Crack in Windshield

[Thefunk]

My windshield is full of craters and chips but no cracks fingers crossed. I think it's the angle of the glass relative to the trajectory of road debris. Also luck. Someone told me I could get the glass ppf'd. If I replace the glass then I'm doing whatever is necessary to preserve it.

 

[speedjuno]

Whew, $2,300 is High, but maybe it's just availability?
My GMC, Caddie & Vette all cost around $1,100 including HUD.

 

[Z_x3]

Wow ? that is high. I had a pretty big chip on my 370 and actually paid about a 500$ difference through an insurance claim to make sure it was an OEM replacement.

Since I picked up my Nismo and wrapped her I had them also film the headlights and windshield, about 500$ in total and have had no issues with rock chips…they just bounce right off. Small investment upfront to avoid larger blows down the road.

 

[Z_x3]

My windshield is full of craters and chips but no cracks fingers crossed. I think it's the angle of the glass relative to the trajectory of road debris. Also luck. Someone told me I could get the glass ppf'd. If I replace the glass then I'm doing whatever is necessary to preserve it.

Highly recommended. I drive my 24 right off the lot and straight to get all the PPF work done same day.

 

[Lvckv99]

Highly recommended. I drive my 24 right off the lot and straight to get all the PPF work done same day.

wait, is the wrap outside on the windshield?

 

[ill-legal?]

Digging up an old thread here, but took a rock to the windshield today on the way home from work. Any idea what an OEM windshield replacement is going for in mid-2025? Any issues after replacement?

 

[thesilverbullet]

Reviving an old thread here. I would like opinions on what to do with the minor rock scuff on my Z’s windshield. I found it while detailing today. I have heard some debris hit the windshield but I am not sure exactly how or when it happened. It’s small and not deep, but I don't want it to spread.

I recently had a similar but deeper divot on my Titan’s windshield. I got a DIY repair kit, followed the directions and gently used a plunger with suction cups to inject the defect. The light pressure from the syringe and resin injection instantly created a crack. Now that crack is growing and the Titan will need a windshield replacement eventually.

What would you do with the small Z defect pictured?

1. Use another DIY kit and a hard plastic edge to wipe resin over the chip

2. Take it to a glass repair shop and see if they have some better form of crack prevention

3. Leave it alone

This is the Titan’s growing crack.

Any luck? I would try polishing it out with a heavy cutting compound like robo suggested.

use meguiar's mirror glaze speed compound 110 (harbor fright) or similar - hand job or rotary polisher - or take to a detailer.

After that if there is a a low spot / divot, you can clean and spread the UV compound from the glass repair kit without using the vacuum cup process, let cure and scrap off excess with a razor.

 

[RobotAZ]

Any luck? I would try polishing it out with a heavy cutting compound like robo suggested.

use meguiar's mirror glaze speed compound 110 (harbor fright) or similar - hand job or rotary polisher - or take to a detailer.

After that if there is a a low spot / divot, you can clean and spread the UV compound from the glass repair kit without using the vacuum cup process, let cure and scrap off excess with a razor.

I scratched my GR86 windshield with my tungsten wedding ring while swiping ice off the windshield.

I tried the hardest cutting, but still recommended for glass, polish from a pro car products company. I also bought cerium oxide powder as a backup.

First I tried diligently by hand using both just in case I could just beat myself up and not possibly go too far with a tool. (I’ll patiently dig a ditch by hand in certain situations if I know the probability of success is higher than using an excavator and the effort cannot fail.)

I saw very minor results, and that’s why I recommend scuffing be tried by hand first. It will not remove a real scratch, ever, by hand.

Since I had a scratch and the scratch was in front of my face, at this point I had nothing to lose.

I provided the exact tool wheels and compounds universally praised on forums and YT. We started with polish obviously. Dude actually developed a haze barely doing anything. At that point I’m seeing it’s now worse, try the cerium oxide.

Cerium oxide applied exactly like the company selling it on YT did etched it and made it even worse.

Moral for me: 1) QUICKLY repair a repairable chip, 2) hand polish and cerium oxide application to try damage that isn’t considered an irreparable scratch, 3) replacement, 4) some camera and sensor systems people want $500 to calibrate something that won’t require calibrating, so wait and know you need it before you pay it (e.g. Subaru EyeSight doesn’t need calibration), 5) some windshields make new noises when installed and it is almost always the rubber or plastic body components touching the windshield, such as a seam sealing strip of rubber. Twice now silicone spray around the edges has stopped two mystery popping sounds on different cars.

It’s very frustrating dealing with windshields.

And I’ll add that success stories with cerium oxide and tools, if you look closely, will show a trend of the users not having perfect windshields like ours when they set out to remove a scratch. Usually they have a lot of issues and don’t notice the haze.

 

[thesilverbullet]

of course it depends on the severity. i‘d had good luck with heavy cutting compounds for minor issues like water spots etched in the glass (on 80’s Z28)- aka acid rain.

i found that the window kit one part UV epoxy works very well on divots. I would love to find the one part UV epoxy in bulk - like pint / qt size.

 

[Dot’s son]

Any luck? I would try polishing it out with a heavy cutting compound like robo suggested.

use meguiar's mirror glaze speed compound 110 (harbor fright) or similar - hand job or rotary polisher - or take to a detailer.

After that if there is a a low spot / divot, you can clean and spread the UV compound from the glass repair kit without using the vacuum cup process, let cure and scrap off excess with a razor.

I have left it alone so far

 

[RobotAZ]

I have left it alone so far

If you try any of the methods like acrylics and razors, make sure and have acetone or whatever will quickly remove it if it doesn’t turn out so great.

 

[wsuZ]

Although not technically necro'ing the thread I am replying back to the original discussion to share my experience for others.

On a road trip I had two windshield impacts, one sounded like a golf club (slight exaggeration, but only slight) and the other was a typical 'snap' sound. Golf club impact was a no-doubter and the crack has traveled, but not terribly far.

'Snap' impact was eye level on the passenger side, created a star which was surprising because it was not _that_ loud. Equally surprising to watch it crack and travel horizontally in both directions. Over the course of ~5 hours driving at a time when the interior and exterior temp were within 10-15 degrees of each other it spread to 8+ inches.

Safelite is estimating $1300 for the windshield +$450 for re-calibration. I'm a fan of PPF but had never considered it for my windshield. It will not protect against another 'golf club' impact but the 'snap' impacts are all too common and PPF seems like a smart investment vs $1800 each time.

 

[Z_x3]

wait, is the wrap outside on the windshield?

Yes Sir…about 400$ got me PPF like protection for my headlights and windshield. Absorbs impact pretty nicely but susceptible to other types of damages like wiper rub if windshield is not clean. A ceramic coat type wax is used so I never use my wipers…rain just beads off.

 

[thesilverbullet]

thought about doing this as well. i avoid driving the rain. so may not be a bad option.

 

[Z_x3]

thought about doing this as well. i avoid driving the rain. so may not be a bad option.

I’ve taken about two hits and so far so good. Film def did the job and way cheaper than a new one. Im having them do my after market rear taillights…not so much for damage but from any lense rash during a wash.