broken windshield!!!

I was in my parking lot and these kids were having a snowball fight. one of the kids threw one straight into my windshield and now it's cracked. hairline fracture about 1 foot long!!! I doubt I can get it fixed because of the length of it and being that I couldnt' catch the damned kids who did it I'm stuck with replacing it. ANYONE KNOW OF THE BEST PLACE TO GET THIS DONE? I would prefer the cheapest and most efficient place... duh... but I also want to get it done right... the first time! Help please from anyone who's had their windshield replaced. parkman p.s. I live in Northern VA/Washington DC area.

Even though you could not apprehend the miscreants, your insurance should cover the cost of the replacement. That being said, your Porsche dealer is the place to get it replaced correctly.

I cannot help you with the name of a place since I am in California. When I grew up in New York we would sometimes put rocks or ice in the snow ball. I needed a windshield to be replaced and my dealer gave me the name of the glass shop that they used so I would not have to pay the Porsche price. Back then my dealer did not do this themselves, but they now have a mechanic in the shop that does the replacements. I have watched the replacement twice and there is nothing special about about a Porsche. Takes about 1 1/2 hours going slow. It is just glued in. Just do not drive the car until the glue has set. Jeff

sweeet picture~~~ thanks for the responses... what's a good price to pay? do you remember hwo mcuh you paid to get yours replaced? fyi I don't have windshield insurance... or so my insurance compnay says... they said that's optional!

you should definitely add glass coverage to your insurance. it only costs a few dollars a month. a lot of insurance companies don't raise your insurance rates if you put in a claim to have a windshield replaced due to a crack if it's not due to an accident because it's in their best interest to have you in a car that you can see clearly out of!

My replacement is a long story. I had a crack from a flying rock and never got around to call the glass shop my dealer suggested. Thereafter a truck backed up into my Boxster. So the windshield was replaced at the time it was in the body shop. Most body shops in my area sub out windshield work to a mobile company. But this body shop did their own glass work. If was about $750, parts and labor, but they billed my insurance comnpany. I never got around to getting a quote from the glass company. My friend's car in the picture has his replaced by a mobile company, that his local dealer in a different town uses The guy came out to his house. I forget what he paid. I asked the guy if I could take pictures and he said to shoot away. Said a Mercedes nut filmed a windshield replacement. If this is out of your pocket I would have no problem with a mobile company if they have done a few. But I bet it is cold where you are.

Lots of good advice from other folks here. Definitely check with your insurance company...some regions of the country require the Insurance industry to provide windsheld replacement with comprehensive coverage. Make sure it is a Porsche produced windshield. There are replacements out there manufactured in China for virtually all vehicle makes. They cost less because they are thinner.

I don't know if all late model Porsches are like this, but my '01 Turbo has an antenna integrated into the windshield, so you can't just go out and get a generic replacement. Mine has to be ordered from the dealer (or better yet an independent shop that has access to dealer parts). If I recall a conversation with my service rep from a few months back, new windshields are going for around $500 + install.

I had this happen to me last winter. A small rock must have kicked up and caused a tiny crack in the windshield - right behind my radar detector so I never noticed it. I was driving to work and it was about 10 degrees out and I had the heat blasting. Cracked the windshield all the way across the drivers side - I couldn't believe it. back to Porsche 900 bucks - my insurance company paid 500. GET THE GLASS INSURANCE - it is optional but costs nothing. GET RENTAL CAR INSURANCE - it's about 4 bucks a month and if your p-car is in the shop the insurance company will pick up the rental. I learned this one the hard way.

I asked a local glass shop here(canada) and i was shocked at the price!!I was quoted 1100 installed and it had the antenna.I believe it was a Porsche replacement part#, let us know what happens!

Just a related tidbit. While dirving my 99C4 a bit fast in the NE winter last year my windshield gasket popped out and flopped against the roof. A closer inspection showed that the hard plastic bezel against the glass had cracked and the soft rubber outer gasket had separated. The sellers repair was to glue it in place. I never liked this repair, but it did not fail. 9 months later I was able to replace the windshield as part of a separate vandalism repair. The glass was Porsche "Sekurit" with the antenna. $1100 sounds about right and it took about 2 weeks to get the glass out of NJ. One nice thing in MA is that glass claims do not impact your insurance risk. I really like a new clear glass and use Rain-X too.

Parkman, I had a hair crack on my windshield back then.. It was repaired with some 'i dont know which' technology (the mechanic wouldnt tell me!)... I hope the pictures are clear.. If your crack is as little as this one, then you might not need a replacement at all.. Waz

Almost all dealers sub out windshield replacement to a glass shop. Find out who they use. They can do it at your place with a mobile repair but you may get a better job if it is done at the main shop. I'm not sure if you have to leave it overnight for the sealer to dry. On my Mercedes they did it while I waited. You'll have to replace the inspection sticker.