Scroll down the list for 2004-2009 Prius. $8 for front set and $3 for the rear. That internet dealer price is much lower than local dealership.
Thanks, got it figured out now. The price for the blades wasn't to bad, but the shipping killed the deal. It was half the price of my order and that was with the cheapest shipping choice. Come on! UPDATE: After thinking it over, I broke down and ordered 2 sets of all 3 replacement wiper blade inserts. Still upsets me at how much the shipping cost was though, $22 for the 6 blades and $10.66 for the shipping.
Since you own two Prius, if you DIY routine maintenance then you could potentially leverage the shipping cost if you increased your order to include a couple of years usage of engine and cabin air filters, engine oil filters, a serpentine belt, maybe iridium spark plugs etc. I usually order at least $100 worth of parts at a time, which helps to make the shipping charge minor as a % of the total order value. It often doesn't make much sense to order parts online if the $ value of the needed parts is small, since the shipping charge starts at around $10 as you pointed out.
I just saw this and I have to say that I hate Valeo frameless wiper blades. The rubber of the wiper gets hard relatively quickly with weather exposure and the wiper itself begins to streak within a matter of a 6-10 weeks. I drive on highways with 70mph speed limits and the wipers are irritatingly useless when it rains more than a drizzle. I really really really regret buying 3 sets on a buy-one-get-one free sale on Amazon. These things are terrible. I replaced them with Goodyear assurance wipers from Costco which are an obvious improvement, but nothing like the performance of good Bosch blades (I am convinced that if you actually need clear vision, you get what you pay for in quality and longevity). EDIT: I forgot to mention that the valeo blades, in addition to becoming a fun and dangerous way :cheer2: (note sarcasm) to smear rainwater across my windshield, also became extremely noisy.
OEM rubber inserts harden also. Mine lasted through one NY winter. I replaced them with PIAA Silicone inserts (with good experience from my previous car). Silicone inserts don't harden. They are approaching their 4th winter. They still work great.
Re: Best Wiper Blades & Rear Wiper Blade I switched from icons to trico neoform beam blades on the front because they are much less expensive and imo perform slightly better and are definitely quieter. They are on rebate right now and you can get a pair for about $18 after rebate. I replace the whole wiper blade rather than inserts because I live in the snow/ice belt and my wipers go through a lot of abuse. I figure better safe than sorry and replace the whole shootin-match. On the rear trico is the only company making the special rear wiper blades for the newer-style rear arms. They used to specify the 14" exact fit rear 14-A but now just came out with a new 16" part number in oct 2010. According to wipers123com they now specify the 16-A for this generation of prius'.
My replacement blades arrived today from Metro Toyota and I installed them, following the procedure from John's site. The fronts were easy, the rear was a pain. The clamps on the arm kept jumping out of their groove and into the spin's groove.
I buy them at the dealer once a year. They outlast FLAPS inserts. In SoCal the problem is ozone and UV and heat. Clean with good spray glass cleaner, use Rain-X regularly, and replace rubber once a yeear. 120K miles/5 years is sun and they work like new.
Wiper Blade Installation Videos Next time just replace the whole wiper blade (blade & frame). With the right replacement that fits the arm, its less than a 1 minute job. Watch the (xx-A) video on this page: wipers123.com/wiper_blade_installation_videos.php
I can't seem to find a Gen III thread for this, but of course it's not really a generation-specific issue. I'd like to thank the various people (in other threads, as well) who shared their thoughts on PIAA silicone wiper blades. I picked some up at amazon, and have been very happy with them. They're kind of a different way to do things, a lot like the Prius in general. I've had them for a few months, and no regrets. Thanks again!
For something that you change once a year or so, I just get the refills from the dealer. About $21 for the set of three. I have averaged 18 months on the refills. I also wipe the blades every time that I wash the car to remove any dirt and grime trapped behind the blades. This is the source of most streaking and not the blades.
I'm still impressed with the Trico NeoForms on front and the Trico Exact Fit Rear on back. Few more bucks than refills but way less time and headaches.
