Sydfloyd44

Got rid of my GY Regatta 2's last year. After year 2 with them, lots of tread but performance dramatically dropped. After much review, I was going for the Michelin X-One. At that time, they were on their way out and were being replaced by the Michelin Harmony. Could have gotten a set of the X-One's before they went but went with the Harmony. WOW!!!!!!!!!! Into year 2 now and I DO NOT miss my Regatta 2's!! Good traction all around and VERY quiet on my 95 Legacy sedan! Can't believe I lived with the noise of the GY's! Also talked to my tire guy about the Hydro-Edge from Michelin and he gave them rave reviews except he felt the Harmony would be a better choice for winter/snow driving.

I would agree with Northguy! Since Subaru windows are frameless, they will have some adjustment. I would recommend you contact a reputable auto glass shop and have them take a look to see if they can be adjusted to obtain a better seal. I just did this on a 98 Mitsubishi eclipse for a customer. Treating the seals is something you should do regardless!!! If you don't take care of them, they will just eventually go bad. There are products out there for just this purpose. We use a product from Rubber Seal called Trim Care. It is designed to maintain the seal from dry rotting and cracking. It also causes it to "fill out" which can help with sealing issues. There has been a lot of talk on the site about treating gasket and seals for sunroofs. I can tell you that this is all we use and have had excellent results. http://www.rubber-seal.com/ Click on "product catalog" on the left. Trim care is located in the Car Care section and is the small orange bottle in the front center of the picture. If the gasket or seal is torn, we also use a Rubber Seal product called Black Jack. I don't see it on their website? I do see Weatherstrip Mastic which sounds like the same product. May have changed its name? That is located under the "Adhesives" section. Not sure if you can just call and get their products? We have a rep that stops at our shop every month or 2. If you are interested and can't get them, give me a shout and I will put you in touch with our rep. who handles parts of PA, NJ, NY and MD. I am sure there are other manufacturers of other great products that are similar to these, I just haven't used them.

WHOOOOOAAA!!! Hold on!!!! I called it first so I get first shot! Really, I hope this guy just sends the money back and doesn't get stupid! I am headed up there tomorrow to take a little snoop around the property to see if the car is still there.

Yes, I am about 30 minutes from there. I am normally in Manheim every weekend which is just down the road. Shoot me a private message and fill me in on the details and I will do what I can.

You can actually do this test with the glass outside of the vehicle which is how we normally do it in the auto glass biz. No power needed. All this test does is to check continuity, making sure that current can pass from one side to the other. If you take the volt meter and hold the 2 ends together, it should zero out. All you are doing is to put one end on each side of the glass to see if it does the same thing. If it zeros out, no breaks in the heating grid.

Regardless, they need to talk to you BEFORE they just go chopping things off your car! PERIOD! I am sure that a logical explanation, if there is one, would have set a lot better than just doing it and not saying a word about it.

Like spiffy said, check to make sure not only you have voltage to the rear window, but that all connections are solid to the glass. The way to check the glass is this. Take a volt meter. Vehicle power off. You want to place one connection on the drivers side and one on the passenger side. You can place them anywhere along the vertical part of the electrical system ON the glass. When you do this, the voltage should drop to 0 (zero). If this does not happen, you have a break in the lines somewhere. A single cut from a razor that is nearly invisible to the eye can be enough to cause a break! Give this a try and shout back your results along with the amount of voltage coming to the window.

Hey, just keep in mind.... Paintless Dent Repair. Our company does PDR (separate techs from us glass guys) and I can tell you that as long as it is not too severe, they can usually get out 90+ % of the dents without any body work or painting. If you are contacting your insurance, ask them about it as they are probably well aware of the process and are usually more than happy to work with it. I would be shocked it there isn't at least a company or 2 in your area. By the way, hail damage falls under the Comprehensive part of your insurance policy just the same as glass damage. "Act of God"

York here.

I agree! If you just starting putting sealant in there, you may very well just be costing yourself more money down the road. It is possible there is more of an issue there.(i.e. rust) Take it to a professional and ask them to FIRST verify the problem and then ask what it will take to fix it. Make sure they don't just start shooting urethane in there without verifying the problem first. It is a common issue with "so-called" auto glass pros. By the way, do you have a sunroof? If you do, it is another possible cause of a leak that may appear to be the windshield.

Glad to hear you and your subes are in one piece! My brother moved from Stuart (Fork Rd.) to Ft. Pierce and now to Atlanta just 2 months ago. I already miss visiting your area down there and have been wondering, is there anything left to Hutchinson Island? I can only imagine its condition.

Look VERY, VERY close at the frit at the base of your windshield. (frit is the black ceramic band going around the perimeter of your windshield) As I stated in my post, it is VERY hard to see, but if it is CLEAN and you look at the right angle, you will see very fine lines going horizontally across the frit. (if it has it)

Hi all! Just looking for some thoughts. I am an auto glass pro in Central PA. Currently on my 5th sube and am pretty familiar with subes. (in part thanks to this board!) Have one that has me scratching my head though. We have a customer that has a 96 Outback with the cold weather package which includes the heated windshield. Customer didn't know the windshield was heated as he was not the original owner and as you may know, the early design of the heated w/s makes them hard to see the heating elements at the base of the windshield. As I was removing the w/s moldings and the cowl cover, I saw the wires for the windshield. We contacted the customer to let him know that the heated windshield was going to cost him about $200.00 more for the heated windshield. (no comp on his insurance) He understands but he just wants us to install the non-heated windshield. Now, does anyone know what type of repercussions this may have if we simply unplug it and leave the electrical system intact without anything hooked up to it? Is it possible the system might go haywire/fry if it is activated and there is nothing there? Don't want to screw the guy over but we also don't want to be liable. Our concern goes back to the old (late 80's) Ford heated windshields. They were known as "Insta-Clear". Due to countless problems, Ford discontinued this design and the heated windshield is not even available any more. BUT, before we can install the non-heated w/s, the customer must bring us a receipt showing that the ENTIRE electrical system for the windshield has be disabled/removed by a Ford authorized garage. There were cases of vehicles burning to a crisp which is why Ford put out the TSB with explicit instructions relating to the disable. http://www.glasslinks.com/tips/htd1.htm (this is an early TSB before the big problems started) Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated! This car has been at our shop for over a week now and we would really like to get it out of there, one way or another. THANKS!!!

Start by removing the small panel on the inside of the door opposite the mirror. There should be a couple of 10mm bolts that hold the mirror on. Track the wire which will have a harness to release. If the wire goes behind the door panel, you will need to remove it to detach/attach the new wire. This is a VERY easy operation. The hardest part (which is not very hard) is to remove/install the door panel if necessary. Give a shout if you have any problems.

I deal with exactly your problem almost daily. We will normally remove the tape for you once we have the glass installed. (really sucks, but that is customer service!) Duct tape is OK, as long as it isn't on more than a day or 2. Best tape to use is actually a high quality painters tape!!! We use a tape that is similar, but more of an auto body tape that is made by Intertape. Cost per roll is about $15.00 (wholesale!!!), but it is awesome!! Anyway, back to your tape. Before you use any solvents, the trick is to get the plastic off which will then allow you to remove the actual adhesive. We use PLASTIC razor blades! Really does the trick. It is not easy, but if you get lucky and are careful, you can pull it off in the largest pieces possible. Don't even bother with the solvents until you get the surface off. Just keep picking at it as it WILL take time!

To answer your question, No. Will not work. Used to install sunroofs for years before our company got smart and stopped installing them. For the amount of time involved in the installation, the LOW profit margin and the potential issues during install and in the future, it is just not worth it. We installed SFC sunroofs. (Stretch Form Corp) They are now owned by CR Laurence which is a HUGE auto glass/glazier supply company. I don't have any of our old spec books but I did locate theirs online for the year 1996. http://www.crlaurence.com/datasheets/pdfs/SFC%201996%20Applic%20Guide.pdf They have restrictions on their website since they are wholesale only. If you are unable to view, let me know and I will copy and post. FYI... The #'s going across the top of the chart, i.e. 1433, 1530, these are the sizes of the sunroofs. 14" X 33", 15" X 30", etc. The # you see shown within the chart is the setback distance of the front edge of the sunroof from the top edge of the pinchweld. (top of windshield) The letters refer to different types of installs and issues with install like having to move/eliminate dome lights.

Follow the good advice posted! I do auto glass for a living and if you could only appreciate what it means to put a windshield in CORRECT!! Your windshield is a structural part of your vehicle and not installing it correctly can have not only nuisance issues like leaking, in the event of an accident, your windshield can make the difference between walking away or being a vegetable. Happens several times a year. Leave it to the pro auto glass guys. It is no different than you wanting people to leave your profession in your hands, not someone guessing at it then wanting you to fix their mess ups.

Is it the quarter glass (looks into the hatch area) or the rear door glass? If it is the quarter glass, it should be in a gasket. If it is the gasket, remove the gasket from the vehicle by simply pulling off the body. Using a hook tool, clean the broken glass from the gasket. Wear safety glasses and gloves!!! Once cleaned out, put gasket on new window making sure the right side is out and you have the top/bottom correct. You may need to stretch the gasket to get it on. Next, take a length of 1/8" to 1/4" rope and insert it around the gasket inserting it into the lip of the gasket that will hold it to the body. Start and end the rope at the bottom center. With someone holding the window and gasket in its exact place on the outside, start pulling the rope. Always pull towards the center of the window and the corners might require you to make a circular motion to get the rope thru. As you pull, have the person on the outside lightly SLAP the window with a flat hand to set it in place. NEVER hit the window at or in further than the rope has been pulled as it can break the glass depending on the stress. Once pulled all the way around, you may need to use the hook tool to adjust the lip in all the way. A little detailed but should be everything you need to know. (at least if it is the quarter window???) If it is a glue in, consider getting a used part and taking to a professional. Shouldn't cost much for the labor!

As I thought, the molding is 125. but I actually have a full kit here if you are interested. (don't worry, you'll get it for next to nothing if interested) As far as the windshield, keep in mind that different areas get different pricing. Depending on the market. Our price came up 160.00 for the glass, labor is 45.00 (flat rated) and the urethane adhesive is 25.00. This price is pretty typical here in my area of PA and may be higher/lower in your area. Best thing to do is to CALL AROUND FOR PRICING!!!! If you are paying cash, keep in mind that auto glass is a cut throat business and most companies will do whatever is necessary to get you as their customer! But... do not compromise them doing the job right just for price. Your friend will pay for it later with possible leaks or even worse, RUST a year or 2 down the road!! One last thing, PLEASE DO NOT "TRY" AND DO IT YOURSELF!!! Recent article. They say windshield "repair" but it is actually from a windshield replacement not installed correctly! http://glassbytes.com/newsdeath070604.htm PM me if you have any other questions.

I can give you some ballpark numbers tomorrow. One thing I can tell you is that if you want new moldings, they are salty! About $125.00 for a new set. If the old are in good shape and you have a good auto glass tech, they can save them and get them back in place looking good.

Yes, it will fit. FW499 is the NAGS part #. The molding is 8 pieces. 4 corners and the 4 sides. The 4 corners may seem the same but they are in pairs (top/bottom) and they are at a very slight different angle. (there is a rare molding that is only 4 pieces. Top, 2 top corners and the sides/bottom/bottom corners all one piece. Rarely seen!) Are you thinking of doing it yourself? Any experience? If not, you will want to reconsider.

Make Sure You Have Clearance Behind Your Speaker For The Door Glass And The Regulator To Operate Freely. Otherwise, Budget In The Cost Of At Least The Door Glass For Replacement.

My 95 Legacy sedan is the same way. For what it is worth, everyday I work on a brand new car or 2 and this is not just a Subaru thing. Car manufacturers continue to work to expand their profits while keeping the cost of building a car for low prices. They save a little here and a little there. Things like cutting back on the paint. Some parts of cars have become sooooo cheap that I sometimes wonder why certain things take so long to break. Just my 2 cents.

How far north in the Poconos? Lake Wallenpaupack? My old stomping grounds!

Remove door panel. Remove glass. (required since it is a frameless window) Remove regulator. Detach motor from regulator and service/replace. Some motors are not detachable and require you to purchase a new regulator w/motor factory attached. You can find this out by just calling a dealer to inquire about the motor replacement. Can be done with moderate knowledge, but... if you mess up the horizontal/vertical adjustments for the regulator, you will have a nightmare on your hands if you are not familiar. What I would first recommend is to remove the door panel and do some light lubricating of ALL the moving parts of the regulator. If it moves or slides, lube it!! We use Clear Penetrating Grease (spray can) from Rubber Seal. Wouldn't recommend White grease as it will be a HUGE mess if you end up removing the regulator. (be cautious not to get grease on the glass or anyplace that will get on the glass! You will regret the clean up!) You may be surprised to find the window operating a little better with some fresh lube in there since things do get dried out over the years and cause a lot of drag.