[retiredmarine]

So I had some hard water spots on my back passenger windows. I scrubbed them with a microfiber towel I had with some window cleaner. I finally got the hard water spots out, but in certain light, at certain angles....such as sunlight, you can see fine scratches (spider web like) in the windows. I looked at my microfiber towel and there was some sand on it (no idea how it got there). The scratches aren't visible unless you look at it close in certain light, but it's really bugging me! My car is only 4 months old, and I've tried several rubbing compounds and nothing gets rid of them. I am debating leaving it, or replacing the windows. I haven't priced windows yet, but I'm so frustrated. I just don't know if anyone is even going to notice it and if it's worth the price of replacement. It's kind of the same type of scratches you get on your b-pillars...that you can see at certain angles. UGH.

[Forgiven]

Sounds like you don't have deep scratches. Just get the glass polish compound.

[retiredmarine]

I think after doing some research, I am going to try a power buffer and a polish. I am debating between the Groit's glass polish, or the CarPro Ceriglass. I have read some good things about cerium oxide, but it says its messy and im worried about getting it on the trim and paint...anyone have experience with this??

[Junkman2008]

Originally Posted by retiredmarine

... I have read some good things about cerium oxide, but it says its messy and im worried about getting it on the trim and paint...anyone have experience with this??

You know what, you have been given a mulligan and you don't realize it yet. I could tell you how to fix your issue but since you don't have experience with a buffer, you could do one of two things depending on the polisher you bought. You could end up wasting your money on a worthless tool or you would end up creating a huge dull spot on your glass that will make you wish that the water spots were still there. So here's what I strongly suggest you do.

Take it to a professional detail shop.

Whatever you do, don't take it to a dealership. Those hacks don't know anymore about detailing than you do. I could fix that glass in 15 minutes so it's not a hard job to do but it requires the proper tools and compounds/polishes in order to do so. The polisher that you need is going to cost in the neighborhood of $300 itself, not to mention the chemicals and pads that you are going to need. Since you don't plan to start detailing shop or buff out your entire car, that would be a waste of money for you to spend. There's no way in hell that you can fix that glass BY HAND in any kind of timely manner, I don't care what you've read. There's a lot of stuff posted on the internet from guys who's work you have never seen so believing them is hit or miss. At least you can see my work all over the web if you Google "Junkman detailing".

So do your research on finding a really good detailer in your area and let him fix it correctly. Make sure that you SHOW him at various angles how you can see the damage so that when he's done, he will know to check it that way BEFORE he calls it fixed. Some people would think you are crazy by thinking of replacing your window because it's scratched but then some people don't understand people like us. I take the front fascia off my car and paint it every two years because I can't stand paint chips.

Yea, I have that sickness too.

[retiredmarine]

Junkman, thanks for the input. I have read on several sites that using a DA buffer with glass polishing pads and ceriglass isn't very difficult, and a lot of amateurs like myself are having great results. What are your thoughts on that? I was thinking of investing in a porter-cable buffer, that I could also use on my paint for detailing in the future..they run about $100.

[Junkman2008]

Originally Posted by retiredmarine

... I was thinking of investing in a porter-cable buffer, that I could also use on my paint for detailing in the future..they run about $100.

This is why I said one of two things are going to happen. The PC-7424XP is an excellent BEGINNER machine for novices who want to fix their paint. HOWEVER, it is NOT a DA (dual-action machine). It is an ORBITAL machine, rated in OPM's (oscillations per minute) only. A true DA will be rated in OPM's AND RPM's (revolutions per minute, which is exactly what a ROTARY polisher is rated at). It is the cutting power and heat generated by RPM's that make a rotary polisher so dangerous but drastically EFFECTIVE in the hands of a skilled individual. With a PC, you are going to be standing on that glass all day long trying to remove those scratches. With a true DA, they will eventually come out at a much faster rate. With a rotary, they will come out within seconds but the absolute LAST thing that you want to pick up and put against ANY part of your car is a rotary polisher. Talk about instant need for a paint job, that would do it in the wrong hands.

So the information you are reading is being given by people who are not giving you the WHOLE truth. I have no dog in the detailing world (I fix computer networks for a living), so I make sure that I give the entire truth. I too was once a novice but I have been traveling around the USA teaching novices this stuff for years at car clubs and car shows. So again, realize that you don't know the ability of the people that you are getting this advice from. Realize that you don't know their skill level or attention to detail. Those of us who are anal about our car are a certain kind of anal and what might float for others might not float for us.

You want to get this fixed by a professional who has all the tools already. We can talk about your paint later as that PC will be the machine for you then but for now, let's get your car fixed right.

[retiredmarine]

Ok Junkman I took your advice. I made an appointment for a glass specialist today to come out and look at it. He said on the phone it sounded curable. Ill keep you posted.

[Junkman2008]

Good. Do this. Write down EVERYTHING he uses to fix your glass. Then post those items here and price them all. Compare the cost of the materials that he used to what he charged you to do it. If the ratio is like 3-5:1, you came out smelling like a rose.

[retiredmarine]

Junkman, it was raining yesterday, so I am supposed to meet with him today. Are there any questions I should specifically ask, or certain things I should or shouldn't be looking for? What's a reasonable quote for doing the back two passenger windows?

[Junkman2008]

Keep in mind that I don't do this for a living, I fix computer networks as a source of income. Detailing cars is WAY more work than I ever care to do plus I own the company that I work for. I will detail a special car on special occasions and people ship me their show cars all the time but the prices I charge are outrageous so I wouldn't have a clue what the industry would normally charge to do what you are having done. I do know that what he is going to charge you is going to be less than total cost of the stuff he uses to fix your glass.

As far as what to ask him, that's what I put in my last reply. Do exactly as I instructed there. You want to prove to yourself that having this done is not only cheaper than buying the stuff and doing it yourself but that it is done correctly. Once he finishes, inspect, inspect and inspect!

[retiredmarine]

He tried today with a really soft buffing pad and some polishing compound, but the scratches didn't come out. He is going to use a 2000 grit buffing pad and then the finishing pad on Friday, and said that should work.

[Junkman2008]

What kind of polisher did he use, a rotary or something else?

[retiredmarine]

It was like a hand held electric buffer with a right angle handle looking thing.

[Junkman2008]

Originally Posted by retiredmarine

It was like a hand held electric buffer with a right angle handle looking thing.

That was funny!

Okay, if you can, get a general cost of what it would have cost for YOU to buy everything that you would have needed to fix your windows (what he ends up using). Already, this one thing should be abundantly clear. The advice that you got from people who told you that YOU would have been able to fix this YOURSELF was seriously wrong. I knew this and that's why I said that you have to understand that a substantial amount of the detailing information that you see on the web comes from folks who don't have a clue themselves. If they can't prove that they know what they are doing OR talking about, you have to take what they post with a grain of salt. This is exactly why I nake these long, unedited videos. You can't say it was slight of hand or smoke and mirrors. You see it as it happens.

I don't fake the funk and people who watch my videos know that.

[retiredmarine]

Does 2000 grit sound ok to get scratches out of windows? He said he had a "rare earth" spray polish, which I assume is the cerium oxide. He said it should be no more than $60, so that's a good deal.

[Junkman2008]

The grit sandpaper that you have to use depends on the damage in the glass. You typically want to start light and work your way more aggressive until you start getting results. Then you step the sandpaper back down until you get to the polishing stage. Thus, what sounds okay depends on the damage.