Bottom line on blades
Do you think it’s worth it to pay $10 or $15 more for higher end windshield wipers blades?
I used to think it was. I live where there are 300 days of sunshine every year (sun is vicious on windshield wiper blades) and many 90-plus degree days as well as a few days of brutal cold. So in the 20 years since I moved here to the high plains of Colorado, I’ve always bought fairly expensive blades, figuring they’d last longer than cheaper ones.
Then last year I did an experiment. I twice purchased cheaper ones (not THE cheapest and not the same brand each time) and both lasted the same number of months as the expensive ones.
I acknowledge this wasn’t a scientific experiment. Was there less snow and ice over this past winter, were there fewer days of intense heat? Many factors can impact the life of a blade.
But what I now know is that I get seven to eight months before they start smearing, whether they’re pretty expensive or cheaper. That’s roughly what manufacturers say is the presumed life expectancy (six to 12 months). So I’m continuing with the cheaper ones. That’s not a huge annual savings, of course, but I like saving $20 or $30 here and there.
Your experience might very different from mine.
Have any of you had similar or different experiences? Please let me know and I’ll share.
I think the price differential between a conventional fuel vehicle and a hybrid means I’m not going to save any money by buying a hybrid. But I get tangled up in the calculations and car price and gas price calculations. Is there an accurate approach to doing the math?
The simplest (and easiest) is at Fueleconomy.gov. Click on “Can a hybrid save me money.” Then enter, from a pull-down menu, the vehicle you’re looking at.
It will give you the weekly, monthly and yearly fuel cost savings for the hybrid model vs. the conventional model once you plug in the approximate number of miles you drive annually and the price of gas. It will also calculate the payback period for the increased sticker price for the hybrid.
It’s a slick tool.
What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.