New Wiper Blades
 

I need new Wiper blades and I want to get something high end, what is best for our cars? I was thinking PIAA but I'm not really sure...

The new RainX blades are good, as well as Bosch.

I've got the PIAA silicone blades and I'm really happy with them. I'm in the Portland area so it is rainy enough to justify high end blades. Also, PIAA USA is located in Portland, so I like to support them when I can.

I am really thinkin' about those PIAA's and I live in seattle... so it rains ALL the time heh. I need something that will last. Thanks Aipex.

How often should you change them? I'm at 14k and am still on my factory.

^^i changed mine around that time.

good thread, was about to start a similar one myself cause my "oem" blades are pretty hurting. Only really started using it for ~ a month/2,500 km and the right blade is pretty much non-functional ( doesn't wipe at all! even after I throughly clean the blade) and the driver side one is starting to fall apart ( well not literately.. but the upper portion is not functioning that well)

Whats a good brand that will last be all year in both rain and snow, mostly snow. and doesnt look bulky

have the same, they were hurricane tested last year..

great blades..

beers :beer:

I got turned onto Bosch Icon blades over on RX8WEB. I like them a lot. The design gets rid of the fussy, spidery arms and has a nice flat profile with built-in spoiler to add downforce at higher speed.



Remember, driver and passenger side are different size. 20" & 18".

I bought Bosch Microedge Excels after reading good reviews on them...but I'm personally not impressed with them at all, and find the OEM Trico ones better. The Excels leave huge smear trails that quickly fade away across the entire windshield with every wipe, something the OEMs never did. Seeing all those smear trails at night with overhead and oncoming light gets irritating very quickly. The OEMs at least do a clean wipe with no smear trails. And yes I have cleaned them in case it was some kinda film from the factory. So I wouldn't mind hearing some other cost-no-object suggestions aside from Bosch.

It you wanna just go the cheap way. The can use a very fine sand paper and just sand the hard part off the rubber. They work like new again.

Just wondering, where do you guys buy your blades? Online or autoparts store like AutoZone, AutoBarn , etc?

You know I've heard that the blades you get from the dealer are some of the best-working (and cheapest) that you can find. I've been totally happy with the ones that came with my car!

The OEM seem to work good but they seem flimsy and I'm wondering how they will hold up in winters ice and snow.

Just hit 12k and the OEMs are starting to get a bit streaky. Time for new ones. I'm thinking I'll have the dealer throw on a new set (as long as they don't try to screw me w/some nonsense pricing) when I go for an oil change. Snow's a comin!

Use some RainX, it will make just about any wiper blade great-if you need to use them at all.

silicon wiper blades should last a lot longer than the traditional rubber blades

that said, i'm still on my factory originals after 46000 miles, they still wipe pretty good overall, but it does skip and smear once in a while, maybe it's time to get new ones...

I'll try it. I clean them often. But I've never had blades that last more than a year or so. Doesn't seem like any of the cheapo store brands handle 4 seasons too well.

use the rain-x washer fluid stuff, easy to use and it reapplies rain-x every time you use the windshield washer.

Didn't even know they offered it in washer fluid form. Will have to check it out. Thanks.

:beerchug:

+1

Easy and effective. I almost never have to even use my wipers after applying this stuff, unless its a really, really hard rain. Great for highway cruising, the wind speed just pushes the beaded-up water right off the windsheild. Highly recommened!

i need to get this rain-x and some new blades. combined i will be the god of rain driving.

:p

Rain-x is great stuff. After you put it on you'll be wondering why everyone else is using their wipers and driving slowly. I'll have to try the washer fluid too. I always get lazy about reapplying it...

Rain-x
 

The only problem I've had with the rain-X washer fluid is when I have bugs on the windshield, trying to squirt them off becomes a problem. but then maybe that is just me.

It's not just you. It's the drugs. You gotta chill out on that shite! :lol2:

That was my problem with Rain-x, it worked great for a while, but I was always too lazy about reapplying it. I'll definitely have to try this washer stuff...

hey anyone know what kind of bosch icon blades to use?

So Bosch or PIAA?

I finally got some wipers I'm happy with. Have a friend that works at Napa who I originally asked to get me the Bosch Microedge Excels after reading how everybody and their mother raved about them online. And when he did get them, he told me the counter people were starting to say "uh, why? These aren't that great..." I told him then to go and ask them what they recommend, cost no object, and ended up with a pair of Napa branded silicon wipers. Looking closely, they were actually made by Dupont. Now these babies are pretty nice, big difference from the Boschs right from the first wipe. Smooth as butter and zero chatter. They still do some streaking but not nearly as bad as the Boschs. I'd recommend checking them out.

On another note, does anybody have any idea what wipers Toyota uses as OEM? Whatever they use sure is good, along with their stock sound systems.

It is quite funny the touchless carwash that I use Rain-Xs the entire car before it waxes it with the rainbow tri-color wax. :lol:

Seems to work good but I don't know if it is the rainbow wax or the Rain-X. :dunno:

Definitely going with a silicone wiper blade when I replace them.

I have the Mtec titanium wipers with the small piece that increases down pressure at highways speeds. It does help.

Do the Napa silicone blades come in replacement form or does the entire wiper need to be replaced?

How much are PIAA blades and how much longer will they last vs stock?

I've used/ trialled all the (hi-tech, super dooper, double edge) replacement wiper blade inserts and you know what? I find OEM to work the best. Something about silicone wiper inserts that I find not to clean as well compared to the rubber OEM blades. I also find that the OEM inserts seems to wipe cleanly along the curved surfaces on the windscreen, which some silicone inserts fail to swipe.

For value, I always go for OEM inserts and saves me thinking or getting conned by all the marketing hype with the different super dooper replacement wiper blade inserts.

Rain-X and OEM works a treat!

OEM 4 me! :)

I replaced the blades with PIAA. Very minor streaking on the up stroke but no streaking on the way down. Very quiet and cost approx. $40 for the pair. Combined with the Rain-X I applied over the weekend there should not be any issues with vision.

The Rain-X Ultimate Ice (Not the Latitude ones).... are very good. You can buy them at Walmart for like $18 --> 23 each.

yeah i think im going with bosch icon blades myself, i know abunch of people that have them, they say theyre great.

which is nearly identical to these:

http://www.michelinwiperblade.com/

I installed them, used it for the first time in a downpour, it wipes clean alright, but the one piece frame construction isn't what it all cracks up to be; the passenger side wiper couldn't put enough pressure on the outer edge of the window due to its curve, that i'm getting some uneven wiping on the end.

oh well, i guess i'll try the NAPA silicon wipers next time...

im liking my bosch icons and i love them
but like zoomzoom is saying the outer edge of the passenger doesnt always get enough pressure, s'all right i hardly look through there, and its seriously hardly noticeable.

This may sound like a stupid question, but what kind of wipers are the OEMs? I've never seen a wiper that's did such a good job...especially when i first bought it.

I heard someone mention trico, but was wondering about any more specifics. And are they only available at the dealer or other such stores as advance and autozone?

Staves, the times that I replaced the OEM wiper blades on my cars in the past I noticed that they were all either Anco or Trico; one of them was a bit more prevalent than the other and I can't quite remember which.

Also, I too have noticed that no matter which aftermarket blades I put on : Bosch Micro Excel, Tripledge, etc. none of them perform as smudge/streak-free as the originals. Sure is weird- you'd think the inexpensive stuff from the factory would end up being more shoddy than the costlier stuff. :scratchhe

After the fact, I've started to think that a lot of that clarity of the new car doesn't have to do so much with the wiper, but more with the glass.

When from the factory, it's unmolested and subject to all the streaking and grime that eventually happens over time...especially in areas where the the wiper constantly is running over again and again.

I think i might pick up a set of these wipers and see if it helps in the future. I've still probably got another 1/2 year before mine should be due.

It's the entire wiper. It's not cheap either, it's about $17 per wiper.

I'd also have to admit, the stock Tricos aren't bad...but still not as good as what I've seen on Toyotas. Their OEMs just wipe insanely clean, and that's even when you don't take care of the wipers or the windshield!

I can see!
 

I just picked up the Reflex Wiper Blades with WetTec from Canadian Tire. These are similar to the new Bosch blades.
You have to follow the install instructions for the blades to work. It involves cleaning the windshield with the provided wipes and then running the blades dry for 5 minutes.
The effect in winter is quite amazing especially in traffic where the dirty water from the road spray tended to smear across the cold windshield and freeze. Now it stays beaded up and is wiped off clean by the new wipers. I'm using a lot less washer fluid than before as well.
Overall, good product.

I have orignal OEM blades at 30K. :) I do put 303 Aerospace Protectant on the blades each time I detail my RX-8. It is also great for the tiers.

Bosch Micro Edge Excel suck period. The RainX blades are amazing - I'll never use RainX itself again though. I'm willing to try the Bosch Icons but sooo much money for wipers. Also, I highly recommend cleaning the window inside and out with denatured alcohol to really get it clean before you start new wipers. Be careful around rubber though as too much can dry it out.

Hey me too! Still have my original blades on (2004 with 29,400 miles).

Since it's never driven in the rain ... or during the winter, they appear to be holding up quite well ;)

I'll have to try applying 303 Aero.

Cheers,
Oranje

rainX
 

Just a side note, rainx is of course the best of the best, but Castrol (used to, or still does make) something similar that you spray on and wipe off, no buffing etc, it works okay for one or two rains.

I have however found that a good base of rainx, with the castrol product basically being used as a "recharge" every 2 weeks or so will make the rainx last dern near all year long.

:-D

Cheers,
-C.

Get the RAIN-X ones. I live in Toronto, and we get all sorts of rain, ice, snow, etc....
They are very good. My 1997 Civic uses the same size as the RX-8. The 20" and the 18" set cost you about $45 + taxes.

I'm on my second aftermarket set Valeo Ultimate Series 900 (OEMs lasted 1 year, second set lasted 2 years but it was too generic to remember the name).
The Valeos have the same design with Bosch Icons but cost $8.27 each (you need a 20" and a 18") at Strauss Auto stores. Very good performance (so far) and ultra quiet. Posts from people on Volvo boards that tested them said good things about them, including snow handling. No issues with windshield curvature or missed spots or areas for the RX-8 (some Acura windshields have curvatures that the wipers cannot follow and leave missed areas).

FYI:

The PIAA Silicone blade refills fit the stock wiper blade frame. I actually prefer the stock blade frame because they have more support arms compared to PIAA frame. I don't think the Bosch wipers are anything special. They wear out pretty quickly and you can't buy refills for them.

I bought replacement blades today but I can't figure out for the life of me how to get the other ones off. I see that little metal tab that you push in, but then what? No matter what way I push or pull it, the assembly will not come off.