Bosch Icons here too. They just last longer for me.

...not sure I've ever actually benefited from the RainX of any version

I use cheap ones and replace them once or twice per year depending on use. The vehicles that sit outside get them more frequently.

I use Bosh Icon blades on my '06 Pathfinder, '17 Escape, and the kid's '04 Elantra. It lasts a full year and never streaks.
My '14 Chevy work van however, just does not like blades of any type, so I get a Rain-X hybrid wiper from Walmart that is 1/3rd the price of the Bosh Blades.

A buddy of mine that is into cars waaaaay more than I, as in he rebuilds from frame up, has always told me to just buy the cheapest thing. Spending $30-$35 on a wiper blade and expecting it to perform better/longer than a $12 one is throwing money down the drain, according to him.

And I'm sure, just like the synthetic oil thread, this will have varying opinions...

honestly - i have experimented with many different brands and they all suck after a while

i think frequent replacement is more important than higher priced brand names

i have settled on mid-tier and replace ~every 6 months

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I haven't tried the Bosch Icon blades but have been using the Michelin brand blades and they work great.

As best as my memory still works, I remember, back in the day, the late 60's and 70's, that I NEVER changed wipers, never noticed that they went bad.
Mind altering drugs, maybe, or just more durable blades back then.
I tend to look at blades now as snake oil. None seem to last long.

I’ve tried the Bosch, I’m switching to the cheapest I can find. The desert heat dries them up so fast, I need three sets a year.

I will add a pair to my rockauto orders when I get something. Often you can find name brand ones on closeouts for a few bucks. The only problem is when they ship from another warehouse then the added shipping isn't worth it.

Agreed. Bosch or nothing.

I prefer PIAA Si-Tech wipers. They last longer than Bosch Icons, and perform just as well, for approximately the same price.

Just put some Bosch Icons on my GTI. Hard to beat.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
honestly - i have experimented with many different brands and they all suck after a while

i think frequent replacement is more important than higher priced brand names

i have settled on mid-tier and replace ~every 6 months

---------------------------------

I agree. Down here in the South Florida sun. Just about any brand of wiper starts performing less after 6 months. I usually get a year out of wipers before changing them.

I used to buy cheap ANCO(?) ones and replace them every year. Until WM changed brands and the replacements suck.

The last couple sets have been Michelin. They perform well and they don't break the bank.

I have had a hard time finding aftermarket wiper blades that equal the originals on my 2009 Toyota. In October of 2011 I took a road trip to, among other places, Cape Hatteras, NC. Actual photo:



That was how hard it was raining.

The passenger side blade, I discovered, had the rubber separate from the rest of the blade, dangling with every wipe, but it was still working. But, being a cheapskate and not having a dealer convenient to me (~10 miles out of the way of my usual haunts), I just had to go aftermarket. Michelin- and Bosch-branded blades were very poor, chattering and leaving swaths unwiped. (The Bosch weren't Icons.) Rain-X performed better but only lasted a year before starting to chatter.

We are lucky to get blades to last a year here in the desert, no matter how expensive they are.

I went to Auto Zone a couple days ago to buy a set for the old GMC and was astonished to see Bosch blades priced at $36 EACH. The cheapy Brand X ones were nearly $10 each. I asked the kid running the register if he sold many $36 wiper blades, and he said not really. I'll bet they don't.

Motorcraft for the F350 and Honda for the Odyssey.

About ten years ago, I came to the conclusion that OEM blades are the best value. I've used a variety of after market blades and had problems with longevity, chatter, lifting off the windshield at higher speeds, and price. After switching back to OEM frames and inserts, the problems went away. Besides length, after market blades are a one size fits all. They may or may not work on your particular vehicle. Icons were the ones that lifted at speed and they cost 2 to 6 times as much as OEM.

I buy Motorcraft on Amazon and the Honda at the dealer. I always have a spare set in the vehicle.

quote:

Originally posted by weekendshooter:
Agreed. Bosch or nothing.

Mine have lasted 2 years+