Painted square on windshield

[DrWin]

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Even when I try to repaint it (from the inside!) I still can't make the scratches go away when looked at from the outside. So I'm kinda stuck here: I don't want to make this look even worse, I don't want it to look this way and haven't tried installing the rearview mirror for that same reason. Also, I don't really feel much like driving down to Netherlands or Germany to have the windshield replaced, just for the sake of a small square patch of paint.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

DSC_0012.jpgDSC_0006.jpg

Cheers.

[Rhye]

I wonder if it's possible to fill those little scratches with that transparent UV-cured resin for repairing small impact marks. If not, I'd just paint same sqare on the outside with some hard black enamel. The only other option would be to remove the scratches by sanding/polishing the inner glass layer.

[Jonathan]

Is the idea for the mirror to attach directly to that little black square? (using one of those sticky pads/ or some 3M tape). Reason I ask is I have my mirror off at the moment and that square is very smooth on my car. So smooth I started to wonder if the adhesive would stick to it or not, like maybe I was missing some additional layer of something?

[Rich]

Is the idea for the mirror to attach directly to that little black square? (using one of those sticky pads/ or some 3M tape). Reason I ask is I have my mirror off at the moment and that square is very smooth on my car. So smooth I started to wonder if the adhesive would stick to it or not, like maybe I was missing some additional layer of something?

You did not miss anything. You're on the right track. It is attached using a thin, high strength double-sided adhesive foam pad.

Buy one of these, then carefully apply one side of the adhesive pad to the black patch after cleaning the black patch with alcohol. Clean the mirror mount base with alcohol and press it onto the adhesive pad.

[Rich]

The photos help a lot. You need a new windshield to make the car look normal.

A previous owner left a mess, probably from trying to remove the black "paint" from the glass. The problem with that approach is that the black "paint" is really black glass which is permanently fused onto the clear glass during windshield fabrication.

Any chance to abrade the black glass off and then polish the abraded area to look clear is gone now because the new scratches are deep into the clear glass. If you abrade the glass deeply to remove the new scratches then after polishing this area you will have a funny-looking wavy lens in this area. And there is the chance the glass will be weakened and crack.

As Rhye suggests an exterior paint may be an answer. The scratches will not be seen from outside. What you will see from the outside will probably not look normal. Test the look by temporarily applying a patch of flat black tape over the scratched area - look at it under various lighting and viewing conditions. You may or may not like what you see.

No advice about painting exterior glass. Ask a glass repair shop for advice, especially about glass primer which is not the same as metal primer. I also set aside the issues of the passenger wiper over the paint, cleaning the paint with glass cleaner and safety inspections in your area.

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

DSC_0012.jpgDSC_0006.jpg

Cheers.

[pk2678]

You did not miss anything. You're on the right track. It is attached using a thin, high strength double-sided adhesive foam pad.

Buy one of these, then carefully apply one side of the adhesive pad to the black patch after cleaning the black patch with alcohol. Clean the mirror mount base with alcohol and press it onto the adhesive pad.

Ford used the same method to install the rear view mirror in a small car named Ford Fiesta (in Germany). And maybe on some other cars. I went to a Ford dealer and asked for a replacement pad. But I don't remember how much it cost.

Peter

[pk2678]

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Even when I try to repaint it (from the inside!) I still can't make the scratches go away when looked at from the outside. So I'm kinda stuck here: I don't want to make this look even worse, I don't want it to look this way and haven't tried installing the rearview mirror for that same reason. Also, I don't really feel much like driving down to Netherlands or Germany to have the windshield replaced, just for the sake of a small square patch of paint.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

DSC_0012.jpgDSC_0006.jpg

Cheers.

Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.

When re-installing the rear view mirror, make sure you are using one of those double sided adhesive pads. Don't use a glue. Or your windshield will crack soon.

Peter

[Michael]

Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.

When re-installing the rear view mirror, make sure you are using one of those double sided adhesive pads. Don't use a glue. Or your windshield will crack soon.

Peter

Nice idea!

[Rich]

+1

Nice idea!

[Citizen]

Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.
[Snip]
Peter

Nice idea!

+1

+2

I have never seen that before... That is one cool sticker! A bit obtrusive, but cool!

Thomas
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