Goodyear is one of the chief producers of car equipment in the world. Although they mainly produce tires and stuff related to their maintenance, they also supply a large variety of wiper blades. If you’re in search of a good pair of wiping products, Goodyear might be one of the key choices.
Although the name might confuse, Hybrid is a full-blown sub-brain of wiper blades, and not just a category, at least in this instance. It might be even more confusing to some, seeing that many Hybrid products are completely unique and have little to do with their cousins.
But still, let’s give this family a brief overview.
Goodyear brand
Goodyear is a major American brand that mostly manufactures tires. As a tire-maker, they actually have an outstanding reputation – efficient and durable products with few defects by the manufacturer.
But as a blade-maker, they are a bit more restrained. Most of their creations are decent enough and can’t be at all considered sub-part, but they are often cumbersome and lag behind in quality in contrast to dedicated manufacturers.
Still, the company is known for introducing impactful technologies and designing efficient wiper blades. They also don’t have many defects, even in this field.
Hybrid features
The main feature of these wiper blades is that they are hybrid, funnily enough. It’s the main principle why they were united into one category. Even so, they have some common features that make these products superior and also make sure you know what to expect when buying one of the blades with this name on them.
First of all, the hybrid design implies that they don’t have a carcass, but there is a metal of plastic components meant to bring more tension onto the blade. Unlike the usual carcasses, it’s very aerodynamic and doesn’t replace the usual approach used with beam blades – tensioning from inside using springs and other means.
What it does is ensure the rubber blade is pressured into the windscreen surface evenly, like on beam blades. At the same time, Goodyear Hybrids usually have a metal belt on top of the blade. It’s also evenly pressured, so the effect is boosted. What’s more, this belt is held in place by a plastic body. It’s not a carcass, because it doesn’t reduce aerodynamic properties and simply improves uniformity and protection.
The protection factor implies better resistance against both cold and heat. This construction, as a result, can be used throughout the year. By all accounts, it’s also pretty durable, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them at least for some time.
The aerodynamic advantage doesn’t just mean these blades work as intended – i.e. keeping up the adequate speed regardless of the wind. It also ensures the rubber sticks even closer to the surface of your windscreen. What with the tensioning technologies and well-balanced rubber design, the blades are almost glued to the surface, while still retaining their flexibility.
This utmost tightness makes sure there are no streaks and residue, and that you have the best visibility at all times.
Another positive thing about these blades is their aesthetic worth. It’s not really the first factor you should be looking at, but if you value style, then you might consider stopping on Hybrids. It’s not like style is their only advantage, they are pretty effective as it is.
Are they worth buying?
Depending on the size, they may cost differently. The normal price is around 40 USD for a 2-pack. That’s a normal for a quality wiper blade, and Goodyear Hybrids are pretty much that. They are worse in comparison to some other hybrid and even beam blades of this price, but that’s still an adequate price for this sort of product.
You likely won’t regret buying them, but the decision whether to look for better options or not is yours to make.
How to install Goodyear hybrid wiper blades Costco?
The Hybrids you usually buy from Costco come with adapters in package. These H-adapters are needed to attach a blade to a wiper arm. It’s a janky system, and it’s the biggest flaw these blades have. Many customers are ultimately unhappy with the purchase because of the poor installation process.
To install them, you need to remove the H-adapter by tilting its front side upwards until it’s perfectly vertical and then get it out. It may require some force, and it’s often uncomfortable to apply it. Knowing Goodyear, you might expect it to even break off as a result. It doesn’t happen often, and they send replacements if you do break it.
But once you extracted the adapter, connect it onto the hook (it’s the only type of connector available). The adapter has a smaller round part – it needs to fit the insides of the hook.
After that, just smash the adapter on the hook and the depression in the middle on the blade that you left. It must fit in theoretically, but it will require force, precision and time. It’s pretty uncomfortable, as you can see.