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Hey all,
So when I bought my 4 door 2001 Civic EX a couple months ago, the moulding was missing on the driver side and the dealer agreed to fix it after the sale. He sent me to Safelite where they discovered that whomever had installed the last windshield did a horrible (possibly backyard) job. There was silicon glue/sealant all around the windshield and for reasons I don't quite understand, the Safelite guy said he would have to remove the windshield itself just to replace clips for the moulding.

As he had warned me might happen, the windshield cracked while it was being removed, and needed to be replaced, too. This was fine with me since the dealer was still going to pay for it, and I'd get a new piece of glass with no chips, etc.

Driving away from Safelite this morning, though, I noticed that the new windshield isn't as clear as the old one: it has a very noticeable blue (they call it green) tint to it, with a the usual heavier tinting at the top edge. I called them up afterward, and they said that this was the only model available for the 2001 Civic.

So I ask you guys: is this true, or was I given a cheap piece of glass?

Of course the tinting at the top is fine, but the overall tint to the windshield will take some getting use to—again, it's quite noticeable, and definitely different from the windshield that used to be on the car. In overcast Seattle, it just makes for an even darker view of the road and cars ahead.

Any thoughts, etc? Is this green tint a good thing? Thanks.

 
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echological stuff


jokes aside, they are used to reduce lights going in the car and heating the interior too much.

Note that many pay to have more tint in their windows

Some members here call the clear glass fishbowl, BTW (sorry, joked again)

 
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Lol—but do they pay for GREEN tinting?

The funny thing is that my windshield is now more tinted than all the other windows. I used to live in Florida, and yeah, tinting really does serve a purpose down there (aside from just looking cool and giving you anonymity). Not so much in Seattle, though.

Anyway, maybe I'll appreciate it more after the dark, rainy winter ends ...

One person I spoke to at Safelite says clear windshields haven't been made since the 70s, but that's obviously not true since the one that was just replaced was much more clear than my new one!

 
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they might be clearer ones available (mine is the fishbowl ), but they might not have had one in stock, i would guess.
They choose for using a darker one so you could have your car back, is the other guess.
yeah, i was thinking on seattle after i replied...

 
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it depends, glass is a tricky thing and everyone makes it differently. the honda windshield on my 2002 is definately green, which i dont really care for. my brother got an aftermarket one for his car and its pure clear glass with no tint. so yeah it just depends on the brand i guess. i would prolly go with aftermarket when i get mine done, cause oem costs a bundle. also have you tried cleaning yours inside and out? try a clay bar and then some glass cleaner. alot of windshields still have chemicals on them that can be removed for a clear finish.

 
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No, I haven't tried that yet. (In fact I don't even know what a "clay bar" is ... will check it out.)

Anyway, it's one of those things I wish I knew to ask about BEFORE the work was done. Now I'm stuck with it. But I guess it's better than an old windshield with lots of repaired chips in it ...

Oh, and if anyone has any tips for cleaning the inside of a windshield so it doesn't streak when it fogs up, let me know. My old windshield was a mess—a couple of mornings there was even frost the inside, in the shape of the streaks from wiping it.

Thanks!

 
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ah, clay bar is just a clay that "sucks" the dirt when you scrub it against. they can be found on the car care section of the auto parts stores.
They may work better than the windex i use to clean the windows (i know, i will hear from the others for doing that )

 
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I'm in the middle of looking into clay bars, but don't they leave any mess behind that you have to clean up? And do you use them for regular cleaning of the inside of the windshield or just less-frequent, thorough cleaning?

 
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clay bar is for very deep cleaning. usually once all the hard to remove stuff is gone, you can go back to a cotton tshirt and some invisible glass spray cleaner. the trick is to spray it on, wipe off, then go over it again with a new dry cloth to take off the streaks. tshirts work the best because they do not leave lint behind.

clay bar comes with lube or you can use quick detailer or even water as a lubricant. its prolly best to do when washing the car after you spray the windshield. keep rubbing the clay until the surface is smooth as glass lol. there should not be any residue left but if there is, it will be removed when you use the glass cleaner.