Can windscreens be polished?
Discussion
I bought a car Monday, and today, driving towards the sun, it became apparent that the windscreen has wiper scuff marks. They only really show when the sun is head on, but the windscreen flares and it makes it hard to see. Can it be polished or do I need a new screen? Car is fourteen years old, 80k miles.
Pica-Pica said:
Sadly windshields get like this, I have had cars for 150k miles and 19 years, they become very pock-marked with stone chips - irritating at night, bu5 never an MOT failure. Wait until a large stone renders it an MOT failure. The self-contained solution is tempting.
Came here for this - I got a quote for a new screen this week.If cracked and under insurance £180
Private replacement £1400
I’d read up on windscreen replacements as a lot of the places insurance companies use do a shabby install job, mess up Heads up / rain sensors etc. I have a crack on my X3 screen that was repaired / filled but seems to have worn away over the years. They wont repair it again and after reading up on all issues after replacements, not using oem screens etc I just left it.
OP, have you tried giving it a good clean with a cream polish such as Autoglym or Meguiars ones?
It's not impossible that it's contamination ON the glass rather than scuffs IN the glass. Could just try going to town with cream polish on a small area to check before breaking out a whole tin of elbow grease.
If it is the glass itself that's scuffed, you occasionally see people recommend the use of jeweller's rouge as a polishing compound, however I've never seen anyone say "that's what I used and it worked really well on my glass". So if you try that do report back!
It's not impossible that it's contamination ON the glass rather than scuffs IN the glass. Could just try going to town with cream polish on a small area to check before breaking out a whole tin of elbow grease.
If it is the glass itself that's scuffed, you occasionally see people recommend the use of jeweller's rouge as a polishing compound, however I've never seen anyone say "that's what I used and it worked really well on my glass". So if you try that do report back!
I bought the (14 yo) car from a main dealer. They said they would get their windscreen guys to give it a polish at their expense. Got a email yesterday saying none of the windscreen people they dealt with were willing to polish it, and if I got it replaced and claimed on my insurance, they would pay the excess. Took car to windscreen people who looked at it, and said it should be replaced as a safety issue, and they were happy to deal with insurance. Have booked for replacement weds pm.
Main dealer and windscreen people have both been very helpful.
Thanks to all who have answered on here, and the other windscreen thread.
Main dealer and windscreen people have both been very helpful.
Thanks to all who have answered on here, and the other windscreen thread.
RSTurboPaul said:
The only time I have had a replacement screen, the new (non-OEM) one was so rippled in places as to be distracting. Most off-putting.
Had the screen on my R53 replaced by insurance due to a large chip in the drivers vision. Looked at my insurance and they said to use a certain car glass company, went to the companies website filled out details and in the notes box just put 'oem screen if possible please'. Fitter turned up and the first thing he said to me was you've done alright it's an oem screen they're about £700, don't why you got that. I just asked nicely 
Super Sonic said:
I bought the (14 yo) car from a main dealer. They said they would get their windscreen guys to give it a polish at their expense. Got a email yesterday saying none of the windscreen people they dealt with were willing to polish it, and if I got it replaced and claimed on my insurance, they would pay the excess. Took car to windscreen people who looked at it, and said it should be replaced as a safety issue, and they were happy to deal with insurance. Have booked for replacement weds pm.
Main dealer and windscreen people have both been very helpful.
Thanks to all who have answered on here, and the other windscreen thread.
You bought a car from a main dealer with a dodgy windscreen.Main dealer and windscreen people have both been very helpful.
Thanks to all who have answered on here, and the other windscreen thread.
They wrote down, Email, that they would cover the insurance excess..
Sounds a bit fraudulent, by the main dealer, TBH!
Unless the insurance covered pre-existing problem, which sounds a tad iffy..
Glad that you reached a resolution.
In my experience the skill of the windscreen technician makes a big difference, as well as the quality of the new glass.
After a couple of shoddy windscreen jobs on previous cars I was a very cautious when National Windscreens arrived to replace a cracked windscreen in my current car.
Much as I wanted to leave him to get on with it, I asked to examine the new glass first. He had no problem with this and said if I don't like it he'll get another screen ordered and reschedule.
He put it out on the little trestle thing and we both inspected the Chinese windscreen with an obscure name.
Looking it side on there were indeed 2 small ripples, but when it was upright as if fitted, with me knelt behind as if in the car, they were invisible in there was no noticeable distortion to be seen.
I gave him the nod to go ahead.
He worked quickly but carefully and whipped off the wiper arms and scuttle cover in 5 mins flat.
I discovered that he'd been fitting windscreens for 20 years and was the person that his branch called upon to sort out jobs that had gone wrong.
He really took a pride in what he did and 5 minutes in I knew he'd do a good job, which he did.
He rightly pointed out that my aftermarket wipers weren't sweeping correctly and offered me a set of the correct ones for a tenner.
It was reassuring knowing that my car was in the hands of an expert.
In my experience the skill of the windscreen technician makes a big difference, as well as the quality of the new glass.
After a couple of shoddy windscreen jobs on previous cars I was a very cautious when National Windscreens arrived to replace a cracked windscreen in my current car.
Much as I wanted to leave him to get on with it, I asked to examine the new glass first. He had no problem with this and said if I don't like it he'll get another screen ordered and reschedule.
He put it out on the little trestle thing and we both inspected the Chinese windscreen with an obscure name.
Looking it side on there were indeed 2 small ripples, but when it was upright as if fitted, with me knelt behind as if in the car, they were invisible in there was no noticeable distortion to be seen.
I gave him the nod to go ahead.
He worked quickly but carefully and whipped off the wiper arms and scuttle cover in 5 mins flat.
I discovered that he'd been fitting windscreens for 20 years and was the person that his branch called upon to sort out jobs that had gone wrong.
He really took a pride in what he did and 5 minutes in I knew he'd do a good job, which he did.
He rightly pointed out that my aftermarket wipers weren't sweeping correctly and offered me a set of the correct ones for a tenner.
It was reassuring knowing that my car was in the hands of an expert.
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