Bosch Icon Or Trico Innovision Wipers?

[Lexusfreak]

Looking to get some new wiper blades in the near future & am considering 2......the Bosch ICON & the Trico Innovision blade. Anyone have experience with either or both I would be interested in your comments. B) Thanks!

[steviej]

Looking to get some new wiper blades in the near future & am considering 2......the Bosch ICON & the Trico Innovision blade. Anyone have experience with either or both I would be interested in your comments. B) Thanks!

Bren, you are in snow and cold country. The ICON and Innovisions are basically the same as the Valeo blade. Read what I posted on CL about the Valeos. If your OCD is like mine and we both know that to be true, you will hate them in the snow and freezing weather.

CL Valeo post

but that was just my experience, by all means do some searches.

However, I think Audi and VW come standard with that style now.

steviej

[SW03ES]

Honestly? Get Lexus OEM blades. I've tried them all and the Lexus blades are the best.

EDIT- OOps, no Lexus thats right...

Stevie-The new Lexuses have the Valeo style too. Like you I wasn't thrilled.

[Lexusfreak]

Looking to get some new wiper blades in the near future & am considering 2......the Bosch ICON & the Trico Innovision blade. Anyone have experience with either or both I would be interested in your comments. B) Thanks!

Bren, you are in snow and cold country. The ICON and Innovisions are basically the same as the Valeo blade. Read what I posted on CL about the Valeos. If your OCD is like mine and we both know that to be true, you will hate them in the snow and freezing weather.

CL Valeo post

but that was just my experience, by all means do some searches.

However, I think Audi and VW come standard with that style now.

steviej

Thanks for the link Steve (lol SW.....no Lexus anymore).

The Foresters are equipped with a 'wiper de-icer' feature where by the blades actually sit on these heating elements.

That's disappointing about the Valeos winter performance considering the price! I know the Bosch ICON are astronomical in price too. :( The OE Subi blades are really not great (average at best).

My third choice would be the RainX blades which I have heard decent things about them.......anybody have comments on these? Can't find many folks that have used them.

[steviej]

basically the problem I found with the Valeo and should also occur with the Icon is that (contrary to manufacturer's claims that they don't freeze) they do freeze and thus do not maintain a constant pressure accross the windshield. This leave major (huge) gaps where blade and glass do not meet so nothing gets scraped off. This may be different with your heating area. Then I would say give it a shot.

Traditional wipers have maybe 4 or 5 hinge points that freeze up but are easily freed with a couple of smacks or flexes. The valeo/icons have no hinges but the flexible are material gets coated and then freezes which then inturn limits the flexibility of the wiper.

My guess is you will find over the next couple of winters that people in the snow belt will get fed up very easy and go back to conventional wiper arms and blades.

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

You make excellent points Stevej. What I think I'll end up doing is giving the RainX 'Weather beater' blades (conventional) a try.....They look decent & are a reasonable price (I priced the Bosch ICON's & for 2 sets, I'm over $80! ).

[steviej]

You make excellent points Stevej. What I think I'll end up doing is giving the RainX 'Weather beater' blades (conventional) a try.....They look decent & are a reasonable price (I priced the Bosch ICON's & for 2 sets, I'm over $80! ).

I was at Autozone today and just for chits and giggles, I looked at the ICONs. They were ~$25 each.

The Valeos are the same price on tirerack.com.

I'm sticking with Lexus OEM.

Hey, Bren, here is a long shot. What kind of mount are on the Subi's. If it is the J hook type, you could get the arm and insert from Lexus and try them. Measure the blades, what size. The pre-02 ES used 22" and 18" blades and the 02+ ES uses 24 and 20 inch blades. I am sure the Subi fits in there somewhere.

But, good luck with the RainX. Let us know how they are.

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

You make excellent points Stevej. What I think I'll end up doing is giving the RainX 'Weather beater' blades (conventional) a try.....They look decent & are a reasonable price (I priced the Bosch ICON's & for 2 sets, I'm over $80! ).

I was at Autozone today and just for chits and giggles, I looked at the ICONs. They were ~$25 each.

The Valeos are the same price on tirerack.com.

I'm sticking with Lexus OEM.

Hey, Bren, here is a long shot. What kind of mount are on the Subi's. If it is the J hook type, you could get the arm and insert from Lexus and try them. Measure the blades, what size. The pre-02 ES used 22" and 18" blades and the 02+ ES uses 24 and 20 inch blades. I am sure the Subi fits in there somewhere.

But, good luck with the RainX. Let us know how they are.

steviej

I know.....the prices are nut's.

21" & 19" respectively (15" for rear wiper) & yup they are 'J' hook type. I'll try the RainX this time around I think & report back......they look better than the Bosch Micro Edge Excel's & less expensive to boot. B)

[anthonyiez]

valeo invented this blade design and has leased the tech to bosh, trico and anco.

i bought a set of the bosch icons and i didn't like them and went back to the oem blade. i will probably put them back on in the winter though.

[steviej]

valeo invented this blade design and has leased the tech to bosh, trico and anco.

i bought a set of the bosch icons and i didn't like them and went back to the oem blade. i will probably put them back on in the winter though.

stick with OEM in winter. The valeo type, contrary to manufacturer's claims, freeze worse than the traditional type and do not allow contact of the blade to the glass.

steviej

[SW03ES]

That was my experience too, they are at their worst in the winter.

[anthonyiez]

thanks. i have just gotten access to these and have yet to try a pair in the winter. i won't sell anything "new" until i try it first. i'll give them a spin and we'll see what happens in a month.

[Lexusfreak]

Update:

Well I've had the RainX 'Weather Beater' blades on for a little over 3 months & they are done! :chairshot: No impressed at all.....and we've had less than a handful of snowfalls here (I've cleaned them regularly....washer fluid with a rag works for me).

When I bought my Forester last May.....I had the dealer install brand new OE blades (not just the refills) and they only lasted me until Oct....so they were not the greatest either. One neat feature I do like is that Subi's are equipped with heated wiper elements at the bottom of the windshield (sort of like a rear defroster) & worked very well in the past week or so when we got nailed with snow & freezing rain.

Anyone heard of a company called Pylon? Apparently they make wipers under the Michelin name now. If anyone has any feedback on these.....please share. Some more info here...

http://www.pylonhq.com/products.htm

I'm also considering giving Bosch Micro Edge Excel's a try (on sale currently at my local auto parts store) .........thoughts?

[RX in NC]

I did some research and decided to go with PIAA standard silicon-coated blade refills on my wife's RX300. I never replace the metal arms, just the refill inserts. She's been very happy with these refills, including during the past couple of days when we've had our first sleet and snow in two years. These refills fit the metal claw holders better than any of the other refills I've tried from NAPA, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc. Granted, they were a bit more expensive ($10 each) than the typical refills which go for about $6 each. The RX requires two different lengths and widths - drivers side is 24" long with a claw width of 8 mm and passengers side is 21" long with a claw width of 6 mm. But the PIAA refills fit the original metal claw holders perfectly and have done a great job thus far. They are advertised to last at least a year under normal conditions (whatever that means).

Hope you didn't throw away your original OEM metal blade holders.

Go to piaa.com and check out your options. I think these blade inserts are a great value....

[Lexusfreak]

I did some research and decided to go with PIAA standard silicon-coated blade refills on my wife's RX300. I never replace the metal arms, just the refill inserts. She's been very happy with these refills, including during the past couple of days when we've had our first sleet and snow in two years. These refills fit the metal claw holders better than any of the other refills I've tried from NAPA, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc. Granted, they were a bit more expensive ($10 each) than the typical refills which go for about $6 each. The RX requires two different lengths and widths - drivers side is 24" long with a claw width of 8 mm and passengers side is 21" long with a claw width of 6 mm. But the PIAA refills fit the original metal claw holders perfectly and have done a great job thus far. They are advertised to last at least a year under normal conditions (whatever that means).

Hope you didn't throw away your original OEM metal blade holders.

Go to piaa.com and check out your options. I think these blade inserts are a great value....

Thanks for the info RX....yup....I usually always replace the entire wiper blade assembly...not the refills. :(

I know there are decent blades out there for a reasonable $.......just have to find em. The PIAA assembly blades are $$

[stcmharb]

bosch... ive used them on all my cars and put them on my familys cars.... nvr heard or had a problem with them.. cept the micro blade one i had to bring back and have replaced cause there was a part in the wiper that missed some of the water... like a scratch in it or something.. oh well

[steviej]

Bren, I can't see any reason why you can't put a Lexus blade on your Subi. The C hook at the end of the arm should be a standard width, you just have to find the Lexus model that has the same length blades as your Subi. Then in the future you only need buy the rubber refill from Lexus.

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

Bren, I can't see any reason why you can't put a Lexus blade on your Subi. The C hook at the end of the arm should be a standard width, you just have to find the Lexus model that has the same length blades as your Subi. Then in the future you only need buy the rubber refill from Lexus.

steviej

That thought did cross my mind Steve.....that's maybe what I will end up doing. I'll look into this Thanks. B)

[Lexusfreak]

Lexus wants almost as much for their blades at the ICON's :chairshot:

Found this site however.......apparently they are $14.95 at Walmart! B)

http://www.michelinwiper.com/index.php

[steviej]

Lexus wants almost as much for their blades at the ICON's :chairshot:

That's a one time purchase for the bracket/blade from Lexus, then afterwards you only need buy the rubber inserts from any Lexus online parts places for $5 each.

You do not have the option of replacing the rubber insert on the Valeo, ICON or Innovision wiper blades. It is an all or nothing replacement at ~$20-30 each. Consumers of these blades haven't realized that yet.

steviej

[SW03ES]

I've tried a LOT of blades, Bosch, Trico, Valeo. In my experience the OEM Lexus refills are the best...

[RX in NC]

Next time try PIAA refill inserts. You won't have to go back to OEM Lexus wipers again and they're less costly as well....

[SW03ES]

I've never tried the PIAA ones, I will next time.

[gategem]

I used a number of different ones over the years and have found:

“92 SC400 - OEM seems best

“87 Vette - They're all terrible.

2004 Maxima SE – They’re all okay. Not much difference.

[Suburbazine]

I use the Bosch wipers and a heavy coating of RainX. Works great for me, plus I only have to wipe when mist builds up. THe Bosch make a very clean wipe too. I don't get much snow or cold down here, just monsoons.