Which windshield wipers do you recommend? For daily driver.

Good morning or afternoon, depending on location.

I haven't had much luck with windshield wipers lasting, by 3 months to six months they start streaking, etc. Seem like they used to last a year in this North Texas weather.

What brand and model do you recommend? 

I've been buying middle of the road from either O'Reilly or Walmart. Would be for daily driver's that are parked outside.

Thank you 

You and I are basically neighbors and I also park my daily drivers outside year 'round. I buy Trico beam type from Rockauto. It's a fraction of the price buying them locally. Even if you change them every six months it's still not too expensive.

I'm a big fan of the PIAA Super Silicone blades.  The sets I've run on the Jeep last quite a few years and they're the only blades I've used that last more than 1 summer on the boat.  Unlike the sil-blade silicone blades I tried years ago, the PIAAs are nice and quiet (and they leave a nice water beading coating in the wiper sweep area). 

I detest crappy wipers with a passion... so, I've been buying the higher end Bosch lately with good results, but here in the AZ mountains the UV kills them in about 6 months anyway.  It does feel a little crazy spending $70 on a pair of wipers.

I just buy cheap Michelin high performance blades from Walcrap and replace them every year in the springtime.

Bosch Icon

Last time I bought a set of Bosch Icon and have been happy with them. On my Honda I just buy a new blade from the dealership and swap that.

One thing that kills wipers, in my opinion, is an old pitted windshield. Not saying go ahead and change the windshield, but I had to change the windshield on a car as it had crack and the difference was incredible on the wipers.

With snow freezing on our windshields  our blades have a rough time of it.  But what seems to work best is frequent car washes. 
Grit imbeds itself in the blade and  a quick wipe out of the car wash knocks it off 

.  That plus lack of salt  on the paint and my vehicles look good for 10 years after those not as careful about washing  frequently. ( and wipers can last me 2 even 3 years sometimes. ). 

fasted58 said:

Bosch Icon

The only way to go, IMO.

Bosch Icon or Trico Beam

Bosch icon. The tricos are good too. Rain x are garbage.

For whatever crazy reason, beam wipers don't seat well on the F56 Mini and leave big areas not well wiped. I use "hybrid" type (which appears to be beam-y with a segmented plastic exoskeleton). Unfortunately, Bosch seems to have discontinued the Excel or whatever their hybrid was. I'm guessing the beams are great for most cars; just a funny windshield-shape thing.

When I can't get Bosch, Rain-X seem to be good.

I've been buying these Aero wiper sets on eBay. I think I've put them on 4 cars now. They're fairly inexpensive, shipping is free, and they include a replacement insert. 
 

these guys

Honda factory inserts. Easy to replace and inexpensive too.

In Florida I tried all of them, and all of them seemed to last six months before streaking. Now I just buy the worst ones in the store and replace a few times per year. 

Thank you for the advice. 

I've tried the Bosch, may try the Trico next or cheapest with a spare set. 

fasted58 said:

Bosch Icon

Came here to say this.  I get about 1.5 years out of mine.  When they start streaking I replace and do a good scrub with 000 steel wool and some kind of rain-x or ceramic glass treatment.

Use, abuse, rinse, repeat.  Expect to pay about $45/pair, but worth every penny to me.

RockAuto prices on wiper blades are phenominally less than any local parts store.

Project Farm on YouTube has done some comparisons of wiper blades and their effectiveness.

I've tried everything in Florida and as Tommy said earlier, nothing last more than 6 months. I just get the cheap Michelins from Costco and have them stocked up in the garage. 

rockauto $16 for 4 Trico wipers 

shipping $32 

I buy the cheapest set at my local auto parts store (usually Bosch) every fall.  They make it through a Canadian winter just fine.

I live in Canada's desert, so they really don't get much use late spring to early fall.

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

I had 2 Michelin wipers from a big box store come apart during use, once on the NJTP in a storm.  Never again.  The mounting pins are too short to stay in the clips.  I've had good luck with Rainx on the Volvo and Trico on the Miata.  Also, cleaning the blade with glass cleaner and a paper towel help to make them last longer.

New ones.  I've never found much of a difference between brands.  If you park outside for one hot dry summer, they're toast anyway.  Replace at least once a year.

mr2s2000elise said:

rockauto $16 for 4 Trico wipers 

 

shipping $32 

 

 

Their shipping costs are wild sometimes. I just ordered 4 S2K tophats, $14 a piece. $20 in shipping. 

I have been getting wipers from RA, just add them in when I order something else.