Wiper BladeCustomer Review: where the rubber meets the road
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."
Customer Review: Great product
I've always been a fan of Bosch. This is my first ICON product and so far it works really well. No streaks and cleans perfectly. After installing it, it does look a little weird because unlike conventional blades it doesn't have the supporting arms anymore. It's just like a thick piece of rubber that hugs your windshield. As advised it definitely fits very snuggly. I just installed it about a week ago so hopefully it will last as long as my other ones did (2 years).
When upgrading your Honda Civic, there are three basic things most people would like to do to gain performance, style, and looks. The first is a body kit. Next, most people want to add personalization to the interior. Last, we want to talk about engine modifications. These upgrades you may want to do in any particular order, depending on your personality. I started with my engine. I want my car to be a sleeper. When I add a body kit, then Ill have the muscle to back it up. But it all depends on you. Lets start with the body kit for your Honda Civic.
If you have a pre-1988 Honda Civic, body kits were made, but they are hard to find. There really wasnt much of an internet, so the market was limited to larger cities or Japan. Today, you could search for a used Mugen kit and probably find one on the internet. For later Civics, there are a couple of good choices. Stillen and Greddy offer quality components. When purchasing bargain components, remember you may have to modify the kit for proper alignment. For example, the exhaust may not be exactly in the right spot. Rework time to your Civic may end up costing you as much as a higher quality kit. Ive looked at the kits you can buy a piece at a time due to my budget. Adding the front air dam to keep the car on the ground, side skirts and a rear valance all at once can be a little imposing on the pocketbook.
Interior modifications may not impress anyone as you drive down the street, but if the car looks good on the outside, youll want that Civic sharp on the inside. A torn seat or other imperfections are a good place to start. Most people start with the radio. But if you have a newer Civic or Accord and the radio is already pretty good, what can you do to add your own style? Add some gauges. You can add a pillar mount gauges the A-frame that supports the roof. A company called Lotek makes nice gauge pods.
When you add the gauges, now you have interior style and you can keep better check on your motor instead of relying on a red warning light. The first thing to do is get a free flowing intake. Not only do these look good in the engine compartment, but also they help the car breath better. There are several to choose from, but Im biased towards K & N Products. They fit perfectly and are completely washable. Be warned, you can here the engine breathing when you hit the gas! Its so cool!
I hope these gave you a good starting point on what you can do with your Honda Civic, Accord, or Prelude. Personalizing your car makes it your car, not just another Honda.
Stuart Simpson collects information and pictures on Honda cars at http://www.hondalinks.com
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