How to Choose Windshield Wiper Blades

Alex · July 9, 2017

1. Know what part of the wiper blade you'll need to change. In general, windshield wiper blades are made with three basic parts: 1. The lower metal arm is the part that extends from the base of the windshield; 2. The wiper blade is the part attached to the metal arm; and 3. The rubber blade is the part that actually wipes the snow, rain or dust off the windshield glass for you.

2. Look at the shape of the blade. Many modern cars have curved windshields, so the blade needs to curve too, to make good contact as it wipes. There are many brands of wiper blades with various kinds of packaging, some of which you can see through and some of which you can't. Straight wiper blades are suitable for car with a flat windshield, while slightly curved wiper blades may be more suitable for car with streamline windshield.

3. Measure or look up the length of the blades that are used on your car’s driver seat and passenger seat sides. You can measure the length of each blade yourself, but in general, most places that sell wiper blades provide a manual where you can look up the lengths for your car make and model..

4. Check for adapter options. Many wiper blade brands include more than one adapter type in their packaging. These are designed to make the blades compatible with various types of metal arm.

5. Consider cost. Different kinds of wiper blades can range in price dramatically. Do a little comparison shopping to figure out what wipers fit your price range and are still of good quality.