My windshield has hundreds of little specks in it now that I can't clean off with normal cleaner. I went through a dust storm on the way back to Vegas a few months ago and wonder if the glass was etched by the blowing sand.

Is there a polishing technique that could help? I recall having read a MINI-related review of a glass polish somewhere (MC2 mag perhaps).

Any other ideas? Driving me crazy, especially when the sun is low and in my face.

Thanks

 

I hate to say it, but I think your glass is now pitted and it can't be removed.
I noticed how clear my new windshield was, compared to the one just removed and concluded that your windshield, over the years, gets sandblasted.

 

I have THOUSANDS of pits after 50,000 miles. I'm getting new glass soon. While *real* glass polishing can reduce the pits a bit, it won't eliminate them. And what most folks call glass polish isn't what I'm talking about... what is usually sold as glass polish is just cleans stuff off the glass - I'm talking about grinding the edges off the pits... different stuff...

 

Get new glass.
Any polish will at best hide the pits for a while. But like the others have said you can't polish out chips/pits.
Depending on how bad it is you may have insurance coverage. Check your policy or call your agent.

 

I have zero deductible (thanks to the windshield horror stories on this board) so that isn't the issue. Just concerned because I've also heard stories about poor glass replacement.

Thanks...I'll call my insurance shortly.

 

One thing I would try but won't do anything for actual pitting is to clay bar the glass. It gets grime on it just like the paint and I was able to make mine a lot clearer after doing that. It won't do anything for chips or pits, but it will take off any residue or surface grime.

 

+1 for clay. It will help to suck the crap out of the pits that makes them more obvious. I have no comp deductible either and just need to replace mine, but I've been stretching it out by using clay every so often.

 

Go to www.eastwood.com. These folks have a variety of restoration supplies including glass polishing kits to remove minor scratches. They take a bit of work but will do the job.
John D.

 

Not for the pitting tho.........

 

Pits... are these from the splatter of tiny rocks/dust that big trucks kick up? You know... the sound you hear when you drive behind or next to one? I always wonder about what damage is occurring to my paint... Pepper White chips so easily!

 

Luckily, clearcoat properly applied to a panel is MUCH more impact resistant than glass. So only the relatively substantial rocks make chips... which is still a lotta chips under some conditions... which is why I have clearbra.

 

Due to the specific Mini windshield replacement issues (such as broken clips), I suggest that you have the windshield replacement done at the dealership. I have zero deductible and was able to convince my insurance company that the dealership was the only place that could reliably replace the windshield.
However, the dealership required that the car stay overnight for the adhesive to properly cure. This was a few years ago, so maybe they have a quicker process now.

 

Unless your windshield is cracked beyond repair or the pitting makes seeing out of it extremely difficult to the point of it being dangerous, I would advise against replacing the glass.

Your windshield is a vital component of the air bag restraint system as the glass helps the bags stabilize when they deploy. Poor after market installations can compromise the effectiveness of the airbags during a crash, thus putting your life at risk.

Try to preserve the original windshield factory seal as much as you possibly can and replace only when there is no other alternative for glass repair.

 

As others have said already, in one way or another, there is very little you can do to physically remove the pits/scratches in your glass.

Glass is extremely hard, relative to paint, so typical paint polishes and abrasives won't abrade the glass to physically fix it.

Those products which are "glass polishes" are designed to deep clean and sometimes help hide such imperfections in the glass, not remove them.

Sometimes your pitting can be a combination of actual pits and embedded gunk. Therefore, it's always worthwhile to "polish" your glass.

To "polish" your glass you can use a variety of techniques:

-One of the best techniques is to clay the glass, as others have mentioned. (although this technically isn't polishing, it has the same effect) Have a piece of clay that has fallen on the ground and therefore cannot be used on your paint? Well, since glass is so hard you don't have to worry about dropped clay on it. Whenever we drop a piece of clay, we label it as non-paint clay and use it on areas like glass. It's a great way to sort of recycle clay. Claying glass employs the same technique as claying paint, although you can add more pressure as you go.

-Use a glass polish or a paint polish. Feel free to use an aggressive non-abrasive paint polish on your glass or a medium-level abrasive polish such as Prima Swirl. These will deep clean the glass and remove the gunk that regular cleaners just can't get to. Also, some of the chemicals containing fillers will fill a tad of the imperfections but I never find it noticeable enough to do just for a filling effect alone.

Again, although polishing glass won't remove your pits and etchings, it can be surprising how much improvement claying and/or polishing will make to a windshield. Not only will it improve the clarity of the glass but it will also allow your wipers to wipe more freely and work much more effectively.

Beyond these small improvement suggestions, you'll have to replace the glass in order to get pit-free again.

Good luck!

-Heather

 

Thanks Heather!

 

My pleasure!

How have you made out? Did you decide to replace it?

-Heather

 

I've not done anything yet. AMVIV prep has kept me busy. Still considering my options

 

Your floor must be a lot cleaner than mine. Having seen first-hand what kind of persistent micro-scratches you can put in a MINI windscreen merely from road grit on a window squeegee, I'd be terrified that a dropped piece of clay would envelop a small piece of sand or stone and do a number on the glass.

I'll just grab a fresh wad of clay, thank you.

 

Well yes, definitely use clean clay on even your glass if it's fallen on a really dirty surface!

-Heather