Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - mattieboy
All

After buying replacement wiper blades from a local motor factors (had to buy, as no time to go elsewhere) I'm still in shock at the price - £34 for the front two wipers. The bloke in the shop said they were a special fitting, but I'm struggling to see what's so special - they look the same as any other. I've got an R-reg Audi A3 T-Sport.

Have I been ripped off, or is this the going rate?

Cheers

Matt
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Hamsafar
They are £2.70 and £4.09 +VAT at eurocarparts.com
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Adam {P}
You ought to have a word with BobbyG!
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - mattieboy
It's sickening. I can handle a few quid mark-up, but that's over 3 times.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Hamsafar
It makes you wonder if the person behind the till is on the take, maybe they just run the correct price through the till and tell you it's more, or void the transaction when you've left and redenter it for the lower price. Both a common practise with saturday girls in scented candle shops I'm told.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - bell boy
no what you do is have things marked up for £7,99 etc and girl on till keeps a supply of pennies on till so it never gets to play a tune.
therefore if you run a shop you give your staff smocks without pockets and no change left near till.
to mattieboy i paid 95pence +vat for my wipers yesterday from the factor delivered :-O
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - mattieboy
I've got a printed invoice, and it is the correct part - SP21/19AS - and the list is £28.77 plus vat.

I can think of no reason why these cost so much, but this is at least the price they charge - I paid by card as well so less chance of dodginess by seller.

Very annoying, however I had to buy them there and then. Perhaps they knew they had me over a barrel and used a different code - for OEM, perhaps. They came in a Bosch container, two wipers in a single box, exactly as you would expect to see in Halfords or anywhere else.

It's these things that really, really grate, I'm still seething now as I just can't see how this price was justified.

Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - L'escargot
It's these things that really, really grate, I'm still seething now
as I just can't see how this price was justified.


Chill out. A state of seething won't be good for either your blood presure or your driving.
--
L\'escargot.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - AR-CoolC
I've got a printed invoice, and it is the correct part
- SP21/19AS - and the list is £28.77 plus vat.


It's the 19AS part! The passenger wiper is a banana shape and is only fitted to a few cars in the VAG range.

A standard 19 inch straight wiper will (just) fit without touching the scuttle trim.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Victorbox
Makes £17 for two front & one back screen genuine Vauxhall blades look a bargain!
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - George Porge
Some manufactures make vehicle specific wipers. Some windscreens have a lot of compound curvature near to the A pillars and standard wipers won't clear the full width of the wiper.

If you look on ebay some sellers quote two types of blade for the same car, one cheap and cheerfull and the other tailored to the car.

Main dealer nearly fell over recently when I told him I would'nt pay £20 for the wipers on my MK4 golf and that I'd source and fit my own.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Roly93
I am stunned that it was this expensive, and not even an Audi dealer. I could understand the dealer ripping you off.
As someone else said, Eurocarparts is the answer.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Red Baron
We don't know the circumstances for the desparate wiper change but...

When the wipers for my cars smear too much for regular use or would fail an MOT, I buy new ones, but still keep the old ones.

Very useful if existing wipers get damaged or stolen. Cutting the rubbers from the windscreen ones will do nicely for the rear window. Also take them on holiday just in case.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - bell boy
Cutting the rubbers from the windscreen ones will do nicely for the rear window
^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^
ive just done this today on a polo, as the rear ones look a dealer item.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - jc2
If the passenger arm is such a peculiar shape and is so expensive,just replace the rubber if the rest of the blade/arm is not worn.
Rip-off wiper blades - Audi A3 R-reg - Red Baron
The rubber only cannot always be purchased. It can't, for example, on my car.