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-   -   Is it necessary to change the windshield after x number of years? Does it age? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/229508-necessary-change-windshield-after-x-number-years-does-age-2.html)

:OT but how did you type like that? Different font generator? But why? :confused:

NEVER.

As long as its externally damaged, or poorly maintained by a previous owner.

The films are banned as per my information. If the cops take action, the films have to be removed on the spot, besides paying fine.

I was having a similar experience on my previous car which was 7 years old.

There was no problem during daytime, only after sunset I couldn't tolerate the glare of the lights of oncoming traffic.

I was contemplating getting the windshield polished or replaced as it had fine scratches and swirls due to exposure to elements over 7 years.

Later, after driving different cars, I discovered it was due to my weakened eyesight!

Note that I don't have issues in good light and regular day to day activities.

I now wear glasses while driving, which has drastically improved the visibility.

It may not be applicable for everyone, but just suggesting a possibility.

Never! Unless it is damaged, there's no real reason to change the windshield.

Have you checked the windshield for damage? It could be from worn out/damaged wipers, scratches from the dust while cleaning it with dry cloth repeatedly, washing it with hard water/chemicals or even stone chips.

Drive a couple of newer car at night and have someone drive yours to check if it is you or the windshield that needs fixing. :D

This is something that never crossed my mind. Never had any issues with our older cars or even used vehicles. I guess only when there is some physical damage I would opt for a glass change. I guess for cars that are parked in the sun all day, maybe the situation could be different.

Never had to change because of scratches, although I'm pretty sure cars with:

1. Lots of highway running suffer more damage on their windshields due to chipping from debris (e.g. pebbles shot on your glass by the car in front).

2. Careless owners using worn out wiper blades.

On the other hand, I've had to change lots of windshields on my cars due to falling coconuts in my building (have now gotten protective nets above the parking spots).

I changed the windscreen of my WagonR exactly after 150,000 Km on the Odo and around 5.5 years after purchase. Reason: The surface had developed lot of swirl marks making driving in the night and rains bit difficult. Plus, during it's earlier years, it had been through a lot of abuse driving on under construction stretches of few highways where lot of heavy vehicles that were tailed or passed next to ensured to throw a lot of pebbles, sand and dust particles over it.

For my Ertiga, I changed the windscreen last year, which again was after 5.5 years! Reason: One of days a small chip in 2014 had developed into a linear crack and expanding too and replacement was the only option. Odometer reading then would be around 180,000 Km.

One thing I realised with the Ertiga windscreen is that despite of similar usage pattern the windscreen itself had never developed any swirl marks like the WagonR did perhaps due to the fact that the WagonR always took a lot of abuse in terms of bad roads then compared to the Ertiga.

It is also important to replace wiper blades but more important to replace the wiper blade arms too which if weak can make your wipers less efficient and hence you need to use them more during rains.

I replaced the wiper arms of my Ertiga last week:





Jumping and juddering of the wipers when in action could be due to weaker arms too and a reason for wiper marks on the windscreen.

I don’t think anybody in Europe would change its windshield just because of wear and some streaking. India is most likely a little harder on the windshield what with all the dust.

I have never ever replaced a windshield because of that, nor do I know anybody that has done so. Windshields when chipped get repaired. Only when the chip or rather cracks are over a certain size (about 2cm) would they replace the windshield.

The windshield on all my classic cars are still original. Those are cars almost 40 years with well over 200-250.000 km on them.

I have seen windowshields being polished by professional. Even they will admit that the result can vary greatly. The more curvature your windshield has, the more tricky it gets too. There is a huge difference between polishing paint and polishing glass. Glass is incredibly hard!

About a decade ago we saw some companies starting to advertise with professional automatic polishing machines. Spanner mate Peter and I got introduced to a guy who owned one of these machines. He was going to do the windshields of our Spiders. We were supposed to document/photograph and publish a few articles for him in our clubmagazine.

We visited him once, but the machine was out of action. Never heard from him again. I just tried googling, but I can’t find anybody that has these automatic machines anymore. There are still those that advertise polishing of windshields.

One of the problems with these machines was the time to set it up properly. It would not be able to go all the way into the edge of the windshield and curvature of the windshield was and additional challenge. (it was one of the reason he wanted to do our Spiders. If you can polish an Alfa Romeo Spider windshield fully automatically, you can polish any windshield!

My thought is that you need to take care of your windshield, just like you take care of the rest of the car. By the time scratches start to show, you are to late.

So when I clean my cars, I do take time now and then to really clean the windshield properly. Using various degreaser and one of these very light polishing pastes. It doesn’t so much as polish as remove the very fine layer of grit and dirt that tends to build up on your windshield. I have been using the below product for the last couple of years. I find it does a pretty good job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6VwniEYOOI

Change your wipers regularly too!

Jeroen

There is a 72' FIAT 1100 that I use at times in the dark. I don't think the windshield was ever changed on it. When an oncoming vehicle approaches even at a distance, I am blind. If they are in bright, it is like I am looking at a flash light close up.
Because of age, in the dark, it is next to impossible to drive the car. But, the car in question is close to 50 years old.

There is 2005 Swift as well which is not as bad, but is difficult when the oncoming vehicle is in the bright lights due to scratches mainly caused by these guys who wipe the glass with the same cloth that they use for rest of the car.

I think you live in an abrasive dust area and your windshield has a lot of fine scratches.
You should also get your eyes checked, could be at the initial stages of cataract or other vision problems.

Given that you cannot determine the quality of the polishing by various outfits, you should get your windshield replaced. (after having ruled out any vision problems of course).

Didn't even know changing the windshield was a thing.

Maybe it's dust on the windshield that's causing the light to scatter?

I use windshield washers liberally when driving at night, and that nearly eliminates oncoming glare.

However, ensure that there's no dust settled on the wiper blades itself, and that the blades are in a good condition. Else replace them.

My office parking was in a dusty environment. Every evening before setting off back home, I wipe all my windshields with a cloth, then lift the wipers and wipe the blades itself to remove small stones, twigs, and leaves (so that it doesn't scratch). And then use the windshield washers liberally.

However, if the windshield has already taken a lot of fine damage, then yeah, you might have to replace them I guess.

Can you give some more details about the LED bar? I too need one such.

Buffing might help for light scratches and streaks. For anything more permanent, it is better to replace the windshield.

A windshield which is deforming light and making the driver uncomfortable is a safety hazard. Even if one doesn't drive much at night, heavy rains and fog can create challenges. Indian conditions are harsh, so better to err on side of safety.

Hi, I shared more details of the LED light bar and it's placement on my car in Auxillary lamps thread, please checkout the post here.