Windscreen Refurb - possible?

[Phil C]

Evening all,

Any experience of polishing out windscreen scratches?

I notice a few companies selling windscreen refurb/polishing kits but not had any experience.

My Vitesse screen has wiper marks (plus others) and I was wondering how feasible it is to rectify.

I can feel the marks when running my finger nails over them so I am thinking may be beyond saving?

Any recommended source for a new screen?

Thanks

Phil
 

 

 

 

[Pimp my Vit]

I tried it with some glass grinding paste (from eBay maybe that's why it didn't work) but didn't make much of a difference to the wiper scratch, ended up buying another screen. There are companies that will polish glass...

[NonMember]

42 minutes ago, Pimp my Vit said:

I tried it with some glass grinding paste (from eBay maybe that's why it didn't work) but didn't make much of a difference

I also tried some eBay glass polishing paste and found it to have absolutely zero effect.

[trigolf]

Many years ago I bought a laminated screen from Canley Classics. I'm not sure if they still do them - it's a very 'slow moving part'. If not try Rimmers maybe?

Gav

[68vitesse]

Some years ago got a laminate windscreen from Fitchett's after driving to Canley Classics who assured me they had a screen, on arrival screen was only computer stock.

Windscreen polishers a waste of time and money Imho.

Regards

Paul

 

 

[chrishawley]

Probably new screen, if poss.

Micky mouse products (i.e virtually anything on amanzon/ebay) are pointless. A serious product like 3M glass polish can revive 'tired' glass but at £40 per litre plus more ££s for pads/arbors etc it's not a cheap option. Also slow, tedious and messy work.

I've managed to improve the appearance of some otherwise irrepplaceable glass using 3M. But if scratches are 'finger nail depth' it's a lost cause. It's possible to soften the edges of such scratches but full removal is not to be expected.

I've not had it happen but: the glass gets VERY hot when polishing and fracture is a possibility.

[Pete Lewis]

my 2000 had score marks where some previous had run without a blade and used a e bay polishing kit of small disc and paste 

needs a high speed drill   , i used a battery drill the paste spins of everywhere but after some time the marks are somewhat invisible  but 

the polished out grooves do effect the blades wipe    so the groove gets missed 

this was on a laminated screen  yes it gets hot , i doubt it would work on toughened glass being much harder 

so yes it can improve  but dont expect miracles  its a slow process

it all depends on depth of scratch, type of glass, drill speed , and time taken 

but an hours work its still waiting to get changed ....one day but the result is sort of   livable 

Pete 

[Phil C]

Thanks all.

Re polishing, I think you all confirmed what I was already thinking in that its difficult to get a result and even then this would be limited to very minor marks/scratches. Plus the cheap products are a complete waste of space, as usual!

Re sourcing a new screen, I have found a couple of suppliers but unsure of quality/fit etc (as with all parts these days🤨) so was just hoping for a recommendation. As said a slow moving part.

However they probably all come from the same manufacturing source anyway!!

[Colin Lindsay]

Do you have Autoglass over there?

They can polish the screen to remove scratches, no idea how deep they can remove, but might be worth a try?

[PeteH]

19 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Autoglass

I`ve had them Repair a screen, with success?, but taking out scratches?, is IMV problematic. And, as Pete pointed out, would potentially leave an area under the blade which would never properly clear. It would /might be an MOT fail? I know it does not apply to the bulk of "our" cars, Up to `82 being exempt? but still.

I`m still on the lookout for a Herald screen, mine shatterd during removal 😭. There are a couple about from various sources. but all too far away to collect for me at the present time. Rightly no one want`s to "guarantee" safe delivery of a "fragile" item, so freight is the biggest risk.

Pete

[Pete Lewis]

yes my tinted laminate cracked on a removal  ,the  top tint was in the view  unless you were only 4ft 6"

best to cut the seal off on removing old screens 

bought one at stonleigh  2005    a search at local auto glass showed as stock at £12  but it was just computer stock  not physical stock 

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

4 hours ago, PeteH said:

I`m still on the lookout for a Herald screen, mine shatterd during removal 😭. There are a couple about from various sources. but all too far away to collect for me at the present time. Rightly no one want`s to "guarantee" safe delivery of a "fragile" item, so freight is the biggest risk.

Pete

Glass, like bulky panels, oil and paint, are on my shopping list for Stafford. I've got a very bad habit of buying heavy or bulky stuff on the mainland, bringing it home, then giving it away to some local owner who needs it more than I do. Usually, a short time after, I start to regret it. I must have a dozen bellhousings, plus six or seven sets of estate side glass and tailgate glass, that no-one ever needs.

Autoglass however can polish out light scratches and resin-fill deeper ones; it's worth a try if there's no simple alternative.

 

[daverclasper]

A bit of an funny one. Rare parts can have have value, though if the vehicle is rare and it's not something that hardly ever needs replacing. Then what value?

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, daverclasper said:

A bit of an funny one. Rare parts can have have value, though if the vehicle is rare and it's not something that hardly ever needs replacing. Then what value?

A part is only rare until I locate it, then someone starts making them again.