R 220.00 DIFFERENCE FOR VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL WINDSCREEN WIPER BLADE FROM FORD SA

Windscreen wiper blades for the Ford Focus (2015), at least in Port Elizabeth, are almost as rare as hen’s teeth. Independent spares suppliers do not sell them, and the Ford agent did not have them in stock.

But the following is what prompted me to write this review.

Eastern Cape Motors (ECM) charged me R 487.69 for the left-hand side blade and R 267.30 for the right-hand side blade.

The blades are the same size and look identical. According to Wiper Blades UK who supply Bosch wiper blades on-line [unfortunately in the UK], the two blades are identical.

Why then was I charged two different prices for the same item?

I posed this question to Ford SA via the “Contact Us” page and got the following “brush off” response from Ford Customer Relationship Centre: “Kindly note, we do not handle this type of query here at the Customer Relationship Centre and do not hold information relating to vehicles, components, accessories or prices; therefore, please contact your local Ford Dealership who will be able assist with your query."

So, I went back to Eastern Cape Motors (ECM).

I sent the same question via email to Anoesjka Jordaan [ECM’s Service Advisor] and carbon copied Andy Schmidt [ECM’s Service Manager].

Ernest, who ordered and sold me the new wiper blades, sent me the following: “I have another set of wipers in stock and on giving it another look I saw that they are definitely the same length but left and right have different wind deflecting angles."

Is it just me or do you also find it difficult to justify a difference of R 220.00 for the same size wiper blade because the passenger side blade has a “different wind deflection angle”?

If I had been quoted for each blade separately, I would naturally have ordered 2 right hand side blades.

I really doubt that having the “wrong” wind deflection angle will make any difference at the speeds that I drive at.

So, if you need new wiper blades for your Ford Focus, check the individual prices. It might save you a little money.