I have, today, needed reviving with smelling salts (well, nearly!).
Our newly acquired 51 plate Alhambra came with rather worn front wipers so I decided that a new set was needed.
Off to the local motor factor I went and presenting the service book, asked for replacement blades to suit the model & chassis number.
Rather surprised to find the cost was so high - around 40 euros with a bit of discount.
Got home to find they were wrong - a "traditional" fit to the wiper arm with a clip thingy, whereas the fitting on the car's wiper arm was on a simple post which was secured by rotating the blade to bear against a retainer.
Trotted back, returned the wrong ones and took one of the blades in as a pattern.
No problem - in stock.
Then the parts chap keyed in the product code and did a double take. Keyed in again and whistled.
The list price of these is, inc IVA (VAT), @ 18% is NINETY EUROS!
Come on - 90€ is around 78 quid at todays rates.
78 quid for a set of wiper blades - are they extracting the the urine?
The nice man was so shocked he gave me a 30% trade discount, so in the end I paid around 65 euros, but that, even for a Bosch labelled product - probably made in China for about a fiver - is seriously OTT.
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I made a mistake too a few weeks ago, pick ups blades starting to split after 3 years but blade holders good as new.
Now being a money saver when possible (tight), thought i'd save a few quid and get a pair of inserts which Toyota list as spares.
1x17" and 1x19" i think, cost £17ish...shan't do that again, still sore, be using one of the internet sellers.
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Ha, GB, I had exactly the same thing last year with my LC. Must have spent a good hour messing around trying to fit just the rubbers, and then they still didn't work as well as complete new wipers. Live and learn.
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>> Must have
>> spent a good hour messing around trying to fit just the rubbers, and then they
>> still didn't work as well as complete new wipers.
Yours must be different D, fitting couldn't have been quicker or simpler, just push the blade out of the holder, refit the 2 metal tension strips in the grooves and push back in till they clipped in.
I did try to find rubber inserts elsewhere, but couldn't find any close ups of the profile.
Hopefully someone knows where to get such things from, then in the immortal words of much missed dad....i'll buy 6 of the pfd's.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 22 Jan 11 at 17:27
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Its manufacturer supplied blades and carriers every time for me.
Never had any luck with aftermarket scheiße
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The price does seem high.
One option would be to check with a Ford dealer for a Galaxy.
These 'one piece' blades are quite common in the UK and I believe Halfords sell them in various lengths.
I have something similar on the CC3, and I reckon the blades are much better than the old sprung metal frame type.
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>> I have something similar on the CC3, and I reckon the blades are much better
>> than the old sprung metal frame type.
Disagree completely. They don't seem to have correct pressure across the entire length of blade in my opinion.
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...Disagree completely...
Well this is the internet, I'd be disappointed if somebody didn't disagree completely. :)
Maybe the Ford installation is better-engineered, or maybe the springs in the arms have yet to weaken.
Although it seems to me the blades just flop against the screen.
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I have had two cars with the one piece blades, I find them excellent, just don't replace them with cheap Chinese copies.
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The only problem that i have had with them is that when it was snowing the snow seemed to stick to them & build up as i was driving which i dont recall happening on the old type blades.
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>> ...Disagree completely...
>>
>> Well this is the internet, I'd be disappointed if somebody didn't disagree completely. :)
>>
Got some one-piece wipers for daughter's Mitsubishi Colt and the drivers one, which is 26" long, just didn't work well at all - I think the pressure along such a long length was too much and the "thunk" as it changed direction was horrendous. It left uncleared bands too.
Bosch normal wipers were fine.
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I picked up a pair of blades from Lidl a few days ago - £4.99 - which work perfectly well.
More modern cars do tend to have pretty long blades, I notice - plus often different lengths on each side.
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From their websites:
GSF have a pair of aero blades for a Sharan listed at £24.50, which seems more reasonable.
Halfords - Alhambra - £40
You live in an expensive part of Euro-land!
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I have found an easy process for my standard sort of Mondeo wiper blades.
I call in a motor factors just off tha A3 a few yards fromr B& Q at New Malden .
One size refill cut and fitted by them for £3 each.
I can afford reqular refits at that price.
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>> motor factors just off the A3 a few yards from B& Q at New Malden>>
Name of the company please, Henry?
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 23 Jan 11 at 17:35
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what about GSF?
www.gsfcarparts.com/index.asp
they do a set for 24.50 UKP but that appears to exclude VAT and elivery
939VG0310 WIPER BLADE SET-AERO TWIN ALHAMBRA 7M2 506 001
That still seems a lot, but they have provided me with good branded parts in the past.
Last edited by: AnotherJohnH on Sun 23 Jan 11 at 17:19
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>> Name of the company is
>>
X L Motor Spares Ltd. 280 Burlington Road. New Malden, Surrey, KT3 4NL.
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For those withiut SatNav :-)
From A3 going North. From the B & Q roundabout turn right.
From A3 going South. Exit for Tesco and left at the roundabout.
Then it is a small not very obvious shop on the right before the mini roundabout where you can do a U turn.
It has goodies all over the walls and I have always found them on the ball and helpful.
IMO ***** rating.
Obviously you might have to wait for fitting if they are very busy or maybe pop the units off the arms. When quiet they have done the job on the car.
e.g. I was unsure how to get the rear wiper off the Yaris.
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SEAT Alhambra - Wiper Blades - -
