I just drove my car in the rain/snow for for the first time yesterday and the windshield wipers were horrible - bad enough I almost had to pull over. They just smeared the water all over without removing it cleanly at all. This was for both front blades (the back on works pretty good). Are the stock blades just crap or do I need to go back to the dealer?
Thanks,
-Alex

 

They are really bad.

 

Have you used your wipers/washers much since getting your MINI?? How did they perform then?? I'm not in the Snow Belt by any means, but I do protect my wiper blades with 303 Areospace Rubber & Vinyl Protectant, keeps them plyable and streak free for the 6mo. they are on, then I go to the Dealer and have them replaced. I also make my own Washer Fluid with 303 Instant Windshield Washer Tablets!!

 

I got it around 3 weeks ago and they were a bit streaky when using the washer fluid. Other than that this was the first real use. It's too bad that they negated the affect of the automatic speed that I was really excited for.

 

I've heard of others who do not like the Auto-Sensing Wipers, I on the other hand L@VE them, being in the PNW they are a necessity. You could syphon out the Washer Fluid and I either make your own like I do, or try the various forms of De-Icer Washer Fluid, either way I would put something on the Blades to lube them a bit, this should help a great deal.

 

Clean the windshield and the blades..... and run the blades a lot - they need to break-in a bit.

I would replace them ASAP, but not bother replacing them with OEM, they are pretty much poo.

Try the PIAAs in my sig, Amazon is a good source.

Wiper blades:
18” Driver, 19” Passenger
PIAA Super Silicone Curved: 93245 & 93248

 

Treating the windshield makes a big difference to me. Rain-x or for me the goo that came with the PIAAs. On the highway, in light rain (not at night because of the streetlamps) I can leave wipers off and it just beads away.

 

I bought the Goodyear wipers at Costco, they work very well. They're like 8 bucks each.

 

I bought a pair of Rain-X wipers for about $20, they work really well also.

 

X2 on the RainEx....... I use the wiper fluid in all my rigs.

X2 on the GoodYear wiper blades from Costco, guy I know says they work well.

 

Dang, I was really hoping to hear i got a defective pair. Well thanks for the advice - I'm going to go for the piaa. they seem to have some good reviews s

 

don't know how far you live from the dealer but Mini must know their wipers are poor as they have replaced the wipers on my '09 MCS each time I went in for other things (3x) without me asking for new blades.

 

I've always asked them to replace Molly's Wiper Blades, whether I have to pay for them ($11 for all 3) to be replaced or not. Yes, they'll replace them once a year for Free under the Free Maintenance Program, so I just pick up the tab for the other times I've asked to have them replaced.

 

Blades should last 12 months if they are not poo. He has a 2011 for crying out loud.

I just hope they don't toss my PIAAs with MINI the poo blades when we go in for the July oil change....

 

The car is shipped with a cosmoline type of spray on the wind shield, They do nothing to protect the wipers when they put it on and generally the transport company will turn on the wipers to see out of the windshield when they need to move the cars around causing the goop to get on the wiper more. If you get a new Mini clean the wiper with something like alcohol before you need to use the wipers..

 

these come w/ a lifetime guarantee*
18"
19"

I've used them on all my vehicles for the last 10 years... and there's no need for any kind of windshield treatment either.

*after they crap out - which is usually after a year + for me - it only costs about $3 to get them replaced.

 

CLEAN the glass

I run mine with a razor blade twice a year and anytime the wipers begin to hang up or streak.

Done carefully there is less danger to your glass then there is to your fingers. Properly razored, your glass is ready for windex and any other crud you want to put on it. The windex IS important as this ammonia cleaner WILL finish the cleaning, and anything else just clouds the issue (pun intended) but I have been an occasional fan of Rain-x and similar products.

I've done the rain-x, and the piaa and nothing beats razor blade at 6 months and new blades from a decent brand.

You're gonna be amazed what comes off your glass the first time you run a razor over it. And a squeegee - that's all ww wipers are - works WAY better on smooth surfaces.

Paint scraper at your local hardware - I pay 95 cents for a single edge razor in a plastic handle . . .

 

the car is 3 weeks old! i put rainx on today and i've decided against ordering new blades. the current ones look fine and i've cleaned them each time i've washed the car. I guess they've sourced a new supplier for the blades or my contact angle is just wrong. either way, this is a part that should work and i'm going to go down to the dealer and see if a replacement makes them not suck.

masavacool: That's not a bad idea. They probably figure that almost no one actually replaces them like you do .

 

Cleaning the windshield might help a great deal, i usually use a contaminant/wax stripper (on all my glass) then follow up with a car wax, works similar to using rain-x, and makes the glass shine

 

Actually, when I first started using them... you could call their phone number, and they'd ship you a new set for nothing. But I only managed to get that to happen twice.

 

masava: haha!

striped toad: i've never thought of using wax on the glass. Actually, I didn't believe you (at first) but a google search confirms this isn't a crazy idea . I'm ready to try it next time i wax the car (still unnamed :/ ) . anyone else do this?

 

When my MINI was new I clayed the windshield (all the glass actually) and applied wax to it. I usually clay the windshield about once a year to get the more stubborn stuff off. Wax every time the car is waxed (twice a year) and of course Hydro treatments in between.

For normal cleaning I use either Invisible Glass or Sprayway Cleaner, whatever I can get my hands on when a bottle runs out.

Ditto on the recommendation to keep the glass clean to help improve the performance of the wipers.

A long time ago my father taught me to use some sandpaper on the wiper blades to get crud off of them. Not sure whether that is advisable with today's blades. Haven't had to go that route. I do make sure when I wash the car to run my wash mitt along the blades themselves a couple times to at least knock off anything on the surface.

 

Yes, clay baring is an amazing way to get the crud off!

 

I won't exactly say that Mini's blades are "poop", but they're not the worst things in the world either. Try the ones Toyota supplies!
It really sounds like you just got a set of blades that prematurely dried out. Rubber materials, almost all of them, have a shelf life and a working life. There is no telling how long the blades on your car sat around the factory prior to being installed on your car.

I personally like the Rain-X blades. Here in New England the salt and sand destroy wiper blades and it's nice to just go to a Wal-Mart and get a new set.

 

You are so tight, you squeek!

At least your wiper blades don't.