Wiper Blade & 12v Battery Replacements
Arizona is really hard on wiper blades -- not from rain, snow and ice, but from the sun. I finally got tired of replacing the OEM Toyota blade refills every 6-8 months, and replaced the entire blade assemblies with "Triple Edge" blades that have a lifetime warranty. Cost was about the same for the new wiper arms and blades, which were purchased at WalMart, as for the Toyota rubber refills. I have had Triple Edge blades on another car for almost ten years, and they are still going strong. It helps to use Rain-X, though as they do chatter a little (on the older car).
Unfortunately, I am also looking at replacing the 12v battery soon, as the one in our 2002 Prius is getting weak. Sometimes, the door locks don't lock the first time due to reduced current. I have seen where a Mazda Miata battery is being used as a replacement, and think that this may be what I will use. However, I plan to have Batteries Plus check to if they have a closer replacement. It would be nice if Optima or one of the sealed batteries had a replacement that would fit without modification.
Let us know which one you choose. There are several of us waiting on the sidelines for the battery to die.