I think the major reason wiper blades don't seem to last as long as they used to is that as windshields have gotten bigger, the blades have gotten longer and there isn't enough pressure to keep them on the glass.

 

Blades used to be made of natural rubber now they are all made from synthetic materials.

 

Check these out I just put them on my wife's Jeep and we drove back from WI to NE in rain and snow and they seem great. This style they are using on Volvos and other cars. They distribute "more uniform pressure along the entire length of the blade for ultimate all-season performance over a longer service life..." according to the package and website. Plus they seem more low profile than traditional wiper blades.

http://jobs.boschusa.com/AutoParts/WiperBlades/ICON/

 

i love when people come in with 2 year old cars and are like the wipers streak... and then when your like they run such and such dollars there like the cars under warrenty... sorry.. NO

 

My wife drives a 2006 BMW 325i, and it came from the factory with this new kind of wiper blades. They are holding up well, but the car is only about nine months old. If they last more than a year I'll probably switch to that style for my pickup.