cracked windshield...

So, this happened to me over the weekend. Not sure how it got there, but I noticed it a day after a 200+ mile roadtrip.

Is it fixable? Do I need a new windshield? The crack has grown 1/4" since being discovered.

The black mark on the crack is from a sharpie pen.

The usual formula that the glass shops use around here is that if it can be covered by a dollar bill, they'll try to fix it, otherwise they want to replace it. I've had a cracks in a couple different windshields that were about that size and two of the shops that I tried (a national chain and a local joint) would even bother with a repair. One shop did try a repair on a crack that passed the dollar bill test. It held for about 6 months, but it started cracking again on me.

If I lived in a state that didn't do routine inspections, I'd live with the crack. If you have to go through inspections, that will flunk.

You can steer a crack with careful pressure. Guide the crack back down out of your vision, and you may be able to stabilize the windshield.

Chips are fixable, cracks are not. That one is so far gone it's not even a contender. You need a windshield.

Call one of the big places (that will come to you to fix your vehicle) for a quote. Then after hearing the quote tell them you got roughly the same quote from a local guy and would rather spend the money with them. The big place will then give you a better quote. Although if the quote is higher than your insurance deductable you may want to just make a claim.

Most my vehicles have cracks like that. Mine all pass inspection.

I wish my windshield would crack like that. In SC we have 0 deductible for glass if you have comprehensive. The windshield is so sand pitted its hard to see when driving into the sun.

spitfirebill wrote: I wish my windshield would crack like that.

Push it from the inside and you can pretty easily create a crack like that. I've done it quite a number of times.

Yep, glass coverage is great. spitfirebill, explore the possibility that your diminished vision may be covered as a safety factor.

iceracer wrote: Yep, glass coverage is great. spitfirebill, explore the possibility that your diminished vision may be covered as a safety factor.

A glass man that was installing a windshield into a car in our church parking lot told me insurance would cover it. I guess I should call.

I was quoted $165 for a new windshield installed. sound like a decent price?

The crack bugs the firggin crap out of me. I think I'm going to wait a couple of months and then get it replaced.

Sounds like a decent price to me. That's about what I paid to have a Safelite windshield installed in my Spitfire years ago. It was going to cost $120-130 just to get the glass if I went to a vendor, and I've never roped in a windshield.

Thats really cheap. The last one I bought was $775 installed. lol That had a lot to do with the car i was buying it for (and why i dont have it anymore).

smog7 wrote: I was quoted $165 for a new windshield installed. sound like a decent price? The crack bugs the firggin crap out of me. I think I'm going to wait a couple of months and then get it replaced.

hell yeah... I've been quoted $250+ on both my Integra and my Impreza

$300 for an 18 year old Caprice.

I was quoted $400 for a windshield seal for my BMW. The same company wanted less than that for the glass itself. (I bought the seal online for about $50.)

The Grand Prix had heads up display which was around a $300 premium above the standard windshield for a car without it. I always had the feeling there was really no difference in the glass just kinda rubbed me the wrong way.