Rear wipers - Halfords

[robmawer]

Argh - in the little Halford's books they have that shows the

correct wiper blade type for each make of car, there's nothing for

the rear one of the hatchback!

It's a 15" on mine, I'd imagine it's the same for all the hatches...

Rob.

[spc]

Rob

Halfords have two reference books/lists. One for their own brand and a second one for Bosch......did you check both:confused: I remember when replacing the wiper blades on my car (estate) the rear wasn't listed in the Bosch range but was listed in the Halford range.

I prefer Bosch if possible because I have always (30 years of driving German cars) seen them as original equipment quality. In fact Bosch usually was OE on VW's.

While on the subject of wipers, rain etc. etc. Do you use, or have you tried, Rainex window treatment? it helps to make the rain water 'bead' so helping to keep the 'screen clear. In fact it is so effective that it allows the airflow over the windsreen to clear water from the screen at speeds above 40mph (no wipers) not that I would suggest not using the wipers! Also it make frost easier to clear from the glass, in fact it does everything it claims to do!!

And again talking about Halfords I bought a pair of headlamp bulbs from their '30% brighter' range. They claim to give the 'extra' light without being a higher wattage. I'm very pleased with them.

Paul

[FabiaTDi]

Originally posted by spc

I prefer Bosch if possible because I have always (30 years of driving German cars) seen them as original equipment quality. In fact Bosch usually was OE on VW's.

Halfords own brand wipers are very flimsy. I swapped my original ones for some Halfords ones.

The spoiler blade broke off at 70mph on a rainy motorway, scared the living daylights out of me and scratched my windscreen!

Needless to say i reverted back to Bosch!

[Freakcrab]

I fitted Bosch blade to my car within days of getting it. They're quiet and efficient in shifting water without smearing well worth the few extra quid over halford's attempts.

On the headlight sidenote:

If I want to upgrade the headlight bulbs on my Octavia which type of bulb does it use?

Is there a seperate bulb for the sidelight?

[flyingscot]

Originally posted by spc

Rob

While on the subject of wipers, rain etc. etc. Do you use, or have you tried, Rainex window treatment? it helps to make the rain water 'bead' so helping to keep the 'screen clear. In fact it is so effective that it allows the airflow over the windsreen to clear water from the screen at speeds above 40mph (no wipers) not that I would suggest not using the wipers! Also it make frost easier to clear from the glass, in fact it does everything it claims to do!!

Paul

I have used rain x but I find it fiddly, how you have to put it on twice, then you have to put water on it then dry the water of and buff it! It seems a lot of effort although the end result is quite good apart from the terrible smeering I get when I use the wipers! I don't know what causes this but it is annoying. However the smeer will wear off after a while! On the Octavia rear wiper I notice when I am not in my Fabia that it is very noisey. Is it a common fault?

[TaviaRS]

16"

H4, Phillips Vision plus

yes, its seperate

[spc]

Good to see that Bosch gets the popular vote........I've always believed in their stuff!

I have noticed the Octy rear wiper is a bit noisy, though worse than that it generates an electrical interference with the radio........I guess that somehow I'll learn to live with these little problems.

:cheers: Paul

[Freakcrab]

:cheers:

Have ordered new philips bulbs, plus www.powerbulbs.com are giving away philips sidelight bulbs with every order so that's that solved as well.

[robmawer]

I checked both the Bosch and Halfords one - the Halfords one

had the Estate in it, the Bosch had nothing.

I too bought some of the 30% brighter bulbs from there, though

I ended up with the Bosch ones rather than Halford's own - that

was down to a lack of stock of the Halford's ones though.

Still got my original sidelight bulbs though.

Is that Rainex stuff the little pink thing that looks like it

belongs in a sex shop? I've been tempted by it many times,

but was put off by the idea of having to have a completely

clean windscreen first!

One thing that I did wonder though - whenever you buy a set

of blades, the passenger side never has a spoiler on it. Is there

any adverse affect from having a spolier on the passenger

wiper, as they didn't have any Bosch non-spoiler ones in the

right size?

Rob.

[spc]

I'm not sure I would use the 'pink' rainex, however it is availabe in a normal plastic bottle for application with a cloth! You should try cleaning the front screen sometime, it's amazing what you can see:D :D

I Don't understand the logic about spoiler on driver side only, may be someone else could join in and explain that to us.

Which Halfords did you go to? I'm tempted to suggest it's the one at the top of Lancashire Hill, because I've found them a bit short of stock before now. There is another store in Cheadle Hulme which seems to be better stocked.

Paul

[rich1068]

I always find it amusing how Halfords managed to transform itself from the pipe, slippers and MGB image into somewhere you feel left out if you're not wearing a baseball cap and charging round the car park in your lowered Saxo.

[robmawer]

Yeah, I usually go to the Lancashire Hill one or the one in Oldham.

Lancashire Hill is particularly bad for boy racers, what with having

a McDonald's sharing the same car park

Looking at my rear wiper today, I'm a touch confused - the blade

is about half an inch shorter than the one it replaced judging

by the "clean patch" on the window! Which makes me think it

came with a 15.5" inch wiper!

So maybe a 16 would've been a better choice.

A dirty windscreen adds to the fun of driving anyway... :p

Rob.

[TaviaRS]

I refer you to my post:

16"

I only know as I went to the dealer to get a rear one, he took the old one off to match against what he had in stock ( he didn't have an Octavia one). I ended up with a Felicia one, in a box marked 16"

[robmawer]

Yeah, I'd seen you say that, I just tried to ignore it as I don't

like being wrong... :p

Rob.

[TaviaRS]

:p

:D :D

[TaviaRS]

I don't like being wrong...

I wouldn't know. What does it feel like, out of curiosity?

[DGW]

TaviaRS said:

I ended up with a Felicia one, in a box marked 16"

As a Felicia owner, I applaud your choice of wiper blade. It should complement the 1.4 16V badge well.

[robmawer]

Originally posted by TaviaRS

I wouldn't know. What does it feel like, out of curiosity?

Well, I'm not wrong as such, a 15" does actually fit - now if I'd

gone for a 17", I'd've felt a right fool... :p

Actually, do you reckon you can fit a 17" on it? Hmmm...

:think:

Rob.

[TaviaRS]

LOL!

The rear wiper is the only thing that looks good on a RS in 16"

[DGW]

TaviaRS said:

The rear wiper is the only thing that looks good on a RS in 16"

You said on not in, so I reckon there's no need to report yourself!

Lest there be any doubt, the in bit alludes to a 16" steering wheel lock which every RS needs for anti-theft reasons....

Time to go looking for snakes again...............

[skomaz]

Back to the thread...

In my experience the rainex smearing is due to the solvents in the screenwash!... Clears up after a second or so though!

[SkodiRS]

RainX now do an additive for the screen wash which aparrently "tops-up" what you've already put on the screen.

I've used RainX previously and found it to be quite good. Using a rival product at the moment (can't remember the name but comes in a bright pink container which looks like a female self-gratification device;) ).

Only probelm with both is that it never seems to rain once I've applied it and when it does, the application could really do with being re-done.

C'est la vie!

Cheers.

Adrian.

[robmawer]

Originally posted by SkodiRS

(can't remember the name but comes in a bright pink containing which looks like a female self-gratification device

That's the one I was saying about! :p

Rob.

[DGW]

SkodiRS said:

Only problem with both is that it never seems to rain once I've applied it and when it does, the application could really do with being re-done.

Sounds like another product to add to my 'Don't bother to buy' list. A lot of windscreen rain treatments are fine at beading water away when driving at speed without using wipers, but fail to work when you most need them. I'll stick with squeaky wipers which work well most of the time - whatever size they are....

[SkodiRS]

With the "stuff" applied rain will bead whatever the size of the rain droplets. However it is the speed at which you travel which actually shifts it fromthe windscreen. So I would say it's no so good pootling around but above say 40mph it will start to clear.

My quoted comment was actually to with the fact that you get damp days and spray thrown up means you use the wipers which cleans-off or smears the "stuff". So, when you really need it, it's not as effective.

I'll be getting myself some Bosch blades soon; they're only about