I'm sure they are, I used '09 when ordering, as Amazon's website is not yet set up for all '10's.

 

I replaced my OEM's with 'Trico NeoForm Beam Blades' that I got online. They wipe great and are super quiet. They've got a teflon coating that makes them/keeps them quiet. They come in 28" and 17".

 

stock blades definitely dont do their job, incredible amount of streaking with these within just a few months of using. Will try the Bosch's.

 

I've heard the Bosch Icons and Valeo's with silicon tech are the best of the best! Some have recommended Rain-X but I personally tried them on my Acura but the stalk connector is too wide and thick and 1/3 of the passenger side blade did not touch the windshield, which is useless so I returned them!

go with Bosch or Valeo!!

 

I tried the Lattitudes on my last change...not up to par with the Icons (plus they look unfinished on my Max) Haven't seen the Valeo's at any brick and mortar yet but was thinking of trying out the Trico Neoforms later this month. Lattitudes started streaking in less than 3 months (half the time of the Icons.)

 

yeah I've heard the same things! the Bosch tend to last between 6-12 months, depending on how much rain your area of the country gets; I live in NJ so we get a so so chance of rain so I can usually get a year out of a set of blades before streaking starts!

the Valeo's aren't sold in anything like a Autozone or Pepboys but you can order them from tirerack.com; several people here and on the Acura blog I belong to have used them and say they are good!

I think that when it comes to wiper blads, Bosch Icons, Valeo Silicon Techs, and Trico Neoforms are the best of the best to use!

I still am flabbergasted to this day how lousy the OEM wiper blades were from day one with not only streaking but SMEARING the entire windshield while in use! if anything they are a safety issue; Nissan should be ashamed of itself!

 

I think I'll steer clear of the Valeos. Their web site hasn't been updated (looking at their news releases) in 4 or 5 years. Doesn't inspire confidence with me. If their customer facing site isn't getting care, I don't know their products would either.

 

I am so sorry man, I screwed up! I was thinking of the wrong brand; Valeo doesn't even have the silicon technology, I'm thinking of PIAA! that is the brand with the silicon technology!

personally, I think that Bosch and Trico are your best bet with getting the best wiper blade for your Maxima! I like the design of the bracket connector on the Trico's a little bit better then the Bosch but I don't know of any auto store that has the Trico's so if you want them you have to order them online I think!

 

The OEMs have worked wonderfully well for me for over 14 months. Of course I am retired, the car sits in a heated/cooled garage 90% of the time, is parked facing away from the sun when we are away from home, is used only three or four days a week, and is usually not the vehicle we use if the weather is bad (gotta keep my Maxima clean).

I learned over fifty years ago that wiper blades deterioriate when frequently left in the sun for extended periods. Unfortunately, when we are working full time, or have no access to a garage, we usually don't have any choice but to park in the sun.

If we are finding several wiper brands that seem to do better than the OEM blades, then Nissan should have been able to find those better blades also. If Maxima is to be considered a better-than-average car, then it deserves better-than-average blades.

 

well consider yourself lucky then light because my Maxima is also garage kept and I work in a place that has a parking garage so the car does not sit out in the sun that much, unless I'm going shopping or something and even that is only for 30-60 minutes once in a while

my OEM blades streaked and smeared the window from day one of using them and have continued to do so since I got the car last Sept! I'm waiting for the winter to be completely over before buying replacement blades, most likely going with the Bosch Icons or Trico BeamBlades! haven't decided yet but anything has to be better then the OEM blades! I even cleaned the blades with hot soapy water and it still didn't do anything! Never have had a problem with OEM blades untill the ones on this Maxima! go figure!

your last statement is right on the money light! don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Maxima, but I've noticed a couple of minor cheap cost cutting measure Nissan did on this car, the blades being one, that is outraegous considering the prestige and price tag this car has; if Nissan wants to produce and sell a car that costs as much as a luxury division vehicle, then they need to really go all out in all areas!

 

your point about the sunlight and the rubber of the blades is well taken light! it does happen, and especially if your someone who lives in the deep south, like Florida, where it is much warmer and more sunlight that is would dry up and crack the blades more easily and quickly!

that is one of the big advantages of the PIAA Silicon blades, the silicon lasts a lot longer then the rubber and tends to take a long time to dry and crack but then again the stalk is not beam flat so it doesn't look as nice! there is always a trade off with everything!

I actually read on another website of a guy with PIAA Silicons that said he had the same blades on for almost 4 years before there were any signs of cracking and streaking! not too shabby!

 

Something else I learned long ago - Driving in traffic (especially heavy traffic) gradually builds up a layer of insoluable gunk (oils, grease, etc) on my windshield that tends to smear instead of wash off. Also, using one of those carwashes (even the touchless ones) that finish the job by spraying a thin coat of 'wax' on the car results in a layer of that 'wax' being sprayed onto the windshield.

Whenever a bird poops on my windshield, I try to clean it off before using the wipers, which smears the stuff across the windshield.

Whenever I wash my windshield, I also clean the wiper blades carefully, as they can sometimes build up a layer of gunk from cleaning the stuff off the windshield.

Smartie - when the time comes for wipers for me, I think I will try a set of those PIAA silicon-type blades you like.

 

Can't believe I have to change my oem wiper blades on a new car kinda bugs me how Nissan couldn't have done a little better job providing the wiper blades on our 30+ thousand dollar cars. Because they are terrible in the rain!!

 

well I just want to be clear light, I didn't say I liked them, I've just heard on here and several other blogs people recommending them, especially, as you point out with the sunlight, live in a area where it is very warm and a lot of sunlight because the silicon lasts much longer then the rubber in regards to drying up and cracking! the only thing with the PIAAs is that they don't have a beam blade flat look, they have a more traditional old school bracket housing for the blades so they won't look as good as the Bosch or Tricos!

I personally will most likely try the Bosch Icon's, since they are 10 minutes down the road from me at Autozone or order the Trico NeoForm Beams before I would try the Silicon's from PIAA! I personally have not had any of these so I can really comment from personal experience! I'll have to try each one and see how they are!

A lot of people, and even the high school idiot at Autozone recommended Rain-x latitude blades but I tried putting them on my TL last year and 1/3 of the passenger blade didn't touch the window so they were useless! I think the Bosch and Trico are better then the Rain-X in that they have a much thinner and narrower connecting clip for the blade housing to the mechanism arm so that the blade does not have much distance between flat where it sits on the windshield and where it connects to the arm mechanism! I think that was what the problem was with the Rain-X latitudes with my TL; the connector snap is so thick and wide that it added distance between where the blade sits on the window and where it connects to the arm causing part of the blade to not sit and touch the windshield!

 

I'm going to concur with Light here. My car is outdoors all the time, but covered.

Here in mid Fl, I usually replace mine 3-4x a year. Damn sun is brutal. I don't bother getting really fancy blades knowing they'll be sun damaged soon anyway.

Tho wouldn't trade the sun and weather for that crap you all get up north in the winter!!!!!

 

well man, since you live in Florida and you experience exactly what light was mentioning, I would definitely try out the PIAA Silicons! like I was saying the silicon is suppose to last a very long time and not crack and dry out like rubber does so you might be able to get 1-2 years out of silicon blades then having to change rubber blades 3-4 times a year as your doing now, might be a little cheaper in the long run in fact! they are not that much more then regular ones, I think you can get them for between 15-23 bucks depending on the size you need! here is a link if you want some more info! just a thought for your to consider! piece out and enjoy the weather in Florida man, certainly better then here in New Jersey!

http://www.tirerack.com/wipers/brand.jsp?brand=PIAA

 

Well I went to try to order the PIAAs but cant find them in our size. Oh well, maybe they will start making one to fit soon. Interesting Tech, but not one for our Maxs.

 

yeah your right, what a pain in the a#$ my guess is that it is because of the ridiculously large 28'' driver side blade the Maxima needs! I think that is the largest blade size for a passenger car most companies make so its not surprising they don't have it; some companies stop at 24'' or 26'' blades!

its too bad because I really think a silicon blade would really last a lot longer for you down their in Florida since you have so much sunshine and a lot of rain often on! oh well, best of luck man!

 

Its not all bad. The Icons work for a good 6 months down here...at least twice what I get with others (Like the Smuf says...We get a lot of use down here and with the sand, lovebugs, UV and the like that ain't too bad at all!)

 

So I have narrowed them down to the Bosch Icons (Autozone) or the Trico NeoForm Beam Blades (NAPA)! which one do you all recommend? they both appear to have the same design and fitment so I don't think it really would make a difference? guess I'll just get which ever is the cheaper one!

do you guys recommend buying them from my local store or paying shipping/handling and buying them online? I'm leaning toward buying them at the store so that if by a slim chance there is a problem I can just take them back!

 

I prefer the "Brick and Mortar" approach. Some may call it convenient, others a case of instant gratification, and yet others call it supporting your local businesses. I like to see, feel and touch before I buy but that is just my preference. If something is not time critical or not locally available, I go to the net!

 

As I posted earlier, after using Icons and Valeo Ultimates, I will not pay for Icons again. I have not tried the Tricos or the Latitudes, but would be willing if I couldn't find Valeos at a decent price.

 

this is so funny, I read one or two other people not recommend Valeos! while others recommend Bosch, while others don't, so I guess its just going to come down to personal taste! its not like the blades cost an arm and a leg, I guess you can get them try them and if you don't like them you just don't get them again!

 

I look at it like this...Gizzsdad has at least tried the Icons but prefers the Valeos. I have only tried the Tricos, Icons and Lattitudes but so far prefer the Icons. I can tell you that, based on Gizzsdad experience, if I ever did run across some Valeos at a brick and mortar store, I would definitely give them a try. But the weather is a bit different between Iowa and Florida so they may not work as well, or they may work better. I am just not willing to "order" them off the net without first being able to put them thru the old Missouri test (show me!) and see them in my grubby hands before obtaining them.

Most folk on this forum will tell you what they have experienced... or at least caveat their thoughts with (" I heard" or "my buddy said") but at the end of the day, what works well for one may not be someone else's cup of tea.

 

very true man, plus depending on where you live in the country and what type of weather you get makes a difference as well; I'm pretty lucky in that I live in NJ so we get only a avg amount of rainfall all year long and winter's are typically not too bad, except for 2 or 3 storms a year but that would contrast much differently then someone who lives in Washington State, or Florida, etc where there is much more rain and bad weather! I bet the people who live in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and that whole area have their blades hammered through the winter months with all the snow they get!!

I forgot to ask everyone though, are the Bosch Evolution's the newer version of the Icon's and if so has anyone tried them and recommend them over the Icon's or Trico NeoForms?

 

LtLeary, what is a brick and mortar store?

 

Appologies for dating myself. It is a "physical store" like Pep Boys, AutoZone and the like (in the old days made with Concrete, Bricks and Mortar.) A place you can get in your Max and drive to. As opposed to a "virtual store" like Ebay, Amazon.com, etc.

 

Haven't seen them at the store yet. The Napa guy mentioned to me when they first came out last year that Bosch was positioning them as a #2 blade with ICONs as their premier still.

 

The only problem with Trico is they are at NAPA and I have had nothing but trouble over the years with returning the stuff if it is open! they give you such a hard time that is turns me away from them! does anyone know if PepBoys carries the Trico's!

 

Advance Auto Parts carries Trico if you have one in your area.

 

so does PepBoys, I think I might wait and go down to PepBoys (about 20 minutes away) because I've just had so much trouble over the years with NAPA with returning items that I think I'm willing to drive to PepBoys to get the Trico's; if not, I can just go down the street and get the Icons or Evolutions from Autozone (5 minutes down the road)!

By the way, can anyone of you guys tell me what is the difference between the Icons and Evolutions?? Someone told me that the Evolutaions are the newer/better/quieter version of the Icons that Bosch put out and I was wandering if I should get those instead of the Icons? what do you guys think???

 

 

Yeah, I live in a small town and our NAPA closes at 5pm or something silly AND they're closed on Sundays. Most of us work past 5pm which deems our NAPA useless. Walmart on the other hand is a 25 mile round trip and they are open all the time but don't stock Trico nor 28" blades. So I turned to online and it was fine for me. They're always open, they're usually in stock and if they're not, I don't waste a trip and gas and it saves me from myself because it only shows me the right wipers for my maxima rather than everything. Search, selected and checked out in less than 5 minutes.

I will say also that I did get into a NAPA recently in a different town and they had their "NAPA NeoForms" for $5 higher each than I paid online.

OK...thats my rant...rock and roll all nite and party every day!!

 

well, I decided to take a chance and tryout the Bosch Icon's on my Max! Autozone was having a sale where I live so I got 5 bucks off each blade so it wasn't too bad; I'm hoping these in conjunction with Rain-X cleaner/repellant will cause a streak/smear free wet weather driving experience!

I'm going to give them 3-4 storms and I'll post back after trying them a couple times how well they are compared to the OEMs!!

thanks again for all your help and suggestions guys!

 

One thing I forgot to ask earlier is, how do you guys clean your wiper blades? Typically, when I wash the car (typically every 1-2 weeks) I use a hot soapy wash cloth to wipe down the blades after I've been through the car wash and then wipe it clean with a damp towel.

Is there anything else I could be doing to the blades to clean them so that they last longer?

 

Thats Kinda all I do. Everytime I was my car (usually on Friday or Saturday) all I do is just wipe them dry with a dry paper towel. Seems to do good. If they are not clean they dont wipe worth a crap.

 

you'd be surprised though the black and crap that comes off the blades when I wipe them off with the hot soapy towel, even after being through the car wash!! I'm glad I do this because wiping them with hot soapy water is really what gets them clean, the car wash doesn't hit them right I guess!

 

Yo man, thank you so much for this information. I actually bought a set of these tonight, not for my Maxima, but for my 08 TL. They really are a deal because I think they are going to be like $30 bucks total with the rebate and on NAPA and PepBoys website, with shipping and handling and no rebate they would have been close to $50 bucks so you saved me $20 bucks there!!

Thanks again! I'm trying the Trico's on my TL and the Icon's on my Maxima so I'll let you know how they both do!!!

 

Usually when you start seeing real dark black coming off of a black rubber it means that the rubber is breaking down. If you can get the black to stop coming off on a rag or paper towel then it is probably dirty but if you see black everytime no matter how much you wipe it, it is def the rubber.

Why dont they make these out of clear silicone now anyway?

 

I know really, rubber is outdated. The only company I know of, that uses silicon technology is PIAA. Plus, these blades apply a coating of silicon to the window every time they are in use. Only problem is, the regular ones only come in the old bracket style housing for the blade since the Max needs a 28inch driver side blade. IF you can live with the antiquated design then you should get them. Or you can try the new flat blade design by PIAA but I don't think they come in 28inch yet. Here is a link if your interested in researching them.

http://www.piaa.com/WiperBlades/WiperBlades.html

But to be perfectly honest with you, I think even the quality of rubber in the OEM blade inserts that all the car companies are using now is of much lower quality then it used to be. Only within the last few years have I noticed problems with the OEM blades from the start. Ten and Twenty years ago, I used to have no problem with the OEM blades until after a year or so of use and had to replace the inserts, get 1-2 years out of them, replace again, and repeat the cycle.

This 2010 Max is the third car in a row now that, consistently, from the first day of using the OEM blades, have caused streaking/smearing of the window and no matter how much I clean the windshield and blades, the streaking/smearing continues, even when brand new, until I just get fet up and replace them. I'm hoping that the Rain-X cleaner/repellant in conjunction with the Icons will make all the difference because if they don't, I won't know what to do. I might have to try the PIAA's eventually if I can get the 28inch driver blade!

It just doesn't make any logical sense how these blades streak/smear from day one, despite constantly wiping them down after each car wash and using Rain-X or rubbing alcohol with newspaper to wipe and clean the windshield itself it has to be the quality of the rubber they are using or that the flat beam blade housing they are using is not applying the right unilateral amount of pressure along the entire blade!

It is intersting to note that, the 2009 Altima used the exact same flat beam housing for the wiper blades that the 2009 and 2010 Maxima's have, yet when I was at the Nissan dealer last week, I saw that Nissan changed the blade housing design a little bit for all the 2010 Altima! The 2010 Altima's look like they have a much more flexible and heavier design holding the blade tighter against the window. Maybe Nissan got the message!