Had a trapped stone (presumably) under my windscreen wiper this morning, and it's put a nasty deep (able to run my fingernail in it) scratch in my windscreen
Done a Google search, and plenty of ideas about toothpaste and diamond cutting compound that *might* reduce it, but they're all quite old (early last decade). Any new easy miracle cure available, or is it just a case of waiting for a nice big stone chip ?
Autoglass are forever advertising free repairs to windscreens as preventative measures funded by your insurance and saying it does not cost you your NCD.
Worth giving them a call maybe?
Bob
Jewellers Rouge ??? but sounds like it's too deep to polish out. Would Autoglass be able to fix it with the stuff they repair chips with ?
How much is your Glass Excess...You do have Glass Cover I take it .
Cerium oxide compound is what you need, but it's a pain and probably impractical to take out something that big.
Mark Carver wibbled on Tuesday 26 January 2010 16:21
I it is arguably affecting vision through the screen, try your insurers under the windscreen replacement bit. Mine were happy when I explained a very similar problem. OK - I have a small excess to pay but overall it was worth it as the scratch was large and lit up like a spacefight at night.
Far too deep to even think about polishing out IMHO. Contact your insurers.
Dunno about others but mine ( Churchill) only charge iirc zero or a tenner for w/screen repairs at Autoglass. £75 for replacement.( as I am going to pay on Friday ..rain permitting )
Thanks to all. I do indeed have windscreen cover, so I'll check and see what they say. I've not seen the scratch in daylight yet, I drove to my destination in the dark this morning, and only just returned an hour ago. Street lights certainly highlight it though.
Is it me or are windscreens softer than they used to be ? I've had 6 cars over almost 30 years, and I've never had scratching problems until my present car,
2008 Pug 407, and the one before that, 2001 Pug 406. Ironic that the glass can be so easily scratched, yet difficult to polish out !?Mark Carver wibbled on Tuesday 26 January 2010 20:08
Cars tend to have much heavier and more powerful wipers than the fliddy wobbling sticks of old. In my case, someone unnamed tried to clear a sload of snow with them. They did (old fliddy 1970's Fiat ones would have stalled), carrying the snow and some embedded grit across the screen.
Anything that big it's going to cause really annoying optical distortion as well.
Tim Watts wrote on Jan 26, 2010:
I always been scared to switch the wipers on when they're clogged with ice or snow. I've always imagined the wiper motor burning out when stalled - causing untold misery and expense.
I would hope though that manufactures have thought of this and have some fail-safe mechanism in place. Can anyone tell me what actually happens if wipers are physically prevented from moving?
In article , Mark Carver writes
Ooh, nasty chip that, unlikely to be repairable, was it a stone or a brick?
Tip: don't let go of the brick
The motor is stalled and what do you think Sods Laws says about the motor, a plastic gear getting stripped or the fuse giving up first?
I always clear the screen, having a heated one helps, start up, turn on HWS, clear side windows and by then the windscreen snow or frost just slides off. I also don't faff about with a little hand held scrapper either but use a long handled window washer. Sponge one side rubber scrapper/squeegee the other.
Are you in one of the areas that used road chippings mixed with salt recently? Chippings are bloominmg hard and very sharp.
And always water first,let it run down to the blades, then wipers second .
And it's incredible what a transformation a new windscreen gives. It's amazing how much all the thousands of unnoticeable micro-scratches add up and you just don't notice until they're suddenly not there.
SteveW
Ah, Autoglass. In this case it sounds like the windscreen is knackered and will need replacing anyway but beware of Autoglass. The general consensus, borne out by my personal experience, is that they find any excuse to replace the windscreen rather than repair it. You are not compelled to use them, although your insurers may prefer you to an EU ruling means you can go to anyone and get the same deal. In my case each time I've had chips to repair they've found an excuse why they could not be repaired (two chips close together, chip too close to the edge) but my local independent has done a fine job and I've paid nothing.
Not new, but a ball pein hammer usually does the trick. Make your booking for the replacement before you smash the screen though. No point in making the screen unusable if autoglass etc can't turn up.
Yip.....It's deffo knackered ....so one £75 excess is much like another . Dunno how much a heated mondeo w/screen is anyway £200-300 mebbe ?
Yeah cos they had to order in my screen and Friday was the earliest they could call and do it when I phoned yesterday .
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