Best Windshield Wipers

Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info (it's
all 1992 and previous). I will provide my opinion on this matter. I
currently use a pair of wipers blades I bought at Target (somewhere
around 1996 or 97). I have been using that same pair of wiper blades
ever since (today is Jan 29, 2004 just for your reference). I guess
that would give me a life of somewhere around 7 years. I think the type
I bought was by Anco. The packaging "guaranteed" they would last me the
life of the car (or something to that effect), I'm not really sure, all
I can remember is that it was a pretty bold guarantee and I wound up
paying $12 which to me was a huge sum of money just to pay for wiper
refills (2 pairs), but alas, I took the plunge. I have been very
impressed. Only the past 2 years have the wiper blades started to slip.
They aren't removing as much water as they used to, as the window still
has little teensy streaks left afterwards, but they still work. I
should just look for the second pair which is probably in my garage
someplace instead of shopping for a new one but it's so exciting
looking for new wiper blades!

As a side note, people seem to be recommending Bosch wipers (at least
the 1992 entries did). They also stated they had to replace them every
2 years or so. I don't consider 2 years to be a good life at all for
wiper blades. I need something that will last me at least 7 years like
my previous set.

Steven

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info (it's
> all 1992 and previous). I will provide my opinion on this matter. I
> currently use a pair of wipers blades I bought at Target (somewhere
> around 1996 or 97). I have been using that same pair of wiper blades
> ever since (today is Jan 29, 2004 just for your reference). I guess
> that would give me a life of somewhere around 7 years. I think the type
> I bought was by Anco. The packaging "guaranteed" they would last me the
> life of the car (or something to that effect),

Maybe if you live in florida. Any "premium" wiper blade will be utterly
destroyed by one good freezing rain storm. If you live anywhere with real
winter weather, the best strategy is to buy the cheapest crap you can find
at Wal-Mart or similar, and replace them each year right before the annual
vehicle inspection. For less than five bucks a pair, why worry if it lasts
more than ONE year? -Dave

wrote:

> Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info (it's
> all 1992 and previous). I will provide my opinion on this matter. I
> currently use a pair of wipers blades I bought at Target (somewhere
> around 1996 or 97). I have been using that same pair of wiper blades
> ever since (today is Jan 29, 2004 just for your reference). I guess
> that would give me a life of somewhere around 7 years. I think the type
> I bought was by Anco. The packaging "guaranteed" they would last me the
> life of the car (or something to that effect), I'm not really sure, all
> I can remember is that it was a pretty bold guarantee and I wound up
> paying $12 which to me was a huge sum of money just to pay for wiper
> refills (2 pairs), but alas, I took the plunge. I have been very
> impressed. Only the past 2 years have the wiper blades started to slip.
> They aren't removing as much water as they used to, as the window still
> has little teensy streaks left afterwards, but they still work. I
> should just look for the second pair which is probably in my garage
> someplace instead of shopping for a new one but it's so exciting
> looking for new wiper blades!
>
> As a side note, people seem to be recommending Bosch wipers (at least
> the 1992 entries did). They also stated they had to replace them every
> 2 years or so. I don't consider 2 years to be a good life at all for
> wiper blades. I need something that will last me at least 7 years like
> my previous set.
>
> Steven
>

Good luck. Bosch's quality has gone way down, I just bought a pair
earlier this year and they're already starting to streak and chatter.
The ones that were on the car when I bought it lasted almost a year (I
don't know how old they were when I got the car,) I think they were Anco
(I was going to buy those, but couldn't find them.)

really, I'd be interested in any recommends myself for blades that last
more than a year. Yes, my windshield is cleaned regularly and the arms
are adjusted so the blades are perpendicular.

nate

--
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http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 wrote:

> Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info

Fancy wiper blades come and go.

The ones in the yellow Anco box work well.

> As a side note, people seem to be recommending Bosch wipers

Expensive German brand name; it MUST be better, right? Wrong. My
experience with Bosch wiper blades has been awful.

Thanks to all for your responses. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area
so we never get truly freezing rain storms (we do get rain though). I
should ask around in Seattle where it rains about 80% of the time.
-Steven

Dave C. wrote:

> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info (it's
>>all 1992 and previous). I will provide my opinion on this matter. I
>>currently use a pair of wipers blades I bought at Target (somewhere
>>around 1996 or 97). I have been using that same pair of wiper blades
>>ever since (today is Jan 29, 2004 just for your reference). I guess
>>that would give me a life of somewhere around 7 years. I think the type
>>I bought was by Anco. The packaging "guaranteed" they would last me the
>>life of the car (or something to that effect),
>
>
> Maybe if you live in florida. Any "premium" wiper blade will be utterly
> destroyed by one good freezing rain storm. If you live anywhere with real
> winter weather, the best strategy is to buy the cheapest crap you can find
> at Wal-Mart or similar, and replace them each year right before the annual
> vehicle inspection. For less than five bucks a pair, why worry if it lasts
> more than ONE year? -Dave
>
>
I disagree. I live in Minnesota, with lots of ice, snow, and cold
weather. Last winter I tried a set of the new style Trico winter
blades, which are completely enclosed in a rubber boot. Expensive, but
boy they sure do work. No more having to chip all the ice off the wiper
blade blade back to get the spring free to hold the wiper to the glass.
Ice cannot get into that part of the blade back anymore. I will have
to replace it this winter, but that blade has lasted for about 15
months, and in this climate I figure that is pretty good.

Don Stauffer in Minneapolis wrote:

> Dave C. wrote:
>
>> > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>
>>> Did a search on this topic and can't find any *good* current info (it's
>>> all 1992 and previous). I will provide my opinion on this matter. I
>>> currently use a pair of wipers blades I bought at Target (somewhere
>>> around 1996 or 97). I have been using that same pair of wiper blades
>>> ever since (today is Jan 29, 2004 just for your reference). I guess
>>> that would give me a life of somewhere around 7 years. I think the type
>>> I bought was by Anco. The packaging "guaranteed" they would last me the
>>> life of the car (or something to that effect),
>>
>>
>>
>> Maybe if you live in florida. Any "premium" wiper blade will be
>> utterly destroyed by one good freezing rain storm. If you live
>> anywhere with real winter weather, the best strategy is to buy the
>> cheapest crap you can find at Wal-Mart or similar, and replace them
>> each year right before the annual vehicle inspection. For less than
>> five bucks a pair, why worry if it lasts more than ONE year? -Dave
>>
> I disagree. I live in Minnesota, with lots of ice, snow, and cold
> weather. Last winter I tried a set of the new style Trico winter
> blades, which are completely enclosed in a rubber boot. Expensive, but
> boy they sure do work. No more having to chip all the ice off the wiper
> blade blade back to get the spring free to hold the wiper to the glass.
> Ice cannot get into that part of the blade back anymore. I will have
> to replace it this winter, but that blade has lasted for about 15
> months, and in this climate I figure that is pretty good.

When you park your car, pull the wipers away from the windshield and
leave them up (if your car is new enough to be able to do that) or slip
a piece of cardboard under them. Then when it snows they won't freeze
to the windshield. 99% of the ice that builds up on the blade assembly
will come off when you set the wipers back down, just let them "snap"
against the windshield from a few inches. I've been doing this ever
since I had a car new enough that the wipers would stay away from the
windshield by themselves, yeah it looks retarded when parked, but then
again I'm not the guy waiting for the engine to warm up and unfreeze my
wipers so I can use my windshield washers either. I just start the car,
clean it off, and then set the wipers down and drive off.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005, Don Stauffer in Minneapolis wrote:

> Last winter I tried a set of the new style Trico winter blades, which
> are completely enclosed in a rubber boot.

Hey, Rip Van Winkle: These were "new style" in the early 1970s.

Nate Nagel wrote:
>
> When you park your car, pull the wipers away from the windshield and
> leave them up (if your car is new enough to be able to do that) or slip
> a piece of cardboard under them. Then when it snows they won't freeze
> to the windshield. 99% of the ice that builds up on the blade assembly
> will come off when you set the wipers back down, just let them "snap"
> against the windshield from a few inches. I've been doing this ever
> since I had a car new enough that the wipers would stay away from the
> windshield by themselves, yeah it looks retarded when parked, but then
> again I'm not the guy waiting for the engine to warm up and unfreeze my
> wipers so I can use my windshield washers either. I just start the car,
> clean it off, and then set the wipers down and drive off.
>
> nate
>
The problem was not freezing to the windshield. The problem was ice
getting in the flexible strips that run from the end of the arm to the
blade holder. That is, the blade supports that apply pressure to the
blade holder and hold it against the glass. That is the area that those
Trico blades keep clean.

Don Stauffer in Minneapolis wrote:

> Nate Nagel wrote:
>
>>
>> When you park your car, pull the wipers away from the windshield and
>> leave them up (if your car is new enough to be able to do that) or
>> slip a piece of cardboard under them. Then when it snows they won't
>> freeze to the windshield. 99% of the ice that builds up on the blade
>> assembly will come off when you set the wipers back down, just let
>> them "snap" against the windshield from a few inches. I've been doing
>> this ever since I had a car new enough that the wipers would stay away
>> from the windshield by themselves, yeah it looks retarded when parked,
>> but then again I'm not the guy waiting for the engine to warm up and
>> unfreeze my wipers so I can use my windshield washers either. I just
>> start the car, clean it off, and then set the wipers down and drive off.
>>
>> nate
>>
> The problem was not freezing to the windshield. The problem was ice
> getting in the flexible strips that run from the end of the arm to the
> blade holder. That is, the blade supports that apply pressure to the
> blade holder and hold it against the glass. That is the area that those
> Trico blades keep clean.

letting them "snap" against the windshield takes care of that IME...

nate

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replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
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