Wiper Blades

[SW MP15]

I'm a wiper blade frantic! I change our wiper blades twice a year. Once in late spring, after snow/ice season and then late fall, getting ready for ice/snow season.Wifey is hard on her blades. She thinks they have magical ice scraper ability? And they're Usally fried at the end of snow/ice season.

I buy only Quaility blades and use quality (pink) deicer in the washer tanks on all our vehicles. I take a turkey baster (if there's not a built in screen) and pull all the summer washer fluid out. Except in wifeys RAV4, she uses the heck out of washers (front & rear) all year long! She's probably already low and I checked and topped it off a couple weeks ago. I've never seen no body use the washers as much as she does. Almost every time she starts the damn thing!

So it's getting that time of the year. And with 4 of the 6 of our main driving vehicles (2 barely get driven and NEVER in bad weather) it's kinda costly.

So it's getting time to double check the anti freeze, flush if needed, change all the oil and filters (I use ONLY factory oem oil filters and Toyota pink anti freeze in our toyota's), change wiper blades and add deicer and get ready for winter. And check the air filters (all K&N air filters, clean and re oil if necessary) and replace cabin air filters once a year in the fall.

Dang, it gets expensive, I may need to start me a Go Fund Me Page! LOL

 

[V-35]

Windshield Wiper Blades

It has been my experience that weather I buy the cheap ones or the top of the line ones, they both seem to need to be replaced at the same age.


Art

 

[Rustyt1953]

I'm on a budget:

 

[Roadtrash]

I live in the desert and whether I use the wipers or not they have to be changed once a year due to the sun. After about a year they literally fall apart, cheap ones or expensive ones.

 

[DWalt]

Gee - I usually go about three years between blade changes. Don't need wipers too much here, and I only change them if splits show up in the rubber. I usually just buy the rubber refills off eBay, as most of the auto parts stores sell complete assemblies instead of refills. Far cheaper that way. Regarding oil filters and air filters, I just buy whatever's on sale at the time. Works for me.

 

[ditrina]

What is this ANTI-FREEZE you speak of???

 

[bgrafsr]

What is this ANTI-FREEZE you speak of???

Hey, you're a Moderator, don't be snarky...........

 

[kthom]

I change wiper blades when they cease to do a good job of wiping. I usually find out when I turn them on during mostly infrequent times of moisture on my windshield. The sun is hard on the wiper blades here, and I haven't found any brand to be particularly longer lasting than any other. I have found that some conform to the windshield across their length better than others. I try not to use the wipers when we have freezing moisture on the glass, and I try to gently lift the blades to make sure they are not frozen in place before operating the wipers in cold weather. But I seriously do not like it when the blades do not wipe the glass cleanly and only smear the moisture. Sometimes the problem is caused by dried bug guts left when a bug hits the glass just underneath the wiper and gets fully dried out in place. I try to give the blades a good wipe and cleaning during bug season which lasts about 9 or 10 months of the year here!

 

[DeathGrip]

What is this ANTI-FREEZE you speak of???

We call it coolant.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I'm a wiper blade frantic!...

Since you're an expert. Riddle me this, Batman......

Why is it when I buy a new car the wipers seem to last 3 or 4 years -- perfectly fine. Then, forever after, the replacements last 6 months or less, or NEVER work right.

Confused.

 

[DeathGrip]

Hey, you're a Moderator, don't be snarky...........

Careful!!!

Next thing you know he'll be showing off his pool and BBQs.

 

[Maddog 521]

I don't remember when I changed my wiper blades. Maybe I wrote it in my maintenance log.

 

[JohnRippert]

I usually change them twice a year. I run the washers a fair bit and I hate to be out on a misty day with bad wipers.

 

[DWalt]

About a year or so ago I ordered (off eBay) some wiper blade refills made someplace in Europe which were not rubber, but some soft translucent and sort of amber-colored plastic. So far they seem to be working very well. Don't remember the name.

 

[Chuck24]

I get my wife to take the vehicles to the auto parts store and look pitiful so they change them for her.

 

[ace22]

Since you're an expert. Riddle me this, Batman......

Why is it when I buy a new car the wipers seem to last 3 or 4 years -- perfectly fine. Then, forever after, the replacements last 6 months or less, or NEVER work right.

Confused.

After years of ending up with inferior blades or refills from auto parts stores, cheap or expensive, i was never satisfied with any of them, i started buying factory blades or refills from the dealership and i clearly see that they are better quality and do a better job.
there's your answer, buy original factory wipers.

 

[snubbyfan]

Since I had to go on disability and my wife walks to work, we just don't put that many miles on our vehicles anymore.

We have two and keep up with maintenance on both.

The little Blue Yaris gets driven mostly and the 4wd Dodge takes us on the mountain roads.

In the winter, the Yaris gets parked.


I'll usually change the wipers when they start acting up.

 

[rick1085]

Since you're an expert. Riddle me this, Batman......

Why is it when I buy a new car the wipers seem to last 3 or 4 years -- perfectly fine. Then, forever after, the replacements last 6 months or less, or NEVER work right.

Confused.

When your car is new, so is the windshield. Windshield glass picks up micro grit and pits. Over time this wares harder on the rubber blades and reduces their life.

 

[SW MP15]

And Guys, don't forget the cabin air filters on your late model vehicles. It's the most over looked maintenance item there is. You wouldn't believe what I've seen fall out of one while changing it. Everything from leaves, pine needles, to bugs and bug guts. And if your using the the AC or vent, your breathing garbage.

Average price is about $15-16. A cheap price to pay to breath in your car!!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I change the oil/filter in my vehicles about every 4000 mi.......I use Mobil 1 and Fram filters.....Never had a problem.....Wiper blades ..as needed.

I do keep a maintenance log on everything I own that burns fuel.