A better wiper
I saw wipers like this on a Volkswagen at the auto show last year and didn't realize you could buy them as an accessory until Amazon sent me an e-mail mentioning they were about half price with rebate. Though the rebate requirements were typically onerous (including cutting out a UPC in a difficult spot on the packaging--this is obviously by design), I jumped through the hoops and submitted my rebate. Anyway, the wipers work well, hugging the contour of the window without the typical mechanism of tiered metal or plastic junk that gets iced-over in the winter, and they should in general be less trouble to maintain than typical old-fashioned wipers. Due to their aerodynamic profile, I have also noticed a 10 mpg increase in gas mileage--in my dreams. However, they look sleek and I have no complaints about their wiping ability. I would prefer that these wipers were made in Germany rather than China--the brand is Bosch, after all--but I am obviously an old-timer with a naive longing for an era when the Americans and Europeans made their own consumer products. One final comment--After I bought these and went through the trouble of obtaining the rebate, I noticed some very similar wipers at Wal Mart. Though they weren't Bosch brand, they looked about the same. So if you're going to buy Chinese-made wipers--might as well try the ones at the same place that sells you toothpaste and pickles.
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