Cloudy Rear Window

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eddie1
Joined: Sat 24 May, 2014 07:41
Posts: 136

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Scunthorpe

Cloudy Rear Window

Post by eddie1 »

Does anyone know if a cloudy rear window can be brought a little back to clear, or is it a forgone conclusion. Its Ok and can see through it, bit worse with the wind deflector up too lazy to take it off Ha-ha! Is replacement the only option?

eddie1
Bi11
Joined: Mon 05 Nov, 2012 21:26
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  M roadster S54
Location: Bedford

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Bi11 »

Been discussed on the forum before and think the conclusion was that Brasso with a soft cloth was worth a try
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TitanTim
Joined: Mon 23 Jun, 2008 18:56
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  Z3 roadster 1.9i
Location: Stafford

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by TitanTim »

Greygate plastic restorer should remove the cloudyness and will make the screen more supple, others have used BMWs toothpaste, Autoglyms SRP. I prefer Greygate as its specifically for the job.

Tim.
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billibob
Joined: Wed 01 Oct, 2014 20:06
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Birmingham

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by billibob »

I bought a product from ebay. Plastic window polish cleaner from a seller named mymgcar. Cost about £10.50 posted. It's a 100ml bottle and it works very well.
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Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by ///M_aniac »

BMW toothpaste
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Koolflyer
Joined: Fri 05 Jul, 2013 15:51
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  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Koolflyer »

Last year I purchased a bottle of Renovo Plastic Window Cleaner from their stand at the NEC Classic Show last year. It didn't get rid of all the scratches but it was a big improvement. Here is the stuff:

http://www.renovointernational.com/prod ... r-care.php

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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Southernboy »

Brasso is very effective, but one has to mind for spillage onto the fabric of the rooftop....it will leave a white smudge which will require cleaning out. Any "deep" scratches will not polish out, but can be polished so they do not appear as obvious. Greygate is brilliant stuff, but requires considerable elbow grease to achieve a good result. I assume it's a very fine cutter, and hence the extra effort required. Brasso contains petroleum distillates and somewhat softens the plastic in the process.
Ideally I would like to find a "mini" buffing machine,,,something like the size of a Dremmel tool for the drive, and a 2 to 3 inch buff to fit it... so that working into the corners and especially on the inner surface isn't such a PITA. It would also need to rotate at variable speed so there's no heat build up or spin off from a high speed rotation of the buff.
I have looked at the various Dremmel adaptor fittings, and haven't seen anything suitable which might be applied. If anyone has or does come across anything which can be applied to suitably used as a buff and which is lightweight enough to easily use in the confined inner area, I would love to hear about it. Perhaps the small triangular based "mouse" sanding machine made by Black & Decker might be good, but then one will need a purpose made buff to fit it's triangular head ??
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wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by wonderloaf »

Southernboy wrote: Perhaps the small triangular based "mouse" sanding machine made by Black & Decker might be good, but then one will need a purpose made buff to fit it's triangular head ??
How about something like this for an oscillating tool?
http://multifitblades.com/felt-polishin ... r-pad.html
2001 Titan Silver 2.2 Sport
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Southernboy »

....... that's a brilliant find !! and it's the same shape as the B&D mouse !! :D
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wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by wonderloaf »

Think I might get one myself, need to get the scratches out my rear screen!
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Southernboy »

Went to the local hardware outlet but didn't find the triangular shape. I did find the same material in a disc shape though. Took it home, and discovered the mouse has the "hook" side of velcro on it's triangular face... :D
Stuck the disc to the mouse base, and marked it leaving around 3mm excess all round... Decided to err on the side of caution and apply some MacGuires Plastix on the outside of the rear screen, and went to work... I was so pleased with the result that I was committed to doing the inside too... only hassle is the gap between the OEM hoops and the windscreen at the top restricts access, so had to raise the roof and do the left and right top areas directly behind those hoops...

I didn't expect too much from the MacGuires as I would from the Greygate, but was pleasantly surprised by the result... only a very faint hint of fuzziness across the screen width at the fold mark... I reckon a session with the Greygate will remove it completely. The buff is so amazingly stable, and clings to the velcro solidly.
Having had such great success on the window, I'm now considering buying a couple of those discs to cut to shape, and do the front headlight lenses as well as the tail light lenses etc... and... a dedicated pad for buffing the car body too...

I really like the shape which, with it's pointed tip, allows for buffing in small tight areas.... The little motor puts out a strong vibration and if one moves slowly across the surface, the vibratory movement is seen as a very fine "ripple" in the polish liquid (MacGuires Plastix)... Handling the tool is finely controllable with one hand vs the two hands required for the average auto orbital polisher....

You could say I'm sold on making this my standard polishing tool... :wink:
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wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by wonderloaf »

Reading this thread gave me some ideas on how I could try to restore my rear screen, so went and bought one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A ... UTF8&psc=1

with the intention of trying to buff the scratches out of my rear screen using a triangular felt polishing pad. Couldn't use the felt pad as intended as the fixing bolt protruded beyond the outer surface of the felt, but some velcro and double-sided tape soon sorted that and allowed me to attach it to the standard mounting pad supplied.

Anyway, long story short used some Greygate polish then some Plast-X and the results as below:

Top LH corner before:
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Top LH corner after:
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Bottom LH corner before:
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Bottom LH corner after:
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As can be seen there is a marked improvement, most of the fine scratches are gone, it's only the deeper ones that are still there. But bear in mind that this was only about 30 mins work and I was experimenting with various polishing cloths and pads as I went along ... I think given another couple of goes I can get almost all the scratches out.

What do you think?
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Davejue1
Joined: Sun 22 Sep, 2013 07:25
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  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Mansfield

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Davejue1 »

It's a good improvement, mine was cloudy but I didn't have the scratches. I used car polish and it bought it up to a decent standard albeit not brand new. It's plenty good enough until I eventually get round to changing the roof. :)

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Rocketbike
Joined: Thu 17 May, 2012 20:12
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Rocketbike »

I've got the Renovo stuff, and 1/2 an hour every 6-12 months, cleaning inside and out gets it clean and clear
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Southernboy »

That tool looks the business and the results are impressive... well done. :wink:
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by motco »

None of the polishes that I could find, including Renovo, are really meant for the flexible PVC of a Z's rear window. They are all aimed at Perspex or similar hard materials. There will be less benefit on plasticised PVC than on hard polymers, but there will certainly be an improvement. The BMW 'toothpaste' eluded me, but I am sceptical that it will be much different.
Z3Jeremy
Joined: Sun 23 Jun, 2013 08:40
Posts: 71

  Z3 roadster 1.9i

Re: Cloudy Rear Window and windscreen!!

Post by Z3Jeremy »

Hello there Folks,

So here,s the problem - yes my rear window is a bit misted up, no drama there, however when I attempt to demist the condense on the windscreen its as if there,s a kettle on the boil underneath the dash!. It seems to get progressively worse for about twenty mins before it clears with the heat on about 2/3rds and the blower on 3 or sometimes 4. I stop to wipe it clear going to work in the morning it gets that bad and short trips are pain to put it mildly. Any advice very much appreciated, it even does it with the blooming hood down..sincere thankyou in advance. Apart from this blip I love my Zed, just getting cheesed off travelling to work with my eyeballs pressed against the windscreen like Homer Simpson!

Regards all, Jeremy. (1.9, year 2000 Z3. flux capacitor upgrade)
wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by wonderloaf »

I find I sometimes have to put air con on to de-mist my screen quickly and to keep it de-misted. I also find that I get the mist on the outside of the screen sometimes, depends on weather conditions. Strangely I don't have much problem with the rear screen!
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t-tony
Joined: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 23:17
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  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: torksey lock

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by t-tony »

Greygate polish is great for the flexible plastic rear windows in most convertible soft tops. As Southernboy points out it is not easy to apply pressure to the "screen" so I employ an assistant to apply a block of thick-ish plywood wrapped in a towel to the outside or inside of the screen depending which side I want to polish. This gives you something to press against so that you will get a much better clean/polish of your window. :)

Tony.
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Cloudy Rear Window

Post by Southernboy »

There are products on the market to apply to windscreens which prevent misting. Here we have stuff called C-THRU... It's a clear liquid applied to a clean windscreen (inside or outside) and it causes any moisture to instantly bead and run away. Applied to the outside it is possible to drive in the rain without the use of wipers...on the inside, any misting beads and runs down the glass.
Opticians also supply a similar product for people who wear specs... it prevents them from misting up when things get cosy.... :lol:
The best method of de-misting is to turn on the cold air via the aircon if you have one... this cools the inside of the glass to match the outside and prevents misting... works quicker and better than turning on hot air, which will create more mist by evaporating any moisture and allowing it to settle on the cold glass. Obviously you will need to position the air blower output to the "de-mist" position on the controls.
Alternately get one of those rubbery cloths that absorb 1000 times it's volume in water and mop up before you turn the heat up.... :lol:
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