Hello folks, if you have a MINi you also know the they seem to attract more dirt to the rear of the car than any other car you may have owned, at least thats the case with me. I have to drive on country roads as I live in farm country, Well the back of the car and esp the rear glass gets very dirty. This winter I have had to scrape the rear glass quite a few times when frosted in the morning, today I realized I have completely scratched the heck out of it by doing this, obviously dirt was caught in the frost and did this when scraped with a plastic ice scraper. So this is a bit of a warning for folks, don't do what I did if your rear glass is very dirty.

Anyone know if these scratches can polish out?

I also was wondering how hard it is to change the rear glass, I am thinking not a home job.

Cheers. Peter

 

Might want to try a glass polishing kit before replacing the window. I've replaced my rear glass and it's a job best left to glass pros as the glass floats with no real clips or retainers to keep it in place. Cost me about $100 in labor + the glass price.

 

Definitely try polishing it first. If you have a buffer, there are plenty of glass polishes out there (Griot's comes to mind as the best one). Otherwise, a good quality detailing shop should be able to get it done for you relatively inexpensively.

 

I am praying that solution works. I have found a new oem glass for 70 pounds, approx 100-110 bucks but would hate the rigamorole of dealing with replacement.

thanks. peter

 

I would polish the glass, before I replaced it.

Mark

 

Just ordered a polishing kit, strangely the site had my exact car on the front page as an example of what could be fixed, Omen?

Even mentioned ice scraper damage.

peter

 

Nada, did nothing, Rear glass is worse than I thought, in the sunlight its horrid, totally covered in scratches, Cannot believe this happened with an ice scraper,

Peter

 

I don't know how long you worked it but I'm betting this isn't a 30 minute job. If you work the glass repeatedly it will eventually become better if not smooth. If you are using a random orbiter polisher I would set it on speed 3 or 4 and use the stiffest pad you can get (like a Lake Country yellow pad). Then I would just pick one area and polish it until you see results. It will take multiple applications and a lot of time but it will eventually improve your glass. Of course we don't know if you got a glass polishing kit or a plastic polishing kit, but you will need a kit meant for glass.
I don't know you may have all tried this.

 

You guys needs to realize that there are very few true glass polishing products out there...especially if you what you are trying to polish out are scratches in glass.

Yes, there are plenty of so called glass polishes on the market--Griots has one. But if you read it carefully, it's not for polishing scratches and or gouges out but removing water spots and trying to make it more clear.

The glass polish system I've used is from Eastwood--there are several variations of this. You attach this cylinder thing to a drill, and mix up a slurry of this powder and water, and polish the glass. If you don't do it evenly, you get round polish marks all over the glass.

I recently had my rear glass replaced due to an errant beer bottle thrown at my MINI. It cost around $310 for the replacement.

Richard

 

I think mine was an el cheapo, if 45 bucks for a small buffer wheel and some powder is a "kit" for the lightest of scratches, they said "if your fingernail does not get caught it can take them out" by that do they mean just caught ,as in I can feel them with my fingernail or do they mean not at all, like the craze marks you see in the windscreen on old cars from wipers being used for years.

I am going to live with it and not worry about it, if it gets broken at some point in the future then it will be changed, Really bugs me though. thanks for points and suggestions folks, Ever so helpful on here. Peter

 

Yep, run your finger nail lightly across the scratches and if it catches at all, it's too deep to be fixed. We do this with paint as well. If you can feel a scratch with your nail, it's gone through the clear and can't be fixed 100%.

Richard

 

The MINI has made me a tad paranoid. Normal pre-MINI activities, like using squegees, ice scrapers, and the like that I used to do, I've pretty much avoided. Especially in this NE US winter thus far, using windshield washer fluid and a swipe of the wiper limits my view just a little, but I don't think I've had excessive scratching. Sorry to hear of your troubles, and thanks for the heads-up.

Someone told me recently of their MINI purchase (5 years ago), "I thought I was just buying a car". Not so, I guess...

 

Thanks Much OctaneGuy, saves me trying detailing shops. I am 40 and pretty well versed in ways to get ripped off but it still happens to the best of us, I think 50% hopeful enthusiasm and trying to save money by doing it cheaper gets us sometimes. I already found a rear glass on ebay for a fair price but its collection only and I am sure the install would be 3x the cost of the glass.


Yep, owning a mini is more like owning a dog, its going to poo on the carpet more than once, I've never had a car this needy before.

Peter

 

Hello,

There are glass repair companies around here that advertise services for removing pits, nicks, and scratches. The results are very good, you cannot see where the blemishes were. This may be something for you to check out.

 

I found this at Griot's and it may be what you are looking for.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+maintenance/restoration/griot%27s+garage+windshield+repair+kit.do

 

OK, thanks to this thread, I now have added quotes to my sig for the first time. Lol.