As wiper blades come from different manufacturers, it’s near impossible to sell , or buy , the correct refill on the first try. Hence, Ford stopped even trying and at Auto Zone it’s a crap shoot as to which kind of blade is on the customer’s car.
The el-cheapo all plastic ones are junk.
I’ve tied beam blades yet found nothing better than the Ford OE ( made by Trico ) and their parts house equivilants.
the best blades you can get are ones that fit properly. I made the mistake of picking up 2 blades the same size and the one kept coming loose when I used it; thankfully I used RainX, so I didn’t need to use them often. I didn’t realize until I replaced the blades later on that I had gotten 2 20" blades instead of an 18" and 20"
I’ve had good luck with Bosch Icons, they are beam blades. I paid about $40 for a pair about 2.5 years ago. They still work great, no streaking or chattering. I’ll probably replace them this summer out of principle. Best wiper blades I’ve ever used. Previously I had used conventional Trico wipers, I don’t think I ever had a set of those last more than 10 months or so. But I got them free from my neighbor who worked for Trico, so I can’t complain too much.
I wasn’t trying to bark up any tree at all. I just wanted to create a discussion and see what was on peoples minds. Maybe give others who read this some ideas. I myself am a fan of the expensive Bosch Icons, they last me at least 2 years, and I replace them out of default. I know some people, like a friend of mine, who doesn’t replace the blades until the rubber is practically ripped off, and replaces them with awful ones that last 2 weeks anyway. Its just what he does.
I have a set of Bosch Micro Edge Excel blades on my car. They have been on there for over six years and 70k miles. Sometimes during light rain they streak and chatter a little bit, but still perform well during heavy rain. I have a new set of blades for that car in the trunk and may replace them soon just because they are so old. Those blades cost around $8-10 each when I bought them in late 2004.
Anco Contour wiper blades have worked exactly the way blades should with no streaking, summer and winter. I have can’t comment on their longevity with three years on one car and one on the other and they are expensive. I WILL by another set when needed. That’s the best endorsement I can give them.
I hear ya. I buy the cheap ones and live in a land where its winter 6 months out of the year and cant see how wipers could only last 2 weeks. Mine last ???Long time. I put the current ones on over 8 months ago and they are still going strong. Your friend may need to put some washer fluid in…
I like Rain-X Latitudes, Bosch Icons, and Trico Neoforms. I suspect the Icons and the Neoforms are the same. I’ve had much better luck with the beam blades in the winter. The bracketed type blades get clogged with ice and no matter what I do, they leave a huge unwiped spot right in front of my face. I also use Rain-X glass treatment, which makes the ice much easier to scrape off in the winter, as well as repelling water in the warmer weather.
I usually buy Anco at WalMart, but I’m going to discontinue the practice. I bought new ones and my driver’s side one had a small tear that left a streak. I got a replacement and that one screeched like a mouse caught in the talons of a hawk. I’m guessing those may have in the back stockroom for awhile.
I bought the “house brand” at an AutoZone and it’s working perfectly.
I’m a stinker for clear windows, so I changge mine 3 or 4 times a year.
I go either cheap - rubber refills into the stock metal frame - replace as needed, usually every 6-9 mo. for me
OR
Silblades - install and wait for them to go bad. I JUST replaces a set for a customer, 9 or 10 years and 230k mi. after installing them for him. This is not atypical for Silblades.
I’ve been using Tricos but want something better so I recently bought Michelins for a little more money. If Michelins are not better, then I’ll try a 12 dollar blade. If a 12 dollar blade turns out to be good for two years, that saves a little work changing blades.
Next question: Why doesn’t the car biz finish the job of standardizing wiper blade mounts?
Our area is hard on winter blades if you don’t practice a little common sense, regardless of the brand. Not completely scraping the window and beating them up on ice/frost until the defroster clears it for you is a good way to limit the life.
The blades that have lasted me the longest have been the triple edge blades. They used to sell for about $8 at Walmart, but Walmart no longer carries them. I have used all the brands listed above except the Bosch blades.
I also use and highly recommend Rain-X. It increases forward visibility far more than any wiper blade alone can do. It does make frost and ice removal a lot easier in the winter, but you have to reapply it just about every other ice/frost cycle.