Steve:

The chip is above the centerline of the steering wheel and about four inches below the midline of the windshield. From my perspective, the only view obscured is a small patch just before the hood starts. Normal scanning of the road ahead doesn't really go there often. It does nag the heck out of me though. Perhaps it is just the idea of the thing being there -- not really sure yet.

What concerns me even more is overall poor visibility at night, especially when it rains. Oncoming headlights seem to scatter on the PV windshield and cause a brief white out condition. The glass is cleaned two to three times a week and the wiper blades are replaced yearly. This year is the first with the car where it is being driven long distances at night. Either my eyes are just getting too old or the glass surface has become rough enough to cause the refraction glare. Then again, I sometimes suspect that some folks are installing extra powerful headlights (okay, almost all cars have "extra powerful" headlights compared to mine) on their vehicles. It seems to be oncoming pickup trucks that cause the most difficulty.

Glass repair: cheaper, quicker, can be done at home, less chance for damage to trim or ending up with new leaks. I am still leaning on replacing the glass in hopes of eliminating the night glare and avoiding running the car somewhere it shouldn't be going. New glass: $250; new seal $60; labor $150 . . . saving eyes and car: priceless. Maybe providence threw the stone to nudge me into taking care of the more persistant problem.

Insurance is with GEICO. They do not offer comprehensive coverage on cars over a certain age, definitely less than 40 years old. I haven't investigated classic insurance because they normally limit yearly mileage. I am now putting over 20,000 miles a year on the 544. The car was purchased in order to save miles on our "good" cars. The old Volvo has been unreasonably dependable so far.

Any feedback on the glare problem is appreciated.

Warmest regards,

Joe M