Windshield speckles

[MichaelInChicago]

I have had this issue since I got the car but thought it was normal until a friend said it isn't.

Even after my windshield is cleaned after i wash the car and and even after I use special glass cleaner on it, my windshield is full of these fine speckles that cannot be felt even with my finger nail, both inside and out. They look like tiny, miniature air bubbles that are in the glass itself. They can be seen mainly in the sun and I had thought they were caused by debris hitting the car but you cannot feel any type of chips at all.

Any idea what these could be?

[Opie55]

Unless you have something else going on, which I highly doubt, you just have a normal windshield with 60k miles on it that has been hit by tens of thousands of fine sand particles. When it gets bad enough that sort of thing will cause me to buy a new windshield. I call it sandblasting or "sand-specked." Have you never noticed that on a windshield before? Each one is way too small to feel.

[board57796]

I’d agree with Opie55. I just spent almost a month in a brand new loaner car and the first thing I noticed when I got back into my car was a) how worn my steering wheel felt and looked and b) how speckled my windshield looked compared to the new car. The glass feels smooth but is micro-pitted for sure

[MichaelInChicago]

Thanks. Makes sense.

What is the approximate cost to replace a windshield on a 2015 6GC, labour included?

[Opie55]

Windshields are something that varies a lot depending on who does it and if you insist on BMW glass. At the dealer with OEM glass I'm betting around $1,200 - $1,300 (although the dealer may or may not farm out the install). Good glass but not OEM with head up display may be more in the $750 range at an indy installer.

[board57796]

I have glass coverage on my cars through my insurance, especially in Colorado with the sand and salt from the winter. I’ve never had to pay a dollar out of pocket for my OEM windshield replacements ($1,200+ per glass). Maybe something to look into in Chicago?

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by board57796

I have glass coverage on my cars through my insurance, especially in Colorado with the sand and salt from the winter. I’ve never had to pay a dollar out of pocket for my OEM windshield replacements ($1,200+ per glass). Maybe something to look into in Chicago?

But how sand speckled does it have to be before insurance will replace it? Otherwise you could get a new one every month.

[board57796]

Originally Posted by Opie55

But how sand speckled does it have to be before insurance will replace it? Otherwise you could get a new one every month.

Was just suggesting OP look into it in general; not necessarily for this specific issue but being in a winter environment could help him in the future.

[Frupal]

Looked a a few online quotes and they came in from $475-650 for OEM glass. Not from the dealer...

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Frupal

Looked a a few online quotes and they came in from $475-650 for OEM glass. Not from the dealer...

Can you share one? That's crazy low. I would not think you could buy just the OEM part for that much. Did you specify HUD? That costs more because of the special reflective layer in the glass.

[Frupal]

Hey Opie,
I called and the guy at Autoglassguru quoted me $730.00 for an out the door price for the windshield with head up display and lane departure warning.

[MichaelInChicago]

I called my insurance and they cover glass with a $250 deductible, and it covers anything that would weaken the glass, and, most importantly, they will not count it as a claim.

[iamvanja]

Just had my windshield replaced at the dealership.
Did not see the full invoice as mine was 0, but according to the SA, it was ~$1800.

The glass has a BMW logo and the Connected Drive print in the middle.

I believe those significantly lower quotes are "OEM equivalent" which is NOT the same glass.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by MichaelInChicago

I called my insurance and they cover glass with a $250 deductible, and it covers anything that would weaken the glass, and, most importantly, they will not count it as a claim.

I have a $0 deductible, but like yours, the glass basically has to be cracked. They might cover pitting if it was so bad that it reduced visibility to a dangerous level, but not otherwise.

[eagmail]

I had this same issue used to make me blind with glare also.

Simple I tinted my front windshield 70%

Never looked back.

Most of my cars have had front tint due to sunny fl weather

[Frupal]

Hey Michael,
Idk if this will work, or help, but I’ve been researching claying and one of the things they say is that it can be very effective on glass as well. I have not tried it, but did get a clay kit today. Just a thought.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Frupal

Hey Michael,
Idk if this will work, or help, but I’ve been researching claying and one of the things they say is that it can be very effective on glass as well. I have not tried it, but did get a clay kit today. Just a thought.

Clay bars are effective at removing impurities that are are firmly attached to, or even embedded in, your paint (or glass). If you wash your car good and rub your palm over your wet hood, you can usually still feel stuff - it's not perfectly smooth - that's what claying removes. What Michael is seeing is micro pits in his glass. Claying won't help that.

[stmoore01]

Very common problem in Chicago area with all the sand and gravel trucks running around constantly, add the sand/salt mix in the winter and it's inevitable. I was told by a glass guy that BMW is especially susceptible to this pitting because they use a softer material designed to take more impacts without cracking the glass. Could be total BS, but I have noticed this pitting on several BMW's I have owned but none of my other cars.

[Welaggen]

Specks and chips on the windshield are a problem that has haunted me for the last month. First, every time I notice a small damage on the windshield, I immediately contact a car service and they offer me either a complete glass replacement or an expensive repair. On the site https://www.carwindshields.info/ I found detailed information about windshield repair. Now I am repairing it myself without much difficulty.