I didn't end up putting the rain-x wipers on. My stock blades still had life left in them, so I just bought a new plastic clip for $10 instead of the rain-x blades for $20 each... I'm annoyed that Audi would use those stupid plastic clips, and that only one manufacturer (bosch) makes blades for them, but they do look pretty good, so I guess I'm stuck with them.

 

Note, I'm a B5 guy who accidentally got in on a B6 conversation. I only wanted to correct someone's statement (that I was happy with latitudes). I had contact and streaking issues with the rain-x latitudes because they were too stiff and I felt the adapters were binding also. And at my local walmart the latitudes are $19 or $20...so yes, they are more expensive than the neoforms...but the neoforms do not fit the B6.

 

Oh, sorry about that. I haven't had an issue with them. Well, they did get messed up after we had a ton of snow overnight. To be fair, I didn't stick them up like they advise and they froze to the windshield. They still work perfectly, except the drivers side one. While it still cleans pretty good, the bottom left of the windshield gets missed because it is now deformed.

 

IMO, if a wiper blade gets messed up by getting snowed on, it's a crappy design. Of course, I live in Minne-snow-ta, and my car lives outside 99% of the time, so my opinion may be biased, but if the rest of the car can be designed to handle that, why not the wiper blades?

 

I think you have to take some relative care with ANY wiper blade in the snow and ice. One thing I like about the neoforms is that they don't ice up as much as the framed wipers. Every once in a while they'll collect some ice but one snap up and down and it all falls off. As long as you use your defroster and are careful with the ice scraper, I've had no problems.

 

Haha, let me rephrase that. What actually happened is that we had (how do you call it....) an ice storm? You know, when it "rains" ice and brings down power lines and stuff. Anyway, I wasn't at home for two days and my car had to be left outside. I couldn't walk outside to lift the wipers and when the storm was over, my car was covered in a frozen cocoon. It only messed up a little corner so I probably won't replace them till next year.



I agree with you though: If a little snow messed them up, then they would have been a horrible design.

 

Good thread, I ended up using bolts with washers and a lock nut in place of the zip ties. Gives me a piece of mind that my blade isn't going to fly off in a snow/rain storm on the highway. I used the RainX-lattiudes also

 

As I mentioned in an older post in this thread, I originally used nuts and bolts. However, there wasn't enough free pivot between the wiper blade and the wiper arm, which left a streak through the windshield because the wiper was not flush with the windshield.

Attached to this message are images of those fasteners that I bought at lowes in the hardware section. The drawer said "Automotive". You can also see a finished product.
You can see that I used a small washer to ensure that there was enough free pivot - might not be necessary though.

 

This is kool, Going to do this, this weekend! Thanks!

 

Just used the Trico refill 47-700 blades for my wifes car. Perfect fit, length and width. $7 for both refills. Thanks guys.