So my car got keyed outside my office. They didn't key the paint, they keyed the front windshield on the drivers side along with both side windows on the drivers side.
It's easily seen and some of the scratches are deep enough to catch my fingernail.
Is there a way to polish it out? I'd really rather not have to make a comprehensive claim and get the glass replaced...
I'd talk to a really good detailer in your area - usually with the regularly avaialble kits you can't polish out scratches that you can feel, but a good detailer may have some ideas on how to improve the situation.
You are out of luck making em go away. Replacement of the glass is usually the only option
Maybe speak to a Auto Glass company and they might have a resin to fill it
Maybe, as a last ditch effort, find a rock chip guy and see if he can get it filled in? A new windshield sounds best route here.
Try and fill in the scratches? I'd think that polishing them out would be an easier/better option?
If they're deep enough for you to feel them, you very likely can't polish them out on glass.
That's what comprehensive insurance is for. Filing a claim shouldn't have any effect on your rates.
I polished light scratches from a windshield wiper out of a windshield once. Got the hard fiber buffing pad, powdered glass compound, and basic instructions from a buddy who had a glass shop previously and went into a different profession. Then I spent several evenings doing it.......Just buy a new windshield.
docwyte said:Try and fill in the scratches? I'd think that polishing them out would be an easier/better option?
If you can feel the scratches they can't be polished out. You could grind with diamond rouge all you want, but in order to abrade them out, you'll be turning your windshield into a lens.
It's not like paint where you minimize a little scratch and then gloss it over with carnuba wax. You have to physically remove a TON of glass in a very slow process that will make it a big, concave, refractive lens
The bad news is... new windshield. No way to polish. Filling the scratch could be possible but I don't know of any technology right now that can do it.
Even if you found some way to fill it, light bends and changes every time it encounters a surface change, just like goggles underwater magnify everything underwater, but not above water. That scratch, even filled, might become invisible when you look at the surface, but when you look through it, it will always refract light.
Try the chip repair resin. You can buy a large(ish) bottle on teh amazones. UV activated. Put it in the crack, put the cover plastic over it, nuke with UV, razor blade. Move to the next part. At this point, you have nothing to lose.
Holy E36M3! I was hoping to hear the back story. Somebody is a bit peeved. I'm thinking a big diamond ring did the deed.
I hate to say this but you are probably better off with new glass. And a camera outside the office.
Replacement really is the only option to make it go away.
Crap! Well looks like I'll be calling my insurance company today, as replacing the front windshield and both drivers side windows and tint will definitely be more than $500.
I really wish I knew exactly when it happened. I noticed it maybe a few weeks ago but our weather here has been really crappy, so the cars been really dirty. Add onto that I got injured and had surgery last week and I haven't been driving the car...
Was it the pooooorrrrshaa or vw or??
In reply to jfryjfry :
It was the VW. Which is kinda surprising, as it's really unassuming looking and not an "expensive" car at all, particularly in comparison to the 911.
This is actually the second time the VW has been damaged outside my office. Someone tapped the back of it, ripping the clear bra that was on the rear bumper cover and cracking a rear tail light. My friend had upgraded his tail lights and I was able to buy his old stock set cheap, so I just replaced that myself.
Between the cost of the windshield, having to have all the sensors programed/aligned, side glass and tint I wouldn't be surprised if this costs $2000 or more...
Called my insurance company (USAA) and they couldn't tell me over the phone whether this was a comprehensive claim or not. Said I'd have to make the claim first, then their computer would tell them. No adjusters there today since it's the weekend, so I'll call back on Monday to speak with an adjuster and make sure this is covered under comprehensive coverage (it's gotta be, right?) before I make the claim.
docwyte said:Crap! Well looks like I'll be calling my insurance company today, as replacing the front windshield and both drivers side windows and tint will definitely be more than $500.
I really wish I knew exactly when it happened. I noticed it maybe a few weeks ago but our weather here has been really crappy, so the cars been really dirty. Add onto that I got injured and had surgery last week and I haven't been driving the car...
Here in Ma if you have FTC there is no deductible for glass.
In reply to docwyte :
Sensors? For glass replacement?
I know my cars are old, and I understand that this is a Volkswagen, but I don't get it.
Sensors?
Edit: I'm sorry, my first response should have been to express my sympathy for this happening.
No full glass coverage here in Colorado, at least with USAA. I took advantage of the full glass coverage when I lived in MA tho.
Floating Doc, yeah, sensors. The car has active cruise control, lane keep assist and all that stuff. The sensors (at least some of them) mount to the front windshield, so if that gets replaced, the sensors need to be re-programmed/aligned.
My experience with my old e46 M3. Use factory VW stuff.
State Farm paid for a Safelite windshield and my auto wipers/headlights never worked right again. Also the rearview mirror puck was not in the proper place.
I finally sucked it up and took it to the dealer for a factory replacement windshield. It wasn't cheap but everything works as it should.
Made a claim on my insurance for this and it is being covered under comprehensive. Had to take pics of it as the adjuster couldn't come out due to this COVID thing. Even tho I thought the pics turned out poorly and you couldn't see the damage well he assured me he could see it and wrote up the estimate. He had the wrong windshield and didn't include my tint but my body shop will get that straightened out.
So new windshield, new side glass, new tint, new side trim pieces between the side glass. Maybe a trip to the dealer to calibrate all the electronics. ~$1500.
Also discovered that while I have good rental car coverage on the Cayenne (full sized SUV) I only had economy car rental coverage on the R. Not sure how that happened, I just assumed it'd be the same as the Cayenne. So I'm only getting an economy rental car for this. Luckily it should only take 1-2 days for the work to get done. I called my insurance company and had them up the rental car coverage on the R, only cost a coupla dollars more a month.
In reply to docwyte :
Thanks for the update, and the explanation, too.
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