Vision issues through windscreen glass.

[gclark8]

Time to move on. This wind shield will not be an issue for 99.5% of the population. I will contact a few dealers over the next couple of weeks and see what is on offer, both for outright sale and trade-in.

I will consider the new Astra Wagon, UK built by Vauxhall, also the new Suzuki Swift, Japanese built, and the new UK built Honda Jazz, if it arrives in my country this year.

As mentioned in the post above, it must work for me, no vision compromises, or, its all over for driving. 8,800km in 6 years was, indeed, a fail!

Edit: An update: After a call and suggestion from the Auto Club Technical Advisor at RAC WA, I contacted Australia's leading auto glass company, O'Brien Glass. They are sending an experienced assessor to look at the car and diagnose the true issues with the windscreen glass. More later!!

Later: In preparation for the inspection, I decided to clean the windscreen. First I used Glass Cleaner, this produced black residue on the paper towel, so I went for something stronger and used Gum Turpentine, this produced much more black residue. Once the black stopped coming off, a clean with Methylated Spirit removed the oily turps residue. The next morning I noticed the blue stripe across the top had changed to black and the ripple in the stripe was no longer visible. On closer inspection the other ripples has almost disappeared. After a couple of days, all the ripples have returned, but to a much lesser extent. I then found the car to be drivable without any major problems.

I then took the car to O'Brien Glass for their inspection, it passed, the manager identified some minor glass distortion, but not enough to be concerned. What a difference a good clean makes! (I chamois all the glass before every drive)

Edit, Update: A couple of weeks back I fuelled the car and tried to return home on a 90km/hr road, however I was not able to see any distance and focus to drive much above 70km/hr. The ripples just return.

The wish-list has also been changed.
The new Astra Wagon and the new Suzuki Swift are off the list, similar glass distortion issues for me.
Also the Honda Jazz is also out, too many interruptions in the visual field.

However new additions to the short list: Volvo V40, Subaru Forester, Toyota HiLux, Honda City.
More later.... Edit: The Volvo will need individual evaluation as they are now fitted with Left Hand Drive windshields.

[gclark8]

Time for a little update:

One of the mistakes I made in and from the 1990's was to buy glasses with plastic lenses.

This has now changed, my distance glasses and my sunglasses now have new Seiss Glass Lenses.
The sunglasses are not suitable for driving as the windscreen is tinted, however I had my best drive home in a long time with the new distance glasses. Quality glass and no tint and Seiss's grinding technique makes a difference. If only Zeiss made windshields...

[gclark8]

New addition to the short list: Suzuki Jimny 2019, right-hand-drive, yellow, with auto trans!
I have posted the glass question on their forum: Considering a Jimny, help required. - BigJimny Forum


30 Jan 2019, Now for a big edit:

One of those days of reflection again, use it or loose it?

In my quest for a car with better, flatter, glass I was researching the new Suzuki Jimny 4x4.
Part of the process was to check out the price for insurance. There I found a problem, no one would give me Insurance so I decided to phone the Auto Club and ask why.
The nice lady there did her homework and called me back with the news that the car only achieved 3 Stars in the NCAP crash tests and most Insurance Companys will only cover 4 and 5 Star Cars.
As she was aware of my glass/windsield/vision issues and my age (soon to be 70) she said it would be useful for me to check out the ANCAP 5 star list and choose my next car from that list. Good advice!!

Now, a week later, this got me thinking about my Barina/Aveo, built in Korea in Feb 2011, how many stars did it achieve in the crash tests? Well the only relevant test I could find gave a 2 Star rating!! Horror of horrors! Where did the 5 star rating the Car Dealers rave about come from? Answer, probably the NCAP test done later in the year on the Sonic/TM Barina Hatch. See:https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/...let/aveo/10959

After searching Google, I found there are several not so successful tests done in later years on the Mexican and Chinese built Sedans by Latin NCAP.

Now back to the 2 star test done in in 2006, https://www.euroncap.com/en/results/...let/aveo/15689 to read the full test results you will need to download the PDF of the report, the section that attracted my attention talked about 'tearing spot welds' and 'moving A pillars'!

This now highlights the problem I have had in my car since the test drive, windshield glass distortion, see:https://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f83/...n-glass-21694/.

Thinking time now needed

Edit: I have sent Customer Care a 'final' email with the above 2 Star Test result for their comments.

[gclark8]

15 February 2019, "AV30 WA" has gone for adoption and will soon have her new forever home.

She got a New Windscreen, a Service, a really good polish and made the dealer a load of $$!

See Garage (left) for full car details.

[gclark8]

Update time: A new topic from a Honda forum is similar and worth the read:
https://www.odyclub.com/threads/2014...riving.208057/

I have returned the Suzuki, not for glass issues. I just didn't get on with the Maruti Computer (Operator)!

I am now considering a ten year Volvo C30. I am finding most of these cars have been fitted with After-Market LHD Chinese Windscreens, Dot459, Dot593 (3) and Dot825 for example, however no issues of glass distortion have been reported with any of these windscreens.

Some "Genuine" C30 windscreens have the Dot27 and Dot32 marks. However, since the big car makers ceased assembly in Australia, I would expect to see replacement windscreens coming from S-G Securit in Thailand and not the EU: https://www.saint-gobain.co.th/en/about_thailand However, information today from Volvo USA on the wind-shield part number 3139 5424 indicated that these are made in China.

I did find this topic: https://beranek.agrrmag.com/2015/04/...bonding-issue/ it describes some bonding issues with Genuine windscreens in new cars.

20 Feb 2021, update: I bought a ten year old Volvo C30 2.4i. It is a most suitable replacement for the Barina/AVEO. I have ordered a Genuine Windscreen from the local Volvo Dealer. The glass in the car is fine for now as the imperfections don't effect the field of view. More later when the new windscreen arrives.

[gclark8]

The new windscreen arrived and was duly installed at the Local Volvo Dealer. I left the car there overnight for the seal to cure before driving.

On inspection it is a Genuine Volvo Windscreen, Left hand drive, DOT459 made by FUYAO in China.
The local cost $660, Rain/Mirror Covers $20 and Fitting $195 = AUD$875

Glass quality is good, however it is thinner than the European windscreens I have seen. It has developed a minor ripple parallel to the left hand "A" pillar, this does not effect my driving. I will be checking periodically with Volvo to see if the source has changed.

This brings up another vision issue, both headlights degrading. This is due to the 2009 plastic lenses breaking down under UV, mine were replaced yesterday. (AUD$1150)

You may ask, was it worth the expense? Yes, it makes a nice old car better and safer to drive!