audphile1

My LS has some nasty water spots on windows and the moonroof. I tried everything including glass compound I bought at Strauss. Nothing helps. Applying some rain X makes it better to see while driving in the rain but I can still see those water spots on my windshield and all other windows when I stand next to the car. Now since I tried lots of different things to get rid of this nasty stuff on my glass and nothing worked, my last resort is Zaino Glass Polish. I would like to hear opinions as to what are the chances that Zaino will take the spots off. I found local distributor here in Brooklyn and will go pick up some Zaino stuff along with the glass polish, but still would like to know how good this glass cleaner is and what are the odds that it will make the glass spotless. Besides, I wanted to detail my car and try out the zaino Z-2 Polish, ZFX and Z-6 spray since everyone is litterally swears by all these Zaino products. Will also get
Z-10 Leather in a Bottle and Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss. But I am still more concerned about cleaning those water spots on glass then how to detail my car since that I know how to do. Also, I am just anxious to compare zymol wax I use currently with the Z-2 polish. And yes I will wash my car with Dawn, but won't use clay bar since the car's finish is very smooth. Thanks for your advice guys.

Guitarman

To be honest, from the description on what you've tried so far, that sounds like deep and severe etching, and I'm not sure you can eliminate it yourself. You may want to consult a glass professional and get some answers from them.

That said, trying the Zaino product can't hurt, since you wanted to test it out anyway. Personally, the last -ditch DIY glass polishing product for the layman is ( IMO) the Eastwood kit, shown here;

http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/jump....erID=55&KICKER

That's your best bet. Good luck anyway you decide.

audphile1

I am also in doubt that I will take the water stains out with Zaino, but I am willing to try. I also had the windshield buffed at the locar car wash with a compound. That didn't do it either, so I am really, really sceptical about being able to remove the water spots. The only thing that makes it better is rainX. At least from the inside the car while driving I can't see the stains for as long as the rainX lasts. I do it with rainX window wipes, works pretty good. I wish I can get those water stains out though, at least to some degree...

Guitarman

I had a frequent customer of mine, a few years back, buy a slightly-used Ram Air WS6 Firebird. She had the same deal; severely etched mineral spotting from water, on all her glass. I used a cerium oxide paste with a wool pad and couldn't make a dent in any of it. I advised her to take it to the Pontiac dealer, which she did. They said there was nothing they could do short of replacing her windshield at minimum. She did that, and lived with the other glass the way it was until she sold it.

FWIW, it only cost her ~$250 for the new windshield, and she did ok when she sold the car too, so it wasn't the kiss of death.

But once that etching gets going ( if you can even notice it happening), you've got to get at it ASAP, if you have the ability. Sometimes it's out of our control if someone else had the car prior etc. and we hadn't noticed it.

In citys like NYC, you have some of the strongest concentrations of sulfur dioxides from industry combining with H2o to form sulfuric acid rain. Down by me, the underground sprinkler water is also high in sulfer and other mineral content, and anyone that leaves their car in a position to get sprayed by lawn sprinklers, and then has the sun added to the mix, gets this same effect. Done on a repeated basis, it causes really bad etching.

It's not too difficult when it comes to paint etching from mineral deposits and acid rain, because paint is easier to remove .... but glass can be problematic at a certain point. Best of luck.

audphile1

thanx Dan. Sounds like I have to live with it. I have improved it a little by constantly applying some rainX, but on the dark area of the windshield and on the moonroof, since it is tinted, you can really see those damn spots. I rpobably shouldn't even waste any more money on different water spot removers, including zaino. But at $13.00 I am tempted to try it anyway. I will get it this weekend and will try it as soon as I have some time. I'll post an update then. Almost seems like even if I get it out, these spots have great chance to appear on the glass again, given where I live, although my car is garaged, I still leave it outside on the parking lot at work, so...thanx for all your help.

Guitarman

I think what's happening with the Rain X is that it's "filling in" the pores of the etching a bit. That you have *some* help there is a good thing at least.

I wouldn't hesitate to try the Zaino stuff, any of it, it's all quality product IMO. You can use the glass polish on other cars, headlights etc. even if it doesn't work well on the glass.

audphile1

So Dan, you are saying that Zaino Glass Polish could also be used on my LS430 headlights? That would be cool, because they got so much crap from the road on them that I have to take off every time and I am thinking that if this polish could be used on headlights, it will sort of make them more resistant to all that dirt they pick up fromthe road during the rain. Thanks again Dan.

audphile1

Dan, I just wonder if I can use a clay bar on the windshield to remove these water spots. Have you ever tried it? What do you think I can use to spray on glass when using clay bar to make it glide smoothly over the glass. That is if I can use it on glass of course. Thanks.

Guitarman

Aud...you have to try and picture on what has happened to the glass when it gets etched...

Clay won't do a thing because it removes things that are bonded ONTO surfaces, and "etched' means that glass is GONE, i.e. eaten away. Think of those places that do custom designs in glass doors...how do they etch/frost the glass? Sandblasting and such to pit it microscopically. This is basically what has happened to your windshield, albiet the minerals have had a lesser effect, glass material is still gone, creating pores and micro craters in the surface.

Think about it; you've tried the MOST abrasive polishes to try and make a difference, and clay is about the LEAST abrasive thing you can do to glass or paint.

By all means try it-it won't hurt anything, but unless there's something ON the glass causing your problem, it can't fill in what's missing.

Now, if you had the deposits at the stage where they hadn't yet etched into the glass, some CLR with a clay bar would do wonders. Hope this helps.

audphile1

Dan, thanx. I'm just pissed about the damn spots and probably won't calm down until I try everithing and anything, despite the fact that I think you are 100% correct. Still, I am going to do zaino glass polish this saturday, just for the hell of it. Will let you know. Thanks again for your help.

jfelbab

You'd be surprised at what our cars can be subjected to without our knowledge. For example...I was working in a historic area of Milwaukee a while back and the owners of a building hired a restoration company to clean the exterior (brick) of his building. They sprayed the building with hydrochloric acid on a very windy (30mph) day. Guess where all the acid went. It went on to about 100 cars in an adjacent parking lot and on hundreds of cars that were driving by. The glass on several of the cars melted like wax leaving a runny look and others developed small pits that would sparkle in the sun. The metal parts instantly corroded on these vehicles too. The owners insurance company dropped him after paying lots of claims but hundreds of people never knew what happened to their cars.

audphile1

wow....someone should tear his private parts off for this. what a moron...

audphile1

update....I got all the zaino stuff I was going to get. So, the first thing I did since I was anxious to try zaino glass polish, was wash the windows and work with zaino glass polish to try to remove the water spots. I have tried everything and anything to get those water spots off before I got the zaino, but to no success. Zaino Glass Polish - I applied some of it on the wax applicator and started working on the driver side rear window. Tried it on 1 spot about 3" in diameter first. Let it haze and wiped it off with a cotton towel. And...the water spots are gone!!! I was so happy that I did that entire window. It is now "spotless". Amazing!!! Went on to the moonroof, which has the most severe amount and quality of the water spots. The moonroof of course took some elbow grease. I really had to apply some pressure to work that polish. Thing is that you have to do small spots, like about 3" in diameter untill you hear the wax applicator squeel. Well, the moonroof didn't give in that easily but I had improved it by I would say 85%. So I am thinking if I do it few more times, I will get the damn water spots off. I'm exited about this, because this is the first product I tried that did what it promised. Now I am even more anxious to try the rest of the zaino stuff I bouhgt to polish my car. Probably next weekend, since I am pretty busy this weekend and don't want to rush things with zaino polish.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the follow up, i think im going the same route. My rear window almost makes me cry.

audphile1

I still got some work to do with the moonroof though. I want to get rid of these spots badly. I will be doing the rest of the windows during the week. We'll see how goes. Good luck with you rear window. Make sure to use something that is proven to work though. don't waste time and money...