"What did you do to your E39 today V2.0."

[DrCharles]

I had my E38 on the lift for a couple of days, and the E39 underneath due to significant chance of large hail. Fortunately it didn't happen. So today I backed the E39 out and got a Check Lowbeam warning. Those %^&* packrats had gotten in there, ate a couple of small holes in the hood padding, left some acorns in the left front, and ATE the low beam wiring!!

It didn't take too long to fix with short lengths of wire, solder and shrink tubing (they'd left just enough copper sticking out of the headlamp connector to make good splices). Also one wire to the hood alarm switch had been chewed/broken, although I have it disconnected. I repaired that one anyway. Shop-vaced all the acorns up and left a mothball cake under the hood. That'll learn 'em.

[computiNATEor]

Huh, I just installed Bosch wipers and haven't had any trouble.

[SW530]

Huh, I just installed Bosch wipers and haven't had any trouble.

Bosch will last a long time, they're what I used in my E34 and if the conditions were right could last years. But man, run them over an icy windshield or even a stubborn bird dukey and all bets are off. Our E34 was basic transpo. I bought it, went through it mechanically, and then we piled on the miles over the next 4-5 years. I was driving from mid-state to Chitown several times a week, my youngest was doing a 120m round trip 3-4 times a week to his university, and it was the car we used to haul the two beasts, garden supplies, and whatever else. That car excelled in every bit of abuse we threw at it. The body had a significant amount of rust so it would never be anything special, so we just put miles and miles and abuse on it.. and it took it with class. It handled some of the worst winter temps I've experienced in the last 14 years.

But it could eat a set of wiper blades almost instantly under the wrong conditions,. So hoping the $9.99 a pair of silicon replacement blades become useful. I like silicon blades when I buy complete blades, so why not when just replacing the rubbers?

[Nfs021]

Took the blades back earlier. I was originally correct that E39 blades at the dealer are ridiculous. List price $120, but sale price $109. Luckily however since I've bought so much from them in the past few months. They were cool enough to just do a swap at no extra charge.

Considering though on how expensive they are now. This will most likely be my last set of genuine wiper blades. But saying my last set lasted 2.5 years. They'll probably be discontinued by the time the new ones are due for replacement. It is what it is. Oh well.

[SW530]

Took the blades back earlier. I was originally correct that E39 blades at the dealer are ridiculous. List price $120, but sale price $109. Luckily however since I've bought so much from them in the past few months. They were cool enough to just do a swap at no extra charge.

Considering though on how expensive they are now. This will most likely be my last set of genuine wiper blades. But saying my last set lasted 2.5 years. They'll probably be discontinued by the time the new ones are due for replacement. It is what it is. Oh well.

Chances of them being made by BMW is slim at best. And it would seem the ones they still have in stock are >20 years old? Probably not idea for rubber/silicone products. If you have a good relationship with your parts guy, ask them who really makes the "genuine BMW" blades.. chances are they're a fraction of the price. And you can get new ones.

[Nfs021]

Chances of them being made by BMW is slim at best. And it would seem the ones they still have in stock are >20 years old? Probably not idea for rubber/silicone products. If you have a good relationship with your parts guy, ask them who really makes the "genuine BMW" blades.. chances are they're a fraction of the price. And you can get new ones.

Not old stock. Old ones were dated Sept 2018. New ones are Sept of 2022. Only 6 months old.

[SW530]

Not old stock. Old ones were dated Sept 2018. New ones are Sept of 2022. Only 6 months old.

That's great. It also means a manufacturer, not BMW, is making these blades. I'd bet your BMW parts guy knows who it is..

[Jason5driver]

That's great. It also means a manufacturer, not BMW, is making these blades. I'd bet your BMW parts guy knows who it is..

SWF , or Bosch ...
Absolutely ludicrous to spending that much on wipers ...

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Are you people all on drugs??? Been what…. ? 3 or 4 days crying about the price, and who currently makes wiper blades for our cars??? For as long as I can remember, been buying the same old Bosch wiper blades from FCP, the price has been the same, right now, its even cheaper…. $25 for both blades, boy, imagine if you guys without wagons had to buy the rear wiper blade…https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...set-3397001539

The Bosch blades last just about a year, so what? Buy them again when they go. A years not enough? Well, seek out that Russian dude on eBay, sells those I beam blades with the coupler that makes you need to pull the plastic bracket/spoilers that hold the oem blades, they couple on to the arms directly. I tried them, bought two sets, one set had issues with the blades not completely wiping their whole sweep, I had to bend the beams accordingly, then they wiped properly, did they last? Actually, they lasted me at least four to five years on both sets until the blades started tearing apart. Bosch blades, they only go about a year. I just recently had to go back to the Bosch blades, couldn’t find the blade coupler/spoilers, I was about to order them from FCP, but those things were like $24, or was it $46? Enough for me to wait until I checked out the local yard out here, and a perfectly clean 530 with what I figure had either engine, or transmission issues, well, some parts get to live on with me, all I spent was a whopping $12, along with a whole bunch of odds and ends. Guess I’m a cheap bastard too, lol

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Ewww, apologies, looks like it was just a whole day of wiper blades whimpering. Bottom line, guys our beloved cars are getting older, and older. When realoem moved them off the current list and into classic, what did you think was gonna happen? Sure, the Bosch blades that come in the white box from BMW are going for $120, the same BMW blades are on FCP for $98, but the Bosch blades that come in the Bosch boxes are $25. Shop smart. I only go to the dealership when I need to get something done, and they have it in stock, and I just got the box full of the rest of the projects parts, realizing I had a brain fart.

[ross1]

I'm with Snotty on this one.
Trico Exact Fit #s 21-11 & 26-11. $10 for both @ Rock Auto. They easily last me a year.

[Jason5driver]

ewww, apologies, looks like it was just a whole day of wiper blades whimpering. Bottom line, guys our beloved cars are getting older, and older. When realoem moved them off the current list and into classic, what did you think was gonna happen? Sure, the bosch blades that come in the white box from bmw are going for $120, the same bmw blades are on fcp for $98, but the bosch blades that come in the bosch boxes are $25. Shop smart. I only go to the dealership when i need to get something done, and they have it in stock, and i just got the box full of the rest of the projects parts, realizing i had a brain fart.

lol .

[scubajim20]

I replace mine every 6 months or so. No charge from FCP euro. Lucky for me they are right down the road.

[Nfs021]

Out of curiosity. I swapped the Bosch blades onto the old BMW frames. Success! All is quiet again. So the Bosch frame was messed up. Not sure how? Probably happened during one of it's shipping trips. Wouldn't be surprised considering how bad all shipping handlers have been with my packages lately.

I bought them from Pelican for $24. Not worth buying them from FCP while living on the West coast. Return shipping to them is always insanely expensive. Would've cost more than double what I paid for them. Granted they now have just opened a warehouse on this side of the country. So that should help...I hope lol.

If you think about it. My blades lasted 2.5 years. If the Bosch only last a year, that's 2 sets of those in the same time period for $50. Plus an extra half year out of a third set would be about $12. So the overall cost for basically 2.5 sets of wiper blades is around $62. Compared to my last set at $66 and the current one for discount at $70. The Bosch really aren't that much cheaper in the long run. Still a ripoff, yes. Hell even the $24-25 for the Bosch is a ripoff lol. I'm also getting the windshield replaced next week, so that'll help the new blades last a teeny bit longer not having all the pitting. To help more, I'm going to use the Bosch for spring-summer. And keep the BMW ones for fall-winter when we get the most rain. Although this spring has been quite the soaker too.

Funny how the E39 was moved to "Classic" about 7-8 years ago or so I think? Around 12-13 years after final production year. Yet the E46 3-series is still in the current catalogue with years of "1997-2018"...What?! Car's been gone for 17 years now lol. I know 3-series are more popular being cheaper. But c'mon BMW, get your act together lol.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I replace mine every 6 months or so. No charge from FCP euro. Lucky for me they are right down the road.

I think you’re right, it has been pretty much two sets of blades a year. Three blades for us wagonistas, but one of my wagons rear wiper assemblies took a crap, so not worried about that blade right now, I have it sitting on a shelf waiting for my stupid a$$ to replace the wiper arm assembly. Nice that you can just swing by FCP and pick up your orders. Is it a showroom and all? Or just a will call window?

[ChrisMelnyk]

You guys keep replacing the blades? I've been buying the refills for about a decade. I bought the new genuine BMW blades about 8 years ago as the frames were looking tired, (then continued to use refills). You can buy genuine BMW refills too, but I stocked up on no-name refills a while ago for a dollar or two a piece and change them every two years or so. So maybe I end up spending $4 CAD every two years, and I have no issues with them not clearing the water properly.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Yeah I’ve done that too. Even bought some cheapo blades at the local Autozone, while out driving around on a rainy day, cursing myself for not ordering new blades, and transplanted the actual blade guts onto the old E39 frames. But I do like the frames to always be in good fresh new shape, so don’t really care about dropping extra dime for that. Right now, I have two extra sets of new Bosch blades waiting their turns.

[scubajim20]

I think you’re right, it has been pretty much two sets of blades a year. Three blades for us wagonistas, but one of my wagons rear wiper assemblies took a crap, so not worried about that blade right now, I have it sitting on a shelf waiting for my stupid a$$ to replace the wiper arm assembly. Nice that you can just swing by FCP and pick up your orders. Is it a showroom and all? Or just a will call window?

It's basically will call. They do have three or so counter people and a very nice pick-up center. You place an online order, get a ready for pickup email. Enter the facility, go to a touch screen monitor and enter your last name. It gives you a lock box number and your items are in one of the boxes. You can walk into the garage to see some of the race cars on display and the counter people can help with questions or big items.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Man! That’s awesome!

[SW530]

Are you people all on drugs??? Been what…. ? 3 or 4 days crying about the price, and who currently makes wiper blades for our cars??? For as long as I can remember, been buying the same old Bosch wiper blades from FCP, the price has been the same, right now, its even cheaper…. $25 for both blades, boy, imagine if you guys without wagons had to buy the rear wiper blade…https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...set-3397001539

lol

So you're not taking advantage of their lifetime replacement?

[Nfs021]

Right side rear quarter window seal replaced. No glass removal needed. Take that Hans!

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

So you're not taking advantage of their lifetime replacement?

Of course I have been.

[SW530]

Of course I have been.

Sorry for the doubt..

[MotorMouth93]

Right side rear quarter window seal replaced. No glass removal needed. Take that Hans!

What was your approach?

[Jason5driver]

I found some surface rust when installing the windshield cowel …
I’m not sure what to do …
9409FC3F-34FB-47FB-B122-ADB3B1F67025.jpg

And , I’m not sure how get rid of the glass stains either .
Griots glass cleaner doesn’t cut it .