Wiper Blades

I have a 01 NB auto, just completed the first 5k oil change and had it done at the dealer. I asked the dealer to check the wiper blades they are dragging terrible, they agreed but it was going to cost me $17.00 to replace I knew it could be done chaper so I declined on the replacement. Just to make the story short I replaced them with Anco for $9.00 at walmart; however, and this is my question, the blade on the driver side had a metal piece running the length of the blade about 5/8 in in width, and the new blade didn't have this accessory. By the way it was only on the driver's side. WHAT IS THIS PART'S FUNCTION AND WHY ONLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE? Did I have mixed match set of blades on my hold over Bug?

I tried to put in a refill and the piece that held the rubber was too narrow for the refill I tried, so I got the new wiper blades, just to ease my frustration.

It's all idle curiousity, unless it has a real function then I'll replace the blade again, and pay for it gladely.

Thanks in advance......Willie

It's a wing to help keep the wiper down on the windshield. All the VW's come with only one. Use a torx to change the wing over to the new wiper.

sort of to prevent aerodynamic lift on the wipers during operation

Originally posted by Willie:
I have a 01 NB auto, just completed the first 5k oil change and had it done at the dealer.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hi Willie...your car is an '01 (purchased in 01?)...and you're just having the first oil change now?!
When I picked up my Jetta..the dealer told me the first oil change was to be at 5k...or six months...which ever came first. If you dont drive it much you may want to look into a schedule like that.

posted November 19, 2002 15:29
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quote:
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Originally posted by Willie:
I have a 01 NB auto, just completed the first 5k oil change and had it done at the dealer.
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Hi Willie...your car is an '01 (purchased in 01?)...and you're just having the first oil change now?!

This NB is a 2001 hold over and I got a reasonable deal, I think! I got the NB for $17600, it's a LS with good sounds and moon roof with special wheels, the seats feel like leather only their not, I love it even if I am disapointed with the MPG's the auto gets, but I wouldn't give up the auto for nothing, so far my best has been 44mpg, my worst 36 and a lot of forty's and thirty eights mixed in. Definitly not the higher stick mpgs.......Willie

Willie

The wing attachment won't fit any wiper blade you can buy at Walmart. The blade metal is a different size. The best thing I found was to buy the wiper replacement blades from the dealer for about $8.00. If you did like me and threw away your old blades, you will have to buy the whole replacement ($21.00) then buy the replacement fillers later. The replacement fillers don't come with the metal rails. They may also have to be cut in order to fit properly. My 1997 Passat has 21" blades anthe replacements come in even-inch increments. I got 22" replacements and had to cut them down.

Matt Ross

They have two different size blades on each side. Left is 21 and right is 19 inches if I remember correctly. Thank goodness I own 2 VW's and and can buy 2 of each kind and split them up between the cars.

Willie, I've got a 2002 Jetta GLS Auto and my mileage is about the same as yours. I also have the newly designed wiper blades. They work great. I complained to the dealership about the wiper blades streaking and they put the new style blades on under warranty. You might want to go that route.

[ November 23, 2002, 04:47: Message edited by: CWO4 ]

I doubt you really need the wiper "spoiler". It is a piece (as others said above) to keep the wiper from not operating right (not wiping it all) at high speeds/ high wind. (aerodynamic lift of the wiper from windshield)

I had original wipers with 1 (one) spoiler and changed them (they went bye-bye after frosting and forcing them like an idiot). Since then I only used wipers without and didn't have a problem.

All the best!

I just cheated. I bought the refills. It was the first time I ever had the ones where there are two metal strips that get threaded through with the squeegee blade. First won took 20 min till I figured out to tape one end to hold the strips in. The next one took two min.

Originally posted by CWO4:
Willie, I've got a 2002 Jetta GLS Auto and my mileage is about the same as yours. I also have the newly designed wiper blades. They work great. I complained to the dealership about the wiper blades streaking and they put the new style blades on under warranty. You might want to go that route.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What new style blades? Have they come out since the 2002 model? My blades started streaking after 10,000 miles and I need new ones. Are there better ones out there than the dealer, or is this new design better than what I've got? Thanks

Right now I have Anco snow blades.

When the snow and ice thaws, The triple-edge are coming on

Mary,

I just found out about them last week. Lito (tongsli) put them on his Jetta. They are very nice... very different. It's just one big flexible solid rubber piece with the built in aerodynamic piece, but without any more metal framework. You have to get an entire new wiper arm installed the first time, but then only the wiper blade replacement after that. Lito really likes his. They look like the future of windshield wipers.

-Mel

P.S. I saw your earlier post. I think I'll be coming to your house for Thanksgiving this year.

[ November 25, 2002, 07:32: Message edited by: golfstream ]

Originally posted by golfstream:
I just found out about them last week. Lito (tongsli) put them on his Jetta. They are very nice... very different.
-Mel

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mel, what kind of $$ are looking at to upgrade to this new system?

thx.

dd,

I'm sorry, I don't know. I only had a minute to talk to Lito when he dropped some wiring connectors of at my office. I forgot to ask him and was going to ask him next time I talked to him. I'll email him and see what he says. Then I'll post here... unless someone else comes up with the info quicker.

-Mel

Mel, which ones are you talking about? Are they new ones from VW?

Come on down---looks like I'll have plenty of turkey!

Mary and dieseldorf,

Here's the thread that was in the Upgrades Forum. I misssed it the first time.

I also just spoke to Lito and he said that getting the parts from Impex to do the total conversion would be about $100.00. That's $30 ea. for the new arms and about $20 ea. for the blades. Not sure yet if the rubber inserts in this new style are replaceable... gotta investigate more.

-Mel

Just read the thread, thanks Mel. Ouch---100 bucks!