Wiper Blades??

This seems like the dumbest thing to me... coming on a DIY forum to ask for advice on wiper blades. But I've noticed that none of the "usual suspect" consumer oriented auto parts stores have the blades for the E39.

I got some replacement blades from BMA (BOSCH Micro-Edge), but it turned out that the metal blade holders don't match the E39 wiper arm fittings.

Of course I realized this after they had closed on Friday... of a 3 day weekend. Also when I pulled my existing blades I noticed the date stamp on the rubber "00" as in year 2000. I'm still on the original wiper blades!! No wonder they leave my windshield worse after wiping.

Does anyone know of a source that would be open on weekends that would have blades that fit. I could take the rubber blades out of the Bosch metal blade holders and install them on the stock holders. Is that worth it, or am I overpaying for the rubber part?

I'd even go to a BMW dealer, but it seems their parts departments are always closed on Saturday.

Thanks,

I've found Rain-X blades to be pretty compatible. Wiper blades should be compatible across a range of cars, the E39 no exception.

Personally, I stand by the Rain-X Latitude wipers; they NEVER let me down.

Go to the dealer and get the rubber inserts. They cost less than $5.00 and do a great job.

I gotta say I'm impressed with the new Bosch blades that are essentially the same as the Latitudes (I've bought some of them, too, but haven't got them onto a car yet.). That said, I've used Rain-X for decades. Wouldn't be without it. With it, you rarely need your blades for anything.

I really dig PIAA Silicones; Tire Rack can have them for cheap.

+1

I'd totally buy $5 inserts from the dealer parts dept... but they are all closed weekends, and I work M-F. No one else seems to sell inserts these days.

Rain-X is great. I also need to get my windshield polished, and two small chips repaired. DIY or should I have someone do it for me?

Correct. No one else seems to sell them - and my local dealers are at least 45 miles away. So I now buy whole blades.

Polished? Never heard of that on a windshield.* Chips are not a DIY, in my experience. If they're actual cracks or spalls, then have it done professionally under your comprehensive insurance.




* And NO - BMW does not make 'soft' windshields! They get more sand/gravel abrasion because 'we' drive closer to the back of other vehicles, so more stuff hits the front of our cars. Don't argue. Just admit you do it.

Griot's Garage sells windshield polishing kits, and even "glass clay" to get the contaminants off.

Unrelated: Yesterday I rode with a friend who has an E46 330i with ZHP. Damn, that suspension felt good. Luckily for him, his 2004 E46 had just passed 60k miles, so I "spread the word" and told him to get the fluid in his steptronic replaced.

Griot's sells a lot of overpriced crap. You can clean glass, but unless you're abrading the surface, you're not polishing it.

You had me drooling (I want a ZHP as a daily) right up until you said Steptronic.

I could see a 330i ZHP 6-Speed coupe as my next car. With my lifestyle, I hardly need a back seat.

I took the wiper blades back to BMA, returned them, and got the Valeo blades which fit perfectly.