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Wiper rant
Had a nice 3 hour drive home in a total down pour Friday afternoon. Windshield wipers were chattering excessively so I decided to take a slight detour to a MINI dealer on the way home. Figured I would cash in on the new car maintenance plan and get some free blades. I was told my car was not yet eligible as I have not had it a year yet and they only supply one set a year (salesman told me i could get as many as I wanted\needed). I said ok, how much for me to pay for a set of inserts? The answer was 60 bucks, are you kidding me?! He sheepishly said nope. Needless to say I drove chatterbox home and will be going aftermarket. Floored they would charge so much.
Rant over, still over my car! |
The factory stock blades are garbage. I switched to PIAA super silicone blades and was so impressed that I ended up getting them for all of my cars. I have been running them for over 2 years now without a chatter, and perfect cleaning. And I live near Seattle, so I use them a LOT in our 9 month winter.
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For what it's worth, it's one year from manufacture and not one year of ownership.
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Starting with 2013 MINI switched to a different style connector for the R56. As of right now I do not think that there are ANY aftermarket options. If anyone has actually found aftermarket blades with the proper connection for a 2013 let me know.
I took delivery of my 2013 with 7 miles on the clock. It was raining that day and by the time I got home the chatter was excessive. Currently it is so bad that they are unusable. The dealership has changed the wiper blades twice for me in less than 1 year, most recently a few days ago on July 31st. It rained the next day and the problem is still horrible. The SA told me to bring it back in and they will change out the whole wiper arm assembly. Very frustrating when it rains. |
I see what you mean about the redesign, this is really unfortunate. I am hoping someone chimes in with a replacement but I have a feeling they do not exist. I wonder if its possible to buy the old style arms, I cant imagine what the price would be if they charge that much for blade replacements.
Maybe a salvage yard item. Really should not be this hard. |
Yes I was told the same thing when I asked for a wiper blade to be changed. It actually has a split in it and is deteriorated but still was told only once a year.
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I swapped the 2013 blades onto my 08. They chattered terribly and I contacted ECS to ask them for their thoughts. They said any form of RainX on the glass would cause it. I cleaned the class with brake clean and razor blades. Then I cleaned the glass with glass cleaner and newspaper. Immediately, no more chatter. Recently I went through the car wash and did not have the RainX applied, however their must have been some residue in their nozzles. The chatter returned. I cleaned the glass again, and the chatter disappeared.
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Hello Rain-X?
Not much good below 35mph, but still... |
how strange ... my wipers chattered horribly until I applied rainx
when they start to chatter I reapply the rainx ... every 3-4 months |
I recently took the gamble buying some PIAA super silicone refills 6mm wide removed the the steel rods and cut the end off. Pulled apart the wiper and replaced the old rubber ones. This is on a 2008 with stock wipers its a fiddly job but not too bad.
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Gregg, There is a simple solution to your problem that has worked for years.
Rather than try to explain, see |
My wifes BMW has blades similar to the new MINI ones, and PIAA makes blades that fit her car, why not MINI?
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Originally Posted by white3
(Post 3970772)
My wifes BMW has blades similar to the new MINI ones, and PIAA makes blades that fit her car, why not MINI?
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About four months ago I went to my local glass shop for a rock chip repair and saw an add there for the Aquapel glass treatment and decided to give it a try. I would have to say that it is amazing!!! far superior to RainX. No more streaking, chattering and the at highway speeds the water sheds off without the wipers. They say it lasts 6 months or so, mine is going strong at 4 months.
The glass shop cleans the window with glass cleaner then wipes the window down with rubbing alcohol and then cleans again with glass cleaner prior to applying the Aquapel. Next time i'll apply it myself and save a bunch. I was thinking of trying it on the back window as well. |
Removing the RainX. Any RainX residue will cause the chatter. I didn't believe it until I removed it and instantly it was better.
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Maybe if you asked for the wipers under warranty," Our warranty covers everything, bumper to bumper and everything in between, except the tires.†"
It says everything!! At MINI, our commitment to quality, durability and customer satisfaction is clearly demonstrated by the 4-year/50,000-mile MINI New Passenger Car Limited Warranty and a 12-year/unlimited-mileage warranty against rust perforation. And we're not just talking about a couple key parts of your MINI. Our warranty covers everything, bumper to bumper and everything in between, except the tires.† |
Originally Posted by white3
(Post 3970446)
The factory stock blades are garbage. I switched to PIAA super silicone blades and was so impressed that I ended up getting them for all of my cars. I have been running them for over 2 years now without a chatter, and perfect cleaning. And I live near Seattle, so I use them a LOT in our 9 month winter.
Back when "free" blades...they would barely last 6 months...even tried to use OEM refills I bought cheap between dealer visits...were just as bad... The PIAA ones I used (the frames anyway) are the Curved ones.. Specially engineered to fit aerodynamic windshields found on European and domestic vehicles. PIAA products deliver an upgrade in performance to help you see better in stormy weather. PIAA Wipers have even blade pressure allowing the rubber to maintain its shape, which extends the life of the wiper. This ensures a silent, clean sweep of rain or snow providing you with the visibility you need to be safe. What makes them "curved" id the rivits that are used in assembly has some extra "slop" and the frame HUGS the glass PERFECTLY on a MINI!! They use regular PIAA refills when the time comes!! http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...ni_cooper.html PIAA's super silicone wiper blades have proven to be among the best wipers blades on the market and are excellent at what they do. If your MINI Cooper needs new wiper blades, these make an excellent choice. The wiper insert of all PIAA wiper blades is made of silicone rubber, which ensures greater visibility by coating the windshield with silicone to promote continuous water beading in inclement weather. Water beads up into droplets at low speeds that are easily removed by ordinary wiping. And at higher speeds, wind pressure pushes the water off the windshield, often without even requiring wiper use. The silicone coating also reduces drag and eliminates annoying and inefficient chattering, regardless of the shape of the windshield to provide greater comfort for both driver and passenger. And the best part is that PIAA Super Silicone Wiper Blades reapply the silicone coating every time the wipers are used. PIAA wiper blades maintain a sharp, clean edge and offer better resistance to all climates - heat, ozone, ultra-violet, and wear - clearly out performing the industry standard. Sold as a matching front set of both passenger (19") and driver (18") and are complete replacements for the stock wiper blades. There is not a PIAA replacement wiper for the rear. Please note that there is NOT a 'wind deflector' on the PIAA drivers side wiper like the OEM wipers. Fit these MINI models: Gen1 MINI: R50: 2002-2006 Hatchback: Cooper R52: 2004-2008 Convertible: Cooper and Cooper S R53: 2002-2006 Hatchback: Cooper S Gen2 MINI: R55: 2008- 07/2012 Clubman: Cooper and Cooper S R56: 2007- 07/2012 Hatchback: Cooper and Cooper S R57: 2009- 07/2012 Convertible: Cooper and Cooper S IMPORTANT: These wipers will NOT fit any 07/2012 or newer MINI model. We do offer the factory replacement wiper listed on our site. |
Originally Posted by TVPostSound
(Post 3970971)
Maybe if you asked for the wipers under warranty," Our warranty covers everything, bumper to bumper and everything in between, except the tires.†"
It says everything!! At MINI, our commitment to quality, durability and customer satisfaction is clearly demonstrated by the 4-year/50,000-mile MINI New Passenger Car Limited Warranty and a 12-year/unlimited-mileage warranty against rust perforation. And we're not just talking about a couple key parts of your MINI. Our warranty covers everything, bumper to bumper and everything in between, except the tires.† not digging, just sharing info..... although what you quoted looks good, we all have to remember that there is a difference between "WARRANTY" and "MAINTANENCE PLAN" coverage.. warranty covers "defects in Material or workmanship" and does not consider a wear Item a defect ( i.e Brake pads are DESIGNED to wear, as thats how they are designed to work, hence why they are not covered under "warranty" but to us in the USA they are covered under "MAINTANENCE" wiper inserts fall under the same rule. here is what the guidlines say .. During normal use and operation, some vehicle components and fluids experience varying degrees of wear and tear. Under the Maintenance Program, some of these items are covered, they are replaced either at specific intervals or, when necessary during a vehicle inspection. The decision to replace a component, when applicable, must be based on the corresponding BMW Repair Manual procedure and/or Technical Data information. "On a personal experience note, i have found that most (not all) chatters have to do with residue on the windshield or the blades themselves.. I clay bar my windshield every so often, then clean with newspaper and water diluted rubbing alcohol. It seems to work well.. dont forget to clean the blades also. |
I've clayed it, I've scraped it with a razor blade, and I clean the windows on average 3 times a week if not more. It's safe to say that there is no residue on the windshield.
It just sucks that I can't try aftermarket blades to rule them out. |
Originally Posted by cerenkov
(Post 3971018)
I've clayed it, I've scraped it with a razor blade, and I clean the windows on average 3 times a week if not more. It's safe to say that there is no residue on the windshield.
It just sucks that I can't try aftermarket blades to rule them out. Regards .. |
MiniMania:
The PIAA Si-Tech (Silicone Technology) Flat Wiper Blade, a modern, frameless design that delivers all-season performance, thanks to PIAA’s patented silicone impregnated rubber blades. These blades come with adapters to fit both the earlier 'Hook Type' arm, and also the newer 'Top-Lock' type arm. The newer 'Top-Lock' type arm has tabs on either side that you squeeze to release, then you pivot the blade down to remove. Fits all current MINI models. http://new.minimania.com/part/G2NMA2...at-Wiper-Blade if MiniMania has them ... I'd think anyplace that sells PIAA has them . . . they are silly expensive tho ********** I went to the AutoZone web site, entered MINI Cooper 2014 as my car and searched wiper blades .... several pop up starting at $15 .... next checked the ANCO site - those blades in the blue and yellow packaging - again searched for 2014 Cooper .... they note that the correct adapter is sold separately ... but should be readily found (or could be ordered) maybe this attachment issue is old news? |
Cool, that is the new style, I will order the PIAA from minimania and try them.
EDIT: Ordered a set. Should have them in a few days, now it probably won't rain for a few weeks. :) |
To the point, this is what I use...
PIAA 93348 Super Sporza Wiper Blade Passenger Side (19") PIAA 93345 Super Sporza Wiper Blade Driver Side (18") And they have the wind deflectors to keep them on the windscreen where they belong. |
I got a 09 R56 but installed MY13 new style blades for 5 months and it start to clatter every time after car wash, but I got rain X applied. Looks like new blades soon?
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PIAA's newest style is Aero Vogue. Their 3 styles are compatible with MINI (except maybe for the new 2013+ mounting).
http://www.piaa.com/store/c/28-Wiper-Blades.aspx Application Guide: http://www.piaa.com/Shared/Applicati...0Guide_web.pdf (basically get an 18" and a 19" of the style you want). You can get them from Amazon. I just ordered a set of Aero Vogue. |
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