Remember when they were called Windshield Wipers?

[Scott Shepherd]

Today they should be called Windshield Smearers :)

Anyone else notice that the off the shelf wipers are just horrible these days? I thought it was me and my eyes (I'm not getting any younger), as raining at night is becoming a disaster for me. I ponied up and got some new wipers, and bam, nice and clear at night. Awesome. Rains 1 week after having them, and having them work fine, and we're back to just smearing again.

I never remember growing up having wipers that just smeared rain all across them so when light hits it, you can't see anything. To me, something obviously changed maybe a decade ago when I started noticing this.

Anyone else experience the inability of new wipers to actually "wipe" instead of smear?

Seems the only solution is to use RainX or something, which is fine, but I sure would like my wipers to wipe without or without RainX, and I'd rather not pay $38 a piece for high end wipers that last 6 months.

[Joe Angrisani]

The smearing is caused by road oils sent airborne during the rain. Has very little to do with the wiper blades. Products like RainX only make it worse - they were developed for situations where there are no wipers so water beads off with a strong windstream (think airplanes and motorcycle helmet shields). You don't want anything on the glass, whether road oil or some new-age snake oil. Quality rubber on clean glass equals top performance.

Stay away from the junk wipers at WallyMart, and avoid the silly-pricey "techno" blades. A pair of regular old Bosch Micro-Edge blades will work fine. Clean the blade/edge once in a while with alchohol on an old towel, and when they do wear out (as rubber products that you store in full sunlight tend to do, so a 4-6 month life is normal), slap in an $8 pair of replacement rubbers. Badda bing, badda boom.

Another thing I'll add is that any crack in the windshield will ruin a wiper blade in 5 minutes, even if it feels smooth. Chips and pits will wear out the sharp rubber squeegee edge too, but the timeframe is more like "a few weeks". But again, it ain't the wipers....

[Kent A Bathurst]

Today they should be called Windshield Smearers :)

Anyone else notice that the off the shelf wipers are just horrible these days? I thought it was me and my eyes (I'm not getting any younger), as raining at night is becoming a disaster for me. I ponied up and got some new wipers, and bam, nice and clear at night. Awesome. Rains 1 week after having them, and having them work fine, and we're back to just smearing again.

I never remember growing up having wipers that just smeared rain all across them so when light hits it, you can't see anything. To me, something obviously changed maybe a decade ago when I started noticing this.

Anyone else experience the inability of new wipers to actually "wipe" instead of smear?

Seems the only solution is to use RainX or something, which is fine, but I sure would like my wipers to wipe without or without RainX, and I'd rather not pay $38 a piece for high end wipers that last 6 months.

I concluded some time ago that spending the bucks for a good set was the only way to go. In fact - my rule is [especially for SWMBO] that whenever you get the oil changed, you get new wipers at the same time. My thinking is like this: If I don't do it that way, then the only time I know I need new ones is when I REALLY need new ones - ie - too late.

No doubt I have changed out wiper blades that were still in fairly good shape, but I have never had problems in a rain storm in many years - and I want to be assured that I can see what the wackos on the road are doing in a storm. Swear to God, sometimes I think they must still be putting GA drivers licenses as the prize in the CrackerJack boxes. Good wipers; good tires; good brakes; German engineering; one finger in the air :D.

"Cost of doing business".

[Myk Rian]

I use Bosch blades. Change them twice a year.

[Charlie Reals]

The smearing is caused by road oils sent airborne during the rain. Has very little to do with the wiper blades. Products like RainX only make it worse - they were developed for situations where there are no wipers so water beads off with a strong windstream (think airplanes and such). You don't want anything on the glass, whether road oil or some new-age snake oil. Quality rubber on clean glass equals top performance.

Stay away from the junk wipers at WallyMart, and avoid the silly-pricey "techno" blades. A pair of regular old Bosch Micro-Edge blades will work fine. Clean the blade/edge once in a while with alchohol on an old towel, and when they do wear out (as rubber products that you store in full sunlight tend to do, so a 4-6 month life is normal), slap in an $8 pair of replacement rubbers. Badda bing, badda boom.
Works for me every time. At oil change as Kent suggests also sounds good to me. Ceder sap will tear mine up starting just about now as soon as the snow is gone lol.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My personal vehicle is a used Hona Pilot I bought 18 months ago. I hadn't driven it in rain or snow until February of this year when we went to Yellowstone National Park. When I got home, I replaced the windshield wipers and have driven in the rain a couple times since. They work much better!:o

[Matt Meiser]

I've been using the Rain-X windshield solvent and it makes a big difference since I can't wash my car every day. After a few weeks of using it the difference is noticeable in both keeping the windshield clean and getting bugs, etc off with the wipers while driving.

Also, O'Reily just had the Bosch Icon blades on sale buy-one-get-one-free so I tried them. My F150 has given me trouble with windshield wipers since the first aftermarket set. They are obviously huge and I've tried a few brands but they all would skip, streak, etc. right out of the box. The Bosch were expensive but work great so far. I haven't tried any other Bosch blades so maybe even the standard ones would be fine. I was just about to break down and buy wipers from the dealer.

[David G Baker]

Have you guys tried Rain-X blades? They aren't cheap but they have preformed well for me along with Rain-X windshield solvent.

[Matt Meiser]

On my truck, they weren't any better than standard Anco or the Anco Aerovantage.

[Larry Edgerton]

Another source of problems comes from car washes. I noticed this as my 65 GTO never did what you are discribing but my daily drivers did. I always washed the GTO by hand. So I did some checking. Most carwashes in my area recycle water, and even if you don't use the wax in the wash you are getting it any way as the filter does not take ot out. It builds up on your blades, but wears off of the windshield fairly fast. I have did a quick swipe or two with Prepsol on the wipers and it takes them back to what they were. I keep a little bottle in my cars now.

Your problems may vary......

Larry

[Brian Effinger]

Another problem might be the car's wiper arm's. Not the arm the rubber blades are attached to, but the arms that are attached to the car. Some of these newer, high end blades, don't exert enough pressure against the windshield to work properly. They rely on the pressure from the arm, and the spring in the arm. I have Bosh Icons on my 9 year old pick-up and my 5 year old car. The work great on the car, but in the winter I have to smack the driver's side blade of the pick-up against the windshield to get the blade to clean properly, and usually just ignore the passenger side because I'm lazy. :D The reason is because the springs are shot. In warmer weather they work just fine. I know before next winter, I'm just going to get the el-cheapo winter blades because they don't rely on the car's arms as much.

[mickey cassiba]

Round here, we don't get much rain...the wipers usually dry out and crack without ever being used. About 3 months is all I can get out of them. I use the cheap ones 'cause even the high end ones don't hold up to the constant sun. I prefer throwing away small amounts of money, rather than large amounts. I've tried more expensive blades, even some 'silicon wonder blades'. No diff. I'll stick with the cheap ones. Probably wouldnt mount any on the work truck, but that's not legal...

[Bryan Morgan]

I've had mine for a year or two and just used them a couple weeks ago and they worked fine. I just put whatever OEM blades I can find on there, I don't trust any of that snake oil magic stuff thats out there.

[Dave Gaul]

Stay away from the junk wipers at WallyMart, and avoid the silly-pricey "techno" blades. A pair of regular old Bosch Micro-Edge blades will work fine. Clean the blade/edge once in a while with alchohol on an old towel, and when they do wear out (as rubber products that you store in full sunlight tend to do, so a 4-6 month life is normal), slap in an $8 pair of replacement rubbers. Badda bing, badda boom.

+1 on the Bosch Micro-Edge. They are all I ever buy anymore. I tried the Rain X brand, and hated them. The Mirco-Edge ones are the best, don't even bother with the higher priced Bosch's, just the "regular old" ones like Joe suggests.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have nothing but personal experience to back this up - but - having said that - I've noticed over the years that Japanese glass is inferior to American made glass, w/respect to windshield wiper lifespan.
YMMV on this & like I say, I have nothing other than personal experience to base it on.

All the japanese made vehicles I've owned (the ones made in Japan) have seemed to go through blades a lot quicker than the American made vehicles (or Japanese ones made here in the US) either my wife or myself have owned.

[Derek Gilmer]

Have you guys tried Rain-X blades? They aren't cheap but they have preformed well for me along with Rain-X windshield solvent.
Same here. On the all too rare times my truck makes it into deep mud the Rain-x blades seemed to do a great job getting the muck cleared. And work well in heavy rain.

[Callan Campbell]

Another problem might be the car's wiper arm's. Not the arm the rubber blades are attached to, but the arms that are attached to the car. Some of these newer, high end blades, don't exert enough pressure against the windshield to work properly. They rely on the pressure from the arm, and the spring in the arm. I have Bosh Icons on my 9 year old pick-up and my 5 year old car. The work great on the car, but in the winter I have to smack the driver's side blade of the pick-up against the windshield to get the blade to clean properly, and usually just ignore the passenger side because I'm lazy. :D The reason is because the springs are shot. In warmer weather they work just fine. I know before next winter, I'm just going to get the el-cheapo winter blades because they don't rely on the car's arms as much.
Brian, make sure that your pivot joints in the wiper arms aren't binding from corrosion or rust. It doesn't take much rust at the usual rivet pivot joint to keep the arm spring from allowing full pressure against the glass. Oil them carefully if you can feel binding from one to another as you lift them up to check. With as much salt and snow as you're probably used to seeing, it should be a common problem for vehicles in your area as it is for the Chicago area from what I've seen over the past 20 years of being here.

[Greg Portland]

I've had good luck with the Goodyear blades from Costco. Excellent wiping and they've lasted longer than any other blades I've tried.

[Greg Peterson]

Sprinkle some Bonami or Bar Keepers Friend on a wet the windshield. Take a sponge or damp rag and work the polishing agent into a paste by working in a circular pattern. Rinse. Repeat if necessary. Install new blades.

If your blades are not performing to your expectations, clean the windshield with Bonami or Bar Keepers Friend. They will not scratch the glass.

I use Bonami on my personal vehicles and on 23 delivery vehicles at work. The results are always clear.

[Rick Potter]

In my area it is getting very hard to find blade refills, almost all the stores carry the whole blade, but not refills. I asked one store guy about it, and he said they dropped refills a couple years ago. We don't get much rain, and mine last about 3 years.

Rick Potter