body and interior wiper blade recommendations?

[lazerfred]

Does anyone have a particular brand of wipers they like? Bosch? something else? I live in drizzly Seattle and have had little luck finding wipers that stay decent after more than a few months...

 

Also, what size do people choose; I think the spec is 15 inch, right? I've always used 16, but maybe I'm totally off... which size do you guys use?

[thinksound_mike]

I have Bosch 16" wipers. I could take them or leave them to be honest. I was thinking of ordering something different next time, anco, rainx, or something similar. I also have black wiper arms. With chrome arms, your choices may be different.

[Simeon]

I usually use 16" wipers (accepting the slight stand off when parked) but recently put 15" on by accident. Looking a bit more carefully the extra inch doesn't wipe any more necessary real estate so the benefits of using 16" are limited imo.

The only maker that I have found of modern style but still chromed / silver wipers are Tridon. I think they are all very similar but then we get a lot less rain where I live and the biggest issue is the sun perishing the rubber so that they go hard.

[lazerfred]

I usually use 16" wipers (accepting the slight stand off when parked) but recently put 15" on by accident. Looking a bit more carefully the extra inch doesn't wipe any more necessary real estate so the benefits of using 16" are limited imo.

The only maker that I have found of modern style but still chromed / silver wipers are Tridon. I think they are all very similar but then we get a lot less rain where I live and the biggest issue is the sun perishing the rubber so that they go hard.

Thanks! I just looked; tridon seems to be aussie-specific... but damn I like the idea of silver wipers; I might have to track some down! thanks!

 

I've always heard that right-hand drive '02s didn't reverse the wiper set up so driver's in your neck of the planet end up with a big patch on the right hand part of the window that never really gets wiped... here in seattle that would be tough indeed!

[Simeon]

That's true. It leaves you with a big corner on the upper right hand side that doesn't get wiped. It can be interesting if overtaking.

I made a mistake, it is Trico and not Tridon which is indeed an Australian brand. Search for Tricia Classic 33-150.

[lazerfred]

That's true. It leaves you with a big corner on the upper right hand side that doesn't get wiped. It can be interesting if overtaking.

I made a mistake, it is Trico and not Tridon which is indeed an Australian brand. Search for Tricia Classic 33-150.

 

perfect; just found them on Amazon; I'll give them a shot! thanks!

[peterschop]

Do you have black or chrome arms? I have chrome and I am happy with Trico 33-150 Classic WIper Blades, 15". They look closer to brushed aluminum but look good on the chrome arms. I replaced my 16" black blades with them and don't notice a difference in performance. Now my disclaimer is that I try not to drive in rain and use Rain X so my wiper use is limited.

Edited November 11, 2015 by peterschop

[lazerfred]

yeah i just ordered that exact one from amazon; I have the chrome arms so I'm hoping all looks great!

 

I remember having a not-so-great experience with rain-x years ago; worked fantastic in the beginning; but as dust and dirt would work it's way into the stuff it started to be worse than nothing at all; and it seemed extremely hard to remove! But I might have just had a bad experience; my windshield was so pitted with micropits etc that I think it gave a place for dust and dirt to hide. Last month a got a brand new windscreen (thank you comprehensive insurance coverage!) so it's a smooth as a baby's butt now... we'll see how it goes with the just the new blades. unfortunately, living in seattle, we don't have the option to avoid driving in the rain : )

[JohnP_02]

Do you have black or chrome arms?

 

I always wanted to ask about this but it seemed a bit trivial, I have black wiper arms but it seems that most of he 02's have the chrome - which was original stock the black or chrome? I have black but I always assumed the chrome was original? John  

[JohnS]

I believe that they switched to the blacked out wiper arms and blades on the square tailed cars '74 and up.  At least in the US they did. 

['76mintgrün'02]

(save one of your old ones and keep it next to the e-brake, to use as a defogger... it's that time of year here in the PNW)

 

I bought Bosch Evolution blades and they looked stupid, imo.

One of them broke when I snagged it with a towel, so I switched back to the traditional style and am much happier.

 

The Evolution style wipers do make good hand held squeegees though.

They flex into the concave inner surface of the windshield nicely.

[lazerfred]

(save one of your old ones and keep it next to the e-brake, to use as a defogger... it's that time of year here in the PNW)

 

 

Haha.... spoken like a true PNW '02 owner...

 

Someday I'd love to see a survey on how many people actually have a working heater in their '02, or at least whether the gate works to redirect that air to the windshield!

['76mintgrün'02]

Well, for your survey, my fan works.  A little in-place lubrication got rid of the start-up squeal.

The defroster lever does not move the flap, but some air is being sent towards the windshield as is.

Rebuilding the heater box is on THE LIST.

 

The windshield seal is toast on my car, as is the pitted windshield.

I have replacements for both, but until I get them installed, I have to deal with foggy gauges and glass.

My car is in a carport, so dew settles on it (almost) every night; plus I drive it in the rain.

The wiper is a great way to remove the water, until the defroster warms up and takes over.

 

None of my four 'daily drivers' keep the rain out.  

Lots of practice with the squeegee/defogger here.

[lazerfred]

Well, for your survey, my fan works.  A little in-place lubrication got rid of the start-up squeal.

The defroster lever does not move the flap, but some air is being sent towards the windshield as is.

Rebuilding the heater box is on THE LIST.

 

 

yeah it;s on my LIST too... my fan works... heater sorta works... but the insulation at the gates is completely gone, so it doesn't matter what I do, air just pores past it and heads right to my knees, even if I have the defroster selected!

 

I had to have my speedometer rebuilt by that guy in Texas, and I made the mistake of putting it all back together when it was slightly humid... so now there is this perpetual fox on the inside of the lens of the speedometer until the car warms up a bit... when I have the extra time imma gonna take it back apart and wipe in the world's thinnest coat of rain-x I think

['76mintgrün'02]

I would skip the rain-x

Maybe he did not clean the inside of the glass very well.

My fog situation improved considerably when I did the odometer repair and cleaned the inside of the glass.

There was a haze before, that looked foggy and wouldn't really go away.

Now the fog clears as soon as it warms up.

ymmv, of course.