Best wiper blades for the mono wiper?
 

It sounds like a simple question but technology makes things better. I wanted to get the Rain X blade for my car, I thought it'd be great because Rain X really works wonders on a windshield. Only problem, they don't make one for a W124 car!

So any other great wipers that have magical technology built into them?

jeff 1991 300d, 214k

Any 24" blade should work, so you can get a Rain X if you prefer that brand but beam type blades don't work well for the monowiper in my experience. I use a Michelin hybrid blade I think it's called Stealth It's basically just a metal frame blade with a rubber cover over it. The little square holder thing at towards the base makes contact and keeps it in place so it wipes well down there throughout the articulation.

I've used the Rain-X blades before on my cars (not a W124) and I've not been impressed with them. They work well initially, but they seem to wear out really quick. They streak early in life and as the silicone residue builds up on the glass, they stop flipping over. The longest I've had them last on my car was ~10 months and I generally get 18-24 months out of a set of wiper blades on my vehicles. Not money well spent IMHO. I typically stick with Bosch of some variety, they cost a couple bucks more per blade, but they last almost twice as long as anything else I've used.

x2, avoid the rain-x. The best wipers around are Bosch Icon and Valeo Ultimate.

I've found that I can't use just any old Bosch 24" blend...I only have perfect success with the actual OEM blade.

Just as a point of interest...the original blades used on these cars were actually designed to be rebuilt. Mercedes dealers stocked replacement rubber cores which could be installed on the old stainless inserts (PN A0008244427 for my 190d). It was quite tricky to assemble, and I guess that's why they stopped selling them. I haven't seen replacements in 20 years, but they used to be available from dealers and indies.

FWIW, I'm currently using a Bosch Icon.

I have Michelin brand beams on both 210s. Very quiet.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

I just buy them from the dealer, they will sell you the whole assembly for like $14. Works great for me.

What about PIAA wipers?
 

I just read about PIAA Super Silicones. The silicone which makes water bead up on the windshield like Rain-X. A lot of reviews online say stay away from the Rain-X brand blades but one person raved about the PIAA's.

Is the reviewer as discerning as you are? Our minivan rear wiper was worn to the base. I put the cheapest O’Reilly replacement and I could rave about it.

Come to think of it, what history do PIAA or Michelin have with wipers? It has to be a marketing gimmick.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

I don't buy silicone wiper blades at all anymore. Yes, they leave the residue behind that helps water bead, but the blades wear out FAST compared to rubber. The silicone is a lot softer than rubber, so every time the wipers are used, they will wear and develop little pits and cuts in the leading edge. Rubber will wear slower, the silicone blades will start streaking within a couple months and get intolerable in 8-10 months - usually when you get caught in a really nasty rain storm...

If you like Rain-X but want your wipers to last, buy the Rain-X glass cleaner and use it on the windshield. You'll get the same effect as the silicone wipers give you, but with the long life of a rubber blade that'll last you nearly twice as long.

Rain-X ones suck. I've always got whatever was cheapest at Wal-Mart and I've never had issues. The Bosch ones from aytozone are pretty good.

While the SL R129 isn't used in winter ( salt ) or taken out if it is raining ( I don't want to clean it ) , I am not afraid to drive it if it starts raining, the factory blade is just fine and I'm pretty sure it is the same as a W124. The factory blade has a circle that changes from black to red when it has seen enough UV, and there is also a white MB star on the blade.

I tried a brand name aftermarket but it didn't have a way to keep the blade from coming off the hook. It was setup for a bump on the hook where the SL had a notch. The factory blade was actually less $ than a discounted mail order aftermarket.

This^^ OEM blades for $15, nothing else fits as well. In the 21 years I've owned my 124 the price has gone from $10 to $15 at the dealership, can't complain about that

I've never found a beam type blade that worked well on a mono wiper, at least not to my standard.

What I have always found to be the best wiper blade is the el cheapo Bosch "direct connect" conventional blades. Change them one a year and they always perform well. I recently tried the model up from these, the "bosch micro edge" and am not overly thrilled with the amount of noise they produce

The gist of all this is, Bosch Direct Connect, cheap, consistent, work well, and readily available