The wipers on my car have been screeching since I bought it about three years ago. I put new rubbers on them a while back, but that didn't fix it. I don't drive in the rain frequently enough for it to be a major bother, but yesterday, I was near a Supercheap Auto, so I went and spent the money on some good quality replacement blades.
They work smoothly and perfectly. After three years of screeching, a silent wipe is almost unfathomably satisfying.
I've been riding my bike to work lately, and rarely go anywhere on weekends, so my car can go unused for weeks at a time. Hopefully that'll help preserve its life.
The previous incidents were when I was a driving instructor and doing over 1000km a week, so a much greater likelihood of a crash.