I'ts been a long time since I've had to replace a windshield and it was a couple hundred bucks. I picked up a rock on my new bronco driving home this evening and had the pleasure of watching it grow inch by inch until I got home. Crack repair guy said he wouldn't bother repairing the crack as it needs to be replaced and quoted $1200 for it… think I'm getting bamboozled. Will try the dealer in the morning. Sucks that the crack is right in my driver eyeline.

Question is, would you use insurance to cover the replacement? How much would a claim increase the future insurance?

I know on my 2013 f150, I never used insurance for windshields. Was always less than my deductible.

Stopped using Safelite, and went to a local glass shop. Almost half the price, and seemed to be better glass. Also, it was an extra $50 at Safelite to have the F150 factory sticker/logo on the windshield.

I have $0 deductible windshield coverage (absolutely needed in AZ). I'm on my 4th windshield in my car, and I've had small cracks repaired a few times as well.

My insurance company says that it will not affect your rates. It does show up as a claim, but should not affect the rates is what I understand.

I'm not saying I wouldn't use insurance to replace a windshield, but I've always paid out of pocket up to this point.

I used insurance on a windshield replacement like 15 yrs ago and the new glass was "noisier." It must have been thinner than OEM or something, i could definitely hear more road noise.

I had a new roof put on my truck, which involved getting a new windshield in the process.

Doug at Classic Collision in Bryan said they were glad my windshield was low-tech.

The newer ones with high-tech mirrors or sensors or the radio antenna built into the top of the glass are expensive and cost extra to program or calibrate or whatever after installation.

He said some are over $1000.

Maybe he will see this thread and chime in.

Your bronco windshield has tech connected to it, it will be way more expensive than a couple hundred bucks. I wouldn't pay for it out of pocket.

Insurance. When I have broncos or wranglers, I always pay the extra $8/month for $0 deductible windshield.

Have had to deal with this recently and have a crack in my car now that I am putting off.

With my wife's car, insurance paid. BUTTTTT, they will only pay "market rate" (whatever that is) With all the sensors and control and calibration crap that number varies wildly. I got quotes from 600 to 3k. Most would not even file with insurance.

Initially set up an appointment with safelite. They had the car all day and never worked on it. When we picked it up, they explained they did walkins first BEFORE scheduled people. MAde no sense. There were 3 other people in line picking up that had scheduled and their cars were not done. Went to another local shop that assured me the sensor would not be affected. That if they happened to be, they would send me to a place to recalibrate for 200. Wasn;t trying to be cheap, but the dealer wanted 3k and flat out said insurance would not cover that much. Replacement was fine, but the sensor were messed up. Went to their place for calibration. They got rid of the error message but the sensor wipers still don't work.

Now I have a crack in my windshield. Have been putting it off since it is on the passenger side and doesn't bother me. Not sure what to do. Seems ridiculous that for the insane amount i pay for auto insurance on these cars that they will not pay for the dealer to fix it. Safelite seems to suck. The local cheaper guy proved to be a bad choice.

Probaly going to find a different safelite location and give them a try. I want insurance to cover this 1k + repair. I figure I pay an insane amount for auto insurance and hardly every have claims. They should pay for something. Especially something that is not supposed to raise your rates.

Yes. Depends on deductible. $100 to get a new windshield a few months ago. Came to the house while I was doing yard work, zero minutes of wasted time.

Farmers tried to push safelite, but I went with a local place that did a great job and was covered. Easiest claim and repair I've ever done. The busted side mirror my mom broke running into my garage door, on the other hand…

Just live with it for a while - you're going to get more and they'll all run. Bronco windshields are butter soft and expensive to replace. In the year I've had mine, I picked up 4 rock chips and every one of them ran. Not sure what it is that's different, but my Jeeps took a lot of impacts and only one chip ran like my Bronco. At one point I had 8 different chips in a 3 year old windshield. The 9th one finally did it in, but it took the coldest day of the year for it to let loose and run.

Just used insurance to replace my F-150 windshield.

They sent Safelite to my house and replaced it in less than two hours. First time they brought a not OEM glass and the tech noticed a slight difference in the open triangle in top center and told me I needed the OEM glass. $200 deductible.

Windshield on new cars require calibration-cameras, rain sensors, etc so more than just putting in glass

A GMT800 has none of this tomfoolery

I would go with insurance and make sure they put a Ford windshield back in there. It will definitely need programming. $1200 is not out of the ordinary for a windshield these days.

Where are you located?

Had to have my wife's windshield replaced last fall along with some body work. It was over $4000 just for the windshield because of all the sensors built into it. There are only 2 or three companies in DFW that can do the work. Then it had to be sent somewhere else to be re-programmed. 2019 Toyota Highlander

Definitely not getting fleeced badly, I've heard worse.

The worst part of all the fancy sensors is when anything is bumped or cracked it's thousands to fix. And that's why rates have increased.

Got another quote by a glass installer by my work in Tomball for $815 so better then the $1100-1200 I got.

I will most likely just deal with it until it becomes too annoying or another chip happens. Its bound to happen on these Broncos.

I've contacted another repair guy but he also suggested it'd be a waste of $100 to try to fix it.

In Houston - BTW

Sewell quoted 3k to do my wife's q60. They also said they wouldn't work with insurance and that insurance probably would not pay that much.

Seems kind of stupid that the insurance we pay for to cover this stuff will not pay for repairing the technology of the car they are insuring. It's not like state farm is giving me some kind of discount.

My q50 that is cracked now, has the same technology. I'm tempted to take it to safelite, where they recommended, and see what happens. Then if safelite messes up the sensors I will fight to have them pay Sewell to fix it. After my past experience I am not taking to one of the local small shops. They can't handle the sensors and are just hoping they keep working. Then fi they don't, by sending you somewhere else, you are on your own from that point.

Had a limb fall perfectly on my windshield and made around 25 cracks but none effect my main sight line so I've been driving with it going on two years as I don't feel any wind coming through. Save money and consider it a deterrent to thieves looking for pristine vehicles to steal.

I know the feeling. Back in 2019, I had just gotten my car back from the shop after having the interior recarpeted after Tropical Storm Imelda. And would you believe that later the same day, a truck threw a rock at my windshield and cracked it!

So I called Safelite. They seemed pretty efficient: Replaced my windshield while I was at work, and even transferred all of my stickers.

Sewell doesn't work with insurance because they like to grossly over charge for unnecessary stuff or won't adhere to standard insurance labor rates and wanna charge double the labor rates because they are a dealer.

I'd go through insurance but that crack can be repaired. You aren't going to find a person to do it at a shop that installs glass. Lots more money in replacing that repairing but it can be repaired. If you've used any sort of rain x, washer fluid, rain, it's not going to disappear but it will be better. But again, you need a pro that handles repairs and repairs only. Also set your expectations of result accordingly. I'd repair it if I could.

Looks like you are near spring area. 7 stars is my go to for years. Great guy owns it. Is an Iraqi and has an interesting story too.

7starsautoglasstx.com

I had the windshield replaced in a VW Atlas with all of the tech in it the other day. I don't remember what it cost but it was less than $500 and the tech told me that typically if he's careful all of the rain sensing wipers, and safety junk will usually not have to be reprogrammed. The shop told me if it did need to be reprogramed they would do it for the same price I'd just have to bring the car in instead of doing it on site. Everything worked after install so I didn't have to take them up on it. This was in Central Texas.

aggiecody06 said:

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Sewell doesn't work with insurance because they like to grossly over charge for unnecessary stuff or won't adhere to standard insurance labor rates and wanna charge double the labor rates because they are a dealer.

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I think it's the other way around. Insurance doesn't cover overcharged services, so both sides won't work with eachother anyway. The dealer knows this, so doesn't waste their time even trying.

That's how it went with my side mirror. The dealership charged like 50% more than independent shops, and even admitted their labor rate is a lot higher so the insurance could cover what others would pay out, but I'd pay the difference. Its in everyones best interest to not even try, so neither sides time is wasted.

BrazosDog02 said:

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I'd go through insurance but that crack can be repaired. You aren't going to find a person to do it at a shop that installs glass. Lots more money in replacing that repairing but it can be repaired. If you've used any sort of rain x, washer fluid, rain, it's not going to disappear but it will be better. But again, you need a pro that handles repairs and repairs only. Also set your expectations of result accordingly. I'd repair it if I could.

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No repair place in the boise area would "repair" anything larger than a dollar in length, mostly because or liability. Everyone said it could weaken that area without any real benefit. Repairing a huge crack isn't a good option IMO.

I once repaired a large crack with a parts store repair kit and some grease to slide the suction cups along. Worked well

Tomato, tomatoe. At the end of the day it's due to dealers admittingly (i.e. Sewell, Momentum, etc) not willing to budge on their outlandish prices and wanting to do unnecessary operations (that usually tech won't even do). That's why it's usually in everyone's best interest to not use a dealer service or dealer repair shop outside of warranty items.

It is comprehensive coverage as in no fault, your rates wont increase, that is why I have $100 deductible for comp, higher for collision. You never know when your car will get vandalized, keyed, stolen, cracked windshield, etc. Those claim do not change your rates since you are not at fault.

I would replace, windshields are considered a structural reinforcement piece that helps the roof from collapsing in the event of a rollover. With that large of crack, the structural integrity is likely compromised.

Mookie said:

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Your bronco windshield has tech connected to it, it will be way more expensive than a couple hundred bucks. I wouldn't pay for it out of pocket.

Insurance. When I have broncos or wranglers, I always pay the extra $8/month for $0 deductible windshield.

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If the glass tech is good, and you're not using some cheap XYG glass, you don't need to recalibrate.

Had mine swapped on the F150 and everything worked fine after.