There could have been an accident yesterday as one of my friends didn't see what was on his driveway during the rain. Immediately after the incident, he went into an automobile shop and replaced the windshield wipers for $50.
That was basically the cost for replacing one blade including the labor charge. However, it's possible to change both blades within this price when someone is opting for an affordable option.
Affordable blades are available for as low as $10. But here, we’ll tell you why it isn’t wise to go for the cheaper ones.
Cost to buy new windshield wipers
On average, the cost of buying a new windshield wiper can range from $15 to $35. However, purchasing a pair of these blades can double the cost and take it up to $30 to $70.
Meanwhile, cheap and expensive blades are two options that most buyers have for their vehicles.
- A Cheap blade costs from $10 to $25
- An expensive blade costs from $20 to $50
Cheap windshield wipers
The affordability of these blades depends mostly on the construction quality. The conventional ones are comparatively affordable as these typically have rubber construction. Rubber blades are often half of the cost of silicone blades.
Moreover, if you are purchasing the blades for a car instead of an SUV, it'll definitely cost you a lot less.
Expensive windshield wipers
Silicone blades offer better longevity and also remain on the greater side of the cost. For a relentless performance under rain or extreme UV for 3 to 5 years, silicone is the best option.
Moreover, the larger the vehicle is, the larger blade is required to remove the ice or water from the windshield. And a bigger blade will cost you comparatively more dollars.
Types of wiper blades and cost
The cost of a these blades depend largely on the type. However, it’s hard to determine the price through types as there are several categories.
Windshield wiper type | Cost (Per blade) |
Normal vehicle | $10 to $30 |
Luxurious vehicle | $35 to $50 |
Large SUVs | $15 to $30 |
Conventional blade | $8 to $20 |
Beam blade | $15 to $40 |
Blade with extra feature | $60 to $110 |
Single or a pair, which one you’re buying?
If both of the wipers are losing contact with the windshield, you should replace both of them. However, one must have to count twice the money for a pair of blades than for a single one.
In case it costs $30 for a single blade, you can expect to pay $60 for pair. Meanwhile, it’s never necessary buying a pair every time as it solely depends on the vehicle’s need.
For what type of vehicle do you need the blade?
There's a huge impact of the vehicle's type on the blade price. It's easy to categorize the vehicles into three types.
- Normal vehicle
- Luxurious vehicles
- Large SUVs
Normal vehicles are that is your everyday companion. And you can either go for affordable or expensive ones. However, experts suggest going for the expensive option as the frequent use will deteriorate the cheaper ones easily.
There, for long-lasting performance through the unfriendly weather condition, the expensive ones appear as the savior.
On the other hand, it's hard to find any blade for luxurious vehicles below $35 to $50. The better build quality of the blade and squeegee strip keeps up the performance efficiency.
When you're looking to get a pair of these blades for your BMW or Mercedes, you should look forward to spending up to $100.
Large SUVs have large windshields, and the requirement of long windshield wiper blades is fair enough. That is when a single blade can cost you from $15 to $30. And simply double the cost when it’s about a pair.
Conventional or beam blades?
The construction quality and design make the beam blades different from the conventional ones. Moreover, beam blades have an aerodynamic design that can easily take the price up to $40 for a single blade.
On the contrary, spending as low as 8 bucks will provide you with a conventional blade. Conventional blades have metal construction, which is different from the spring steel construction of the beam blades.
However, spring steel beam blades are enclosed with rubber to hold wiping efficiency for an extended period.
What is the construction material of the blade?
You may have already gathered a lot regarding the construction of these blades. The construction is closely related to longevity and performance efficiency.
- Metal
- Spring steel
- Silicone
- Teflon
- Rubber etc.
In terms of longevity silicone or Teflon outperforms rubber any day. The reason is both silicone and Teflon can withstand the excessive UV-ray or rainwater to maintain the performance level.
However, rubber is subject to damage when it comes in contact with UV-ray. As a result, there might be unusual noise produced by the blades.
Meanwhile, spring steel is a better option than metal blades because of its aerodynamic design.
Is there any extra feature in the blade?
It's fair enough to spend some extra bucks when you are getting built-in heating elements on the blade that saves it from harmful UV-ray. Blades with extra features are the most expensive ones as they can cost up to $110.
Moreover, one is supposed to pay as low as $120 and as high as $220 for a pair o these blades.
What’s the replacement cost of wiper blades?
If the blade doesn't make proper contact with the windshield and rainwater still remains on it, you may need to replace the blade. The replacement wiper blade cost ranges from $20 to $65.
Replacing the blade means purchasing a single blade or a pair according to the requirement and getting a technician to do the job.
Wiper blade replacement | Cost |
Single blade | $8 to $50 |
Pair of blade | $16 to $100 |
Labor cost | $7 to $15 |
What type of blade you need as the replacement unit depends on the type of vehicle you have. And we've mentioned the different types of blades in the previous section.
However, the labor cost depends on the time it takes to replace the blade. Changing both blades will take comparatively more time. Moreover, the vehicle type has an impact on it.
Replacing the blade on a normal car is a more time-efficient one than doing it on a luxurious car or an SUV.
Meanwhile, one cost-efficient option to replace the blades is doing it yourself. It costs no extra labor charge and brings down the total expenditure to the blade only.
Cost to fix a windshield wiper
To be honest, fixing is the less encouraged option for windshield wipers even though it's an affordable one. Whether it's the fixation of the squeegee strip or the blade itself, it won't cost you more than 20 bucks.
However, the good thing is that fixing the squeegee strip is the most affordable option as it costs from $3 to $15. Meanwhile, the question always remains that will it be able to keep up the performance as before or not.
Moreover, fixing the blade means repairing one or both blades. But experts always suggest not going for the fixation if both the blades are malfunctioning.
Therefore, even though fixing or repairing is cheaper, it’s a poorer option than replacement.
Are windshield wipers expensive, and why?
Yes and no, because only high-end windshield wipers are expensive. When someone is spending 10 bucks for a wiper blade, it's never an expensive expenditure.
However, the safety on the road during rough weather conditions depends a lot on how well the blade performs. Expensive blades have either silicone or Teflon enclosure that doesn’t deteriorate soon.
Here are some of the reasons why these blades are expensive.
- Silicone or Teflon blades are pricier than rubber ones.
- Isn’t prone to damage due to excessive UV-ray.
- Wipes down the rainwater without any unusual noise.
- The frame holds its place firmly.
- Provides three to five years of longevity.
Even though these blades last for a long time, one must take care of them to extend their longevity.
While washing the car, it’s mandatory washing the blades with soapy water to maintain the capacity to wipe properly.
Can I change my wiper blade on my own?
Yes, you can change your wiper blade by yourself and it’s a cost-saving option anytime as well. The thing is that one doesn't need to pay the extra labor charge when doing it on their own.
However, it's necessary to know about the situations when the blade or blades needs to be changed.
- The water drops are still on the windshield after wiping.
- The rubber or silicone part became loose.
- The frame isn’t firmly in the place anymore.
- Making unusual noises while wiping.
- There is a crack or tear on the blades.
When you have noticed any of these signs on the blades, don't make any delay and go on to change it. Purchase a pair of new blades and do the installation yourself.
- First, lift the wiper arm.
- Remove the blade from the connecting clip.
- Lifting the arm will let you slide away from the blade.
- Put the new blade on.
- Slide it until hearing a clicking sound.
- Do the same if the second blade also needs replacement.
Where to buy windshield wipers?
Online or offline, you can get windshield wipers anywhere according to your needs. Some of the renowned manufacturing companies that have a good history of providing quality blades are –
- Bosch
- Michelin
- AC Delco
- Valeo
- Rain-X
- Trico
However, what makes you think again and again before buying these blades is whether you need one or a pair of blades. The good thing is both single and two blades packages are available from these brands.
Cost analysis
The cost of these blades depends largely on the type of vehicle you have. However, you can still get going for the affordable options without any assurance of the performance.
- Affordable blades are available for as low as $10.
- Expensive blades can cost you $50.
- Luxurious vehicles and SUV requires the expensive option mostly.
- A blade with extra features is a highly expensive option.