Windshield replacement '95 Neon

[AlexeiVT]

This is a multipart question...

My vehicle failed inspections due to a small crack up near the very top corner of the passenger side of windshield (it passed w/ the same cracks, at least once previously, and I'm sure they've not grown at all in the many years they have been there).

If faced w/ yet one more task to keep this car going, I was wondering what's involved. The local recyclers gave a price of $75 for a window they pull. Just wondering if that's a reasonable way to go, or if I can find a repro w/ no sandblasting for a comparable price...any particular places to look to in the Central NJ area?

What is involved w/ the replacement?...I figure a new gasket/weatherstripping is called for to ensure against leaks...or is this basically just laid in flat and glued in (not sure what's involved in the removal, and how careful to be to save whatever rubber is there, if it's functional or just cosmetic).

You folks helped me out last time I changed the back glass in an '80's Mercedes Wagon, and that had a weatherstrip surround that I wired on w/ soapy water to slip in...I've never messed w/ winshields aside from removing one from a '67 Firebird...the Benz was just a dry (soapy liquid fit)...maybe the windshield is simpler?

I'm debating on whether to just mask off the top few inches of the winshield (interior and exterior) and use a roller brush and some acrylic paint to paint a black opaque upper windshield visor (I figure if the rice-burners out there get away w/ opaque vinyl graphics reducing the viewing area, maybe I could get by...the visibility is still better than an MG w/ the top up.)

Just wondering if this is something better left to paying someone $100 on top of the glass purchase to seal it in and call it good (the car passed emmisions...but beyond that, any $1 spent on it, is increasing the net worth by the same increment...so I'd opt to do it myself if I can)...just replaced the water pump the other day, that's deeper in this can of worms I wanted to go.

[Serge]

It often is damaged by the removal process...and it cracks eventually from small knicks in the periphery...

New glass for a neon is pretty cheep...I would guess about $100...but that's my garage price...you would have to find someone to sell you one at a decent price...look in the yellow pages...

Replacing a windshield is not that difficult...Just make sure to order the upper trim with the windshield, if I remember well they have a rubber trim that sits in the urethane that will be scrapped when you remove the windshield.

You simply cut around the glass to cut the urethane bead. Then you glue the new one in with a windshield urethane. Try dow's U-416 which is a one part primerless urethane that is dispensed in a regular caulking gun...Make sure to look at the tip of the urethane tube and cut it like the little drawing. This special cutting method creates a little triangle shape that leaves a pointed trace of urethane on which you will lay the new glass.

Don't remove all the urethane from the window frame, the new urethane is made to stick to the old urethane...

Make sure to clean the glass and the window frame before re-installing...

[Phil V]

You'll need some piano wire and an unwitting accomplice to get the old windshield out. I personally have never had a problem using junk yard used windshields. But then I do check the outside edge of the used glass close for any chipping etc. If that glass has chips then I refuse to accept that windshield because thats where the new cracks would start. I have a pneumatic windshield knife that is an excellent tool. Makes short work of cutting the urethane around the windshield in the car, works only on the sides and the top, won't work on the bottom in most cases.