The Vig

This week marks the fourth anniversary of the purchase of my current car.  “Whip” as the kids say.  It’s a 2001 Honda Civic and it’s fan-freaking-tastic.  When I got it, it had these 17″ white rims on it from the previous owner.  A year of “nice wheels” from the under-18 crowd convinced me to hit Costco for some less flashy rims.  The $400 I pocketed made the next month’s payment.

I’ve driven 130,000 miles on it since I bought it.  It’s been to Canada, Boise, Ashland, and innumerable trips to Salem.  Never hiccuped.  Never sputtered.  I’ve fed it nothing but synthetic oil and 87 gasoline.

There’s one part though that’s vexed me for years.  One part critical to driving in this region.  And one part that’s never been quite right.  The windshield wipers.  I get a new set every year.  And every year within months they start to streak and chatter.  I have zero idea why.  I don’t think I do anything different than the normal driver.  When it rains, I turn them on.  When it stops, I turn them off.  You would think I’d be able to find a wiper that works.

Every year I hit GI Joe’s in search of something that works.  Every year the kid in the baggy pants gives me the “top-of-the-line” wipe, which I dutifully install and drive away.  Satisfied.

This year was no different.  I went into the Delta Park Joe’s last weekend to pick up my new wipers.  This year I went with the Rain-X model.  The marketing literature seemed most convincing.  Taking them out of their container, I immediately noticed something different.  Rather than being rigid like the ones I’ve always picked up, these were kind of springy and light.  After installing them, I noticed the wiper arms rode a little closer to the windshield.  Does this provide extra torque?  Something else?  I’ve no idea.

What I will tell you is during a brief shower over the weekend, the new wipers performed like champs.  No streaks.  No chatter.  Literally no noise.  Just a sooth, quiet sweep.  And my windshield was crystal clear.  It’s the small victories, yes?

So there you have it.  The Bean endorses Rain-X blades.  I can’t wait for the rain to come.