Niknak
Registered User
I poped in to Audi this afternoon to collect my new Brake Switch, I thought I need some new wipers, I nearly fell over when the sales guys said £31.50!!! I nearly said a least **** turpin wore a mask! how much do others pay?
Wiper Blades
- Thread starter Niknak
- Start date
I got quoted £57 plus vat and fitting from a local dealership! I fell about laughing but they are fecking expensive most places for these cars. I am gonna get an aero kit since they are way better and not much different pricewise, outlasting the originals and not freezing up in winter like the oems....
Rocko
TT 225
From memory I paid about £35 for all three (rear too) over a year ago. I need some more now, but am thinking I will just save up a bit more and get Aero wiper arms as the replacements for them are a lot cheaper and more readily available.
There has been a thread on here not too long ago listing an ebay seller with A4 fitment blades available, have a search.
There has been a thread on here not too long ago listing an ebay seller with A4 fitment blades available, have a search.
Niknak
Registered User
Rocko
TT 225
No idea, i told them to stick it up their ***** after promising me the ones I bought first time were right.
Niknak
Registered User
redspudder
Sparky
Yeah they are much cheaper, I was going to buy a set of Aero arms from Vagparts in the Spring, but now they have gone :sign_omg: I am saving up to get them from Stoke Audi instead.
coyote
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I was looking for a set of wipers a few weeks ago and couldnt believe the price of them. So I put off buying and kept searching out the bargain.... big mistake:
On my way down the M1 last Thursday there was a little bit of sleet and my drivers side wiper broke putting a scratch in the glass and leaving me 30 miles driving with a dirty windscreen and no wipers. I pulled into Halfords and spent just under £30 on their own brand as they are the only ones they stock. So i'm left with pretty ***** wipers and a windscreen that needs a good polish!
If only Vagparts were still around!
On my way down the M1 last Thursday there was a little bit of sleet and my drivers side wiper broke putting a scratch in the glass and leaving me 30 miles driving with a dirty windscreen and no wipers. I pulled into Halfords and spent just under £30 on their own brand as they are the only ones they stock. So i'm left with pretty ***** wipers and a windscreen that needs a good polish!
If only Vagparts were still around!
Niknak
Registered User
Rocko
TT 225
Holding onto it for the minute and fixing absolutely every little niggle so hopefully Ill start liking it again.
Then when the house gets sorted, might have a little more £ to play with.
Then when the house gets sorted, might have a little more £ to play with.
Rocko
TT 225
Am I right in saying we need 21" blades for both sides? Just the passenger side always seemed smaller to me.
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I dunno if the B6 uses some fancy fittings, but last time i changed the blades on the B5 i paid 8 quid from my local motorfactors for a pair of champion blades.
You wouldnt go to homebase to buy bricks to build an extension or fencing materials for your garden, you'd go to a builders merchant or timber merchant. So why go to halfrauds then moan about the price? Its not news that main dealers rip you off, and for me its certainly the last place i go after having exhausted all other options for a particular part.
If your a car enthusiast you really need to find a local motorfactors that does sensibly priced parts like these. I used to be able recommend unipart/partco as they have outlets all over the place, but i think they've recently turned trade only. Still in my area there are a number of places that are good, and go there a lot and you end up getting trade discount too which always helps. Even your local GSF/ECP outlet will do sensibly priced wiper blades etc.
You wouldnt go to homebase to buy bricks to build an extension or fencing materials for your garden, you'd go to a builders merchant or timber merchant. So why go to halfrauds then moan about the price? Its not news that main dealers rip you off, and for me its certainly the last place i go after having exhausted all other options for a particular part.
If your a car enthusiast you really need to find a local motorfactors that does sensibly priced parts like these. I used to be able recommend unipart/partco as they have outlets all over the place, but i think they've recently turned trade only. Still in my area there are a number of places that are good, and go there a lot and you end up getting trade discount too which always helps. Even your local GSF/ECP outlet will do sensibly priced wiper blades etc.
coyote
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Rocko
TT 225
So essentially your whole speech was blown out of the water as the B6 isnt the same as the B5. Your "holier than thou, I know everything" attitude really ****** me off there. I went to Halfords as I was parked beside it! Perhaps you think it necessary to be condescending in your post, I dont know, but I hardly think theres a need for it tbh!
And yes I would buy fencing from Homebase, their fencing section is exceptional.
Rocko
TT 225
Halfords DO offer wiper blades for a B6 because I bought a set at the weekend, £26. I think the number is 065's. Admittedly their parts catalogue does state that they do not supply wiper blades for cars older than 2001.
yeah thats the problem I had, mines a 52 plate and the guy said "of course we sell them sir!" - I took them outside, then realised mine are completely different, having a weird (but clever) connection system that prevents the use of standard bosch type heads. The end of the arm has a stright tip with machined slots that only accept oem style wipers and if you go the aero route, they have to be oem compatible or you need the whole kit - arms and all.
The aero ones are moulded from silicone so dont get stiff or rust and really seem to get rave reviews. I notice the standard audi ones freeze in the cold and wont touch the glass when used. Crap really eh
Its all down to self preservation.....if you picked a part of your car design thats a service item, and you knew would wear out, then make it unique, you have upped your spare parts income by quite a bit.
The aero ones are moulded from silicone so dont get stiff or rust and really seem to get rave reviews. I notice the standard audi ones freeze in the cold and wont touch the glass when used. Crap really eh
Its all down to self preservation.....if you picked a part of your car design thats a service item, and you knew would wear out, then make it unique, you have upped your spare parts income by quite a bit.
N80KRR
Registered User
I'd really like areo ones but can't be ***** to muck about changing arms and whatever just to make them fit. anyone bought some that fit straight on?
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Probably not
My point was simply that things can be had cheaper if you shop around. Perhaps in your case is was an emergency and you needed them immediately, i've had to pay a tenner for a litre of oil in a petrol station before even though i know i can get a gallon of it for the same money from the factors, because the level was off the bottom of the dipstick and the lifters were all clattering loudly... But i wouldnt buy oil from halfords or a petrol station normally, as its about 3x the price it costs at the factors.
I very much doubt that the audi dealer is the only place to get the blades even if they are a special fitment, simply because if the aftermarket sees an opening like that they tend to jump right in and fill the gap. I'm probably heading to the factors this afternoon for some gearbox oil, so i'll try to remember and have a look while i'm there to see if they do stock them.
N80KRR: I had some "fit straight on" aero conversion blades on the B5 for a while and didnt really think they were much cop. It would seem these probably wouldnt fit the B6 anyway, however i found that they didnt apply enough pressure to properly sit against the passenger side of the screen, and didnt work very well at speed as they lifted off the screen a little.
N80KRR
Registered User
Silver Quattro
1st Quattro Deffo not my last...
well it looks good so far QUOTE:"
These NEW blades are for all right hand drive Audi A4 models from mid 2001 to mid 2004 ('8E' chassis). They have the unusual fitting for the wiper arm (see photo).
These are the ones you can't find in accessory shops!
Being OEM, these blades have an inbuilt wear indicator on the frame which changes from black to a visible yellow spot when they need to be replaced.
They are made by the German OEM supplier 'SWF' so are the highest quality available. If you are unsure whether they are suitable for your vehicle please contact us with your vehicle details and we will advise you.
Audi part numbers 8E0 955 425 A (left) and 8E2 955 425 A (right)." :END QUOTE
So - they are unusual and even different sizes right to left.
If you are thinking of halfrauds, try somewhere else if the car was made after mid 2001 and have the straight arm tips with the machined notches in them.
These NEW blades are for all right hand drive Audi A4 models from mid 2001 to mid 2004 ('8E' chassis). They have the unusual fitting for the wiper arm (see photo).
These are the ones you can't find in accessory shops!
Being OEM, these blades have an inbuilt wear indicator on the frame which changes from black to a visible yellow spot when they need to be replaced.
They are made by the German OEM supplier 'SWF' so are the highest quality available. If you are unsure whether they are suitable for your vehicle please contact us with your vehicle details and we will advise you.
Audi part numbers 8E0 955 425 A (left) and 8E2 955 425 A (right)." :END QUOTE
So - they are unusual and even different sizes right to left.
If you are thinking of halfrauds, try somewhere else if the car was made after mid 2001 and have the straight arm tips with the machined notches in them.
I bought a set as the first link for my B6. Still got them brand new in the box if they are any use to anybody. Send me a pm if interested. I upgraded to the aero wipers (thanks Scotty)
N80KRR
Registered User
The aeros are much better at clearing the water and they don't leave the screen 'streaky'. It is crystal clear immediately after wiping. They also look much better. The upgrade is two new arms and two new blades.
If you are going to change them remove the plastic cover over the nut and squirt a bit of WD40 on a day or so before you swop them over. They can tend to be a bit of a ****** to get off. Not sure of the part numbers, I am sure someone can help out there.
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evil: If your going to go aero, i'd be buying the correct arms from audi and using the real aero blades, not a conversion kit. At least that way you'll get blades with the correct curvature and pressure, and it will clear the screen correctly, as audi intended.
My bro had a conversion kit on his E30, and while they were better than the ones i had on the A4, probably as the E30's screen is a lot flatter, and even then, they would start to judder around at motorway speeds.
I was in my local maccess yestarday and had a look round their wipers section, The book listed a set for the B6 01> and listed the same set for the B7, however they didnt actually have any of them on the shelf, so i couldnt check if they were actually the correct blades, or just a mistake in the catalog. It seems that using the online catalog for the same company only lists "R55" which is just replacement rubbers. :/
My bro had a conversion kit on his E30, and while they were better than the ones i had on the A4, probably as the E30's screen is a lot flatter, and even then, they would start to judder around at motorway speeds.
I was in my local maccess yestarday and had a look round their wipers section, The book listed a set for the B6 01> and listed the same set for the B7, however they didnt actually have any of them on the shelf, so i couldnt check if they were actually the correct blades, or just a mistake in the catalog. It seems that using the online catalog for the same company only lists "R55" which is just replacement rubbers. :/
I've been watching this thread with interest as I've retro fitted Bosch aero blades to my last couple of Nissans, they were amazing compared to the standard blades.
Can anyone say what vehicle/age/model you need to get the wiper arms off so that you can fit aero blades, it might be me but its not 100% clear in this and other threads about them.
Can anyone say what vehicle/age/model you need to get the wiper arms off so that you can fit aero blades, it might be me but its not 100% clear in this and other threads about them.
N80KRR
Registered User
yeah I'd really like some part no. if possible because although they get mixed reviews I like the look as well so if I can change the look and not lose any functionality then great.
The late model B6's (late 2003 onwards IIRC) came with them, and also the B7's. The B6 and B7 aero's are the same fitment.
Niknak
Registered User
Yes I was very pleased! Made me feel better for missing the £50 buy it nows in the week, the bargains are out there if you persevere :thumbsup:
Very nearly ended up in a bidding war with you! I was watching them but forgot they were finishing.
Ended up spending Sunday sanding and repainting my existing corroded wiper arms. Turned put better than expected as well.
