I8ABMR

Hey guys. I just had a new oem windshield installed in my car . They day after installation I took it to the car wash ( more than 24 hours after install as directed by installer). They car wash tech dried half my windshield then needed to run and drive another car out of the of machine so he left my car sitting there. In the end the water dried and left these spots in my glass. I tried glass cleaner, alcohol, vinegar, and elbow grease and nothing works !! Luckily ( in this situation) I found waves in my glass and called safelite and they will replace the glass under warranty. BUT I have to make sure this doesnt happen again. I have lived in this area for decades and have never seen water spots on glass that can not be removed.

What do I need to use to make sure the glass is protected from spots ??


** I called the glass company to mention the spots and they said that it sounded very odd that its probably just a defective coating in the glass.

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

Tap water is some pretty nasty stuff in many areas of the country... it is often very hard (contains plenty of minerals), and once the water has evaporated, the minerals leave deposits on the surface (water spots) that can be incredibly difficult to remove, and in some cases can cause permanent damage.

The minerals left on the surface are pH basic (alkaline), and therefore are best treated with a mild acid to neutralize the minerals. For this reason, most good water spot removers are acidic. I would recommend CarPro Spotless Water Spot & Mineral Remover as a good product for removing spots from paint or glass.

As far as protecting the surfaces, there is really nothing that will make it impossible for water spots to appear. The best bet is to avoid any situation that may lead to spotting caused by tap water. Do not park where sprinklers may get your car, do not allow non-dionized water to dry on the car while washing, etc etc.

A good layer of protection is always a good idea, as the layer of protection will serve as a sacrificial barrier between the elements and the paint or glass. For glass, you can use a coating like Optimum Opti-Glass, however this will not prevent water spots on the glass. It will just make them easier to remove via machine polishing should that be needed.


Here is an article discussing polishing glass to remove hard water spots. This is often needed if the spots are so severe that a water spot remover will not completely remove them.

-Zach

I8ABMR

Thanks very very much for your input Zach. The odd thing is I have been going to the same car wash for years and never had any issue with any car. The only thing that was new was the glass. Not sure what happened but I am afraid of getting my car washed now. Im going to order something to apply to the new glass. I fought with them to get the oem glass and I dont want another one ruined with water spots

CdeFabio

I have been using Aquapel glass treatment for almost 10 years and it works very well. It basically makes anything that gets on the glass bubble up like water on a fresh waxed car. It has made things come off easier when I clean the glass, like bug residue. Also, in the rain you can see a lot better than if it was not applied to your windshield. It is easy to apply yourself and lasts a very long time. I last applied it to my car 3 years ago and it still works great. One thing to keep in mind is that my car is garaged both at home and work and never really sits outside so if yours sits out your results may vary. Here is the website for more info - http://www.aquapel.com/
Interesting note, I had a glass chip repaired last fall and the glass tech noted that something was on the windshield and asked what it was, I told him and he said he also uses it also and will apply it to customer's cars, but the cost $50.00 which I consider a lot Since you can usually buy it for less than $10 and applying it is super easy and takes less than 5 min.

I8ABMR

similar to rain X?

CdeFabio

Similar but much, much better and lasts a very long time! Also easier to apply. The application I have on my GX has been on there 2 years and it is still fine.

PondScum

There's a comparison test out there somewhere that compares a couple of the silica-based coatings against Rain-X, Aquapel, and a few other windshield coatings.

http://wetshine.net/2012/08/05/test-...ng-comparison/

I ended up buy some Gtechniq G1, but haven't applied it yet.