rt7085

How are your windshields holding up? I just came from a 2000 mi trip through Canada. The car has 4500 mi on it or so and I am seeing a lot of fine pitting. My observation is that the glass might be fairly brittle. Or is it just me?

larrypmyers

Agree, It seems to me windscreen glass has become somewhat less durable. Automobile glass manufactures would likely call this phenomenon, product improvement.

My experience is, if you keep your vehicle for a long time...high mileage, expect to replace the windscreen. Just replaced the windscreen on my 13 year old, 60,000 mile Vette.

okbarnett

you can have it polished, many auto glass shops do it, or put the protective film on, but it has its negatives

surfah

Can you take a closeup photo of the pitting? I've been dailying my 18 for the past year and haven't noticed any pitting and I'm meticulous about wiping down my windshield with glass cleaner a few times a week so I pay close attention to the glass.

I heard the protective film is noticeable or affects the clarity looking through the windshield?

BucsFan

I have clearplex and love it for preserving my windshield in its original state. I do not notice any distortions or clarity issues. You can detect it by examining the edges of my windshield, also I have 2 small bubbles near the edge that haven't yet dissolved. It is easy to clean, but I do need to treat it more like a ppf surface than a glass one. I strongly recommend it.

benzbell

In the garage turn off all the lights and shine a flashlight on it at an angle and you'll see them. Oh yes you will see them.

sno

my vette with 12K miles has it bad... as stated "product improvement" My buddy had his wrapped but the optical quality is not the same IMHO.

Alexfor8

Do you have any crease lines or is it a perfect fit? I am considering this on the F12.

Vic55

No issues here, to me it has alot to do with the elements and particles in the air coming off roads more traveled.

AMG 17GT

surfah

I have a feeling once I do this what's seen can't be unseen.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

surfah

That's what I heard as well. Guess it depends on the material and installation.

benzbell

Great way to look at it, and I wholeheartedly agree.

py0413

rt7085

There are numerous little pits on the windshield. I will try to take a picture later. Very small but yet there they are under my LED high intensity bulbs in my garage (there is my ignorance problem, I guess.....LOL) . The glass roof seems to have no issues in the front; probably a different strength of glass. The car is fully wrapped in Expel, but not the windshield as I heard mixed stories about it: Scratches easily (wipers) and clarity issues; but perhaps worth a shot. I will bring it up with MB and see what they have to say about it. I do not like replacing windshields due it being a structural item to the body on cars like this. We may end up in a situation where the windshield becomes crack prone due to stresses induced when it is replaced. My friend with an i8 had exactly this effect after he replaced his.

I was in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (big rally, 2k mi). The roads were actually in a real good condition (and awesome). I must say I was driving with 20 other high performance cars that tend to kick up muck from the Pilot Sports but I was actively switching lanes and keeping distance to minimize that. Still, it is pretty bad for 4k mi on the clock. I had a 92k mi E60 M5 that had no signs of this at 50k mi and I own a 328xi as well that has 100k on it that is not bad either. I believe something is up with the windshield glass hardness on the GTS. Hence my probing.

BucsFan

Anyone who looks very closely can detect the Clearplex. The casual observer will not. Similar to ppf. The edges at the top and side line up very closely, although you can see small bubbles if you look. The edge at the bottom is not quite as close and also shows small bubbles. If I left it out in the sun more, these bubbles would probably evaporate faster. I have no bubbles in my field of view from the driver's seat. I tried attaching photos, but it doesn't seem to be working correctly. I will try again later.

BucsFan

Here are the photos I mentioned in the previous post. (The car needs a wash, so don't hold that against me.)

benzbell

Doesn't look too bad. If/when you have to replace it. Would you do it again?

BucsFan

Absolutely

sisiay

Have a 2016 GTS that I just bought in late June. By the time I drove it home from LA to San Diego, it had a two small cracks and a number of little pits. I didn't notice them at the dealership (obviously) and didn't hear any rock hits that had me expecting anything. It was a CPO car. Fortunately I bought the MB windshield coverage (since I've replaced the windshield on every car I've owned in Southern CA) and they just popped a new one on the following week, but even that one, with less than 1,000 miles on it, is showing some tiny little pits already.

thebishman

rt7085

I might apply the clearplex over the pitted windshield to prevent further damage. Any opinion on a move like that?

thebishman

Td33

rt7085

I understand what you are saying but at the same time I know that removing the windshield sometimes may do more harm than good. I have to find a really good installer. Not JN Philips that is! I found a lead this weekend.