I have known for a while I should replace my front wiper blades but now they really could do with being replaced, cleaning them would probably get it through the MOT but nothing lasts for ever and I would like an upgrade from the OEM anyway.
I big shed car shop some known in the trade as 'Frauds' have some Bosch standard ones for £8.99, are these any good? They don't seem much cheaper on Eurocar parts and that is for a brand I have never heard of.
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I changed both Kia's wipers for the bosh ones with the lockable catch onto the wiper arm for around £90 from halfords.
These are the floppy type wipers but are very good. Well worth the extra money.
I believe in halfords the front set are around £20
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I was a bit taken aback at that too! Two fronts and one rear fitted to my E Class at the last service by an MB dealer were £48 I want to remember.
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I changed all wipers on both cars hence the price
The sendonas front wipers were a bit more expensive due to the size needed
Last edited by: diddy1234 on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 17:36
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I bought three Halfords wipers for my modest limousine a few weeks ago for just under £28. They seem do the job as well as the ones I have had previously from my main dealer, and they wanted over £50.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 17:48
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All very well, but it's a bit like wearing cheap underpants, no one else knows or cares but you just don't feel quite right about it and the sort of person you may have allowed yourself to become.
:-)
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>> All very well, but it's a bit like wearing cheap underpants, no one else knows or cares but you just don't feel quite right about it and the sort of person you may have allowed yourself to become. :-) >>
Have you become a careless wiper..?
Tesco sell wiper blades at very reasonable prices, including the "floppy" ones.
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They sell underpants too I'd imagine but you just wouldn't. Would you?
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>> All very well, but it's a bit like wearing cheap underpants, no one else knows
>> or cares but you just don't feel quite right about it and the sort of
>> person you may have allowed yourself to become.
>>
>> :-)
>>
There speaks a man who wears either a thong or a speedo.
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No chance, good underpants are measured by the same standards as good hotels.
In other words, the bigger the ballroom the better.
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>> They seem do the job as well as the ones I have had
>> previously from my main dealer, and they wanted over £50.
>>
One blade is faulty already and needs to be exchanged. I should have bought the more expensive ones from the main dealer, as I have in the past.
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>> Deesa good effendi:
Many thanks.
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I think that site was recommended by gordon bennet ... whoever he was.
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If they're the normal hook type fitting around two quid each at Wilkinsons. Never had a problem with them and just as good as the £9.99 one I got at Halfords last week when Wilko didn't have a 19" in stock.
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A set of Nissan branded wiper blades for my wife's Qashqai are dearer than a set of Mercedes branded ones for my E Class.
Also the servicing costs at a Nissan dealer for her petrol car have been the same ( if not more ) than the servicing costs for the Merc diesel. ( neither unreasonable in fairness so far anyway )
Both of which I thought was QI.
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To *hopefully* make life easier for C4P members, if you copy / paste your overlong link into the box and click on the "Make TinyURL!" button.
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Oh...OK...I never knew that...looks OK in Safari !
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I'm in Safari and it's right across the blinking iPad ! Naughty mod.
;-)
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S'funny, it is right-across-the-screen for me in Opera but okay in IE.
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Bought a spare pair of Aldi ones for £5 for the MX5. I've used them before and they've been fine.
The rear one on the Outlander is a 'special' and I was pleasantly surprised at £11 from the dealer.
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>> I was a bit taken aback at that too! Two fronts and one rear fitted
>> to my E Class at the last service by an MB dealer were £48 I
>> want to remember.
>>
You wouldn't got to Harrods for M&S pants so why go to a main dealer for Trico or whoever stamps a silver arrow on a box? Unless MB have started making their own rubber blades they've only put their name on another companies blades.
I bought Valeo from Eurocarparts because they were half the price of Bosch from ATU. They look identical to the "Volvo" ones I took off.
Last edited by: gmac on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 18:52
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I like the MB ones because they're reasonably priced and have 'wear' indicators, which I think are just some form of UV sensitive material, that change colour when they're losing effectiveness. I don't think I even paid the £48 Humph paid - I want to say under £40 - and they fit them as well. What's not to like?
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Wear indicators on the wipers? Really?
What happens if they change colour but are still effective, or worse, they are ineffective and haven't changed colour?
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I really need them tomorrow now, mine are completely shot, just driven home in the rain and it wasn't pleasant. They still clear the screen but the screeching goes right through me. I will pop into Tesco and also ALDI to see if they have any.
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>>
>> What happens if they change colour but are still effective, or worse, they are ineffective
>> and haven't changed colour?
>>
Well I assume that the indicator works on UV exposure, on the basis most of the time they do nothing but still degrade...but that might be wrong? In reality of course it's just a way to increase the frequency at which blades are changed. But then people who frequent car forums probably pay attention to wiper performance; I'd wager most don't and so having something to prompt them seems like a sensible idea...
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I really don't know who makes the MB branded ones in reality, but the first set lasted 50000 miles and the second set are still doing fine at 85000 ( ie they've done 35000 so far.) so I think they must be quite good.
I always always always give the screen a good soaking with screen wash as soon as they come on though. I think it helps to lubricate them.
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>> I like the MB ones because they're reasonably priced and have 'wear' indicators, which I
think are just some
>> form of UV sensitive material, that change colour when they're losing
effectiveness.
>> I don't think I even paid the £48 Humph paid - I want to
say under £40 -
>> and they fit them as well. What's not to like?
I paid £23 for a front pair for the C-Class, although I suspect that was a discounted price because I was at the MB dealer for work and just happened to ask a passing parts person :)
Fitting the flat blades is as simple as lifting the arms away from the 'screen and rotating the blades 90° - no fiddly fragile clips involved. Would seem to make them alarmingly easy to half-inch in fact.
For Rattle's enquiry though, he should ignore all the tosh about "premium coated" blades and just buy a pair from Wilkinson's. They give a flawless clean and last about a year, but because they cost 2 quid instead of 20 he won't begrudge changing them when their performance tails off.
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Thanks I will look into wiko, not sure where my nearest one is though, my local one is closing in the summer but it is already half empty :(. There is one in Sale but parking can be a bit of a nightmare, getting a tram into the city centre might be the best option. Will be a good excuse to have a look round town.
I see how busy I am with jobs.
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I changed both Kia's wipers...
Ah, you meant both Kias' wipers, hence the confusion. Or perhaps no-one imagined one person would have two Kias.
};---)
Two new Bosch floppies for the LEC were about £30 fitted and are very good. It has a £2 Wilkinson blade on the back, which seems quite adequate.
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>> nothing lasts for ever
The ones on my 2006 Vectra are still the originals and still going strong.
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Is your car garaged at night though? Mine is parked under a tree most of the time.
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No it's not that Rats. Just that Vauxhalls y'know, don't handle all that well in the wet...
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 21:51
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Get the Tram to Sale, Rats....the stop is only a hundred yards from Wilkis.
I need a new rear one for the Grand Vitara. The floppy bit has come off and I've been using the flat rubber left. I've plenty of good used ones in the workshop...all sizes.
I might nip to Halfords if they offer free fitting, though. What they might not know is that the spare wheel has to come off.....it's heavy for an old crock like me to lift back and align with the studs !
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LIDL's were doing them recently, I bought a couple of pairs as they'd been fine previously.
Damn things judder like mad - they're slightly different to the ones I'd removed. The new ones seem to have a shorter blade length and don't 'flop' over!
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>> I might nip to Halfords if they offer free fitting
Pair = £2.99
Single = £1.99
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>> I might nip to Halfords if they offer free fitting, though.
I know, like most chains the quality of work varies somewhat, but I wouldn't trust them to tell me the time, let alone do any work on my car. I saw the bodge they made on a colleagues Zafira after fitting new wiper blades.
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>>but I wouldn't trust them to tell me the time, let alone do any work on my car.
Sadly I have to agree. A while ago I got my local one to change the headlight bulb on either my V70 or the 5 Series. It was enough to make one week and I eventually took over before they broke something.
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A week is a very long time to replace a headlight bulb - even for Halford's. :-)
(Predictive text, I guess?)
Last edited by: Pigs-Might-Fly on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 14:02
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Dammit. "Weep". I hait preediktuv tekst and ortocorrect.
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>> No it's not that Rats. Just that Vauxhalls y'know, don't handle all that well in
>> the wet...
>>
>> ;-)
How would he know? he cant see a damn thing in the wet, wot with them worn out out wiper blades.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 07:55
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>> How would he know? he cant see a damn thing in the wet, wot with
>> them worn out out wiper blades.
Mock all you like, you're only jealous that yours fall apart after 5 mins and mine haven't.
#pokes tongue out#
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>> Is your car garaged at night though?
It is, but I think you'll find it's actually daylight (the UV from the sun) and not night time that does the damage. And most of the time my car is left outside during the day.
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Th floppy ones are crap, no matter who makes them, its Standard Bosh blades for me every time, none of this Lidl carp.
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Discovered a problem, the blades on my car are not that standard, the drivers side is 23" and the passenger side is 16". Not a problem getting them from Halfords and Eurocarparts etc but I believe the 23" blade is not that common. Most are 22 or 24".
A pair of Bosch ones come in at £23 so I am thinking I might just bight the bullet. Still a bit cheaper than OEM ones from FIAT.
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For the specific size for my Panda, the Halfords ones are not even that expensive, and I know they are genuine Bosch, unlike from a local motor factor.
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£23? Bight [sic] the bullet? Rats, can you afford to run a car if you balk at trivial amounts for routine consumables?
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Paying £23 for blades is not an issue, but it is expensive when you think you can get them from £1 from the poundshop, no doubt they are crap but probably identical to the Wilkinson ones.
I also have to pay for that scratch repair (ex neighbour keyed my car as a leaving present), MOT, tax disc and new front suspension top mounts all in a month. Even if the car passes the MOT after fixing the suspension that is still going to come to £200, I paid £120 for the service last month, £100 for the loan, £100+ for the scratch etc so this is not going to be a cheap motoring month.
On the other hand I have learnt the hard way from tools you get what you pay for, although you can still get some bargains.
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The Bosch ones were only 12 quid for the pair in the link further up by Victorbox
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You have to pay postage on top though, while I am not planning of using my car over the weekend I need to sort this by Monday and by the time you pay for next day delivery the bill comes to £20 so only £3 cheaper. I should have ordered them from wiper blades a few days a go but it was only really yesterday they have got so noisy they are hard to drive with.
Does show how much of a rip off Halfords is though but sometimes you have to pay for the convenience. I do have Amazon prime so I will check on Amazon now but will only buy from Amazon directly, just too many fakes around otherwise.
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>> Discovered a problem, the blades on my car are not that standard, the drivers side
>> is 23" and the passenger side is 16".
That pretty much is the standard nowadays. Very few cars now have a matching pair of equal length blades.
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I need to get some new ones for the Toyota (they are squeaky), I'll probably go with Bosch, but any thoughts on PIAA?
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I think I have sorted it, a place called GSF in Trafford Park, £15.18 for the pair and they are doing a free offer on Screenwash.
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Floppy ones are good for nothing. Bosch every time (coz I worship ground Zero stands on and if it's the only thing that's good enough for him then likewise for me).
Reminds me, current ones aren't working very well, and have just checked email from online order to see they're 15 months old. So maybe it's time for some new ones - I'd been blaming the garage that washed my car for using wax shampoo on the windscreen, but now I suspect it's old age.
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Got the blades but managed to snap off the plastic clip that goes round the hook :(. I fitted it but it was too loose so I assumed I had not fitted it right, tried to remove it and snapped it as I did it :(.
I haven't dared try to replace the 23" one in case I do it again.
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Should've gone to Halfords.
};---)
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Don't tell me what I already know! I have managed to repair the blade by using the old clip which is the same, still cannot work out how to do it though as the fitting is not the quite the same as the youtube ones.
I feel stupid but I won't let this defeat me.
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Finally done it, PS I hope my last comment didn't sound harsh it was meant in a way that I was annoyed with myself not Wild :).
In the end I took of the old plastic clips from my old wiper and put them into my Bosch as they were a perfect fit, made the process as a lot easier.
New wipers work perfectly and are silent :).
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>>
>> In the end I took of the old plastic clips from my old wiper and
>> put them into my Bosch as they were a perfect fit, made the process as
>> a lot easier.
>>
>>
That's what I end up doing nine times out of ten. The multi-pack of assorted fittings rarely seem to have one that's exactly the same as yours.
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Don't worry, Rats, no offence taken. You'd have been quite within your rights if you were annoyed with me, given how much your legs, chain and other components get pulled around here.
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I get on well with the the Bosch Aerotwin flat blades
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Me too, Melders. The Wilko cheapie on the back of the LEC lasted about a fortnight before starting to chirrup. That'll be getting Bosched too.
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>> Me too, Melders. The Wilko cheapie on the back of the LEC lasted about a
>> fortnight before starting to chirrup. That'll be getting Bosched too.
>>
It's the old story - you get what you pay for !
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Bosch every time, even on the sheds.
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>> ... a place called GSF in Trafford Park ...>>
German, Swedish and French Parts is a big business with outlets in many parts of the UK..:-)
But EuroCarParts is also a well known outlet and often with even keener prices.:
www.eurocarparts.com/car-parts?gclid=CO36lPy0lb4CFe3JtAodZzcAUw
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Just been out to run an errand and took SWMBO car, I noticed the wipers were streaking the screen assumed it was some seeds from the overhanging trees stuck in the rubbers.
Got home, pulled the blades off and ran my fingers down the rubber to remove the seeds. The end is missing off the drivers side blade in the centre of the car = nothing to keep the rubber on the metal blade.
I need the complete assembly rather than being able to just switch the rubber. The blades are 32" and 30".
Replacement set of blades from ATU 61,99€ for a new set of SWF (Valeo). Ouch ! Think I'll wait until I'm in the UK next and pick up a set of Bosch for £27 from EuroCarParts.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 28 Jun 14 at 14:29
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Years ago we used to live in rural miles from nothing, 1200 feet above sea level, no street lighting of course and my wife had a 30 mile each way commute to work.
I worked away a lot in those days and had been away for 6 weeks one winter. I came home after that trip and used 'her' car over the weekend. It soon occurred to me that the wiper blade ( singular, it was an old Panda ) was totally trashed and what's more, both dipped beam bulbs were out. Resultantly, in the middle of a Scottish winter, she had been driving around, in the dark with only sidelights or full beam, with a wiper which effectively just smeared any rain over the glass.
When I asked her if she had noticed the reduced visibility she admitted she had but had no idea why it was so bad.
Sheesh.
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I can understand not missing the light from the those headlights, they were the same, or very similar to the FIAT 127 which I had.
I can get more light off the end of my nose after a drink than what those things put out*.
*I am not condoning drink/driving before anyone starts.
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Back in the Volvo today after ten days in which Mrs Beest has been using it. It had just popped up the 'Fill screenwash' warning on my last outing, so of course it had been thoroughly topped up since then. Of course.
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No doubt Mrs Beest has been to busy cleaning the cooker, emptying the hoover and sorting out the washing machine and was forced to leave you the arduous job of putting a jug of water in a plastic container.
Women eh!
:-)
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Hmmm. Let me write that list down and consider it while I'm ironing my shirts tomorrow afternoon.
}:---(
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At the severe risk of seeming po faced ( don't mean to be honestly ) but... When you've spent umpty ump thousand pounds on a car it does seem a bit scrimpety to fit or perhaps worse, wait to fit cheap wiper blades to see out of it, or indeed cheap tyres to keep it on the black stuff. Even on my high-ish mileage I normally get a year or often quite a lot more out of wiper blades. Less than the cost of a tank of fuel ( actually quite a lot less ) to replace all three on my car with OE branded ones which seem to work.
I mean you wouldn't wear rubbish shoes with a good suit would you? Or would you...surely not?
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sat 28 Jun 14 at 21:56
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It happens RDH, I knew someone who had a (very) hot hatch driven to the limit most days. However he skimped on tyres like you wouldn't believe bought budget tyres left them down to below legal limit. He did end up in a countryside ditch, skidded in bad weather, no surprise. Cost a fortune to put right.
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SWMBO tells me when the salt or rinse-aid lights come up on the dishwasher and she readily admits she doesn't know how to switch on the vacuum cleaner.
I could regale you with tales of daughters who didn't know they had to empty the water tank of the (condenser) tumble dryer, or how to top up the windscreen washers of their MX5..........................
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>> At the severe risk of seeming po faced ( don't mean to be honestly )
>> but... When you've spent umpty ump thousand pounds on a car it does seem a
>> bit scrimpety to fit or perhaps worse, wait to fit cheap wiper blades to see
>> out of it, or indeed cheap tyres to keep it on the black stuff. Even
>> on my high-ish mileage I normally get a year or often quite a lot more
>> out of wiper blades. Less than the cost of a tank of fuel ( actually
>> quite a lot less ) to replace all three on my car with OE branded
>> ones which seem to work.
>>
That depends on what you define as cheap?
Are we talking about buying and fitting blades from the Won-ky rubber company vs OE equipment or the difference between paying £27 and £49 for exactly the same OE item?
To some it's neither here nor there as long as it's OE.
What difference does the price make, it's OE ?
Others will object to being asked to pay almost double for the same item.
For some it will come down to timing. Is it a distress purchase i.e. going on a cross-continent drive tonight must repair immediately, compared to the car only does 20 miles/week and the weather forecast is good for the next few days. A temporary repair can be made to hold the part together until it is convenient to replace.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 29 Jun 14 at 07:49
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Fair enough. Very sensible. Not tight at all...prudent in fact.
;-p
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Dare I admit to paying just £2 /£3 or maybe £4 to have just the rubbers replaced in my wipers by a kind man at my motor factors ?
A real bargain when it is the rear wiper blade on a Yaris.
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>> No doubt Mrs Beest has been to busy cleaning the cooker, emptying the hoover and
>> sorting out the washing machine and was forced to leave you the arduous job of
>> putting a jug of water in a plastic container.
>>
>> Women eh!
>>
>> :-)
>>
You must have big jugs and huge kitchens in East Anglia ;-)
9.5 pint jugs must take some cupboard space.
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But the extra fingers make the handles easier to hold.
};---)
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I genuinely didn't know we had a dishwasher for the first few years we had one. It's concealed behind a panel which looks the same as the other kitchen/utility units. I only found it by accident one day. She says it's very good. I still wouldn't have a clue how to work it. Looks quite scary to me. There's a big white propellor in it for goodness sake.
What's more she has this huge iron with loads of buttons and diagrams on it. Not touching that either. I do use the hoover though, on the cars anyway, it's red and has Henry written on it. Apparently it's good too in hoovering terms. Wouldn't know. Never made a study of such things. Women should keep a bit of mystery about them I always feel.
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Washing machines, tumble dryers, dish washers, vacuum cleaners I'm happy to have a tangle with. The high pressure steam iron thingymajig though ! Oh No ! No way.
The way that hisses and spits I think that is definitely something for the fairer sex. Probably designed by a woman anyway.
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>> wouldn't have a clue how to work it. Looks quite scary to me. There's a big white propellor in it for goodness sake.
I can balance the plates and things among the grilles and prongs and I can press the button or buttons to make it start. But I haven't a clue where to put the various substances and the tablet thing.
There are two here. One of them started to smell like an Asian or African open sewer. There's some cleaner stuff you can get that cures it though.
Herself (who has sound, healthy habits) instructs me to turn the machines on after midnight to get cheap electricity. But I can't do it unless she leaves them ready to go.
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I don't mind doing a bit of washing up in the sink if I've been cooking. Couldn't be bothered with the wooshy gurgly thing. It seems to make such a palaver of it all.
Generally, if I'm on catering duty, I'll go on turd patrol in the garden after dinner so that the dog has a fresh lawn for the morning and then do the dishes by hand afterwards. Gets your nails clean y'see. Kills two birds sort of thing.
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>> Gets your nails clean y'see. Kills two birds sort of thing.
Ladies used to say the same thing about making bread sauce at Christmas shortly after eviscerating the turkey.
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A tenner each should be much more than enough! I bet most are made in China for about 50p.
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>> A tenner each should be much more than enough! I bet most are made in
>> China for about 50p.
>>
What are? The wiper blades, dishwasher tablets or dog turds? I'm lost now...
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>> One of them started to smell like an Asian or African open sewer. There's some cleaner stuff you can get that cures it though.
I put some citric acid through mine now and again. It seems to be what most dishwasher cleaners consist of. I get it from a home-brew suppliers, just don't let them think you're using it to 'cut' heroin!
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>> I put some citric acid through mine now and again. It seems to be what most dishwasher cleaners consist of. I get it from a home-brew suppliers,
>>
I buy it at my local independent hardware shop.
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>> smell like an Asian or African open sewer.
I once used a lavatory in a zoo in China.
The doctor thinks I might be better soon.
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GSF are doing cracking deals on wiper blades just now.
Just got 3 blades and free screen wash for a grand total of £7.63.
www.gsfcarparts.com/parts/service-parts/wiper-blades
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Sadly not for our car £31.20 for two blades. Always good too shop around though. Having one blade at 32" and the other 30" I must be buying a rubber plantation.
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Wiper blades - diddy1234
