Cracked front windsheild! help...
 

Hey guys, not in complete agony quite yet; but, I got a problem. I washed my 8 one morning and after I noticed a 6 inch slit in the front windshield starting from right at the top. Had no idea I was that rough while washing, I still don't think I was but the crack says otherwise. Now over the next night the slit went from 6 inches to about nine or ten. Now insurance won't cover the windshield cause its more than 6 inches. which blows. So is there anything I can do or put on it that will stop it from growing until I replace it? Any links or help is greatly appreciated. thanks guys

I've heard of nail polish or super glue, but it's probably temporary at best

keep the window from changing temperatures too quickly

You probably had a small needle point chip and the temp change from the water made it run. Its not terribly expensive to replace. I know how much the glass costs' the shop that replaces them............

Do you mean your insurance won't cover anything? Not even replacement with you paying the comprehensive deductable?

Ken

I haven't talked to the insurance too much... all they told me is that if it's larger than 6 inches they won't cover it. should I try asking what if pay on top of what they won't cover?

how much is a new windshield?

I paid $400 for one back in 2006, prices for windshields vary so call 3-4 people. They will ask you if your 8 has the auto dim rear view mirror.

I guess this stuff just happens... at least so far no tickets or accidents *knock on wood*

Fair price would be around $220 installed. I install windshields and had to get one for my car last week. I got one from the warehouse that I know people for $80.

Funny this should come up. For the second time in five weeks, I had my windshield replaced.

For you southern New Yorkers, I commute on the Long Island Expressway to work and back, and the road is populated with a few trucks, apparently doing some work on construction sites with lots of dirt and rocks. Yesterday morning, despite slowing down upon coming up on a dump truck as a precaution, a rock spit on the shield and cracked it. The noise scares the crap out of you.

I told the glass guy this was the second time in five weeks. His immediate reply?

"You must have a low car."

Uhhhm, yeah, I do.

I always have had full glass coverage- it's not that expensive an add on to a policy if I'm not mistaken.

By the way, there are apparently two windshield models for the RX-8, one for those with the automatic rear view mirror, and one for without.

it's too late now.

but when it was still small, you can get the repair kit from Wal-Mart Auto section to repair (stop the cracking) it. It was like $10~15 last time I checked. Or all the auto glass shop will do the repair (when it's small), for like $25~40.

Yes - talk to them again. Glass is usually covered as part of comprehensive (not collision) coverage. You pay the comprehsive deductable, and they pay the rest.

If the windshield can be repaired rather than replaced, most insurance companies will waive the deductable. I'd guess that your conversation with them veered into that part, rather than the replacement coverage. It does not make sense that a policy would cover only small damage.

This also would not count against your driving record.

Ken

There is no guarantee that it will not split any further. When a shop does it, they will say Ex. 6 month guarantee. That means if it spreads than you will be credited the repair cost towards a new windshield. A crack is a crack, it can still possibly spread

Your insurance is so completely full of shit that you are going to need to wipe yourself off as well after having dealt with them.

Because the crack is over 6", it cannot be repaired. nothing more. Your insurance should however cover replacing the windshield. I just went through getting mine replaced less than 2 weeks ago. I have State Farm. I actually MADE THE CRACK WORSE while talking with my agent face to face. that's right, he was standing with me. I stopped by the office to get the ball rolling on having it taken care of. Showed him the crack which was caused by a rock being kicked up from a semi. He told me that since the crack is about the size of a dime, they can simply fill it with a resin instead of replacing the whole thing. While he's telling me this, i was fussing over the car and touched the place where the rock hit... and turned it from a dime sized crack to about 2 feet. it was damned funny because neither he nor i expected it to happen. LOL. He then amended (while shaking his head) what he said about repairing it. Since it was (now) larger than 6", it cannot be repaired and had to be replaced. Two days later, glass shop came out and put in a new window. no deductable. no money out of pocket. rates aren't going to change. everyone walks away happy.

If your insurance is going to fuck you over about the windshield, you need to simply tell them you are dropping them for someone else. That is of course, assuming you have coverage with allots you free windshield replacement. if you don't, well... you've got no reason to be mad to begin with. That's like carrying $1000 deductable on your car then being mad you have to pay $1000 to get a dent pushed out of your fender after you backed into a telephone pole.

I agree with Shinka. Most insurance companies actually covere 1 windshield replacement a year with no cost to you. I had mine replaced because it was dirty(after I made a crack).

Are you calling you insurance agent or company? There is a huge difference and most of the time the agents suck and don't know anything about insurance except how to sell it. Good Luck

hmm your insurance wont cover a comprehensive claim? even though you pay for full coverage. btw how much is your deductiable?

only thing i can see is where they are getting with the more then 6inch crack is if the crack was longer then a dollar bill. then they cant do winshield repair.

that's true.

but many of my friends/co-workers fix by the shop before it spreads out, none of their cracks spread after couple of years. They did a pretty good job I guess. :)

I never understood why people would fix a crack if you can get a windshield for free. Apply some pressure, the crack spreads and blamo you have yourself a new windshield. Theres a reason you have insurance. They screw you and you screw them. The screwing is mutual.

my deductible is $1000, what do you guys suggest I say when I call my insurance again? thanks

Is that your collision deductable or your comprehensive deductable?

If it's comprehensive, then there's no point in calling. Other than making it lower next time around.

Ken

well, in many places it requires deductible. In Vancouver, it's $300 cdn I believe. But if you look around, $400 can get you a brand new one without going through insurance. :banghead:

If there's no crack but only a mark, it makes sense to fix it.

also, when you replace the whole windshield, you have to make sure they do a good job. It's never as good as the one from factory for local shop. I had a 1997 CRV before. Replaced the windshield because of cracks. It started to leak in some corner after 2~3 years after windshield was replaced. :icon_no2:


http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/artic...ticle_id=60152

it's $1000 comprehensive deductible

That's tough - you're definitely stuck on this one.

When you renew, you should see how much premium you're really saving with that high a deductable. There's a big difference in collision, but the comprehensive premium is usually a lot less. I went to a $500 collision deductable, but decided that (for me) the sweet spot for comprehensive was $100. I think I figured it on whether I'd be ahead or behind with a claim once every 5 years or so. My insurer has a web site, so I was able to play with the numbers in the privacy of my computer.

Ken

generally speaking its stupid to pay the extra for windhield coverage because on average its 20-30 more a month to have that add on and statistically you need a windshield replaced every 4-6 years and it only cost around 200 to replace one. So your getting your ass raped by the insurance company because even the best case scenerio 20x48= 960.... you could of replaced alot of windshields for 960.

I don't know how it works in Texas, but in all of the states I've lived glass is part of comprehensive coverage, which includes fire, theft, vandalism, any glass damage, etc. So it's not like windshield coverage is a separate deal. YMMV.

20 or 30 a month? That's more than I pay for collision and comprehensive. You must have quite a windshield. :)

Ken