I tried entering this post a while ago and pressed "next" then realized I needed to change something (actually, I was gonna have a poll and I'd selected a wrong poll option), and so I hit "back" and it was, of course, all gone, thanks IE. So instead of the nicely worded and prose-friendly version, I'm typing this all in shorthand, so forgive me if it sounds flippant.


- Time for a new windshield, mine's got a great big crack in it.

- Crack doesn't impede my view of the road (it's down low on the windshield), but it would be really nice to replace the windshield.

- I have SWMBO approval for it. She just replaced hers.

- This is not covered by insurance, it's out-of-pocket, hence the need for SWMBO approval.

- SWMBO got a star in hers less than a week after replacing it, though.

- Trip to Portland coming up early November. Drive is ten hours each way on I-5.

- Would really like a fresh clean new windshield with fresh wipers for the trip.

- Portland trip is so long that it would exponentially increase the chance that I'd get a stone from a big-rig's tire and waste the money on the replacement.

Opinions?

I've been driving for 15 years and I've never had a bad chip (nothing more than tiny glints) or a crack. What are you people doing?

If you have glass insurance, just throw a brick through it, and have them replace it or try and make the initial crack longer/larger so it goes at least 6 inches on the wiper path.

I guess if that's not an option, just get the new window before your trip and get the glass coverage added anyways onto your plan. I've checked (and my insurance rates are pretty high around $1600/6months) but it’s only an extra $20/year for the glass coverage over here in NY. Even if you go 5 years without a replacement, that’s still way cheaper that paying out of pocket for a new windshield. A buddy of mine actually had his insurance canceled after 3 windshields in his jeep were claimed. The first was a turkey flying through the window. The second cracked on the way home from the glass repair place, and the third cracked about 3 months later in the winter taking ice off the window with a scraper.

I was surprised when my window cracked from a rock, well not really surprised just startled I think I was going near 85 passing a large dumptruck on a back country road, I couldn't remember if I had glass coverage, but after a phone call it was already on my plan and they let me call any glass shop of my choosing for the replacement.

I think it depends a lot on the amount of highway driving that you do and the amount of trucks on the road and construction areas you go through. My first company van had a cracked windshield within weeks and so does my current van. Replacement would be free but I know it would get hit again very soon by something thrown up from the road so I won't bother unless it impedes my vision.

what year / model / make is your car?
how much have you been quoted for the glass replacment?

is your car parked in a secure lot?

just how long is the crack?

I would recommend getting it done now. The last thing you need is to turn on a windshield defroster and have the crack spread further when you least expect it. Better to get it over with while you have the time, resources and approval to do so.

Quote:
What are you people doing?

Driving in the West. Much less asphalt, much more concete/macadam and more little bits flying around.

And noisier, too, as I was sad to realize when I moved here.

2000 Honda Accord, the replacement cost is in the hundreds. Can't get glass coverage on our insurance at all, can't switch insurance companies at the moment thanks to LAST YEAR'S trip to Oregon (others might remember my whining about THAT one... Argh.).

Small spangles, less than a quarter in size, I have filled.

I truly dislike aftermarket glass. My experience is that it is always flawed, ripples and tint mismatch, if not both then one or the other has always shown up. Ripples are what bother me the most. Something about seeing the passing landscape constantly doing the wave just sets my guts to churning.

The down side of insisting on factory spec. glass is the price. The last one I paid for was $600. For me, worth every cent.

How often a windshield breaks, seems to be influenced heavly by the slope of the window. I had to put new glass in my D50 3 times, In my Sebring Conv. only once. In my 77 Scriocco never.

It's not just the summer Sun, that kills wipers, but the airborne dirt too. If it wasn't for Irrigation, most of central California would be desert.

As genixia suggested, I would "test" the existing crack to see if it easily gets larger or not. After that, I would wash the windows, inside and out, and really take a good look at the overall visibility through each. If there is nothing annoying or vision-hindering, then I'd definitely leave it until after the long trip.

When I bought my current vehicle (98 Civic) almost three years ago, I received a nice star-shaped chip on the passenger side of the windshield later that same week. The cause was a pebble spat out by the tire of a trailer truck. I actually spotted the pebble in flight and watched it hit the glass.

Three years later, that star-shaped chip is still there. And it hasn't grown. I would also like to replace my windshield, but I'm not going to do it unless my vision is hindered. I've replaced windows before, and I know it's not cheap.

I'd fix it now. It threw me off however, when you said the replacement cost would be in the hundreds. I thought replacing the windshield on my 91 MR2 would cost quite a bit but was pleased to find a local guy that did it for $130, with install. You might want to look around more for a better price, as everyone i've asked has paid under $200. There are a lot of people around where I live that will do it out of their trucks and will do full install while your car is parked at work.

Hundreds ha, the windshield in my golf was 1600 dollars. I do have glass coverage so I suppose that makes the price go up

What?!

I've just this past month had my golf's windshield replaced and it cost USAA under $300. I can't remember the exact figure and don't have the invoice copy to hand. That was OEM glass apparently.

Three years later, that star-shaped chip is still there. And it hasn't grown

Do yourself a favor and have the chip repaired. There are places whose only business is repairing these chips (Novus comes to mind) and in all likelihood your insurance company will pay for it 100%, no deductible, because it will save them hundreds of dollars later on when the chip turns into a crack.

My insurance company replaced my windshield for me, even though it was not cracked nor chipped. I showed them how it had been sand-pitted (after 130,000 miles) and explained that at night in the rain it was quite difficult to see. They were happy to do the preventive maintenance as an accident caused by poor visibility would have cost them a great deal more than the new windshield did.

tanstaafl.

Yep it was an OEM one installed by an auto glass shop. It was for an 01 golf.

Keep in mind that glass shops have two price lists -- one for insurance claims and folks that don't ask, and a second price list for cash payments.

The numbers on the second list can be as low as 30% of the numbers on the first list.

Cheers

Do yourself a favor and have the chip repaired. There are places whose only business is repairing these chips (Novus comes to mind) and in all likelihood your insurance company will pay for it 100%, no deductible, because it will save them hundreds of dollars later on when the chip turns into a crack.

Unfortunately, I spoke to the insurance company about this soon after the chip appeared. Can you guess why it's still there? They won't pay for repairing the chip or replacing the windshield, when the time comes. Either procedure will be paid for out of pocket by me, when I get around to it.

Move to Massachussets.

It sounds like it's time to find another insurance company to pay those pesky out of pocket monthly premiums to!

[Apologies for ending a sentence in a preposition & misuse of the exclamation point]

My $0.02.

-Zeke

Yup, the price differences are the same in the UK. Most insurers have glass cover - usually where you pay the first £50 of the cost.

I have only just got comprehensive cover and have been wincing at every stone chip for the past couple of years. You can get glass for a Chevy Caprice in the UK but it's not cheap!

Gareth

Here is my $.02:

1. Get glass coverage, wait a few months, then have it fixed, if you decide to have it fixed.

2. I have NEVER had a windshield replacement go well. EVERY single one of them has leaked or had wind noise, or some other kind of BS. I have regretted replacing the wind shield every single time I've done it. If the crack doesn't bother you that much, skip it. That's my opinion.

J

Can't get glass coverage for quite a while, unfortunately.

They won't pay for repairing the chip or replacing the windshield, when the time comes. Either procedure will be paid for out of pocket by me, when I get around to it.


Then go ahead and do it out of pocket now! Seriously, it will only cost you about $30 to have it done, and it will save you hundreds of dollars if it keeps you from having to replace the whole windshield.

tanstaafl.

extend the crack and drive around for a curbside mowing crew. As i understand they had to have this kind of insurance, or the council will. Once you find one, drive past and then pull up suddenly, then walk back and complain that a rock from thier mower cracked your windscreen. Get their insurer details and go from there.
It's what i did. Apart from the having the crack in the first place. They really did break my glass. Replaced at no cost to me.

only problem was that the replacement glass didn't seem to have the tougher coating that the OEM stuff did and has tiny, tiny chips (from 2 x 2000Km road trips too!).

Update: Windshield has been replaced, two days before the long trip. Fresh wipers installed so it looks very nice. It's a rainy day today so I get to see how the new wipers on the new windshield wipe it perfectly clean.

I'm glad I did it this way because it means very good visibility for the long trip. I just hope I don't get any rocks.

Quote:
'm glad I did it this way because it means very good visibility for the long trip. I just hope I don't get any rocks.

Tony,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Oh, and if your are coming this way...bring extra wipers.

LOL