Anyone Else Changing Wiper Blade Inserts?

I changed the wiper blade inserts this weekend. My local dealer doesn't stock them, and my brother asked why not change the whole blade? My reasoning is that the inserts are 1/4 the price and at $15/pair, I can change them every 5000 miles. Half a century ago, I learned in Driver's Ed that "visual acuity is 90% of your driving", and there is nothing like new wipers.
Am I the only one?

 

Most people on here replace the inserts. Personally, I don't think the stock Tacoma wipers are the greatest but they are easy to change and do last a while.

 

Not the only one. A lot of people have just change the blade

 

Nope. I've been using beem blade style wipers for years, and I'm not going back to conventional.

 

Inserts. The aftermarket wipers I have tried ended up in the garbage after a short time.

 

Give the wipers a cleaning with alcohol and paper towel. The first few passes will be really black. After a few wipes it stops. Then they are clean. Wipe down the windshield while your at it. This extends the wiper blades life.

 

+1 to cleaning the blade I, too, use alcohol. A friend of mine uses emery cloth and it seems to work well.

 

I change the inserts and use Toyota winter wipers in the winter. Much better than the all season wipers for not freezing up - there's no frame.

I got hosed at the dealer during a service couple of years ago. Service advisor told me the wipers needed to be replaced. I knew one was getting bad. Cost was around $38 (Canadian) each for the Toyota wipers. I passed. I had a set of Michelin wipers that I got on promotion at a parts store that I would use. They didn't work well at all - would chatter across the windshield. Did a quick check on here and that's when I found out that the Toyota OEM wipers have replaceable inserts. Parts guys at the dealership found it strange I wanted complete wipers. Then I told him the story. Inserts were like $15 each I think. Unfortunately, I had thrown mine out - the one time I didn't keep old wipers for spares. Expensive lesson in listening to "service" advisor. My fault. I should have known better.

 

Inserts only.

 

RainEx on the windshield and Alcohol on the blade works very nice. Some advise to lastly wipe the blade with WD40 and let it sit a bit. Tried that and it also works well.

 

I use Trico Flex blades, (beam style). I can get them on Amazon for around $11 each. Ran the on my 1st Gen for many years as well. Never had an issue with them.

 

My 2017 had nearly 90,000 miles and I’ve changed the entire blades 2 times. They’re not that expensive but to each their own..

 

I use the refills on the tacoma since I can have the dealer order them for me. I have changed them once. I usually change the wipers about every year. On previous vehicles I bought new blades every time. A ot of the time the beam style ones. They are much more expensive and I don't think they work significantly better than the refills. cleaning your blades once in a while and rainXing your windshield a few times a year helps much more I believe.

 

Toyota refill blades are the best bang for the buck option. I think they’re great, and they are inexpensive.

 

The options may depend on the region.

It has been years since I've seen the blade refills in this area. The blade/arm assembly is just about in every store selling auto parts. The price on these arms has dropped since they first hit the market. I can get a set (2) for the Tacoma for about $20. I replace them when streaking, skipping or chattering begins. The time to replace is less than 5 minutes.

The refills (if available) are nearly the same cost and are a more tedious replacement with the threading thru the claws.

For $20 and 5 minutes to replace.....it doesn't make sense to stretch the wiper life or to fiddle around restoring the blade with a rub down using alcohol or WD-40 (good lord).

 

At Christmas every year I get all my kids a new set of wiper blades for their cars. Also the wife, guess who changes her blades out? I feel like this way I know at least once a year everyone is getting new wipers on their car.

My younger son has a 2018 Camry. We put new complete new blades on his car but I saved his old Original ones. I would like to see if I can just get the refill from the dealer.

 

Tried to replace the inserts last year for the original Toyota wipers. Had to take them back because the inserts were too big (much too big). Returned the inserts and ended up buying brand new Toyota wipers instead.

Today I bought new inserts at the dealership again, and they are too big! Much too big!

Anyone else?

 

I also change the inserts. I have a spare set in my console if needed. I also have a spare set of OEM brake pad and rotors ready to go on when I need to change them. My plan is to take the used rotors and have them turned. I will keep this rotation going until I need to get another set. It may take awhile.

 

Nope. Mine from the dealer fit perfect and worked great.
$6 a pair, I bought two pair. Installed one, the other in the parts locker. Last set (original) lasted 5 years (then one side split), can't go wrong with that value.

 

Parts numbers are listed below.

85214-04030
85214-0E140