Do it yourself

Quote: missedhervee

The strength of batteries can be checked before placing them into use.

It takes a VOM (volt ohm multimeter) with a feature to measure their strength.

see:



Of course a VOM is great for working on automotive electric issues as well, which is why I own one.

I have several VOM. I keep losing them then buying another, then finding the ones I lost in due time. Testing dollar tree 9V batteries doesn't seem to be worth the time, but I hear you.

Quote: GenoDRPh

Testing dollar tree 9V batteries doesn't seem to be worth the time, but I hear you.

Oh, it doesn't take much time at all, really, and it's good to know if they're bad or if something else is the problem.

I'd never bought a VOM to test batteries, I purchased for auto electric diagnosis and repair: the VOM just happened to have the feature, and not all VOM's do.

Car wiper blades are getting pricey, with the good quality ones even more so. Sure, one can buy the blade part of the assembly and just replace the rubber/silicone part. But that's fiddly work and not every blade assembly makes it easy to take apart and put back together. So, here's a nice cheat code.

1. Go to your nearest Advanced Auto Parts. Not Autozone, NAPA, Pep Boys, O'Reilly's or any other store. Must be Advanced Auto Parts
2. Buy a pair of Bosch Icon Wiper Blades appropriate for your car. These are the number one rated blade on the market. The Rain X Latitude are the number 1.a. rated blade, and is an appropriate alternative
3. Buy the one year protection plan. Will cost $3 plus tax for each blade. Install said wiper blades
4. Keep the receipt. This is very important.
5. In a little less than 12 months, go back to Advanced Auto Parts and request a warranty replacement for your blades, because they are streaking and therefore malfunctioning. They should replace them at no charge. You will need the receipt for this.
6. Purchase the protection plan for the new, free blades
7. Rinse and repeat yearly, for as long as you own the car.

New set of wiper blades yearly, for about $6 plus tax a year!

I like that idea: you're "thinking like a lawyer."

Quote: missedhervee

I like that idea: you're "thinking like a lawyer."

Ask any Advance Auto clerk and they will hammer this maneuver to each customer. The store sells more wiper blades. The store gets a bonus the more protection plans they sell. The store loses nothing out of pocket when you trade in the defective blades since the insurance company pays for the replacements. The customer gets new blades each year for el cheapo price. Everybody wins!