tcho82

iTrader: (1)

Anyone know a good/cheap place to fill in a windshield crack?

caught a rock that didn't even hit the car all that hard. But it left about a dime sized crack in my windshield. Didn't go all the way through, but its definitely there.

Chicago area or Northern suburbs is preferred.

neurocity

iTrader: (17)

Call your insurance and get it replaced.....It will eventually get worse.

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty sure it can be fixed/sealed with no problems for now. I have a $500 deductible and I don't think a windshield would be much more than 500.

There is no spider cracking etc... If there is, then I will have to replace it. It is very localized and just looking for someone to fill it in.

aliti19

Actually, i think all insurance companies have a $50 deductible to replace the windshield. Look into it.

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

Interesting. I'll give em a call.

neurocity

iTrader: (17)

I have no deductible on my insurance for windshields...they just come out and fix it.....So nice

e-man

I had one windshield repaired and replaced a total of 3 last summer (damn tollway), so I have first hand experience here. If you have a chip, get it fixed, and get it fixed FAST. I waited a few days to fix a chip and within 48 hours it had spread across the entire windshield. Whether it spreads depends on a lot of factors, but swings in temperature, rain and the position of the chip have a lot to do with whether it will spread.

As for the costs involved, it really depends on your insurance. My insurance company has a $0 deductible for windshield repair. If I get a chip, I call my agent, they send someone out, and it's fixed for free. As for replacing the windshield, that depends on your comp deductible. Last summer, my comp deductible was $500. I've since changed it to $0 deductible (for obvious reasons), and interestingly, my premium only went up about $20 (for 6 months).

I've had the original Toyota windshield, 2 PPG windshields, and now a Lexus windshield in my car. Unless I just got really unlucky with the PPG windshields, the Lexus windshield is head and shoulders about the PPGs in terms of fit, quality, lack of distortion, wind noise, etc. I know everyone says that they're all the same, but my experience tells me otherwise. Hope this helps.

e

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Depends on the state you are in. In Cali it is your actual deductible. But of course this is the Illinois foum. I had two in my Fusion fixed and one in the GX fixed as well. Both jobs were outstanding and cost me a total of 95$ for 3 cracks/large bulls eye.

aliti19

I have 3 chips on my Infiniti that have not expanded at all since I bought the car. The only reason that I haven't called to replace it is because I want to keep the OEM Nissan glass as long as possible. For some reason I feel like AM windshield's aren't as good.

e-man

George -- if the chips haven't expanded, then I guess there's a good chance that they'll never expand, but many insurance companies will send out a chip repair person to your office for free. They'll fill the chip, and although it may not look perfect, it will prevent the chip from expanding so you can hang on to your OEM glass.

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

I called up my insurance go, Geico; and they are sending a person out to my office on Monday to fix the chip for free. They offer it as a courtesy service. There is no coverage to replace it though, that would come from comprehensive coverage. I'd like my OEM glass as long as it doesn't spread.

I've had the crack there for about a week now and it hasn't spread.

e-man

If and when it ever happens again, definitely get it repaired as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading. Once it spreads, you have no choice but to replace the windshield.

As for your comp coverage, like I said above, after going through a bunch of windshields last summer, I decided to lower my comp deductible to $0, and I was really surprised to see that it only increased my premiums by $20 every 6 months. Almost all of my miles are highway (I-294) miles, and it's brutal out there. Trucks are always kicking up rocks and other debris, and the salt trucks in the winter are menaces.

One thing you should also check is whether your insurance company will replace a cracked windshield with OEM or aftermarket. My insurance company insisted on aftermarket (in my case, PPG), which is supposed to be as good as OEM, but in my case, it just didn't work out that way. The 2 PPG windshields I had installed had terrible distortion, and the insurance company finally caved in and paid for OEM. There is no comparison in terms of quality in my opinion. Like I said, maybe I just had bad luck and got 2 bad windshields from PPG, but I don't think so.

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

Well the OEM glass on the IS350 is somehow supposed to be made "water" repellent or something, so I'd always want OEM glass.

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

They came by today and filled in the crack. It is about 50% better than before, but it's still going to have a mark. Either way, it was free, so I'm happy. The guy was telling me that if you replace a windshield even the best guy available will never be able to get it the same as it was from the factory. Something about the robot putting equal pressure at all points during installation etc. I'm glad to keep my oem glass.