OEM wipers lasted 1 1/2 yrs

[Bear]

My wipers lasted from July 2014, when I bought my F150, to this past week. Got some seperation in a couple of areas and replaced them. Can't have bad wipers, especially in winter. So great longevity on the originals.
Hate to throw them out but I don't think there's refills for them like we used to have.

 

[Tegger]

Refills should be replaced at least once per year. If you're getting "separation", you've left them on way too long.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Refills should be replaced at least once per year. If you're getting "separation", you've left them on way too long.
It depends on the wiper and the conditions in which it is used. A quote giving feedback about the Bosch Icons that I installed on my 2010 FX4:

Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Just wondering about others experiences--do they last longer than the cheaper wipers and are they worth it?
I just replaced the Icons; they lasted just a few days shy of two years. They could have lasted the few additional days, but I opted to replace them today. I have never had a set of blades last 2 full years in Texas--heat, sun, and heavy rain wipe them out rapidly. I replaced them with another set of Icons that were only rollback at WM. I can now answer my own question--they are worth it hands down. I would have had at least 3 sets of the Trico/Anco blades by this point. YMMV

 

[ronbo]

CR magazine did a wiper study years ago and they claim wipers lose effectiveness after 6 months and should be replaced, every 6 months.
Don't know about Ford but Toyota sells wiper rubber replacement for their vehicles.

 

[Branson304]

My dad had the original wipers on his truck from when he bought the truck in September 2012 all the way until November 2015. Pshh, 1.5 years....

 

[cpayne5]

The wipers on our Passat are the originals that were installed at the factory. 37 months and 53k miles. They're Valeos and I've been so happy with them that I'm putting them on all my other vehicles.

 

[DBMaster]

You CAN purchase inserts for your OEM blades. They are, usually, not that expensive at the dealerships. But, you can buy them online. Both Amazon and eBay are chock full of actual dealerships selling things like this at prices competitive with aftermarket. I got inserts for my GF's Lexus that way. I actually bought silicone inserts for my Mazda OEM blades. They have been working exceptionally well and silicone blades generally last at least twice as long as natural rubber.

 

[dmdx86]

I run wipers until they start squeaking/streaking/dragging. Brands vary widely. I've had wipers last 2+ years, others last only 6 months.

 

[robertcope]

I replace them every year. They're cheap. Performance deteriorates long before they are falling apart.

robert

 

[chevys10]

I've had Silblades on my Ranger for 5+ years with no issues....

 

[roadrunner1]

I don't know who makes the MotorCraft blades for Ford, but they are the only ones I have found that work the longest. I buy them from my local Ford dealer, and usually they're cheaper than anything else.

 

[supton]

Want to say the blades on my Toyotas last about 2 years. I know the Tundra ones aren't cheap, at least at the dealer ($60 for the set!), but if the OEM ones can last that long, I tend to want to stick to OEM.

I used to keep refills on hand for my Jetta, as those were a snap to replace. But they never lasted two years either.

 

[Rand]

just the inserts for subaru blades are over 10$ each.
full blades are 30$ something each. IIRC

Of course they also warrantied mine for streaking

 

[HerrStig]

RAINX on the windshield prolongs blade life.

 

[roadrunner1]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
RAINX on the windshield prolongs blade life.


I use it religiously.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I still have the factory wipers for the Focus. Granted, they do spend the winter in the trunk.

 

[CT8]

I never get much longer than a year from any brand.

 

[Andrew1972]

I change every 6 months with Honda oem inserts for a total of $10. I think they last 6-9 months typically in my use.

I tried aftermarket blades and they were horrid on my mdx in comparison.

 

[DBMaster]

So much variance. Here are the factors I have found that affect rubber life on wiper blades. These are EXCLUSIVE of initial quality or how long the blades have been in storage. They deteriorate more slowly in storage, but as I found out when I bought Rock Auto's NAPA branded clearance blades, lifespan is not as good for blades that have been sitting for a long time.

Atmospheric conditions in your locale (UV exposure, chemical fallout. temperatures extremes, etc.)
Whether or not you keep the vehicle garaged.
Amount of use (Duh!)
Condition of windshield (had an old Honda with original windshield. All the tiny pits and scratches in the glass prevented long wiper blade life)
Type of rubber used (natural v. synthetic)
Blade construction

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have had to play the trial and error game to find what works best - for me.

 

[exranger06]

Come to think of it, we bought the Subaru in July 2014 and I have never changed the wiper blades.