You can save yourself a decent amount of cash doing a few of those trivial, but vital, jobs on your car yourself. A lot of things can be altered or replaced without the support of a trained mechanic. Amongst these jobs are checking your oil, brake fluid and engine coolant levels, tyre pressures, ancillary drive belt tension and condition, making sure your engine hoses are free from cracks & perishing, and last but not least, replacing your cars Windscreen Wipers.

Every vehicle on the road needs good Wiper Blades. Poor Wiper Blades will make difficult driving circumstances such as rain, sleet and snow even trickier. Driving in those conditions with a mediocre set of Wiper Blades can put the life of you and your passengers at risk. Wiper Blades in weak condition can be sufficient reason for your car to fail its MOT. Also, if the police were to stop you and run a spot check, faulty Wiper Blades could land you with a £1000 fine. So it’s a safety check well worth doing!

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How frequently you need to do this is dependant on the kind of Wiper Blades you have. Your regular set of rubber Windscreen Wipers will probably need changing at least once a year to offset wear and tear, and if you live in a hostile environment, such as at the coast, with its raised levels of ultra violet light and abrasive salty atmosphere, you might well need to change your Wiper Blades twice as often. However, if you spend a little extra and purchase some Silicone Wiper Blades, the rate of changes will drop dramatically . Silicone Wiper Blades are more robustthan average rubber Windscreen Wipers. They’re more resistant to the effects of U.V., chemicals, atmospheric pollutants and extremes of temperature. Manufacturers of the Silicone Wiper Blades often guarantee them for at least 12 months, some guarantee them for the life of your car. They are a sensible investment, especially in for people who drive their car in more extreme conditions.

Now altering your Windscreen Wipers is a relatively clear-cut process. First of all – make sure you buy the right ones to fit your make of car (you should be able to find this information in your owner’s manual!).

Next, you need to pull the Windscreen Wipers arm up, so it’s in the air. Remove the older blade by pushing the small tab, and pulling the blade off. Sometimes this can be a little awkward, and you may need to use something like the head of a screwdriver to just lever the attachment off if it’s awkward or stiff . Then you simply take your new wiper blade and insert it onto the Windscreen Wipers arm. As you do this, listen for a click. That’ll let you know the attachment has slipped into position. Then just give it a gentle pull to ensure it has fixed on securely, and won’t come off whilst you’re driving! Then you simply pop the Windscreen Wipers arm back , and you’re all set ! Uncomplicated , and it will save you a lot of money!

During the course of its life, your average set of Wiper Blades will wipe over the windscreen over 1 million times, and travel roughly 800 miles. Wiper Blades as a rule are made from natural rubber, as this provides the most hardy edge for wiping over the glass. However, being exposed to such wear and tear, and also being exposed to the elements, can cause even good ones deteriorate quite fast. Continual exposure to sunlight, ozone and precipitation will have unfavourable effects on your Wiper Blades.

How often people change their Wiper Blades depends on numerous factors. One of these factors being where a person lives. A person residing in Northern Europe may change their wipers in time with the changing seasons; once in summer, once in winter. As you move further South into Southern Europe, the Wiper Blades are changed less, due to the drier climate. Another factor is the type of wiper blade being used. The Best Wiper Blades are silicone wiper blades, and people who have these will notice they have to change their Wiper Blades less frequently compared to regular rubber Wiper Blades.

One thing that is obvious is that in most cases, drivers aren’t replacing their Wiper Blades as often as they should be. Some drivers are even endangering the lives of themselves and their passengers by using Wiper Blades that aren’t up to standard. Research shows that 60% of drivers who don’t change their own Wiper Blades blame the confusing amount of adapters that come with many replacement blades. Also some drivers are dissuaded by the different types of Wiper Blades available, such as Silicone Windscreen Wipers, as they are uncertain of the suitability for their own vehicle. Some drivers will endeavour toadjust the Wiper Blades themselves, and can end up damaging the hardware by using force to pry off the blade. The ensuingannoyance is enough to put some off for good. However, Wiper Blades are much easier to change now than previously. Often drivers would be required to use a screwdriver to try and prise the Wiper Blades off, now it’s a lot easier to do and causes less frustration.

However, making the blades easier to change isn’t enough for some drivers, and they still aren’t replacing them enough. Some companies are endeavouring to raise awareness of the need to keep your Wiper Blades in tip-top condition, and that even the Best Wiper Blades need to be checked to make sure they work properly. A company named Valeo are doing just that, by developing a set of Wiper Blades that have a ‘wear indicator,’ which allows drivers to see when their Wiper Blades need replacing. The blade simply replicates the ageing process by changing from black to yellow, giving an obvious sign it needs replacing.

Hopefully, with companies continuing to promote ideas like this, and increased awareness of road safety, will encourage drivers to change their blades on a regular basis, ensuring the continued safety of driver and passengers.