Does semi-modern auto glass get brittle as it ages?
Asked by
majorrich (
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September 3rd, 2014
I made an appointment and took my older (1978) Mercedes to the dealership to have the rear window gasket replaced. I got a call this afternoon they don’t want to do the job because they were afraid they might mess up the molding and break the glass. Does auto glass become brittle with age, or are they just scared to be working on an old car? Its the dealership for cryin’ out loud!
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2 Answers
Possibly they rarely do that type of work. It’s body work.
Also, I think there is always a reluctance to remove windshields and rear windows if there is nothing wrong, but if the seel needs fixing then something needs to be done.
There probably always is a risk if they fool with it, you might wind up needing a new one. It’s glass, it can break.
My Porsche mechanic actually once told he doesn’t get the “Chinese” glass, because he feels they are weaker. I don’t know if he gets the glass American made, or somewhere else. He works on our race car, so the safety of the glass is even more important. He had a bad experience on the track with the Chinese glass.
However, people are on the track in cars from the 70’s and 80’s all the time with orginal glass, so I doubt it weakens. I really don’t know for sure though. I know one time I had a Coke bottle just come apart, and I don’t know if the glass had weakened over time, or if it was a bad bottle to begin with. Hopefully, a science minded person who knows about glass can answer your question.
Go to an auto glass shop that works on foreign cars, buy the gasket from M-B and have the glass people do the work.
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