A4 windshield wiper oddities

[Steve Manning <stephenm@ix.netcom.com>]

Semi-rant mode:  In preparing my A4 for winter use, I was measuring for
winter wiper blades and found that the wiper blades are unique to the A4 in
the following ways:

- Driver's side (USA model): on the type-44 cars, the 'airfoil' that helps
hold the wiper arm down at speed was on the wiper arm, so that when you
changed the blade or insert it was untouched.  However, on the A4, the
'airfoil' is part of the replaceable wiper blade, so if you change to
another brand of blade (like for winter use), you lose the airfoil.

- Passenger's side: the blade is uniquely *curved* to conform to the bottom
of the windshield, meaning normal straight blades don't fit real well.

I guess this is Audi ingenuity at work (?!).  It means replacing the blades
are a dealer-only item, which I find irritating for such an often changed,
mass-market part.

FYI for what it is worth.......semi-rant off.......SLM

P.S.  Just to clarify my nomenclature:  the wiper 'insert' is the flexible
rubber piece that does the wiping, the 'blade' is the metal piece the
insert fits into, and the 'arm' is what the blade attaches to that provides
the sweeping action.

Steve Manning:  stephenm@ix.netcom.com
...Physical home: Metro D.C. area, USA
.....Virtual home:  http://www.stationwagon.com