Categories: Cars

Windshield wiper replacement: A simple job that can save you money

Theo Thimou | October 17th, 2018

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Looking for simple ways to save money when it comes to your vehicle? Try replacing your windshield wiper blades yourself.

This is job that’s so easy, just about anyone can learn to do it in five minutes or less!

How to replace your wiper blades yourself

Recently, I brought my vehicle into a nationally known chain mechanic shop for an oil change. The mechanic noted that my blades were due for a change.

I was given a price quote of $12 per blade, for a total of $24.

I declined the service at the time. Later, I went to Walmart and purchased the blades so I could change them myself.

While I don’t recall exactly what I paid — this was more than a month ago — you can look on Walmart.com today and find highly rated blades starting at $2.42 per blade.

Here is the same brand (Trico) and series (30) that the garage wanted $12 for:

How do you find the right fit?

Probably the easiest and quickest way to determine the right fit is to go to an auto parts stores or a big-box store like Walmart.

You can ask an associate which wipers you need based on the make, model and year of your vehicle. This method works best at auto-parts stores. Then they’ll look it up for you in their system and walk you right over to the rack and show you the selection.

Or, you can go the self-serve method and check the guidebook that’s typically hanging on the shelf near the wiper blades for sale. This approach is better for a Walmart scenario when you may not be able to find an employee to ask.

There is one additional benefit in going to an auto-parts store: The associate will typically change the blades for free on your vehicle after purchase. That’s the case at my local Advance Auto Parts, the nearest store to me.

Of course, if you value self-sufficiency, there’s much to be said for learning how to do this simple task yourself!

When should you replace your blades?

It’s best to always replace blades in pairs, and a typical replacement schedule is about every six months.

One final thought…

If you’re unaccustomed to buying wiper blades, you may think both blades need to be the same length. But that’s not true. One will typically be much shorter in length than the other, and that’s perfectly normal.

Watch the video for step-by-step instructions on changing your blades!