Finally have to change the wipers on our 2007S. Factory warranty has expired so time to go aftermarket. There were so many different choices available so I did a Consumer Reports search and came up with the Valeo 600s as the BEST wiper with the 900 series about mid-pack. Went to the Valeo site and found out that the 800 series is actually OEM for European cars which are imported into the states. So I figured that was the ticket. Ordered a set from Amazon today and to my surprise the set comes with both 18" and 19" blades, perfect. Hopefully they will have the correct curve for the windshield and will last and perform well.

 

I use Bosch Icon blades. With every car I've had they're the only ones I could count on to do a good job of wiping and not chatter.

 

I'm sure the Bosch's work just fine, as I said, there are many many choices out there. Some good some not so good. Here's a spreadsheet with what Consumer Reports rates the different brands. Not saying that they're always accurate with their reporting but it's usually a good indication. Who knows, the Valeos may fail after a period of time, hopefully not.

 

I hated the stock wiper blades that came with the car and even replaced my original set with new MINI parts. No real improvement.

So I did a little research and found that PIAA's super silicone wiper blades are excellent. The difference is like night and day. These may be the best wiper blades I've ever had!

Look here: http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...ni_cooper.html

You should give them a try!

 

Bosch for the win! They are stylish and they work great. Mine are a little on the old side(little over a year old) and they still work great. As a rule you should change them every 6 months but here in Florida all we get is rain so I am not worried about everything else tearing them up.

 

I have had the PIAA super silicone blades for a while now, and they are great. Absolutely silent and no chatter at all. They put a small coating of silicone on the windshield as they swipe and this also gives you a rain x type of effect when they are not in use. By far the best wipers I have ever had.

 

what sizes for the bosch icon wiper blades do I need for my 2010 Cooper JCW?
I see there are both 'A' and 'B' sizes available in both 18 and 19" blades. Thanks!

 

The RainX Latitudes were a great disappointment for me. They streaked worse than stock and were just generally a let down. PIAA super silicones have been the best I've found thus far. They still will streak at times, but they maintain proper curvature (and contact) better than any other blade I've used.

 

Another vote for the PIAA Super Silicones.
I like Aquapel Glass Treatment as well.
I've tried oem, valeo, and bosch, and the PIAA wins handily.

 

Unless the blades were specifically tested on a mini cooper... to heck with consumer reports. (does help with blade quality though)

I have used Bosch blades on every car i have owned since 1997... long life and great quality...

HOWEVER:
the actual blade holder type (refer to as a beam) needs to be matched to the windshield.

The Evolution/Icon single beam style works great on a windshield that doesn't have any sharp curves(like the mini does, but i still bought the evolutions).

Also the Evolution has a little flutter at rest "above legal speeds" but clears the windshield well. ;-)

I will try the Bosch Excel + next year just to see if the non-beam style works better on the passenger side edge of windshield.

 

Did I see the price correctly. Starts at $36.00 per blade?
Fat chance.

 

"Sold as a matching front set of both passenger (19") and driver (18") and are complete replacements for the stock wiper blades."

That cost is for both blades as a set.

 

Much better. Thanks for the clarification.

Currently I just use the OEM since the cars are still under warranty. I also use Aquapel on the windscreen's which makes the worst wipers appear to work great. I put it on twice per year and it works great. We get a lot of rain around here and treating the windscreen works the best along with annual wiper replacements.

 

I've had good luck with the Good Year ones at Costco, they were having a BOGO free for a while...

 

Here in Texas our wipers are mostly subject to heat and sunlight and are little used most of the year. Annual replacements is kind of a funny thing. However, I spent 13 months in Cleveland and my new wipers installed right before winter dang near needed replacement halfway through the winter. Used em all the time and the ice, salt and grit really tore them up. I'd say both car and your locale play a part in what replacement works best. I'm reading and taking notes for when I replace mine in six years.

 

Yup. I hear ya. When I lived in southern California I replaced them a whole lot less.

 

I got a set of the PIAA blades a few weeks ago and they are very good, I highly recommend them to everyone looking for a new set of blades!

 

Try Tire Rack instead.
About $17 each with refills at $9 each.

http://www.tirerack.com/wipers/resul...dClar=Standard

 

Prices between the two places end up being nearly identical after shipping, FYI.

 

Bosch Icon wiper blades.
RainX rain repellant.
RainX washer fluid.

I used to storm-chase, so you can take that to the bank.

You could spend the bucks on an Aquapel treatment, but the same money will buy the average person a lifetime supply of RainX.

 

It seems like the PIAA super silicones are getting a lot of positive comments. Maybe I should've started the thread about wiper blades before actually went and bought mine. Live and learn I guess

 

Humm my experience with RainX is that it does not last that long. Quick scan of the net shows Rain X at about an average price of $6.00 per 7 OZ container. I just bought 6 Aquapel treatments for $5.83 each. This lasts about 6 months on my car before I need to reapply and I only do the work twice per year. I think I'm getting my monies worth.

I typically don't put anything on the side mirrors but I rarely have an issue with those.

 

I certainly love mine!

 

You are correct. I don't think RainX lasts as long as it used to. It makes me wonder if they changed the formulation or something. However, I have a 16 oz. bottle that we've been using for 4 years, between 3 cars. It's still 1/3 full. Used with the RainX washer fluid, it seems to last a very long time.

 

Anyone try BulletProof? Been using it on my replacement windshield for six months. It repels water really well like rainx but more importantly helps prevent rock chips and scratches. I had such a horrible experience with the glass installer I'm hoping this one holds up longer.