What are the best replacement wiper blades for our vehicles?

The rainx lattitudes are better wipers, but the attachment is not as good as the bosch. The bosch are less expensive, and they work well but they don't hold up as long as the rainx. Their attachment pieces are better.

 

I tried non-OEM refills and found that the blades did not sit tight on the windshield due to the curvature. When I replaced these with the OEM refills, I noticed that the curvature of the blades are done with the metal inserts that sit in a groove in the rubber. When replacing the inserts, you remove the metal inserts from the old inserts and install in the new ones. The blades sit tight on the windshield again. I got all three OEM inserts for about $22 at the dealership.

 

trico neoform beam blades hands-down. Started with rainx latitudes years ago but they were too stiff and had the largest, ugliest and cheesiest attachment ever. Then I spent the big bucks on icons and they were good but expensive. I switched from icons to neoforms about 3 years ago and imo they are slightly better at a lower price. Super quiet, smooth, excellent attachment without any snap on adapters. wipers123 has a pretty comprehensive write-up on them.

 

This is one reason it is hard to pick a best wiper, where Rae Vynn lives, (and I grew up) it rains continuously from September to June, then tapers off. Here in MS, rain come in bursts, I have to deal with the start of a rainstorm and the end, once it stops raining. (Amazingly, clouds have edges in MS, not the horizon to horizon canopy I grew up in)

A wiper that works well once the whole windshield is wet, so long as it stays wet, may not be a wiper that deals with a mostly dry windshield at the start (or end) of a downpour.

 

Oh, it's not nearly that bad. When the forecast says 30% chance of rain, I just assume it's going to rain for 30% of the day, and dress accordingly. Besides, we have lots of hydroelectricity, and things stay green all year.

I put on some Bosch wipers a couple of years ago, and was quite happy with them. At first - they're just not doing the job now, so it's time for new ones.

 

But you live in the rain shadow of the mountains we live in front of.

http://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html

Vancouver Average Annual Rainfall: 44 inches
Aberdeen Average Annual Rainfall: 84 inches

Look at this chart for Grisdale, it tapers off after June!

HAMweather Climate Center - Yearly Normals for Grisdale, WA

 

Do any of the aftermarket blades sell inserts? I hate buying a big mass o' plastic and metal when a new insert is all that's needed, so when these RainXs finally give out I'll most likely go back to the originals.

 

I think you can find them if you try real hard. Problem is that you better know exactly what frames you have. I was told that this is why refills are going away - you have to know exactly what frames you have in order to get the right refills and there's several kinds of refills. Because the return rate was so high on refills and most people destroyed them in the process, too many stores got into arguments with customers and it ended in a bad customer experience...thus most stores punted on them.

I will say that since I live in the ice/snow belt, I just feel better replacing the entire wiper blade (ie frame and rubber) annually. The last think I need in Wisconsin is a failure during winter...not fun at all. I could probably get 1.5-2 years out of my neoforms but its simply not worth the risk. So I change them every year in November.

 

I've had great results with the RainX Weather beaters. Not terribly expensive but not pretty like some of the flex blades. I tried one Bosch Icon (driver's side) and one Weatherbeater (passenger side) and the RainX unit lasted longer and performed better after 6 months.

 

Never tried the weatherbeater but did NOT like the latitudes nor the icons. Really like the neoforms.

 

Me either. The Weatherbeaters are more of your typical blade with the metal frame. Inexpensive and they last a long time. I may try the Neoforms next year.

 

I have moved very vehicle I own to the Goodyear Assurance wiper. They are not too expensive, amazingly quiet and wipe smoothly without streaks and conform well to a variety of window shapes and slopes. They are not the most attractive wiper, but I'm way more concerned about function and these work great in a variety of weather conditions.

 

i actually have the rain-x latitudes on every one of my 6 cars....I find them great but I find they don't last more than 2 mos if that much before they chatter and skip...

 

I know this is going to sound sarcastic, and I don't really mean it to sound as such but how can you find Rain-X latitudes to be "great" if you only get 8 weeks of use out of them before they chatter and skip?

In the Pacific NW? That would mean I'd probably only get 5-6 weeks...

I couldn't define a blade with that short a life-span as good, let alone great.

 

i should clarify....I consider the rain-x blade the BMW of blades.....they are very expensive and WHEN they work they work GREAT......but their lifespan is short....just like a bmw

 

Fair enough...guess I want the Toyota Camry of Wiper Blades...

 

gotcha...and completely undestand except for the fact that the Camry never did it for me

Honestly the best blade in terms of longevity and use would be the Valeos or PIAA Super Silicones but they are impossible to find OTC around here

 

I find this previous discussion humorous but I was thinking the same thing...can't call something great that only lasts 2 months. I hated the latitudes...but I digress. I will say that I replace my trico neoforms annually in spring or fall and most people probably could push them to 1.5-2 years if they wanted to. So, I prefer the "BMW Camry"...the best of both worlds!!

 

My latitudes have been installed for about 5 months now, no problems. And this is in a Rocky Mountain winter scraping ice off the lazy way (washer fluid and the wipers!).

 

We just ordered a full set of three new wipers... I'll let you know if we like them...


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