Windshield - Heavy Sandblasting at 19k

[offroadingatc]

Call your insurance company, tell them a rock hit your windshield, badly cracked (so much so that one of those 'repair kits' will not work). They will authorize the replacement. I know in MA it is 'free'. I tried to call my co. with my last vehicle which was badly sandblasted on the windshield (original with 125k at the time), they would NOT replace it. I told them how it was impossible to see in the sun and if they would rather pay out when I run over someone walking on the side of the road, they did not care. I hung up, waited 5 min, called back and told them a rock just hit my windshield, ok sir, you are all set to have it replaced. :biggrin2:

No offense, but I don't have to 'back anything up' to you. When I brought it to the repair place there was a crack in my windshield, you can call and ask if you want, or else they would be filing a false claim, and they would not do that.

 

[joneseyyy]

No offense, but I don't have to 'back anything up' to you. When I brought it to the repair place there was a crack in my windshield, you can call and ask if you want, or else they would be filing a false claim, and they would not do that.

Maybe when my tax dollars stop going to pay for joe/jane doe to sit on their couch and collect unemployment, not look for a job, take vacations, laugh at the system (I know people personally like this and I hate it) i'll give a damn about someone who falsely claims a windshield. The abuse of our government welfare system is disgusting, I have a friend who works in the system, the money that is shelled out that is being abused would shock the 'heck' out of you! They cannot report it because of confidentiality laws either. I think if you actually knew what I know about the waste of this money you would not sleep for a month, and this affects every person paying taxes, just not people that happen to be from a specific insurance carrier.

I can give you my address, I will buy you a tent, maybe you can come and 'occupy' my front yard waiting for me to give a crap

Cool dude, I was talking about windshields, not unemployment. Anyways, I'm done, clearly I'm not getting anywhere here.

 

[SoCalBurt]

I just hit 17,000 miles and my windshield is trashed.
I live in a desert area where we have sand storms
from time to time but i've only driven it once in one!
I mostly drive on the freeway and my windshield has
lots of pitting and etching! I also get a bad halo effect
at night from on coming traffic. Bad quality glass in my
opinion. Our 2001 Nissan Sentra doesn't even have so
much windshield damage!

 

[offroadingatc]

In all seriousness I think windshield angle is a bigger factor than glass quality so comparison to other cars isn't a great metric. For example I had two different mazda models assembled at the same plant in the same year... One never had an issue, the other (felt like) needed replacing every 2 years.

It seems like 'seattle windshield etching' is making a comeback

Polishing is an option but it's a dying skill

 

[1engineer]

Awfully defensive aren't we? It's my opinion, but it's shared by many on this forum. Are "sources" necessary? Go out in the driveway and crawl around your own rig. The sheet metal in the hood distorts going over bumps and at highways speeds, the doors seem hollow with a light tap, the interior plastics scratch if you look at them and the gas door is so lightly built I hesitate to open it. It wouldn't have taken a lot of effort by Toyota to make this vehicle 100% solid, but they didn't. Oh well, it's still a great ride.

Not at all. When I read opinion stated as fact it can lead some people to take it as fact instead of what it's worth. In all honesty, our windshields might be made of a lesser quality glass, our sheet metal might be thinner or the plastics in the interior might be inferior. Or, the upright angle of the windshield might be the culprit for chips and pitting, the flat plane of the hood with no strengthening breaks might be the reason it bows at 70 mph and a softer interior plastic might be why it scratches easier. I do not know. I read a lot of complaints yet nobody has given me proof that any of this is true other than their own opinions. It is easier for these people complain about perceived lack of quality when it could be other reasons (vehicle design) with quality of materials being the same. As I said I do not know as I have not actually measured the thickness of a 3G 4Runner's hood vs. a 5G hood. Nothing against you. I enjoy your posts!

 

[4FL]

It is possible that is has to do with the angle of the front end and its impact on the airflow up to the windshield.

For example, the 2004 style f-350 has problems with rocks hitting the windshield. The time I owned my 04 and 06, the windshield was replaced in the 04, and there was two large crack in the 06. I never had so much problems except with these two trucks. I drove my 95 f-350 for almost 200k miles and never had even a chip in the windshield, my current explorer never has had a rock hit the window as well.

With the sand blasting, do you get rocks hitting it? Does seem a bit strange that it would have a sandblast effect, that is something usually seen on plastic headlight lenses or something, not windshields.

It definitely is a concern if it is windshield quality or air flow due to styling angles.

 

[kingpin748]

I just hit 36000km and had to have my window replaced due to a crack. I was pretty amazed at how clear the new window was but the old one wasn't that bad. It certainly wasn't a safety hazard by any stretch of the imagination.

Half the year here we have gravel on the road due to snow and ice. I try not to sit behind trucks but getting some stuff kicked up is inevitable. I don't think my windshield is any worse than the other dozen cars I've driving over the past 20 years. I do think it the most expensive at $560 for the replacement. That's a good deal for Alberta also. I can recommend a great guy in Edmonton if anyone is interested. He came in a Saturday to do it for me.