![]() You don’t have want to have to fiddle with packaging and have your wiper arm fall or be knocked onto your windshield, possibly scratching or cracking it. The wiper arm is metal, and when you remove the old blade, it’s best to have the new one ready right away so you can immediately replace it. Remove new blades from packaging and have them at the ready. ![]() If you’d like, you can experiment and test out different price ranges every time you switch out your blades, just be sure to not mix-and-match brands and price points on your windshield at any given time. Even if only one blade is worn, you should always replace both blades at the same time since the other likely isn’t far off. ![]() I bought blades that were each around $13 (they were slightly different prices since they were different lengths). You don’t need the most expensive, but you shouldn’t buy the cheapest either. How do you know what to go with? All the advice out there basically says to find something in the happy middle. You’ll find blades ranging from $20+ each to under $10. When you first go into a store to buy wiper blades, you’ll likely be a little overwhelmed by all the choices. Be to sure to flatten the blade when measuring versus trying to measure it while curved. On our car, for the sake of example, the driver’s side blade is 26” and the passenger’s side is 17”. You’ll find blades anywhere from 12-28”, and it’s probable that your two blades are actually different sizes (with the driver’s side blade being longer). If you’d like to do that legwork yourself (it doesn’t hurt to know firsthand), measure what’s already on your car. Handily, Amazon also lets you enter in your vehicle info and will show what blades are compatible with it. Ultimately, if your wipers aren’t doing their job anymore and you’re having a hard time seeing the road in the midst of rain and snow showers, change ’em out. This usually happens annually, though it can more or less depending on how often you use them and the environment you’re in. If the rubber looks worn or cracked, it’s time for a change. And finally, you can do a visual inspection. You’ll also know if your wipers need replacing if they make a chattering noise and don’t smoothly glide across the glass. Are the wipers leaving the windshield (or at least the areas covered by the blades) just as wet and/or dirty as it started? Is there some film/grime left over after each pass of the blades? When it’s raining or snowing and your wipers are in use, do you find yourself needing to watch the road through one tiny spot of windshield that’s been successfully cleared? If you answer yes to any or all of these questions, it’s time for new blades. The easiest way to tell if you need new wiper blades is to simply gauge their effectiveness when being used on the road. When Should You Replace Your Wiper Blades? That’s admittedly not a ton of money, but every little bit helps in the war on debt, and again, you’re gaining a tiny bit of self-reliance to boot. You’ll save probably $10-$15 per wiper blade over having it done at a shop, and it will only take you about 15 minutes (less after you’ve done it a few times). Let’s add to that list by showing you how to replace your windshield wipers. Not only that, there’s an intrinsic satisfaction that comes with fixing something with your own two hands, even if it’s a simple task. As we’ve established over the years, there are a number of relatively easy automotive maintenance tasks that you can save money on by doing yourself.
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