I replaced my Bosch Aerotwin wipers after the first mot. No problems obviously. Used the same brand again. Can last for years if they and the screen are kept clean. Cracking and falling apart are the failures I've seen. False economy to go for the maximum life - I recall scratched windscreens . Easy to replace them once you understand the new, to me, retention method on my Skoda. Halfords fit them and can provide any adaptors needed.

Best to keep the blades (especially) and windscreen clean ... All a dirty blade is doing is wiping dirt around or acting like sandpaper.

I usually wipe the blades clean whenever I clean the screen, so the sandpapering effect should not develop. Apart from gradual stiffening the common problem is separation at the outer end of the blade - presumably due to increasing stiffness.

Of course if things get bad enough a MoT failure may follow .....

Edited by Andrew-T on 06/11/2019 at 12:25

The Bosch blades I bought last December for my Pug 206 are starting to show signs of wear too. They don't seem to last like they used to.

The Bosch blades I bought last December for my Pug 206 are starting to show signs of wear too. They don't seem to last like they used to.

I agree, I bought mine in September last year and having to replace soon as they dont clear the screen.

I put it down to more dirt on the roads than we used to get, people throw rubbish out the window of cars, stuff is dumped at the roadside which roadsweepers cannot shift and builders leave sand in the roads where they used to clear it away.

all in all roads are in a right mess

You're lucky your council even bothers with road sweepers any more.

The Bosch blades I bought last December for my Pug 206 are starting to show signs of wear too. They don't seem to last like they used to.

I agree, I bought mine in September last year and having to replace soon as they dont clear the screen.

I put it down to more dirt on the roads than we used to get, people throw rubbish out the window of cars, stuff is dumped at the roadside which roadsweepers cannot shift and builders leave sand in the roads where they used to clear it away.

all in all roads are in a right mess

You're lucky your council even bothers with road sweepers any more.

We see one roughly every six weeks, but they go past so fast they dont pick anything up, but leave a wet trail

surprising how much dirt you get on a screen when your not far from a motorway, tends to wear the blades even quicker, so time for me to get new ones

I bet the road sweeper drivers work at ice rinks on the Zamboni machine in their days off. :-)

You see people parked with them pulled them clear of the screen so they stick up, but dunno If that makes much difference.

I think it should, by relieving the pressure straining the thin section which allows the blade to flip back and forth. But sunlight will be the main aging-accelerator (as with any rubber except silicone perhaps) so keeping under cover must prolong useful life (as with humans :-) )

I'd be interested to know the consequences of a bird perching on a floating wiper arm, causing it to hit the screen with vigour ....