For more than 30 years, I've searched high and low for the perfect wiper blade. Being a little tiny bit obsessive about my car, one of the things I can NOT tolerate is a chattering, noisy, smeary, streaky wiper blade. Driving in the rain is hard enough without feeling like you're trying to look through a wax-paper windshield.
In the past, I'd put new wiper blades on my car two or three times a year and sometimes more, just to make sure I never had to deal with wiper smear or worse, wiper chatter. That sound is like fingernails on a blackboard to me!!
I'd also clean the rubber edge several times between blade changes, to keep the leading edge clean and free from debris and gooey tree gunk and junk. Due to my desire to keep the finest quality blades on the car, I'd only buy authentic Toyota blades for my 2003 Camry and then one day...
An associate at the local Toyota dealer talked me into buying the rubber inserts for the blades, rather than the whole blade assembly. For 20 minutes, I waited and watched as she fiddled around trying desperately to get the inserts into the arm assembly. Two days later (and 10 minutes of use later), while driving in a light rain storm, the whole thing came apart in pieces, scratching my windshield in the process. It was a Sunday afternoon (dealer was closed), so I drove directly to the auto parts store and told them I wanted the most expensive wiper-blade they sold. They took me to the Bosch Icon and said, "these are the best, but they're pricey."
I couldn't be more pleased with the quality and performance of this product. The two blades I bought for Cammie cost less than $50 which isn't THAT much contrasted against the frustration of not being able to see clearly through the windshield when it rains.
April 2008 UPDATE: I am on my second pair of Bosch Icons and I'm saddened to say that I am no longer "raving" about these things. While they're just swell for the first 60 days, they deteriorate quickly after that and become streaky and smeary. When I was buying wiper blades for my daughter's car, I asked the auto parts guy about the Bosch Icon. He replied, "I'm not that impressed with them either. They don't last long." Bosch 424A ICON Wiper Blade - 24"
I just installed my second set of Bosch ICON wiper blades on my BMW. As with the previous set, they perform beautifully in rain, silently clearing a completely streak-free path, as expected. They also work as advertised, preventing snow and ice build-up in throughout the extremes of Minnesota winters. The clean look and security provided by the latching hook cover is an added bonus.
However, their lifespan is limited: both ICON blades began leaving hairline streaks after 12 months' use, so I replaced them with another set of ICONs. Why the ICONs again? I did my own little CR testing over the past year on our vehicles, comparing the Bosch ICONs with the Trico and Anco competitive models. The ICONs offered cleaner wiping through rain and snow (when new), plus have a slightly better appearance installed. The Trico and Anco blades provided a more consistent performance as they aged, but I preferred the cleaner wiping performance of the ICONs over the longer lifespan of the Trico and Anco blades.
In other words, you can decide for yourself which is more important: shorter-term performance or longevity. If you are willing to sacrifice a bit of longevity for superior performance, the ICONs are the ideal choice!
I bought a pair of these Bosch wiper blades for my 2010 Ford Fusion and they are pretty much shot at 3 months. This blade leaves streaks and smears on most of the driver's side which I think is due to the length of this blade. This happens even though I clean the windshield and blades often. The shorter passenger side seems to wipe better but is still not great. The driver's side blade has now developed a nick in the blade resulting in a bead of water that is never removed from my field of vision. I actully put the original blades back on and they perform better than the Bosch blades ever did. I recommend not buying these blades.
After thorough research I bought these in late 2009 to replace stock blades on a 2006 Honda Pilot. They worked well for about 3 months and then started streaking and skipping (very annoying on long drives). The stock blades worked much better. I am now replacing and would not recommend this Bosch ICON model for any SUV.
UPDATED Review - June 3, 2011. In my original comment on these Bosch ICON blades, I was generous awarding 2 stars. I finally replaced these blades in April 2011 with Good Year Assurance blades, and I am sad that it took me so long to do so. With the Bosch blades I cringed every time it rained as they were very streaky and failed to remove water from the wind screen. I had to constantly adjust my seated position so I could see the road through the streaks. These new Good Year blades made a 'day and night' difference.
The ICON wipers are the best I've used. Do not pay attention to the fit guide. It can be misleading. My recommendation is to check out user forums for your vehicle and ask if anyone else has used them. I drive a BMW X5. The ICON fit guide says they do not work for the 2005 model year. This is simply not true. I removed my factory wipers and replaced them with these with no problem.
Installation is VERY easy. No more clipping wires, changing inserts, threading rubber through metal. Put this wiper assembly on, clip it in and you're done. Yes, they are more expensive than replacing inserts, but they are worth it.
As far as the quality of the "wipe," it is very good, but not perfect. Better than most I have tried, and thus the 4 star review. But I noticed some faint lines and streaks, just like most other wipers. My first set lasted 1 year and probably could have been longer. Overall a nice product. - Wiper Blade - Best Wipers - Bosch Icon Wiper Blades - Bosch'
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