Windshield Replacement or Repair?

My 2002 C2 got a nasty rock strike on the drivers side of the windshield approximately 1/3 the way up from the bottom. Just enough to make you crazy. A large chip and star a little bigger than a quarter. I called my insurance company, GEICO, and they are willing to have the star repaired for free. They don't seem to care that it is in my line of sight while driving. More likely, they want to repair it so they don't have to replace the windshield albeit I would still have to come up with the $500 deductible. Are star repairs worth bothering with? I just had one done on my wifes Z3, a very tiny chip on the passenger side and I can not even tell any difference. Can you get a new windshield from Porsche (OEM), and if so, anybody have any idea what they cost out here in SoCal? Anyone have a top notch auto glass company they swear by? Thanks for any and all help. Tom L 2002 C2

I had an insurenace claim about 6 months ago on the suburban, small chip, right in the line of sight...My insurance didnt even blink an eye, they said replace it... The a week later I got another one on the passenger side, out of line of sight, and they repaired that one... the repair is aweful and if I had it in my line of sight I would be very unhappy... That said, my P-car has 22,784 dings in the winshield and I seem to be OK with those ?? However when the sun is directly in front of me, I think its time to replace it... I will watch for pricing on your thread,... I guess the best thing to consider is, how many tiny little dings are in the window, and how much it will bother you if its not perfect...If the window is already "tired", change it out....IMHO E

I had just a slight rock chip and in the heat, it formed the starting point for a crack that extnded all the way across the top of the windshield. Ended up replacing the windshield. That's why the insurance companies will often repair the chips as a freebie.....When the folks do the repair, they have to drill the chip so that it relieves the pressure and keeps it from radiating like mine did.

$780.00 for replacement with OEM glass in NJ

A few months ago, I got a small star in the windshield from a rock. I happened to have a little time, so while I was out, just drove to one the local chip repair places with a good reputation. Just paid them out of pocket. Didn't care; it wasn't that much. I'm satisfied; can hardly see anything of the original damage. No arguments with insurance over OEM vs. aftermarket or concern about the treatment of the car during replacement. If it's a chip, then fixes are probably more cosmetic. If it has cracks, then fixes can prevent further cracks. One acquantance wanted a new windshield, so he left it to radiate....then turned in the claim. He thought he was pretty smart until he realized that it deleted his discount for no claims.

I've had good luck with GEICO on free star repair in the past, sent a guy out who injected , polished, and left, 24 hour turn time, zero deductible (I may be paying for zero deductible glass cover though, have to see) What I really want is zero deductible wheel & tire. I need a trip to the straightening guys before next spring.

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I just had my windshield replaced (Non-self dimming rear view mirror). The OEM glass is manufactured by Sekurit. I got some quotes for over $1,000 installed. I went with AAA which cost $700 for OEM glass installed in my garage. Another option is ordering the glass from Sunset and paying an installer to install it. You also need to order the molding kit ($30?) because they will in all likelihood have to cut the old one to get the old glass out.

Well I spent some time today trying to find out where to get OEM glass, or even aftermarket glass installed in the C2. I have been given quotes of from $268 installed, to over $850. The low quote was for an aftermarket glass manufactured by I believe a company called FUJ. The high end quote was me ordering the glass and molding (OEM) from the dealer and having a glass outfit install it. The **** poor part of this whole thing, besides the crack in the windshield, is the damn insurance company. Evidently, in California, you must pay the deductible on glass replacement before the insurance company will pay the rest.....maybe. Geico, tells me they will not pay the extra money for an OEM windshield unless the car is a 2007 or newer. They also say that they will not pay for the installation of the windshield if ordered by the dealer and sublet to a glass shop...go figure??? I think I am just going to go ahead and bite the bullet and buy my own damn windshield, aftermarket or whatever....And the six vehicles that I currently have with GEICO, will be looking for a new home. Too bad Hagerty's exotic car insurance is so high. Their antique/collector car insurance is great. Anyone got any good luck stories with glass shops and aftermarket windshields? Or, should I spend the money on an OEM? Tom L 2002 C2

Do you have an American Express card? They offer a fantastic insurance the Ameriprise (I think) that is worth looking in to... i wont give you a sales pitch, but it has been great for me, check them out...just call your Amex customer service number and ask them, they will get you connected... I have home and 3 cars with them, and have been very very happy with price, service and claims... Nothing more will I tell you E

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Last spring, just before we sold our BMW wagon, a rock hit the windshield in driver's field of vision. My wife took it to the local glass shop as soon as it happened. They said GEICO wouldn't pay for BMW-logo glass on a car that old, and we didn't argue as we had just a couple of days left with the car. Anyway, they came to the house the next morning and replaced it in our garage. The glass had a "Pilkington" logo on it, which is what my Jaguar glass has. The Jaguar is 8-1/2 years old, with 42,000 miles. No complaints about the glass. I also had another BMW whose original windshield was quite pitted with not much mileage. I had it replaced with a PPG windshield which seemed to be much better at resisting pitting.

I just had one replaced in my 02 TT...it had the rain sensor and auto dimming feature for the rear view mirror...it was $730 plus installation...thru AAA I had a $100 deductible and then the installation fee. I didn't have to pay the installation fee or deductible because the body shop cracked the windshield...but that's an idea of the costs.

if your radio antenna is in the windshiled (thin line in the center) the only option is OEM replacement. I have had that done. $900. FWIW, the OEM glass sucks. PPG is probably the best. Notice how most german glass distorts and pits like crazy. PPG is preferred, but as I said, if you have the antenna in the glass, your only recourse is OEM. Also make sure you don't drive the car for at least 9 hours according to Porsche after installing the new windshield. As far as insurance, yeah, California does not have windshield replacement offered like people in MA do. Since my deductable is $1K, it was the same (actually more expensive) to go through insurance.

Got the star repaired. It looks the same as when it got hit. Safelite glass was sent out by my insurance company to my house. The "kid" knew what he was doing and told me not to expect much other than the glass would probably be saved from spreading the break further. I will probably end up getting a new windshield soon. The guy from the glass company told me that you can get after-market glass with the antenna in it. So far, I have not found any available. Tom L 2002 C2

Had the insurance recommended guy out to fix a chip in the windshield - after calling in the problem to AllState. Started working on the chip with a dremel type tool, and cracked the windshield clean down the middle! I went in to call the insurance company - by the time I'd finished with them, chip-boy had fled the scene. In the end the insurance paid for a new screen and fitting (as they should) - no penalty on my insurance.

I would have guessed (in fact I did post) that the repair will be not too good... well at least it wont run, now you have time to find the replacement and who knows, you may end up getting used to it and saving the money for something else..... <thinking> spoilers!!!!