Good winter wiper blades?

[heavyhitter]

Im looking for some good winter blades this year the regular ones freeze up and dont work.

I was considering the RainX winter ones with the protective boots.

Are these blades with boots better or equal to the beam style?

If they work well I will just keep the beam or winter blades on all year and replace every fall.

 

[rclint]

I like the expensive RainX blades myself, I tried the Michelin blades this year and have been very unhappy with them, and even though they were expensive, and I have not only been happy with Michelin tires, but I consider them supreme in the tire world...the Michelin blades are [censored].. problems ? squeak, chatter, they do clean good, however when they chatter they leave a lot of road draft etc, and water of course.

I think wiper blades are a item that is well worth spending money on... I put a lot of miles on my car during the year, and it seems wiper blades have a lifespan based on time, and not mileage. I also drive 80% interstate at least, and the other 20% is mostly main roads, when you are in a pack of big trucks throwing road draft, gunky water, and just slop in general up wiper blades are very important... and like I said RainX ( I forget the name the expensive blades, not the cheapo blades) have held up longer, gave better service, and have in general acted like a wiper blade should in my use.

 

[lewdwig]

The boot type are better (though I've only had them on my old pick up truck).

 

[cbear]

I've always liked the normal Anco winter blades. The only problem I've had is they may lift at over 70mph. I probably shouldn't be driving that fast in the freezing rain anyway.

 

[Scienceman]

Anco or Bosch are very good quality.

 

[Turk]

Regular Anco are great - never liked the Anco winter blades as they flop around too much...

 

[mechtech2]

Blades with boots are better in winter, for sure.
But the single one piece blades are the best - no links or joints to contend with.
A good blade? They all go bad in 6 months or less for me. Some expensive ones chatter and streak even when new. It's maddening!
I get the cheapest ones now.

 

[PW01]

PIAA Super Silicone

 

[CharBaby]

I'm currently using the Rain-X Latitude/Repel wiper blades(puprchaced on sale and w/rebates) on all of our vehicles and although we haven't used them in the winter as of yet, those whom I have spoken with and reading online reviews, seem to rave about them in all weather conditions. We're liking them thus far although, we have had nothing more than just frost on the windshields.

 

[boxcartommie22]

anco cheap lousy wiper!! everytime i buy a anco the rubber breaks ...i use motorcraft or trico

 

[boxcartommie22]

piaa also is a great wiper and last along time!!!

 

[The Critic]

Trico Teflon stinks. They lasted 3 weeks before streaking and chattering and Trico and Pep Boys refuse to warranty them.

I installed a new set of goodyear assurance beam blades that I got from Ccostco for $7.99/blade. So far so good, but it has only been a week.

 

[CharBaby]

Each December, I would replace my winter wiper blades. I kept them on all year and would just replace at the very last minute, meaning; that they only really lasted without chattering for about one year and then they would just leave a large streak right in front of my eyes. Fresh winter wiper blades starting out the winter season was about the only way that I could see especially at night. To say the least, I'm kinda discusted with wiper blades and their overall cost. I'm not being too fussy, I need to see!

I wanted to try something different in a wiper blade so, I tried Bosch Micro Edge Excel(only the Micro Edge are being made today, no more Excel). Maybe the Excel's didn't sell well due to being better made and using a slightly different rubber compound as compared to the standard Micro Edge and therefore needed less frequent replacement. The Excel's lasted me about 3 full years at around $20 per wiper. I was quite pleased with their longevity but the overall wiping was only OK in the winter. No better or worst than winter wiper blades

I'm very disatisfied with the quality of wiper blades. I could swear that years ago when I started driving, any cheap Anco/Trico wiper blades were better and almost never needed replacing. Well, I guess a company can't make a profit that way now can they?

I'm trying on all of my vehicles(within the past few months), Rain-X Latitude and Repel Beam Style Wiper Blades due to being on sale and having rebates to go along with that and of course, I need blades! The Latitude and Repel are essentially the same blade just marketed differently...I called the customer service number.

I need streak free wiping and I want them to last several years especially in the winter time. I'm not asking too much!

These beam style blades are rated high with any online review that I have searched out and on CR Mag as well. Even scoring higher than some of the other high end blades mentioned here such as Valeo, Bosch and others. Those whom I have spoken to personaly, love'em even in the winter time so, I'm giving them a try.

We'll see how they hold up this winter, next winter and the next winter after that! If my FIL likes them, then you know their good because he's even more blind than me and has higher demands due to being older and cheaper

 

[bmod305]

A year ago, I was at a sales meeting with a Trico sales manager & an engineer frm Trico. The question of wiper blade life came up. The engineer did say that wiper blade life is 6-12 months regardless of brand or price point. He stated the "junk" in the air, new car designs with more laid back windshield angles, "slippier" car hoods, and longer car life(pitted windshields & rusted wiper arms) all lead to short wiper life. He stated the best way to extend wiper life is to properly clean the windshield before installation (they use Bon-Ami powder at Trico testing lab), lube all wiper arm pivot points, and clean the rubber element before installing.

Personally, I have had very good life with Trico NeoForm blades. Regardless of what you use, clean the windshield before installing the new blades. I hope this info helps.



Thanks,

Dave

 

[rclint]

Char Baby they may have lasted so long back in the good ole days because you just didn't know what a good wiper blade was supposed to be like.. I was like that, I kept blades on until the came apart, or started making to much noise, most of the time that meant the rubber separating along with working part of the wiper/rubber= where thin meats thick. However now I drive on the interstate 80% of the time at least, and a good wiper blade, in good shape makes a lot of difference. and speaking of lifting above 70, I stay at or just above 70 the entire time on the interstate, so I agree with you a good wiper is a necessity.

I made a small mistake above, as the Rain-X blades at walmart in the yellow packs are also good, however not as good as the expensive blades... I seen a big show on the science channel awhile back showing how they make wiper blades, testing etc. How Do They Do It was the channel, and the blades being shown were a synthetic, and they really touted the synthetic properties as well... it seems like they may have been Goodyear, you may be able to do a google search to watch this show if you wanted.

I think for the next set of blades I purchase I will look around online for some synthetic blades, and read plenty of reviews. I don't have to worry about much snow, but I do need the blades to clear frost quickly combined with rainx windshield wash/spray (orange winter kind) and so fay I have had no problems with this using the rainx blades. I do not care for blades with more than one edge touting more wipes per wipe, in my experience, and along with my opinion a single edge blade should be able to do it's job on one pass, with one edge... of course this would not count when it comes to dried on bug guts, dried anything.

 

[CharBaby]

I think that the better wiper blades have some synthetic materials in their rubber which is why their rated as highly as they are.

I thought that silicone(not synthetic as we are speaking of) wiper blades would have been an option until I read that silicone and glass, especially as the glass dries from it's water droplets, don't make a good match. I can sorts understand why...I have a California Water Blade made from silicone that I use after washing/rinsing my vehicles. I use the CWB and then I give the car a good microfiber towel drying. As the silicone runs across the already dry glass or body panels, it grabs/sticks/hops over the surfaces. I couldn't imagine this on my windshield while the wipers are on the intermitant mode.

 

[bigmike]

There seems to be no right or wrong answer with wiper blades.
The only way to know for sure is to find people who drive the same make/model. Even then, you might have 20 answers.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
There seems to be no right or wrong answer with wiper blades.
The only way to know for sure is to find people who drive the same make/model. Even then, you might have 20 answers.


As years go by, actually in 2-3 year increments, I seem to find a better wiper blade for my vehicles. I used to change blades yearly. We're still driving the same vehicles so I'm using a vairety of different/better wipers on the same glass. Our vehicles in the family are 5, 7 & 10 yrs old although you'd never know it as they all look new!

As stated above, you have to try different blades and you'll either like them or you won't. I've had poor blades right out of the package and returned them emeadiatly and they were a known brand name. I like most any/all wipers in the summer time but, it's the 0 deg F and below 0 where I'll find out if they're worth their cost, stay plyable and clean the grime off of my windshield once the defroster has heated the glass enough to melt the ice.

I'm trying the Rain-X Latitude and Repel beam style blades as I stated earlier and we'll see how they work in the winter and several winters after that. I needed new wipers in June-August 09 in order to pass state inspection for 3 cars as most of the wipers had tares on the edges and would not pass. I don't want to fail state inspection due to poor wiper blades and have to repay the partial state fee again when I install new ones and return to the inspection station for inspector to see that I replaced the faulty item(s). And, I don't want the wipers the inspection/service centers carry(lesser quality/overpriced). I make sure that the vehicles are in tip-top shape when entrering the inspection station.

The Latitude's/Repel's were on sale/rebate at different times which is why we have both, My daughter's Mazda3 and my Altima have the Lat's and wifey's Lex has the Repel's.

Again, those whom I know using the Lat's/Repel's, love em year 'round.

 

[bigmike]

It's definitely a trial to find a brand that works for your particular application.

On our Accord, I tried RainX and, due to the massive 26" driver's wiper always streaking, I switched back to OEM. They seem to work pretty well.

On my Silverado, nothing beats the Bosch Microedge and Excel+.

I don't like beam styles, but that's more of an aesthetic decision.

Unfortunately, what might work for me, might not work for you depending on climate. Here, all I care about are the "monsoons" and squall-line type weather.