Has anyone had to have their windshield replaced? Caught a stone off of the back of a truck on the interstate the other day. It left a small "star burst" on the glass. The good thing is that it is behind the rearview mirror and not really in the line of sight portion of the glass. I'm afraid not to have it replaced because I know that it could, eventually expand into something much larger. Is there anything that I need to know about the type of glass that they use to replace it with? It looks like there might be some type of electrical wiring for the dimming mirror, but I don't know if that is actually part of the glass, or just runs behind it. Any suggestions or things I should be aware of would be appreciated.

 

I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago. Went to the dealer to get my windshield replaced with factory glass. I think the entire process would costs around 600$, I had to pay 100$ and my insurance took care of the rest.

 

Rayfan,
If you call a reputable glass installer they should ask all the pertinent questions they need in order to get you the right windshield. As an added measure you can contact your dealer and ask them if for example the windshield has the antenna embedded in it or not.

I looked up one for my 2010 Maxima from nissanpartszone.com and it was $624.96. I'm sure I could find one cheaper than that but I just checked one place.

 

You should look into having it repair instead of replaced. I had a similar situation with my windshield and I had it repaired and I'm not sure how they did it but you can't see the crack anymore

 

As soon as I drove my car off the lot not even a minute later watch a rock come straight at me and put a small chip in the windshield, within 3 days it was pretty large... I went thru SAFELITE for the replacement

 

With his type of damage (starburst) they can't really repair it due to the crack spreading out in numerous directions. I had one repaired on my 03 Maxima and the glare caused by the repair was right at my eye level.

I had the option of replacing or fixing my windshield when I first got my car. I chose to save a few hundred dollars and simply fixed it. Bad choice because the glare served as a constant reminder of how cheap I was when I bought my car. I now know better.

 

Go to a glass company that specializes in windshield replacements. They can assess the damage and then determine whether you need a repair or replacement. Typically start bursts will need to be replaced as they will spider on you as the temps change or as you put stress on the glass (bumps, turning, etc all create torsional force the can stress the crack).

While at the company, ask if they use OEM windshields. Some do, some don't. Non-OEM windshields are not bad, they're just not OEM. In most cases, you (or whoever is paying for the glass) can save money with non-OEM.

In terms of paying for it, check with your insurance company. In Massachusetts, your insurance company will cover the cost (including deductible) of repair or replacement if you have comprehensive coverage. You may also have supplemental glass insurance, in which case you could use that. Usually this will be about $100 out of pocket for you. Check to see if you state has similar laws.

The biggest tip I can offer you is to keep the front windows cracked about .5 - 1 inches once the new windshield is installed. Leave them cracked for about 24 hours. This will prevent pressure build-up in the cabin from popping the windshield off the seal when you close the doors. Also try and keep the windshield dry for a day or so, this will allow the urethane time to cure.

 

I had to park mine out in the sun with all windows and roof open because the odor from the urethane glue smelled awful. Of course if there is a chance of rain, the car must either be moved into a garage or, as Jig9798 said, at least crack the windows.

Also, I was told to not drive the car for several hours so the glue could set up before I put the car through any twisting or torsional stress.

 

SAFELITE!!!

They come to you. I have replaced my windshield on my 08 2 times from rock chips. I go only with Safelite. Prices are going up by the day.