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Windshield - fix or replace?

posted by  someone claiming to be PeterPenguin on  Tue Jan 15 16:19 CST 2013 [RELATED]

My 1995 940 has a windshield crack that I had fixed 4 years ago. At first it was about 7" long, but now it's grown to about 11" with a curve at the end. The crack is at the bottom of the center and insurance won't cover it.

I stopped into one of those shopping mall mobile glass repair tents and the guy said he could fix it for $50 with a guarantee.

I can't decide what to do. I know some windshield repair places will come to you, so that'd be great. I've also had a windshield on my previous 240 that took about 6 hours of waiting around to be replaced at the shop and they had to do it twice. When I had it worked on a few years later the guy said it had been done wrong without the correct plastic clips that a Volvo windshield needs.

I called the local Volvo mechanic and he said just any place would be okay. But I wish I had more of a recommendation to go on. I live in Seattle.

Thanks for any tips... Fix it again? (I understand that windshields get more brittle with age, so I don't know)... Replace it? (I know it won't look at classy as the original). I'm confused....







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    Windshield - fix or replace?

    posted by  Onkel Udo II on  Wed Jan 16 04:08 CST 2013
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 08:50 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Stone chips get repaired. Starbursts smaller than 2" at their largest point get repaired. Small cracks can often be stopped from growing through a repair but normally cannot be what I consider "repaired". Your crack is long past terminal.

    OE glass may be cheaper than you think but do not expect it to have the exact same "shading" area that your current windshield has. Often those types of things are market specific and the OEM glass is going to be stocked to cover as many years and as many markets as possible with one piece of glass.

    Final option, and one I do not suggest, is find someone who will install a junkyard windshield. I do not suggest it because even with serious polishing, it is still 20+ year old pitted and chipped glass.








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    Windshield - fix or replace?

    posted by  Will740turbo on  Tue Jan 15 18:18 CST 2013
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    last visit: Wed Oct 22 16:09 CST 2014
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    The fix might work, but my 22 year old windshield has a lot of pits and gouges from sand, bugs, etc.
    I think a windshield can be had for about $100-150. What exactly is this guy going to do to fix the glass? Glue it? I'd say replace it.

    Happy bricking








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    Windshield - fix or replace?

    uid 49372's pic
    posted by  740_dan on  Tue Jan 15 16:32 CST 2013
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    last visit: Thu Aug 28 13:10 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    7" is serious crack and 11" is ridiculously long, time to replace!

    Your car insurance may cover windshield replacement, give them a call. Cracked windshield is a driving hazard in their eyes...

    Hopefully, some Seattle user here has a recommendation because, your hunch is right, not all windshield repair is the same.... try yelp and city search too for Seattle reviews...







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      Windshield - fix or replace?

      posted by  someone claiming to be Peter Penguin on  Tue Jan 15 17:51 CST 2013 [RELATED]

      Thanks for the response.

      I just want to avoid what happened last time when I had a crap job done. Then there's the issue of the tinting. I know the original windshield has a black grid pattern over the tinting. No doubt an OEM replacement is $700. I have a $500 deductible...

      I was also thinking of driving around out West this summer... which is like an invite for windshield damage. All that just makes it harder to figure out who to call.

      I've called around and the consensus is that Eruoglass also known at Jeff's Auto Glass in Redmond is a quality place. The insurance agent recommended West Coast and Safelite.

      I wish FCP Groton just shipped them...

      lol!







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        Windshield - fix or replace?

        posted by  machine man on  Tue Jan 15 21:24 CST 2013
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        last visit: Wed Oct 22 15:40 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        A $500 deductible does not sound right because these are covered under the comprehensive portion of an insurance policy which are zero from any self respected company.

        If you use their company it should even be more so, as they got their deals working in the back rooms! They are in accident liability coverage and they charge gravel trucks for this kind of complaint.

        Cracks can start from a rock thrown from a passing truck in the opposite lane. There was no way to get the number of that truck.

        Insurance companies charge both parties in reality. Like having insurance on your occupants even though they "now will have national health care" but you might end up getting sued by everybody who has have to have insurance to be on the road to begin with. Then there is accidental death/dis memberment or life coverages.

        Do not feel bad about getting them to fix the darn thing!
        Besides I think those glass repairs only work on special stone chips as they only fill the divot to keep water from getting into the clear goo that is between the two layers and remove the refraction of it. Cracks are like a vein and will spread as the expansion rates of the now two pieces are of different mass amounts.

        Phil







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        Windshield - fix or replace?

        uid 49372's pic
        posted by  740_dan on  Tue Jan 15 20:24 CST 2013
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        last visit: Thu Aug 28 13:10 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Sounds like you found the place to go. They can probably give you a quote via phone, and maybe even offer OE quality vs. cheaper.

        A good windshield is worth the cost in my opinion, especially if you have road trip plans. The tinting comes with it. Black grid pattern??? I don't have that

        Even if FCP shipped, who would install it??








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          Windshield - fix or replace?

          posted by  someone claiming to be Peter Penguin on  Wed Jan 16 10:15 CST 2013 [RELATED]

          Thanks everyone!

          I think I'm going to wait until warmer weather and then have a the windshield done. Most likely I'll have it done by the mobile service, so I don't have to spend 5 hours waiting... and also I'd imagine it might be better to have it sit overnight before driving it around.

          Mostly though I'd hesitate to have it worked on in sub zero weather... since it's really not critical to safety or leakage.

          One problem with the 940 is that it's built so low to the ground I'd think it gets a lot more road damage than a higher up vehicle.

          Thanks again, Brickboard. Knowledge is power.








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            Windshield - fix or replace?

            posted by  Onkel Udo II on  Wed Jan 16 12:47 CST 2013
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            last visit: Fri Oct 24 08:50 CST 2014
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            "One problem with the 940 is that it's built so low to the ground I'd think it gets a lot more road damage than a higher up vehicle. "

            Not sure what your comparing it to but 940's are not particularly low.

            The hood is relatively flat and long. The front end is not particularly aerodynamic. The windshield is very upright compared to many modern cars (by modern, I mean anything conceived since 1990). All of these things may or may not contribute to its likelihood of being struck by a rock but more likely is that a route you commonly take has windshield hazards in higher quantity than the norm.

            I have yet (knock on wood) to have replaced a windshield on any Volvo 2/7/9-series although my current 9 has two well repaired stone chips. That is about 11 years of driving and lord knows how many miles. My wife's cars have each had a windshield replaced (three in total) since we moved to the Chicago area but her commute takes her past a gravel quarry.

            Edmunds seems to toast at least one windshield for every two long term cars they get...so one every 60K miles.







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