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Broken windshield (replace myself or go to the shop)

S

steppinthrax

Diamond Member
So someone in my neighborhood (don't know who) threw a rock on the windshield of my recently purchased Toyota Sienna. I was told most insurance companies tend to simply replace the windshield (no deductible etc...). They said I would have to pay the 500 deductible to replace the windshield (lol). Anyway I called a shop who would do it (mobile) for 262 (OEM glass). It seems kind of cheap. Is it worth to replace yourself? Also do I have a leg to stand on in fighting with the insurance company?
 
Go to a shop.

My MR2's windshield cost about $170 installed. Call around..you might be able to get a little better pricing than that.
 
I just had mine replaced.

My deductible is $500, and an OEM windshield from the dealer is @$500 just for the parts. I had a local auto-glass company replace it for $210 including installation. It took less than an hour at my office. The new glass is optically perfect (no worse than factory), and comes with a lifetime warranty for defects and leaks.

If you can get yours done for $262 with OEM glass, go for it.
 
IHateMyJob2004 said:
My insurance company paid everything. Safelite did it and I was very happy with them. Took 30-40 minutes. I think in CT, it is a requirement of insurance companies to replace broken windshields.
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Same here in SC they have to replace auto glass No Cost.

You probably do not have the skills or tools required to do it yourself.
 
be cautious of who u let change ur windshield. ive gotten 3 or 4 replaced by garages, and the first two times were good, but on the third and fourth the guys who did it broke the interior plastics around the windshield and didnt put the wipers back on right (out of alignment)
 
Right after I got my Focus, a Jeep waaaay out in front of me kicked a chunk of rock or whatever onto my windshield, putting a good crack in it. I already knew that insurance wasn't gonna make sense, so I got a referral from a friend, and had a same-day replacement. Nice Mexican dude in a nice big shop van came and replaced it for $120 installed, took him about 10 minutes, it was clear he'd done it like 50,000 times already.
 
TheHashmaster said:
be cautious of who u let change ur windshield. ive gotten 3 or 4 replaced by garages, and the first two times were good, but on the third and fourth the guys who did it broke the interior plastics around the windshield and didnt put the wipers back on right (out of alignment)
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That's a good tip, I'd be a lot more willing to trust an outfit that specializes in nothing but window/windshield work than a general garage where the job might fall on someone who has either never done it or rarely does it.
 
+1 for Safelite, they do good work. Wouldn't be something I'd want to tackle myself, heck even when I worked at a bodyshop we would pay an outside party to have it done as it's a bit of a pain in the ass.

I had to have mine replaced on the G8 last spring (by Safelite) and it took the guy 45 minutes to cut the old one out and put in the new one and be done. Also, if in your state the insurance company doesn't cover the full cost of replacements (they cover repairs here only, not replacements) you can file it under a comprehensive claim if you have comprehensive coverage with a low deductable, but sounds like yours is $500?
 
I watched someone replace mine, no way in hell would I attempt that. The tools and glue alone make it not worth it.
 
Don't bother with insurance and definitely don't try to do it yourself. Just take it to Safelite and have them replace it.
 
TheHashmaster said:
be cautious of who u let change ur windshield. ive gotten 3 or 4 replaced by garages, and the first two times were good, but on the third and fourth the guys who did it broke the interior plastics around the windshield and didnt put the wipers back on right (out of alignment)
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Was this all on the same car? If so, it's likely not the shop's fault your A-pillar trim broke. No interior trim is intended to be removed and reinstalled...honestly, not even one time, so if you do it multiple times, you are running a huge risk that the retaining clip bosses/tabs will break, and that the trim itself with either warp or break.

Putting the wipers back on wrong is just sloppy, though.

As far as the OP installing his own windshield, I'd love to see a video of you attempting that.
 
AFAIK, insurance only covers chips for free. Everything else results in a deductible.

I watched Safelite replace mine a long time ago. It is definitely NOT easy.
It is awkward as hell.
You need some powerful suction cups and a special cutter tool to remove the existing gaskets.
And all that plastic trim looks difficult to remove and replace.
 
edro said:
AFAIK, insurance only covers chips for free. Everything else results in a deductible.
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This is dependent on your state and insurance.

To the OP, I agree with everyone else so far. Getting someone else to do it will probably end up being cheaper than doing it right yourself.
 
Bignate603 said:
This is dependent on your state and insurance.

To the OP, I agree with everyone else so far. Getting someone else to do it will probably end up being cheaper than doing it right yourself.
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what he said.

loved when i lived in a state with a free replacement law.
 
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