23 - Friday, March 30, 1990 - North Shore News Is it time to change wiper blades? WIPER SERVICE IS EASY AND CAN SAVE YOU MONEY IF YOU are one of the many motorists peering around the streaks on your windshield until the rain lets up, it’s time to service your windshield wipers. Wiper service is easy — and it INADEQUATE WIPER blades can be highly ir- vitating in wet weather — and unsafe. Gardiner Dye of Central Auto Parts replaces this wiper blade as part of a regular car maintenance ses- sion. (4 ONLY... WED. MARCH 26 ie] SAT. MARCH 31 can save you money — when you follow these tips. The typical windshield wiper is made up of two parts: The wiper blade, a frame which holds the rubber, is usually made of metal, occasionally of plastic. ¢ The rubber wiping element, which is referred to as a refill — so called because you can replace it without changing the wiper blade. When a wiper blade needs ser- vice, it is usually because the rub- ber refill has stopped performing. Refills fail because the smog, ozone, acid rain, road salt and general dirt all around us attack the rubber mercilessly. That is what causes the streaks and smears on your windshield. How often do windshield wipers need service? Experts say every six months to a year — the rubber in the refills won't last any longer than that. But many motorists routinely leave their wipers un- touched for two years or more. When you change your wipers, you have two choices: You can replace the entire wiper blade, or you can simply replace the refill. It’s better to replace only the refill, for two reasons: ® Your original equipment wiper blade is designed for your car's windshield contour and styled to complement your vehicle. Wiper blades usually need replacement only if they are bent or damaged; there’s no need to change them if there is nothing wrong with them. © Lower cost: A pair of new refills might cost only a couple of dollars at an auto parts retailer, while a single new wiper blade costs $10 or more. For years, automotive suppliers have made standard wiper refills widely available. All that’s needed to find the correct refill for most domestic models is to know the length. But, finding wiper refills for import vehicles has been an in- creasing problem. Standard refills won't fit many import wiper blades. The import manufacturers and even some ‘“merican manu- facturers frequently use a ‘‘narrow claw’ design wiper blade, requir- ing refills as much as 50 per cent narrower than domestic configura- tions. This has left import car owners with some compromising choices: Purchase complete new wiper blade assemblies at exorbitant prices every time the refills wear out; gO to a car dealer and pay dearly for original equipment refills (as much as $22 per set for some models); or simply defer the purchase indefinitely and live with ¢ Install! oil filter * Complete chassis lube © 16 point safety check ® Takes only 5/10 minutes ' 1362 MARINE DRIVE | NORTH VANCOUVER ee, oO MERCEDES-BENZ INVITES AND REMINDS... Service Inspection Reminder The key to satisfactory performance of your Mercedes-Benz during the coming Spring ce Sites} Mercede and Summer season is the Spring Inspection. We invite all Mercedes-Benz owners to call our service department now and arrange an appointment to have your car properly checked over and prepared for Spring/Summer driving. Please call Service direct at 984 sBenz 1375 MARINE DRIVE, NORTH VANCOUVER 984-9701 e Up to 5 L Premium Quality oil 1 SAVE *4° Top quality products on all cars, light trucks and motorhomes. Offer expires Apri! 30, 1990 9701 poor visibility. Some manufacturers have ad- dressed the problem by introducing “Narrow Refills’? to fit these nar- row blades. The new narrow refills let you keep your original wiper blades and save the considerable cost of their replacement. Streaks and smears need not blur your vision if you service your windshield wipers every six months to a year. Wiper refills are easy to install, save money, and make driving easier and safer. 95 reg. $23.95