Wiper blades are one of the cheapest safety equipment on your car, which routinely gets neglected. They are very important maybe not as much as brakes, to keep the driver and the passengers safe.

The blades get cracked, split, torn, brittle or worn.

According to the research, ninety percent of all driving decisions are based on a clear unobstructed view of the road, which means good visibility is absolutely essential — especially during wet weather when vision may be obscured by water, road splash, sleet or snow on the windshield. But good visibility requires wipers that are in good condition. If the wipers are chattering, streaking or otherwise failing to wipe cleanly and consistently, you need new blades — NOW!

Most experts say wiper blades should be replaced every six to twelve months for optimum performance and driving visibility. That’s because wiper blades don’t last forever. Natural rubber deteriorates over time. Halogen-hardened rubber as well as synthetic rubber provides longer life. But eventually all blade materials fall victim to environmental factors. Exposure to sunlight and ozone causes the rubber to age, even if the wipers aren’t used much. This tends to be more of a problem on vehicles that are parked outside in the hot sun all day.

Cold weather can affect blade life, too. Freezing temperatures makes rubber hard and brittle, which increases the tendency to crack and split. The holders can also become clogged with ice and snow, preventing the holder from distributing spring tension evenly over the blade. The blade “freezes up” and leaves streaks as it skips across the glass.

Any blade that’s chattering, streaking or doing a lousy job of wiping, therefore, is a blade that’s overdue for replacement. The same goes for any blade that is cracked, torn, nicked or otherwise damaged.

Checking Your Blades

A simple check is to try your windshield washers. If the blades are not in good condition, you’ll see why when they attempt to wipe the washer solvent off the glass. Streaking, chattering or any other problems will be clearly obvious.

This test also gives you the opportunity to check your windshield washer system. After you’ve checked the windshield wipers, check the rear wiper too if your vehicle has a rear wiper system. Many sport utility vehicles, vans, minivans, station wagons, hatchbacks and fastbacks do. After all, it’s just as important to see what’s behind you when backing up in the rain as it is to see what’s ahead. You can use the same test (try the rear windshield washer, if so equipped), or simply spray some water onto the glass with a squeeze bottle and see how the wiper performs.

Replacement Blades

You can usually replace wiper blades yourself, and can replace just the blade with a refill or the entire blade assembly. Refills will save you money. If you’re installing a blade assembly, most come with some type of adapter to fit the arms on your vehicle. The old blades pull or push off the arm by pressing a release button or pin on the wiper holder.

If you are replacing the blade only with a refill, the old blade can be removed by squeezing the locking tags in at the end of the blade so it will slip out of the holder. Make sure the replacement blade is the same length and claw width as the original. A blade that is too long may create interference problems, while one that is too short may not fit the holder.

For cold weather driving, you might consider installing a set of “winter blades” on your vehicle. These have an enclosed holder that prevents ice and snow from building up and interfering with the wiper’s ability to do its job.

You can save money by downloading Free Wiper Coupons from our website http://www.prundo.com

The above article was compiled from yahoo autos

We have listed eight car repairs which are crucial for your safety and your car’s performance.

1. Brakes

People tend to postpone the replacement of brake pads because their car still stops when brakes are applied. This is true. Even if your brakes are worn out, your car can/ may still stop. However, you are not only taking a huge risk with respect to your safety, you are also increasing the chances of spending much more in the future. Worn out brake pads destroys your brake rotors. The rotors needs to be turned or smoothened out, or worse they may have to be replaced, thus costing you several hundreds dollars.

Best option is to regularly get your car brakes checked by professional mechanic and get them replaced regularly. Most of the good shops offer lifetime warranty on the brake. So please do not procrastinate. If you wan to save more, download free brake coupons from our website. Read our blog on brakes to find out signs of brake pads wearing out.

2. Oil Change

Oil is like your engine’s blood. But unlike your blood, all sorts of impurities build up in unless your oil is changed regularly — not to mention that all engines lose some oil. Too much buildup and not enough oil lead to your engine seizing up. Sure, you can save $40 by putting off an oil change, but you could end up spending $4,000 on a new engine.

On an average an oil change should cost you around $35 at most quick oil change stations. And that same station will probably tell you to come back in three months or 3,000 miles. But do you have to? It depends. Read our blog on this subject. To find out how long your car can go between changes, read your owner’s manual.

3. Air Filter

Air filers can be easily replaced. They are very cheap but have significant impact on your car’s performance. Not changing your car’s air filter, on the other hand, is expensive. According to the EPA, a dirty air filter can reduce fuel economy by up to 10 percent simply because your engine won’t breathe as efficiently. By not changing a dirty air filter, you’ll save about $15. But, if your car is supposed to get 25 miles per gallon, and gas is $2.50 a gallon, those savings have evaporated by the time you’ve driven about 150 miles.

Even worse, if the air filter isn’t clean and that means enough air isn’t getting to the engine, you could foul your spark plugs and might have to replace them. Depending on your engine, that can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. Now, spending $15 for a new air filter doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

4. Tire Rotation and Wheel Alignment:

On an average car tires cost $300 and can last anywhere from 30,000 to over 80,000 miles based on the tires warranty, its type and your driving habit. As most of the weight in the car is in the front, the front tires tend to wear out faster. Leading to different tread thickness between front and rear tires. In order to keep the tires in good condition and with uniform tread, always rotate them ever 5000 miles. When you do rotate tires, also get them aligned so that you have a smoother ride. Download free tire coupons from our website.

5. Transmission Fluid

One of the most common problems associated with your transmission is a fluid leak. You’ll likely first notice it when you see drops of red fluid on the pavement where you usually park your car. Ignore it for long enough, and you’ll definitely notice it when the leak leads to your transmission shifting roughly, or the gears slipping.

Transmission fluid is what cools and lubricates your transmission. If it’s leaking, you need to fix it, and fast. Resealing a transmission is a relatively easy job and should usually only cost a few hundred dollars. Ignoring the leak can lead to the transmission seizing up and a subsequent transmission replacement –which costs several thousand dollars. Download free transmission coupons from our website.

6. Fuel Filter

An important part of maintaining your car is keeping impurities out of the engine. While the air filter does part of the job by keeping airborne impurities out, the fuel filter keeps impurities from the fuel out of the engine. Like the air filter, if it gets clogged and you don’t fix it, you’re looking at some major problems.

On older cars, a fuel filter is relatively easy to replace because it’s easy for mechanics or car owners themselves to get to. On newer cars, it’s a more complex job. More complexity means more money, which makes this repair tempting to skip — despite the fact that it can lead to the car stalling or refusing to start altogether.

Don’t skip it. At its most expensive, replacing a fuel filter will be a few hundred bucks. Let it go too long, and not only are you looking at dealing with a car that will barely run, you could also have dirt in your fuel injectors — causing them to need replacing. Replacing just one fuel injector can cost over $500. But if they all need replacing, you’re looking at least $1,000 in repair bills.

7. Burned Out Lights

Here’s one car repair on our list that is really easy to ignore. After all, a burned-out tail light won’t eventually lead to engine failure or to your transmission falling out. While that’s all true, you should still fork over your hard-earned $5 for new tail light bulb if yours is burned out.

Believe it or not, failure to keep your rear lights working can be an expensive proposition. First, if a police officer sees you with broken tail or brake lights, you’re going to get a ticket. In some states, the fine for a broken tail light is $150, which makes paying for a new bulb seem like chump change. Second, broken lights increase your risk of being on the receiving end of a rear-end collision. And while the other driver’s insurance should cover any damage (assuming they have insurance), you still have to deal with the headache of getting your car fixed.

8. Wiper Blades

Wipers tend to worn out even when you are not using them by their exposure to sun, dust and rain. They cost only $10-$15 for each wiper blade and are not only necessary from safety perspective, the worn out wipers can damage your car windscreen, which can result in much higher expenses. Download free wiper coupons from our website.