call me ocd but after changing my blades between 3 different types, i actually claybar'd the window. This helps a lot bc there are a lot of imbedded particles that cause streaking bc they actually damage the blades over time causing the edge to dull down. Now I just claybar the window at the beginning of the rain season and it helps a lot.

Damn, I clayed the entire car and not the windshield, that is a great idea!!!

Wow, I'm surprised nobody posted this video yet.

For the people with wiper blade chatter, check out this youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTjwpC44zo

I did the instructions on this video. Then I bought 2 RainX wiper blades, both 18 inch. Cleanest wipes I've ever seen. Solved all my problems.

take a look at the trico neoforms...they rock. trico just came out with a new blade called "tech" too but haven't heard feedback on them yet. Both are the flat, euro-style, frameless "beam blades". Google lookup wiper size, punch in your make/model/year and you'll find them out there.

Rock On!
Jeff

that was interesting, never thought of it like that

I wish that gentleman would make a video explaining and providing a DIY solution to all the MINI's problems.

Wouldn't that be great!??!!

Well, he proved it works on the video but it still bothers me taking a monkey wrench to a wiper arm!! LOL With my luck, I'd snap it off!!

Slip a shop towel or tape the spot where you will use the tool to adjust arm to save the finish. Less is more on this adjustment and you can always change it back too.

Is the rear window's wiper also 19" size? Is there a rear specific wiper or can I use the same as the front?

EDIT: I answer my own question through another thread.

Bumping a two year old thread to help anyone who is experiencing unhappiness with their OEM blades, as I am / was.

Brand new OEM blades squeaked and chattered at the end of each stroke, when the wipers reversed direction. This mirrored the experience I have had with OEM blades on my 335 (which I subsequently now run with Rain-X Latitudes). Hoping that the PIAAs work well for me as they have for others, but just to answer a previously asked question, and an additional observation.

* PIAA silicone refills / inserts will NOT fit the OEM blade (frame / structure). The PIAAs are about 1 - 1.5 mm narrower than the OEM refills / inserts.

* 19" blades will work on both driver and passenger sides. I ordered the PIAA super silicone blades in the stock 18"/19" sizes, and found that the passenger side far edge lifted off the curved part of the windshield at the end of the stroke (as others have found). Although this did not bother me too much, I was curious about swapping the blades and putting the 18" blade on the passenger side. This helped with the lifting somewhat because of the shorter blade, but did not eliminate it. What I found interesting was that with the 19" blade on the driver side, and the 18" on the passenger side, the wipers at full vertical, was same distance from the top of the windshield to the end of the wiper blades (for those with OCD). This meant that with the stock sizes of 18" driver / 19" passenger, the passenger blade passes closer to the top of the windshield than the driver blade. So, for me, I decided to leave the blades set at 19" driver / 18" passenger to keep the symmetry and my OCD in check. But for anyone asking, 19" will work on both sides, as well as 18" on both sides, without any issues.

Hope this helps.

Scratch that last statement about the distance from the end of the blades to the top of the windshield - it was an optical illusion. I went back to measure it (because of my OCD), and I was wrong. I'm still keeping it 19" driver and 18" passenger, though. (Helps with the "V-pattern" in post #5 of this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...m-removal.html .)

If you don't like improvising on wiper sizes, wipers123 online is a great place to lookup wiper sizes easily. Their engineers not only track length but also all of the newer special attachments that have come out in recent years. There are no longer COMPLETELY universal wiper blades - most fit most...but most don't fit all...if that makes any sense. As far as specific wipers, the neoform line does not incorporate snap-on attachments and comes in different part numbers for different wiper arms. The tech line uses a snap-on attachment system for the variety of wiper arms. Can't go wrong either way, but neoforms are actually better for the money.