Rant: Wiper Blade refills no longer sold at parts stores.

[Total_Blender]

Anybody notice how the parts stores aren't selling the refills for wiper blades any more? Now instead of the refills that are $4 for a pack of 2 you have to buy 2x $6 blades. Probably not a big deal to those of you with newer cars, but those of us with older cars that have chrome wiper blades are not amused.

I had to bite the bullet and buy the complete blades for my Grand Marquis the other day. It has black wiper blades that go under the hood when not in use, so its not a big deal. But I really don't like buying the complete blades, even for the newer cars. Why spend extra $$$ replacing parts that aren't broken?


I'm glad I bought refills for my '62 Falcon before they stopped carrying them. But I know I'll probably need a new set next year.

[Atlblkz06]

My guess:

People had trouble putting them in - got too many returns and complaints.

Consumers couldn't figure out how to use the refill blades, and their wives would bitch at them for not getting the job done. So these dumb-asses would waste money buying complete wiper assemblies to compensate for their stupidity.

Ergo - blades alone are no longer available.

[SuperChicken]

I'm glad I bought refills for my '62 Falcon before they stopped carrying them. But I know I'll probably need a new set next year.

Wow. A 62 Falcon. One of them almost cost me my left leg years ago. I was riding my Norton 850 Commando back to Athens, and it started raining heavily. I pulled off I-285 under the Jonesboro Rd overpass, shut off the bike and started to reach for the kickstand, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground staring at the underside of the bridge!
The Falcon had hydroplaned off the road and hit the tank/engine/frame just fractions of an inch ahead of my leg! Hit me so hard, the bike was knocked 60-something feet down the road (totalled), and I was on crutches for 6 weeks with no broken bones! It took half an hour with a crowbar to pry the Falcon's front right fender off the tire/wheel enough for the guy to drive away...that is one serious chunk of steel, that is!

I HATE FORD FALCONS!

[DeeAOne]

Wow. A 62 Falcon. One of them almost cost me my left leg years ago. I was riding my Norton 850 Commando back to Athens, and it started raining heavily. I pulled off I-285 under the Jonesboro Rd overpass, shut off the bike and started to reach for the kickstand, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground staring at the underside of the bridge!
The Falcon had hydroplaned off the road and hit the tank/engine/frame just fractions of an inch ahead of my leg! Hit me so hard, the bike was knocked 60-something feet down the road (totalled), and I was on crutches for 6 weeks with no broken bones! It took half an hour with a crowbar to pry the Falcon's front right fender off the tire/wheel enough for the guy to drive away...that is one serious chunk of steel, that is!

I HATE FORD FALCONS!

here, let me help you...



/threadjack.

[Total_Blender]

Thats a hell of a story man.

The correct inserts will always be available, I'm sure. But they won't be something you can just go into the store and buy when you need them. It will suck having to order them from a catalog or something.

[Kaiser]

It stopped being profitable to sell refill-style blades versus complete assemblies. Very few people would think about it as saving money if they only saved a dollar or two versus the cost of an entire assembly. Besides, most assemblies after at least 1990 have no easy way of installing new wiper refills anyways.

The wave of the future is coming though, and you can see it on new GM vehicles. Euro style blades that ARE the complete assemblies. Instead of the complicated metal linkages it's just got one rib that forces the blade against the windshield as well as cuts through the air. These work better under high-wind or high speed conditions, and are supposed to last longer because it presses evenly across the whole blade rather than at several points from the assembly. Bosch has been selling these style wiper blades for a bit now, and they're just going to become more common.

[VooDooXII]

This bothers me. My car has a little "spoiler" on the drivers' side wiper too keep the wiper against the windshield at speed. Now I have to get a brand new assembly which means I had to take that spoiler thing off.

Now the Bosch Icon Wipers are curved and do a good job of staying against the glass, however...I definitely don't want to be dropping $22 for one piece. My cousin's G37 came with wipers like this...my buddy's 8th gen Civic has the same.

I didn't want to spend so much on just wipers though. It doesn't rain here enough for that.

[EP3sAreFun]

It stopped being profitable to sell refill-style blades versus complete assemblies. Very few people would think about it as saving money if they only saved a dollar or two versus the cost of an entire assembly. Besides, most assemblies after at least 1990 have no easy way of installing new wiper refills anyways.

The wave of the future is coming though, and you can see it on new GM vehicles. Euro style blades that ARE the complete assemblies. Instead of the complicated metal linkages it's just got one rib that forces the blade against the windshield as well as cuts through the air. These work better under high-wind or high speed conditions, and are supposed to last longer because it presses evenly across the whole blade rather than at several points from the assembly. Bosch has been selling these style wiper blades for a bit now, and they're just going to become more common.

And Toyota calls them a Beam Blade since 2005/2006. Rain-x wipers are the same i think

[Atlblkz06]

Use RainX - that stuff works so well you dont need to use your wipers

* Clean your windshield with water
* Clean with Windex (ammonia eats clearcoat - dont get it on your paint)
* Wash off all residue
* Dry
* Apply RainX.

[mike's02ls1]

Where in the hell are shopping at? Fawking Big Lots? O'Reilly auto parts still sell wiper refills...

[Kaiser]

And Toyota calls them a Beam Blade since 2005/2006. Rain-x wipers are the same i think

I'll be honest, I see plenty of new Toyotas, and haven't noticed a single one that comes with, as you correctly pointed out "Beam Blades." Doesn't mean I'm arguing with you, just haven't noticed it like I have on '06 Civics, new Accords, all new GM products basically but specifically the Malibua/Impala/Monte Carlo's, and almost all european market BMW's since '03 or so. Rain-X's blades look the same but I've heard anecdotal evidence that they aren't as good as the OEM style ones or the Bosch ones. Wouldn't know, haven't tried either.

[DUBSf22c]

WHo uses wiper blades? RAINX is only needed. Sicstang hasnt had wipers since he bought the car.

[Total_Blender]

WHo uses wiper blades? RAINX is only needed. Sicstang hasnt had wipers since he bought the car.

I'm not going to trust my safety to snake oil chemical over windshield wipers. I've used Rain-X before and its OK but to say that you don't need wipers at all is a little much.

[redrumracer]

It stopped being profitable to sell refill-style blades versus complete assemblies. Very few people would think about it as saving money if they only saved a dollar or two versus the cost of an entire assembly. Besides, most assemblies after at least 1990 have no easy way of installing new wiper refills anyways.

The wave of the future is coming though, and you can see it on new GM vehicles. Euro style blades that ARE the complete assemblies. Instead of the complicated metal linkages it's just got one rib that forces the blade against the windshield as well as cuts through the air. These work better under high-wind or high speed conditions, and are supposed to last longer because it presses evenly across the whole blade rather than at several points from the assembly. Bosch has been selling these style wiper blades for a bit now, and they're just going to become more common.

i assume your talking about the bosch icons, they are great. its like water was never on the window.

[OhMyGodfather]

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[Ronsam2006]

This thread gets the AutoZone Seal of Approval!

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