# Need a new set of wiper blades-that don't suck. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851 "2013-01-21T00:11:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/21 "2013-01-21T22:19:50Z")
Sometimes it’s not the blade, it’s the windshield. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/22 "2013-01-21T22:38:00Z")
Buy from Amazon. They have good prices. Don’t buy in a store. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/23 "2013-01-21T22:59:56Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > I’ve found that aftermarket “exact fit” blades generally work well. > > It can’t hurt to make sure the glass is CLEAN. Fine steel wool and acetone work well for this. I’ve read on the internet (so it must be true), that the reason that original wipers seem to last much longer than their replacements is that windshields become microscopically pitted over time and consequently are harder on blades. Any truth to this or would cleaning as you mentioned take care of it? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/24 "2013-01-21T23:06:10Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > PIAA wipers are made out of silicone rubber. […] The silicone rubber doesn’t rot. They will last a very, very long time. I won’t argue that silicone rubber is far more UV and weather proof than any natural rubber, but simple aging and weather exposure are only part of what causes a wiper blade to go bad. If you’ve got a blade that’s crumbling or so hard it squeals, the basic problem is that you didn’t replace it in a timely fashion. Nothing keeps blades from getting nicks, tears and wear that make it leave streaks, even if the un-nicked parts still wipe fine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/25 "2013-01-22T00:27:26Z")
Despite the price ($50 for 2), I think I’ll spring for the PIAA’s. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/26 "2013-01-22T03:15:35Z")
Rain-X latitudes are also silicone and depending on size may be cheaper. I got my last set from Target. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/27 "2013-01-22T03:35:11Z")
Another vote for the silicone rubber blades - and living in a snowy climate a big plus is they don’t get FUBARed by ice on the windshield. I still change them out every year or two though. And if your wiper arm is bent, the best blades in the world won’t help much. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851/28 "2013-01-22T21:53:58Z")
The silicone rubber blades sound like a good idea. I also have some Bosch ICON wiper blades that I like a lot, they’ve been on my (garaged) car for 2 years with no problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-set-of-wiper-blades-that-dont-suck/647851.md?page=1)