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Wiper Blades: OEM or Third-Party?

As our Summer of Rain continues, I'm wondering whether it is generally better to purchase replacement wiper blades from the dealer or a third-party manufacturer. If the latter, does anyone have specific brand recommendations, and do you know of good deals to be had at a local shop (versus online which is typically cheaper).

Please note that I'm not just looking for the cheapest product, but rather, searching for the sweet spot between price and performance.

mister_fusspot asked in Cars & Motorcycles 9 months ago | Report

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  • Il_570xn
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    Unfortunately not a sweet spot on price, but nothing even compares to the performance of PIAA wiper blades. They are probably the priciest on the market, however they are made of silicone. The silicone outlasts and out performs any rubber. Once the investment is made the refill replacements are extremely cheap. The blades even come with a cloth that has a liquid the treats the windshield. PIAA's are extremely durable, long lasting, and absolutely silent. After the windshield is treated you run the blades dry on the windshield for 5 minutes and this forms a barrier on the glass. (can you imagine running any other blade dry?)

    I can't recommend them highly enough. You can go to ipdusa.com and see they have been recommending them for NW Volvo folks for many years with great success. I purchased ours on Amazon and prefer the Super Sporza for the front windshield. They have a spoiler to create a stronger contact on the glass while driving at high speeds.

    I do not recommend OEM as they usually cost too much. Most other brands do not last more than one season and require replacing the whole assembly which is a waste of money and resources.

    SNAPHEAT answered in Cars & Motorcycles 9 months ago | Report
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  • Memstad2011_copy_small
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    For years I used whatever looked higher quality at the auto parts store: Rain-x, Bosch, not just your standard generic. Then my mechanic put on Bardahl wiper blades and I noticed an immense improvement on clearness and visibility when the wipers are on.

    Also, Rain-x (the stuff you wipe on, not the blades) is great, it makes a lot of difference if you have an older windshield, but the windshield has to be clean when you apply it and the temperature has to be over 40 degrees, so you don't want to wait until the middle of winter and then suddenly decide you need Rain-x.

    CrazyCatLady answered in Cars & Motorcycles 9 months ago | Report
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  • Crystalcanyon_small
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    The blades from Shucks or whatever should work just fine, right? The secret sauce is to add a coat of Rainex to your glass, that shit works great in the downpours.

    Biju answered in Cars & Motorcycles 9 months ago | Report
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