Buggers! Scratched my windshield today...

[SPClark]

...using the available wash & sponge tool at a local BP station.

I'd paused to consider the possibilities of this happening before ( I carry Windex & paper towels in the back just to clean the 'screen when I'm mindful of visibility impairment) but - in 35 years' driving experience I've NEVER had a problem using these freely available tools at gas stations before on various Chrysler, SAAB, GM, Mitsubishi, BMC, Triumph, and Austin products I've owned & driven.

Of course it's not scratced on the passenger side, just the drivers' - about ten times across, in the top four inches is the worst of it.

Can this "glass" be polished? Is there another, less expensive cure short of complete replacement?

[stellablade]

I posted a similar question a couple of weeks ago. Take a look.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=33198

[SPClark]

Bit of Googlesearching turned up

http://www.scratchrepair.com/catalog.asp?nativepage=4

They also market kits for those inclined to get more involved with glass repair as a career; I'm opting for some of their PS graded abrasive disks to use with my DA this weekend.

As it stands now I can only try, right? A new windscreen (installed) runs about $500 according to my dealer.

[SugarBelly]

As a consumer rights advocate, - I'd head straight back to that BP station & explain to the general manager that they're going to be turning in a claim for your damaged windshield.

They provided the defective tool which scratched your windshield/?screen.

They paid their pipers for coverage, time for them to utilize it. No quirks about it.

If you're afraid of their response, call up another BP & just see how they react over the phone as you explain the situation.

Good luck.

-sb

[SPClark]

Consumer rights notwithstanding; if THEY cleaned my windscreen, I'd be ****ed. SInce I was the one who used their tool, I should have recognized the risk involved. I don't side with those who think somebody else is always responsible for their problems.

Time has passed and I've had quite a bit of success:

First solution was the abrasive disks from the Colorado company I mentioned before. Using a Dual Action pad sander though was a mistake! Waaaay too fast; coarsest abrasive disk took out the scratches but left myriad smaller circular scratches that I failed to remove ('screen looked frosted) until I bought a $50 'lectric polisher at Sears that does about 1,200 RPM. A few more disks later the frosting was almost gone but didn't seem to be improving soooo...

I found a company in North Carolina - after realizing amateur telescope-makers do this stuff all the time - that sells glass polishing supplies - www.salemdist.com. With the assistance of one of their sales/tech support folks I bought a pound (2.2 Kg) of extremely fine grade Cerium Oxide & a 6" synthetic felt polishing wheel for the polisher.

This past weekend I put it all together & now I feel I'm back to 99.9% of where I was before all this started! Need maybe another hour's work with the Oxide & polisher to remove the last remaining small areas that still appear less-than-clear.

A lot of work, yes, and perhaps $150 invested, (less than the $500+ quote for a new 'screen!), but I know more now than before & can "cure" future scratches & the ones I hadn't seen on my rear windscreen, until I was washing my '03 S this past weekend.

[SugarBelly]

Quote:

Consumer rights notwithstanding; if THEY cleaned my windscreen, I'd be ****ed. Since I was the one who used their tool, I should have recognized the risk involved. I don't side with those who think somebody else is always responsible for their problems. --SPClark

Yeah, no worries....

Good thing THEIR gas wasn't mis-labeled, leaving you with a belly full of diesel while you, having recognized the risks involved, - pumped THEIR unleaded fuel...

Well done.

You took the best route to the end.

[v8voodoo]

Try toothpaste on the scratches.

Nige.

[SPClark]

...over here the Government won't allow toothpaste abrasive enough to harm teeth, let alone polish out scratches in glass.

After all, they wouldn't let the original Mini's in after 1971! (I never should have sold my '65 1275S)

[SPClark]

Wonder why my attachment didn't show up in that last post...

Why would HonestJohn.co.uk suggest staying away from yellow?