the blade separate, the lawsuit liability was reduced. And good business practice, replacing unit every year or two instead of 3-4 yrs.

 

[herm0016]

the one piece blades work much better, I prefer the bosch blades.

 

[BUTCH1]

OP, yea, I've noticed this trend too and the kicker is a lot use crappy rubber that needs replacing 4-5 months later..

 

[basslover1]

Just buy the one piece rubber ones. They look cool and are more aerodynamic. I've had good experiences with the Bosch Icons, bad with Silblades (streaked as soon as I got them).

Second the Bosch Icon recommendation. They work well, look pretty cool and last me about a year in FL. I usually buy a pair when Autozone/Discount Auto has them on sale whether I need them or not. IME I would stay away from Rain-X blades of the same style, they didn't fit correctly and streaked pretty badly after only a few months.

 

[Slacker]

The wiper arm is the thing that the wiper blade is attached to, the wiper blade is the thing that the wiper insert is... inserted into.

 

[leper84]

Its cause the refills suck. With the quality of rubber they use on decent wipers now days the metal part of the blade warps and won't apply uniform pressure by the time the rubber tears or starts streaking.

If you can't afford $20-$30 every year or two on wipers I have something to tell you...

 

[AdamK47]

I have the original wiper blades on a 2006 car. Just used them for the first time this year last week. Wiped the water off perfectly.

 

[BUTCH1]

Its cause the refills suck. With the quality of rubber they use on decent wipers now days the metal part of the blade warps and won't apply uniform pressure by the time the rubber tears or starts streaking.

If you can't afford $20-$30 every year or two on wipers I have something to tell you...

It's like $20 every 6 months for me for refills, I've given up on finding just rubber alone anymore. Had to LOL about the "I just used them for the first time this year" comment,no wonder their working great, kinda hard to wear 'em out if there NOT ON..!! here in FL you have to be on top of your wiper condition, the downpours can be hellish at any time.

 

[SuperSix]

Refills suck - not worth the savings..

RockAuto and Amazon have great deals on arms.. I like the basic Rain-X. I get over a year out of an arm, longer in the old Cadillac, since it lifts the wipers slightly when they park.

 

[mmntech]

I have to recommend the one piece wipers as well. They do a far better job than the old style ones from my experience.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

 

[basslover1]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

That's asking a lot for most Americans.

 

[HeXen]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

lol, its really cheap to just simply replace them once a year. far easier too. The single piece, Dupont rubber blades are something that didn't work for my car, it would make a horrible noise as the blade skips across the window. The stock replacements are cheap and they work fine.

 

[thomsbrain]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

Yes, because Arizona has weather that is typical of the rest of the nation.

 

[herm0016]

even up here in wyoming ( still very dry) we use them too much to consider attaching them every time. I have never heard of that before.

 

[redgtxdi]

Meh.....I never had trouble with refills. As an adult, you learn quickly (or should) how to change refills properly if you keep the same car more than a few seasons.

I, too, was surprised when they disappeared off shelves. A bit weird in this world of "greenies".

I suppose we'll be tossing those metal backings in landfills next to the batteries and old AOL discs, eh?

 

[SparkyJJO]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

And then 1) your car 1 looks dorky missing the blades and 2) that time it does rain, you forget your blades aren't on, and you screw up your windshield.

Besides, most people don't live in a desert

 

[Scout80]

I have wondered where the refills went as well. I used to replace the inserts every spring and fall because driving in northern Minn is hard on blades. Salt and sand in the winter and dirt roads in the summer can ruin a good set of blades pretty quickly.

 

[BassBomb]

I buy the rubber re-fill from Honda, costs about the same as a regular wiper from CT or WM but I find it works better.

I just wish it had a cover for winter ice :S

 

[Eos]

For my wife's 2003 Corolla:

Bosch 418A ICON Wiper Blade, 18"
Bosch 424A ICON Wiper Blade, 24"

Right at $40 for both.

Haven't replaced them yet on our 2011 Avalon (12k miles), but there's a similar option available.

 

[nerp]

Also, who leaves their wiperblades on all the time? I guess if you live somwhere where it rains a lot. However, where I live, it barely rains, Arizona, in the desert. Keep the wiper blades in your trunk, and when it rains, put them on the car, and when it stops raining dry em off and put em back in the trunk. They last a lot longer that way.

Holy crap that seems insane. But I live in New England. Been seeing condensation early in the morning the last few days.