iDrive screen scratched... Help

[JIMX681]

I have some minor scratches on the screen, not too deep. It looks like it might just be the anti reflective coating that is scratched. I have seen posts all over different forums with peoples opinions but never any answers from people that say it worked. I have heard of people using plastic cleaners or even some type of metal polishes to remove the coating. Does any have any answers or experience with this issue. Any help is much appreciated.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by JIMX681

I have some minor scratches on the screen, not too deep. It looks like it might just be the anti reflective coating that is scratched. I have seen posts all over different forums with peoples opinions but never any answers from people that say it worked. I have heard of people using plastic cleaners or even some type of metal polishes to remove the coating. Does any have any answers or experience with this issue. Any help is much appreciated.

No idea, but if it is shallow then you may be able to conceal it with a screen protector.

If you find a screen protector let me know since I think it is a good idea to get some preemptive protection.

[Spinny02]

A good detailer can polish it out no worries.

[JIMX681]

I guess my question is what polish can I use, plastic polish or something more abrasive? I think I need to remove all of the AR coating to make it look uniform.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by JIMX681

I guess my question is what polish can I use, plastic polish or something more abrasive? I think I need to remove all of the AR coating to make it look uniform.

I think the screen protector will solve the problem. If it's just the coating that is scratched, then the original coating will not be visible as the protector becomes the new surface.

[JIMX681]

I went the risky route as it was driving me crazy. I figured if I messed it up worse I would just replace the screen. I used Happich Simichrome, which is a metal polish. I saw someone else recommend it on another forum. I tried it on an old LCD tv screen first and it actually made the tv screen shine like new. When I first applied it to the screen in the car I really regretted my decision. It looked terrible, cloudy and spotty. I kept at it for about an hour and it looks much better. I still need to look at it in the sunlight to see how bad the glare is, but the screen is scratch free. I need to work the corners a little bit more to get the rest of the coating off. It looks like this just might have worked. It did not hurt the trim around the screen which was also something I was worried about. I will post once I have it done and see how it looks in direct sunlight.

[avlnch]

Originally Posted by JIMX681

I went the risky route as it was driving me crazy. I figured if I messed it up worse I would just replace the screen. I used Happich Simichrome, which is a metal polish. I saw someone else recommend it on another forum. I tried it on an old LCD tv screen first and it actually made the tv screen shine like new. When I first applied it to the screen in the car I really regretted my decision. It looked terrible, cloudy and spotty. I kept at it for about an hour and it looks much better. I still need to look at it in the sunlight to see how bad the glare is, but the screen is scratch free. I need to work the corners a little bit more to get the rest of the coating off. It looks like this just might have worked. It did not hurt the trim around the screen which was also something I was worried about. I will post once I have it done and see how it looks in direct sunlight.

When Polish is applied it will always be cloudy until it dries and you can wipe it off (with some pressure).

I would recommend taping off the plastic trim. If it comes into contact the polish can discolor it.

[JIMX681]

It was sucessful! It was a huge pain in the ass, but in the end the result I wanted happened. The screen has no scratches and seems more durable now, no fingerprints or smudges. It took about 2 hours with the polish, 2 microfiber towels and a dozen q-tips. Really work the polish in over the center of the screen and work your way out. Use the q-tips around the edges. Tape off the screen if you'd like, but the polish wipes off the trim rather easily. I actually used the polish on a scuff in the trim by the dome light and it almost removed it.

I really didn't want to go with a screen cover, in case of bubbles or misplacement. If it only masked the scratches and I needed to remove the cover, I was afraid that may damage the screen worse.That's why I chose this method. I had it in the sunlight after removal and glare was not much different than with the coating. Thanks for everyone's input.

[JIMX681]

*Update

The glare when I finally got it in the sunlight was pretty bad. It made it very hard to read with direct sunlight on it. I went with a Lexerd screen cover and it has helped some with the glare. The entire process sucked, just don't touch your screen to begin with.

[DrKevM5]

Pertplus, the genius that he is, hooked me up with the Lexerd screen material. Perfect fit, beautiful gloss, easy to install. Here's the thread http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=965738