Tracker Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I had long been a supporter of Bosch as quality products whtever they made and that certainly used to be true. I have several power and garden tools that are over 15 years old and never given any trouble. We once had a washing machine came with na 5 year warranty and lasted almost 20 years! Unlike new Bosch tools and domestic appliances which often now turnout to last just beyond the guarantee period and surprise surprise, are very expensive, sometimes more than the cost of a new item, to repair. So as the company like so many now seems to be run by bean counters instead of engineers no more are Bosch our preferered supplier for anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Brian Kirby - 2021-12-17 4:21 PM Derek Uzzell - 2021-11-05 6:57 PM Wiper blades for Ducato X290 vehicles were discussed in this 2020 forum thread and images showing the two different sorts of Bosch “Aerotwin” blades were attached to my posting of 3 March 2020 6:14 PM. ........................ Yes, I know its an old thread, and it's off topic, so mea maxima culpa, but the car needed new wipers and as I was near Halfords this morning I popped in and, given a choice between Bosch and Halfords products, bought a pair of the Bosch Aero Twin blades. Now, according to the packaging, Robert Bosch Gmbh of Auf der Breit 4, 76227 Karlsruhe, Germany, has his windscreen wiper blades made in........................................yes, China! I'm not saying I wouldn't have bought them if I'd spotted that before before buying, but really! How are the mighty fallen! :-D Doubt if you will remember, but go back to the 60's/70's and there was Sedan Products of Hemel Hempstead, my grandmother was a manager there, she would bring to our house boxes of homework for my mother (and I would get roped in), it was mainly taking aerials, instruments and other aftermarket parts out of their original packaging and putting them in packaging proudly displaying "Made in England", well their 'get out' was the box was made in england. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I am old enough to remember the 60s - cars by and large were unreliable, fragile and leaky things requiring much effort to keep them alive - especially the older varieties that was all I could afford! On the plus side I did become quite an accomplished amateur mechanic / auto electrician / body work fixer upper which has stood me in good stead for years. I switched to Japanese cars some 15 years ago and they never seem to go wrong, never having had any unscheduled work or warranty claims or failed items and I don't see us going back to European products any time soon. The Auto Express Driver Power surveys are very revealing when it comes to faults and dealer attitudes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Brian Kirby - 2021-11-12 10:38 AM Brian Kirby - 2021-11-06 6:45 PM Derek Uzzell - 2021-11-05 2:07 PM Are the Valeo Silencio blades 'bisexusl'? (Bosch "Aerotwin" blades come in two versions - one has a spoiler with a symmetrical cross-section and is intended for retro-fitting to RHD or LHD vehicles, while the other is intended to replace the original blades of specific vehicles and - where a Ducato X250/X290 is concerned - the spoiler has an asymmetrical cross-section that's only appropriate for LHD models.) ..................................................... However, I was taken with the comparative slenderness and lightness of the Valeo blades so, after a lot of searching I found that the Valeo part number for the LHD version of the blades is 574392 (or VF429) and found them on Amazon for £26 delivered - ..................................This part number is for a pair (one 550mm long and one 650mm long) with the "click" fitting. They should arrive Tuesday, so I'll update further when they arrive. Blades arrived as scheduled, and the spoilers are correctly oriented. Haven't fitted them yet, but see no reason why they won't (I'm pretty sure Valeo, being a French firm, will be an OEM for at least the Peugeot Citroen badged vans). I won't know how good they are until I've driven the van in rain, which is unlikely, as above, to be until January when it is due its annual inspection with Southdowns. But I'm hoping that will a dry day, as the 110 mile hack along the south coast to Portsmouth and back is a pain, even in the dry. Rain, just adds to the pain!! I'll try to remember to give an appraisal once I've used them in anger. But, don't hold your breaths! So, a further update. Last Tuesday, 11 Jan, was an absolutely foul day down here. Persistent drizzle, gloomy, low could - the lot. But it was the day for the van to go to Southdowns in Portsmouth for its annual warranty damp check, a round trip of just over 100 miles - so off we went, with the above, as yet untried, Valeo wipers much to the fore. How did they do? They were in fact, extremely good. Quiet, effective, and very efficient. Better than the original Fiat OEM wipers by a substantial margin - although, inevitably, a lot newer than those they replaced. In the meantime I had decided the car wipers also needed replacing and had obtained a pair of the Bosch Aero Twin blades for that - and had been similarly impressed with them. On the basis of my 100+ miles round trip in more or less continual rain, and on wet roads when it was not raining, I would say the Valeo Silencio blades are fully as good as the Bosch Aero Twin blades. Different vehicles, different windscreens, but a notable improvement in performance on the part of previous wipers both sets. FWIW, the Ducato sized Valeo blades via Amazon were also cheaper than the Seat Mii sized Bosch blades from Halfords! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Over the years i've tried most types from mega cheap blades bought off market traders to Bosch at car accessory shops and in every case the Bosch blades came out on top. Not only do they make an excellent job of wiping, they last a fair time before starting to perish. Cheap blades are a false economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Good evening, After having wipers that only lasted a year or two I fitted piaa silicone blades last winter and hope they last much longer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 These links provide information on silicone wiper blades https://www.carwindshields.info/best-silicone-wiper-blades https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/blog/are-silicone-wiper-blades-good/ PIAA evidently markets three sorts of blade https://www.piaa.com/siliconewiperblades and, presumably, the Si-Tech 'flat' blade would be the most suitable for a Fiat Ducato X250/X290. For RHD Ducato X250/X290 vehicles, a 'direct fit' set (Bosch Part Number - A224S) of Aerotwin wiper blades( 1 x 650mm, 1 x 550mm) can be purchased online for about £22 (example advert here) https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/250725324 It would be interesting to know what you paid for the PIAA blades (and which type you chose) as the online asking-price for a pair of Si-Tech blades is over £50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthmover Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Hi, I have just had a pair of Bosch aero wiper blades A224S delivered from WWW.partsinmotion.co.uk, they cost £20-00 with free delivery. It included a discount, but I don't know where the discount came from?, I just clicked the on screen message search for a discount !. Regards Em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Slight change of direction but it seems the right place to ask. Has anyone used rainx or similar and does it work/ help. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 A 2009 forum thread about Rain-X https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/rain-x/14970/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Derek Uzzell - 2022-01-19 7:37 AM These links provide information on silicone wiper blades https://www.carwindshields.info/best-silicone-wiper-blades https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/blog/are-silicone-wiper-blades-good/ PIAA evidently markets three sorts of blade https://www.piaa.com/siliconewiperblades and, presumably, the Si-Tech 'flat' blade would be the most suitable for a Fiat Ducato X250/X290. For RHD Ducato X250/X290 vehicles, a 'direct fit' set (Bosch Part Number - A224S) of Aerotwin wiper blades( 1 x 650mm, 1 x 550mm) can be purchased online for about £22 (example advert here) https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/250725324 It would be interesting to know what you paid for the PIAA blades (and which type you chose) as the online asking-price for a pair of Si-Tech blades is over £50. I cannot remember what price I paid but I know it was a lot and had to swallow hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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