Slightly OT: failing Lucas wiper blades

[<no_spam]

FYI I've just had my second Lucas wiper blade fall apart. Both were bought at the same time and in each case the blade broke away from the plastic bit that attaches to the pivoting bit (sorry, can't think how to express it better than that). The first failed a few months ago without warning when at speed in the dark on the motorway; there was a bang and then the arm was scraping on the windscreen, sans wiper. Today there was a subtle click as the wipers stopped, the blade detached when I turned them on again. The replacements are Bosch, which seem to have metal attachments. Odd to have 2 fail in 40+ years of driving and for these to have been bought at the same time. I can feel a complaint coming on.

[Bob Eager]

Well, they were Lucas. What was the phrase about Lucas lighting:

"Lucas - Prince of Darkness" :)

[Scott M]

Manufacturing procedures and tolerances are so good these days that lifespan of individual items is staggeringly close. I've had pairs of bulbs go within days of each other at X years old. Similarly, inherent design flaws tend to show up fairly unfailingly. Never has the "they all do that, sir" been so accurate. So you're lucky you didn't buy a box of 'em :-)

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

The Bosch Super Plus are the only wipers I've ever bought that didn't squeak all the time. I'll probably stick to these from now on.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The Lucas brand is now nothing to do with the old Lucas. And lots of the current products are very much at the budget end.

Exactly the same has happened with some tyres. A once respected brand is attempting to profit out of just the name. Avon being one example.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They do wear out quite quickly, though. At one time it was easy to buy replacement rubbers only. At a fraction of the price of complete blades. Not so easy these days.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Yes, I suppose so - I have to say that they haven't lasted a long time before they leave water on the screen. But I hadn't found any other brand (including Motorcraft, which I expected to perform well) that lasted longer. So right now, the lack of noise is what clinches it for me. Do you know of any other brands that would be worth a try? I'm always pleased when I find good products, and I don't mind paying more for them.

[Chris J Dixon]

And Sports Direct seem to have bought up lots of once-respected brands, which they can now slap on cheap tat from a sweatshop somewhere.

Chris

[Chris J Dixon]

I've had good service from

own brand.

Chris

[Adrian]

I'll always go for Bosch or Valeo first, given a choice.

They're cheap enough - I replace 'em annually, around Autumn.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Okay, well mine are due for replacement now, so I'll try the own brand ones, at least for this year. What are the 'hybrid blades'? Something worth bothering with?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Okay, thanks. I'm going to try wiperblades.co.uk own brand for a year, and then Valeo.

[newshound]

[<no_spam]

I bought the Lucas blades from them. They've just offered to send some (non-Lucas) replacements, so I'd like to congratulate them on their customer service.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Lidl recently had some very decent quality blades. Looked equally as well made as Bosch. Unlike some of the tat cheap blades. But model specific sets. Bit of head scratching got me two car sets - so between them two for the identical fronts on my old Rover, and two for the much larger single rear wiper - at under £20 total, so much less than Bosch even at discount.

Halfords do good prices for Bosch - better than Ebay - but only if you have a Halfords trade card.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

But once you could buy Bosch rubbers only at about 1/3rd the price of the blade. And could replace them at least twice before the blade frame got worn, or even looked tatty.

[Adrian]

It's not as if they're expensive. Anyway, I don't think I remember seeing "blade refills" since the early '90s, at the very latest.

So about a quarter of a century ago...

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Dave Plowman (News) escribió:

Yes, I used to pick them up from car boot sales. A two-pack for about 3 quid and dead easy to fit. They seem to have disappeared from the booties, but are on ebay for a quid a pair from China with free postage if you can wait, or for about 3 quid from a UK supplier, e.g.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You've not looked very hard. ;-)

[Brian-Gaff]

Probably imported from Poland. Brian