I see nothing wrong with being GREEN. Replacing the WHOLE blade is a WASTE. Same for oil filters. I like what Lexus is doing…Canister oil filter. You just replace the paper filter and a couple gaskets. No more throwing away the metal. There are MILLIONS of tons of used metal oil filters in our land fills today. WHAT A WASTE.
There are many who capitalize on the GREEN FRENZY with no real concern for the environment. There is a great deal of flash and cash in this fashion craze but practical goals and methods are hard to find. But this forum might not appreciate my pontificating here.
IIRC the last time I read a Consumer Reports test of blades and arms, they had a couple of interesting observations. One was that some of the OEM replacements worked better than aftermarket. Stranger was that the replacement arms cleaned the windshields longer than replacement blades.
My dad used to put a new blade on the driver side and rotate the older one to the passenger side. He did not have to see so well in that direction since he drove primarily on two-lane rural highways.
There is a great deal of flash and cash in this fashion craze
There’s a LOT MORE cash if you DON’T go Green. I’ll agree there are people who are capitalizing on the Green craze with no real value…But going Green in MOST cases (like wiper blade refills) is a good thing.
My dad used to put a new blade on the driver side and rotate the older one to the passenger side. He did not have to see so well in that direction since he drove primarily on two-lane rural highways.
We haven’t owned a car in almost 20 years where the drivers side blade was the same size as the passenger side blade.
That is why my dad USED to switch the used blade to the other side or maybe it is because he just lets the dealer take care of it now. Both my current and my last daily drivers have the same size on both sides, but I just replace both at the same time. Of course my 'last car was 18 years old when I was forced to get rid of it.
My wife, OTOH, tends to drive those funny little imports we have been seeing so much of lately. They have different-sized wipers.
MikeInNH,
Exactly! You’re correct! It’s not. That’s the problem when all the hardware stores go belly up! WalMart is all that’s left, except a grocery store.
I do believe that because WalMart sells grass seed, rakes, plastic lawn chairs, lawn mowers, BBQ grills, guns, bullets, camping junk, tarps, shovels, fishing supplies, etc., they took a lot of sales from the town hardware stores. That caused them to go out of business.
MikeInNh,
Canister oil filters sound great! Theoretically, the cost of a replacement element should be lower than the whole filter and one should be able to remove more dirty oil for the recyclers.
Re those who wax nostalgic over the cannister filters, it’s unlikely they have replaced many. A quart of hot oil in a can with a hole in the bottom does not make for a fun morning. I can’t imagine what the cost of such a service would be today. Certainly there wouldn’t be any $20 specials. And the filter in the pan that is seen on a few models is workable, but not as convenient as the spin on.
The nostalgic Good Old Days
Having worn out 2 Beetles (air cooled, rear drive type) in past history, I remember hot, messy, oil changes. The “filter” in the bottom of those babies would catch anything larger than a moth or an M&M that found its way into the crankcase. Sometimes the little 6mm studs would stay in and somtimes they stuck to the nuts and came out… and the gaskets and the little copper washers…
I own a Honda, a Nissan, and a Subaru. Years ago, even before the parts stores and WalMarts stopped selling wiper refills, I decided the OEM refills (with the little metal bars) in Japanese cars were better quality than what I could buy in stores. Since that is also true of oil filters, brake pads, and many other consumable parts in Japanese cars (note that much of what is sold in parts stores these days is Chinese made junk), I order such parts online from one of several dealers which offer maintenance parts at a discount. Just Google it or look in the back of a car magazine.
There is a O’Reilly’s in McAllen, Texas as well.
Theoretically, the cost of a replacement element should be lower than the whole filter and one should be able to remove more dirty oil for the recyclers.
I wish that were true. They cost the same or MORE then the canister filters. Nothing new. Companies do that all the time.
To be practical about it, I think the headache of finding the correct refill and putting it on the old blade is not worth it to most people. I’m hardheaded about it myself and sometimes wonder why I bother. It comes down to the fact that I can save a few bucks when I would otherwise be laying around the house watching TV.
After over 40 years of changing wiper blades annually, I discovered that OEM blades, especially Toyota and Honda are better quality and last much longer.
I even tried many of the gimmick blades and those seem to have disappeared from the marketplace.
The small difference in price between the local dealer and on-line is usually not worth the time to search and paying freight. Often the dealer will even put them on for you.
Try these in the winter time. I assure you these are no gimmick.
Winter Blades. The entire structure is covered in a thin rubber boot and when the wiper is covered in ice just pick up the arm and gently crack the ice off.
These things are great.
I’ve TRIED winter blades in the past. Great for city driving…But once on the highway I’ve had them lift off the windshield at 50mph.
Ah, true…but I guess there are pros & cons to all things. I had them on an Aerostar and with the aerodynamics of that vehicle it really lifted.
When I discover it was getting harder to find wiper refills I went to Wal-Mart and clean them out. The refills were alot cheaper. They had some which was way to long. I just cut them to size. No problem there. Only reason they stop making refills is they can chrge top dollar for a wiper blade. Plastic is so cheap $$ to make.
My Wal- Mart no longer carries just the refill. But I have enough in stock to last about 10 years. And if I’m lucky the enxt car might take the same size.