Just curious, if the OEM blades worked great for 1.5 years, then why don't you just go get another set of them?
Just curious, if the OEM blades worked great for 1.5 years, then why don't you just go get another set of them?
Tyler H said:Tom_Spangler said:Kramer said:What he said. Clean using Bon Ami or Comet or something aggressive . Rinse very thoroughly. Your wipers will work better than they ever have .
I use Bar Keepers Friend, then either Aquapel or Rain-X. I find that Aquapel lasts longer.
I use BKF on a lot of stuff, including getting acid rain etching out of auto glass, but it is abrasive and will scratch your glass. That's the nuclear option.
It's not nearly as abrasive as Comet or the others. In fact, it's meant to be used on glass. From their website:
Can I use Bar Keepers Friend to clean glass?
Absolutely. The key is to use as small an amount of BKF as the project allows and rinse thoroughly. The micro-abrasive particles may temporarily leave a white film if not rinsed completely. The abrasive used in BKF will not scratch glass or porcelain when properly used.
I've never had a problem with scratching.
Figures this thread started an hour after I ordered new blades for everything. Glad to see my choice wasn't a terrible one though, I ordered in Bosch CA series, clear arms or clear away our something.
I'm just ecstatic I don't need to buy them every other month like I did in California. The sun just destroys them out there.
Also doing it wrong :) I always use the orange rainx stuff.
I’m currently using the Anco “Transform” “hybrid” wiper blades from Rockauto… no complaints.
Example
Tom_Spangler said:Tyler H said:Tom_Spangler said:Kramer said:What he said. Clean using Bon Ami or Comet or something aggressive . Rinse very thoroughly. Your wipers will work better than they ever have .
I use Bar Keepers Friend, then either Aquapel or Rain-X. I find that Aquapel lasts longer.
I use BKF on a lot of stuff, including getting acid rain etching out of auto glass, but it is abrasive and will scratch your glass. That's the nuclear option.
It's not nearly as abrasive as Comet or the others. In fact, it's meant to be used on glass.
I've never had a problem with scratching.
It saved my truck, which came with badly etched glass. I had to use a polisher. All the glass came out great except the rear window. IDK if it's the factory tint or if the rear glass is really soft.
Quick YT video of the swirl. https://youtu.be/t9XkJQxOAek
part of the problem is the brine they put on the roads in winter, like Knurled said. I have found that Autoglymm Glass Polish is the best stuff to get your windshield clean periodically, then the wipers can get the job done with some generic washer fluid.
A new windshield doesn't have all the chips and pits to catch guck, so they stay cleaner and streak free.
RevRico said:...I'm just ecstatic I don't need to buy them every other month like I did in California. The sun just destroys them out there.
I have adapted a Summer Blade and Winter Blade policy. Use old blades in summer when you almost never need them (and they just get roasted), put the newer ones on for winter. When you replace, winter goes to summer, summer goes to trash.
NickD said:Just curious, if the OEM blades worked great for 1.5 years, then why don't you just go get another set of them?
At first I wasn't sure if they were really that good, or that I just treated them with more care than the current ones.I'm not sure if it was blades or my treatment of them that failed.
I'm somewhat reluctant to try another "top" brand at about $30/pair only to find out that I should have bought the Toyota brand.
That said, is there a cheap way to purchase OEM blades without the usual markup?
Javelin said:The Rain-X fluid is absolutely making things worse. Please dump it and clean everything really well with an anti-grease dish soap, and use bog standard wiper fluid (the blue stuff). Bosch ICON is your friend. They're $$$, but they *work*, and for a long time. I have 3 years on my set on the 5.
yep, I used that stuff once and had all kinds of crap left on the windshield. Clean it all off, get regular fluid and blades.I second Bosch Icons.
RevRico said:I'm just ecstatic I don't need to buy them every other month like I did in California. The sun just destroys them out there.
But the girls all get so ta-a-an.
When I lived in the desert I just took them off and stored them inside my truck. On those few occasions when I needed them I just pulled over, usually under cover, and put them on.
Today, I put the third set of OEM GM wipers on Vlad, my wife's '14 Impala. I really don't think that's too bad, especially for $20/set.
snailmont5oh said:Today, I put the third set of OEM GM wipers on Vlad, my wife's '14 Impala. I really don't think that's too bad, especially for $20/set.
Awesome name for the car!
I've been using Rain-X for at least 30 years on my cars. I've used their washer solution for several years as well. Most of the time I use the summer formulation which is green. The orange stuff is the winter formulation, and I've used it too.
The washer tank in my Lancer wagon is about half and half of the two, since I drove it to North Carolina for the New year's holiday.
I've never had any trouble, the products have always performed as intended. Maybe the orange stuff freezes when it shouldn't? That's not going to be a problem for me here in Florida.
I, too, have used Rain-X for > 3 decades. I have used the orange without problems. I usually buy whatever is cheapest at Walmart, but have wound up with the orange when the cheap private label is out of stock (HINT TO WMT: I CAN FIX THAT.) Anyway, never had any smudging, streaking, whatever. I'm very happy with the products.
Regular cleaning with a foaming glass cleaner, paste wax, $3/each rural king blades here...
I'm indifferent on washer fluid brands.
Bosch Icons on three latest vehicles.
edit: AA has Rain-X Orange for tree fiddy on sale, might hafta try it
I have no issues with the orange stuff. I use it in both vehicles.
I’ve found that location can make a difference in streaking, depending on what is being put into the air to settle on the glass. Following and old car spewing blue smoke or a coal roller will lead to more streaking.
Another vote for Bosch Icons. I typically get 2+ years out of a set of them with regular windshield cleaning.
Bosch Icons here- sourced from Amazon Prime because I can not stand the way Rock Auto ships from different warehouses and charges you for the privilege.
Typically if you don't mind upsizing your wiper blades you can usually get Icons in your size or one inch bigger for $12 or so from Amazon Prime so free ship. Its my jam.
For fluid I will wait till Advance has it on sale then buy a case of it and use a 5$ speed perks credit plus TRT30 or whatever the new hotness is and get the whole kit n caboodle for like $12-15.
Factory blades for me. Aftermarket blades flop, smear, do not clear, fall off in winter or have to be replaced way too often. That is all.
Don't forget that periodically cleaning your blades with denatured alcohol can help keep them working like new. Coupled with cleaning your windshield as described above should keep you in one set of blades for a long time. (disclaimer- probably not in desert or similar climates) just my experience.
RA sells OE blades, I was really happy with my Mazda blades when it was new but didn’t feel like paying the markup after the first set so I was buying the (non-marked up so 1.99) ones we sell in our shops and throwing them away every two months. Finally at 160,000 I bought the Mazda ones because the car was having chain, tensioned and phasers done anyway and they have lasted 55,000 miles.
ebonyandivory said:snailmont5oh said:Today, I put the third set of OEM GM wipers on Vlad, my wife's '14 Impala. I really don't think that's too bad, especially for $20/set.
Awesome name for the car!
The Hevy Impaler was one of the best cars in Carmageddon. It was really tough, and it was also extremely fast.
Start by cleaning your windshield with a mixture of 50/50 windex and denatured alcohol. Dip #000 steel wool into it and scrub like crazy. Obviously avoid getting lots of it on your paint. Dry it with newspaper (no lint, cheap, effective).
Then with another piece of #0000 steel wool, apply rain-x original and wipe off as normal.
Install Bosch Icon blades. Worth the money. You'll thank me when it's done.
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