-
Protip: Profile posts are public! Use Conversations to message other members privately. Everyone can see the content of a profile post.
Pitted windshield
- Thread starter freeon
- Start date
Some insurance companies consider a badly pitted windshield a safety hazard and will replace it. you may have a separate windshield/glass deductible for precisely this situation.
This may sound absolutely crazy, but one of my cars that I purchased used had a pristine windshield that lacked any discernible pits or gross irregularities. When I asked the prior owner if the windshield was replaced, he grinned and proudly said, "no". Since the front bumper had a few pits from gravel, I knew the windshield had to have succumb to a similar fate. He admitted that the windshield "did" have imperfections, but he got rid of them by buffing the windshield with an extremely fine steel wool!?! He was surprised by my disbelief so he gave me a bag of the stuff he used.
Now I haven't used any of the steel wool, but he swore by it and quite frankly the windshield looks gorgeous (even in bright sunlight).
I must admit that I have NOT done the procedure outlined by the prior owner cause I am simply mortified to try something like that on my NSX. Somehow, the concept seems like it would permanently mar or scratch the windshield, so I haven't tried. Maybe some of the high-end detailers here on Prime can offer some advice or recommendations.
Now I haven't used any of the steel wool, but he swore by it and quite frankly the windshield looks gorgeous (even in bright sunlight).
I must admit that I have NOT done the procedure outlined by the prior owner cause I am simply mortified to try something like that on my NSX. Somehow, the concept seems like it would permanently mar or scratch the windshield, so I haven't tried. Maybe some of the high-end detailers here on Prime can offer some advice or recommendations.
I'm in the same boat. I have been contemplating replacing it. 
This is very interesting. Did the previous owner say he used some kind of special polish - he had to use something - I know he didn't just take steel wool on a buffer to the naked glass did he?
Anyway, Big D, have you checked to see how much a windsheild is to replace? I'm not quite there but I would try the polishing thing if I knew more about it. Intersting! I want to hear more about this "process" of polishing glass.
Anyway, Big D, have you checked to see how much a windsheild is to replace? I'm not quite there but I would try the polishing thing if I knew more about it. Intersting! I want to hear more about this "process" of polishing glass.
Over here they inject a special resin in to pit's and cracks.
It will fit the pit up (invisible) and give back any lost strength.
Quite common over here insurance company's mostly cover it.
It will fit the pit up (invisible) and give back any lost strength.
Quite common over here insurance company's mostly cover it.
I saw a "windshield polish" that was from rain-x I think;
can't vouch for it as I have only seen it;
I would try it on my newer honda before trying it on the NSX;
can't vouch for it as I have only seen it;
I would try it on my newer honda before trying it on the NSX;
Good info in the wiki regarding windshield replacement.
http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Troubleshooting/windshield.htm
OEM is supposed to be better. If you chose aftermarket then make sure it has the vin cutout in the corner.
I think I will wait a while after reading about all of this.
http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/Troubleshooting/windshield.htm
OEM is supposed to be better. If you chose aftermarket then make sure it has the vin cutout in the corner.
I think I will wait a while after reading about all of this.
The steel wool probably just cleaned the glass very well by removing all of the little dried bug splats, tar, wax and such that look like pits/chips. Because glass is basically made out of silicon, I doubt the steel is hard enough to actually etch or scratch the glass. I'm not sure what the Rockwell hardness of steel wool is, but I doubt it's harder than silicon. Because it is so hard, most glass "polishes" are really some sort of polymer filler that fills the scratches instead of breaking them up and buffing them out, as mentioned here.
My only fear with replacing the windshield would be that it would leak afterward
Agreed... From googling.... found these quotes....
The All Purpose Bronze & Steel Wool Polishing Pal
The Grade 0000 (feels like 00000!) Steel wool fiber and soft synthetic fibers combined to create a strong composite textile. The Polishing Pal is ideal for fine wood finishes, cleaning glass and brightening dull metal surfaces. These pads are reusable and are designed to easily produce and maintain a professional looking finish.
Often it is used for professional cleaning processes not only on wooden surfaces but also on marble, stone and glass, because it is softer than these materials.
Steel wool or 'wire wool' is a bundle of strands of very fine soft steel filaments, used in finishing and repairing work to polish wood or metal objects, as well as for household cleaning.[1]
Steel wool is made from low-carbon steel (low enough to be close to plain iron). It is not made by drawing "steel wool wire" through a tapered die, but rather by a process more like broaching where a heavy steel wire is pulled through a toothed die that removes a thin wire shaving.
It won't. If it does, have it redone.
Big D, thank you for digging this referrence up. I just read it and it is a super bit of information. D you are the man! I hope others appreciate this research. Anytime one of our Primers whips out a refference like this he deserves thanks from the rest of us reading. Else they just might quit doing this.
- then where would we be - again thanks Big D. So what are you saying D - are you going to give this filler stuff a go or are you just going to wait till you can get your insurance to pay? What's your next step?
Big D, thank you for digging this referrence up. I just read it and it is a super bit of information. D you are the man! I hope others appreciate this research. Anytime one of our Primers whips out a refference like this he deserves thanks from the rest of us reading. Else they just might quit doing this.
So what are you saying D - are you going to give this filler stuff a go or are you just going to wait till you can get your insurance to pay? What's your next step?
No problem Tim, I like to do the research and help other owners out when I can. I think I will live with the windshield they way it is for a while longer. I have a TB/WP service coming up so I don't want to get carried away with too many things at once. When I do decide to replace the windshield I think I will get a OEM one and pay a little more to get the quality product. I saw that http://www.partsformyacura.com has them for $599.
Then there's the seal - right? and the labor - so that $800 price is right on the money so to speak. Yeah with the TB/WP coming it might be one of those things to live with. I could replace mine to and it's only been 45k miles. Sure is a pretty view out of that windshield though. Ok so now I have 4 hours till I drive mine home.
Thats correct, I would probably replace both upper and lower seals. Just to be safe. Mine isn't too terrible, but when I look through it into the sun it really shows all the pits. The one thing that is always in the back of my mind is that after I replace it I hope I don't get some big star or crack. Murphy seems to work like that.
Ain't that the truth - that damn Murphy. I have had that happen with other stuff numerous times. Yikes - that would truly suck.
I tried some of that glass polish (Griot's I believe) on my TL, which has a badly scratched windshield. I buffed the crap out of it forever with my Porter Cable and didn't see any difference. In fact I think it might have got worse. I called an auto glass shop asking if they could restore scratched windows like that and they said no.
Let me tell you a sad story about a pitted windshield. I bought my 91 about a year ago with 80K miles, some mods, and it had been tracked, but is a solid car, and it was my NSX. I had Ben at Daisy Auto clean it all up with new hoses, gaskets, belts, water pump and so on, but hey it was 19 years old and most of the rubber was starting to deteriorate and we were making it as close to new as we could. I was happy with what I ended up with knowing I still would need to do some interior cosmetic and radio work this winter. I loved the car and drove it when ever I could and soon realized when the sun was low, the windshield was pitted and could be blinding. but decided to enjoy the summer drives anyway and even had a small meet at my house in August with about 12 other NSX owners. I had such a good time at the meet I decided to go up to NSEXPO with my wife in Toronto. How cool was that to meet all these other NSX owners, and see all the NSXs in the parking lot with mine, did I mention mine has ghost flames in the front. The first day was tech talk with Larry, and Chris from SOS talking tranies, and clutches, and supercharges. That night we were to drive across Toronto for a photo shoot in our cars, and then to dinner at Medieval Times. Let me just say the traffic in Toronto is the worse I have ever seen, and I live in DC so I know bad traffic. So it was slow going getting across town, and the sun was going down, down, down. As we aproched the photo shoot location the road was about 4 lanes wide and the speed increased, and I was in the 2nd to right lane, and oh yea heading straight into the sun. I was blinded by the light ( sorry Bruce) and there was Larry up ahead waving his arms and yelling "this way" to take the right exit. I don't remember if I saw him or just heard him I know my wife saw him and said over there. it looked clear, but remember I was in the 2nd to right lane, the sun on the windshield was bad, Larry yelling, and waving, my wife directing, it looked clear to me, so I went right, right that is into the side of an SUV who was coming up on my right, and it kissed my front fender, and cocked my side mirror, I immediately pulled left , let him pass, and pull in behind him next to the curve. The dammage to the NSX was almost not at all, if you really look you can see it, and the SUV was not to bad ether, I think it was about $200 when all was said and done, but my pride was wounded, and I was embarrassed, as all the NSX's that were behind me knew I had been involved in an accident as they drove right past me and the SUV. It could have been much worse, and that fact was not lost on me. Let me say right now, this is in no way Larry's fault, he was just trying to direct everyone to the shoot, and it would have not been a problem without every thing else. We made the shoot, I think we were last, and to dinner, and of course were the evenings topic of conversation. At the Gala dinner the next night I even made the PowerPoint slide of all the things they never planed for at NSXPO, funny now not so much then. Needless to say, along with the other things this winter, I got a brand new OEM windshield, and that trim piece that always cracks in front of the dash. I have learned my lesson, there is a reason the NSX has such great visibility, and if it is pitted, and blinds you when you turn into the sun, and you can't see, it could end badly. I was lucky.
- Joined
- 19 March 2003
- Messages
- 3,442
For those opting on a new windshield I searched under part numbers and below is the result.
Windshield 73111-SLO-A00 $671.75
Fastner(seal) 73152-SLO003 $67.80
Outer mldg 73151-SLO-003 $38.32
This was posted in another thread awhile back. Prices may have changed or if anyone on the board can varify these are still valid it would help.
=g=
Windshield 73111-SLO-A00 $671.75
Fastner(seal) 73152-SLO003 $67.80
Outer mldg 73151-SLO-003 $38.32
This was posted in another thread awhile back. Prices may have changed or if anyone on the board can varify these are still valid it would help.
=g=
The other side to this story is that you lose your VIN that is etched into the corner of the windshield if you buy a replacement. So if you're going to sell your car somewhat soon keep that in mind if you want "all numbers" to match.
Is the VIN etched from the factory? Regardless, I don't think it would take much for someone to etch a new one. They do that on other windows all the time.
I had my windshield replaced last year when when my car was painted and it was a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the price above.
Similar threads
