Best deal for wiper blades

[hybridbear]

Considering that wiper blades are one of very few maintenance items needed for the FFE I'm curious where others have found is the cheapest place to buy them. Rock Auto has them for $11.90 plus shipping. Once you factor in the shipping cost they cost about $13.50 per blade. The part numbers are WW-2803, WW-2802 & WW-1204. Has anyone else found better deals elsewhere? Do Ford dealers ever offer coupons on wiper blades such as BOGO deals or other discounts? Has anyone bought non-Motorcraft wiper blades for the FFE?

Thanks!

 

[NightHawk]

How long do the wiper blades typically last until needing replacement on a typical FFE?

 

[hybridbear]

Our FFE has been in service since August 2013, it was built in November 2012. The wiper blades are worn out. In Minnesota on other cars I've typically found that wiper blades must be replaced every 12 months. I like to do it right after winter since winter is the hardest on them. But the FFE wiper blades are in starting to streak so they'll need to be replaced soon.

 

[hybridbear]

I'm really surprised that no one knows where to buy wiper blades. Jamie? Wattsup? Unplugged? EVA? No one has bought wiper blades for their FFE?

 

[jmueller065]

LOL I don't consider wiper blades that big of a deal and just stop at the local autoparts store to pick them up. I'm sure I'm already on my 2nd or 3rd set--this topic reminded me that I do need new ones.
Saving $5 on a once a year (or twice a year) purchase doesn't make that much sense to me.

 

[Steve0512]

I agree. I just buy my wiper blades at Costco and call it done.

 

[NightHawk]

Does the FFE use the same exact model wiper blades as the other ICE Ford Focus models?

 

[jmueller065]

Does the FFE use the same exact model wiper blades as the other ICE Ford Focus models?

Yes

 

[unplugged]

I buy all I can at Amazon. Huge selection of all sorts of wiper blades. My FFE is garaged most of the time, so it hasn't yet needed blade replacement. But I do get blades for the other car at Amazon.

 

[EVA]

Oh wow, wiper blades, I bought mine at my Ford dealer. Yes, they had some coupon for money off. They weren't very expensive anyway. And yes, the exact same blades ICE and FFE.

I hate to say this, I've tested way too many wiper blades the last few years. I actually tested a couple of the Goodyear super fancy models against the Ford blades - the Goodyears were not good (one brand on the driver's side, the other on passenger). The Bosch blades were great for a few months and then went bad really fast - didn't last more than 6 months. In the end, Ford actually came out the winner for working the longest, best, and staying chatter free.

If I were buying other than Ford blades, I'd get Michelin Stealth wipers, or Valeo 600 series (that's a traditional frame wiper, not for the FFE).

Oddly, more expensive isn't necessarily better.

And thank you for reminding me, it is probably time for new blades on both cars. They are about a year old now.

 

[hybridbear]

Oh wow, wiper blades, I bought mine at my Ford dealer. Yes, they had some coupon for money off.

Where do you find the coupon?

 

[triangles]

I've had Tripledge silicone wipers on my ICE car for 7 years now. They're just about ready for replacement. Before I tried Tripledge I was replacing wipers about once a year. Unfortunately Tripledge doesn't make anything that fits the FFE In fact it doesn't look like anyone makes silicone wipers that fit our car. I guess it's replace every year again. A quick net search doesn't show many options for 29" wipers which means it might be difficult to find wipers when the time comes to replace mine. However these wipers from Valeo look indistinguishable from OEM. Valeo might be the manufacturer that makes them for ford.

Valeo part numbers:
900-29-3B, 900-29-4B

Some sources indicated 28" wipers and others 29" wipers. I think they are all 29" now but I will have to measure mine to be sure. If anyone knows of a manufacturer that makes silicone rubber wipers, please do share.

 

[hybridbear]

I finally went to the dealer today to buy wiper blades. They're ridiculously expensive. It cost over $50 with tax for the three wiper blades.

 

[WattsUp]

A quick net search doesn't show many options for 29" wipers which means it might be difficult to find wipers when the time comes to replace mine. However these wipers from Valeo look indistinguishable from OEM. Valeo might be the manufacturer that makes them for ford.

These Valeo parts appear to be entire wiper blades, no?

Isn't it possible to just buy some (rubber) inserts/refills for the existing blades?

 

[WattsUp]

I finally went to the dealer today to buy wiper blades. They're ridiculously expensive. It cost over $50 with tax for the three wiper blades.

Was that just for three inserts/refills (for the existing blades) or three entire new blades?

 

[EVA]

I just bought 4 blades at the dealer for $12 per blade (I have two Focus that use the same blades). To my mind - that's perfectly reasonable for a set of blades that will last a year.

The rear blade is a strange one. Can't remember if you can buy an OEM blade for that wiper. I haven't replaced it on either car anyway. It gets used so rarely.

That was for full replacement of the wiper.

WattsUp - you can't buy inserts anymore - you replace the whole blade and backing part now.

The original blades are 29 - the new replacements are 28. They work just as well. Somehow the attachment point is offset a little bit - the 1 inch shorter blade reaches the same top part of the windshield.

 

[EVA]

Oh wow, wiper blades, I bought mine at my Ford dealer. Yes, they had some coupon for money off.

Where do you find the coupon?

It was in an mailer from my dealer.

 

[WattsUp]

WattsUp - you can't buy inserts anymore - you replace the whole blade and backing part now.

Interesting, I didn't know that.

Amazon seems to have Anco parts that fit the Focus Electric.

Front 28"
http://www.amazon.com/ANCO-A-28-OE-Profile-Wiper-Blade/dp/B0076D4ET2

Rear 12"
http://www.amazon.com/ANCO-AR-12E-Rear-Wiper-Blade/dp/B003OBKW5A

All three needed blades (28" x 2, 12" x 1) can be had for just about $34 total (with free shipping if you have a Prime account, or if you can add something else you need to the same order bumping your total above the minimum $35).

 

[hybridbear]

The blades would have been cheaper at Rock Auto even after paying for shipping. They would have also been cheaper on Amazon but only marginally. I would return them to the dealer but the receipt says that there is a 20% restocking fee on all returns which would wipe out the savings.

The dealer wouldn't accept the coupon from the Ford Owner website since the Focus wiper blades are Ford's OE blades. The coupon is only valid for Ford Premium wiper blades. He did give me a 10% discount since they wouldn't accept the coupon.

I bought all three because the rear wiper blade is actually in the worst shape of the three. We use the rear wiper a lot. The car accumulates a lot of dust parking underground at our apartment so we're regularly using the rear wiper to clean that window. The aerodynamic profile of the FFE also causes a lot of dirt to end up on the rear window when driving on sloppy winter roads. With the weather we've been having so far we've been running the rear window washer multiple times a day while driving to keep the back window relatively clean to be able to see out of it.

 

[JakeTse]

As for myself, I buy these from online quite often, for example, Amazon and eBay. And the best wiper blades? My choices are Bosch, Rain-X, Michelin and Valeo.