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I bought this car brand new in 2005. It's had the wiper blades changed 3x since, and every single time, including the new ones it came with, the blades don't wipe well. They've all made a horrible screeching sound across the window and they always leave streaks, as if the wipers aren't totally aligned with the window's surface.
So, my question is, does anyone know a brand of wipers that should definitely not do any of the above with my camry?
How much do you drive? Basically you're saying you're trying to get something like 2 years out of wiper blades if you've only changed 3x since late 2005. After 6 months or so, for most people, unless you drive very little and the car is in a garage the rest of the time (not exposed to sun/cold/etc), the rubber is going to break down and ANY blade will streak. Now they shouldn't streak when new, although some crappy ones are noisy and might streak when new.
My best luck for a standard replacement blade is RainX Weatherbeater which is usually widely available (I buy 'em at Target even, which barely has an auto section). It is actually their low-end model; the fancier beam-style ones I've tried (both their brand and others) have never worked as well in my experience. They are good for about 6 months in my travels, which means right now my set of these is worn out and streaking. But they work very well for me for about 6 months.
The Rain-x ones are good, as are the Michelin ones they sell at Costco. The principle is the same; instead of using a series of articulating brackets that create pressure points, they use one big floppy piece that conforms to the glass.
If you live in an area where you don't use wipers all that often (dry areas like the desert), it dries out the rubber and gives you problems. Not much you can do other than clean the windshield the the rubber on the blades frequently, or just bite the bullet and replace them every year or so.
The Rain-x ones are good, as are the Michelin ones they sell at Costco. The principle is the same; instead of using a series of articulating brackets that create pressure points, they use one big floppy piece that conforms to the glass.
Heh, my Costco has only had Goodyear wipers I think (and the only place I've seen them actually). And I've tried at least 3 different beam-style ones like you describe, including Rain-X, and have had no good luck with them. But it is certainly possible that sometimes they work okay or even better than conventional bracket-style.
I replace my blades every 6 months or so, using Bosch Icon wipers. When they start streaking, it's time to replace them, and like clockwork, they'll do it right after 6 months. Never had them make a noise. We use them on both cars, same results.
Another thing to consider is that when you park outside in the sun a lot, the rubber will dry out faster. Maybe you could get better results with some wiper blade conditioner.
The Rain-x ones are good, as are the Michelin ones they sell at Costco. The principle is the same; instead of using a series of articulating brackets that create pressure points, they use one big floppy piece that conforms to the glass.
If you live in an area where you don't use wipers all that often (dry areas like the desert), it dries out the rubber and gives you problems. Not much you can do other than clean the windshield the the rubber on the blades frequently, or just bite the bullet and replace them every year or so.
Mike
The ones that I see here at COSTCO are from Goodyear and I think they are better than Michelin ones I got from Walmart.
^^^and just a month back they were selling 2 for $7 or so.
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But they work very well for me for about 6 months.
