Silicone Wipers

[Bper]

Hi All,

Has anyone changed there Wiper Blades for silicone ones and if so how do you rate these.

[Cyker]

I've been using PIAA silicones on every Yaris I've owned and they're great - They slowly make the windscreen increasingly hydrophobic as they're used and eventually you don't even need the wipers as the rain just beads off!

I got them originally because all the normal rubber ones I'd tried from Halfords to Bosch to fancy triple-edge ones would all make an ear-splitting shriek after a year or so of use, assuming they didn't shred themselves in that time, but the PIAAs have stayed silent with only the occasional squeak (Usually caused by a slightly damp windscreen and tree sap)

They also don't harden in winter like rubber ones do so they stay flexible and always work, and the hydrophobic-ness helps stop them getting torn to shreds if you activate the wipers while they're slightly frozen to the windscreen. By comparison the last Bosch I accidentally did that with ripped the whole edge off the wiper leaving it stuck to the windscreen...!

The only downside with the silicons (And it is a big one) is they are eye-wateringly expensive, but so far I've never had to replace them on a car once fitting them, compared to every 1-2 years previously so on average the cost balances out.

Just beware as some wipers are advertised as silicon but are only silicone-tipped and the effect wears off quickly; It's the full-silicone ones that really work well over a long period.