Glass Smash......

[Beach]

Okay, myabe it wasn't a smash, but our perfect, untouched, unmarred '02 black Z66 got a big chip taken out of the window today. ?Of course, some rock flew from a redneck's truck and smacked on the top of the passenger's side windshield when my mother was coming back from lunch (at an unusual time b/c of her boss!). ?She was mad as hell and called the insurance company, so it'll be fixed in the parking lot where she works tomorrow.

Just so it doesn't completely shatter with the freezing and then thawing with defroster tomorrow, we went out and taped a black garbage back over that half of the glass. ?Jeez, if it didn't look bad before with the smutz from all that snow and slush crap, it really is styling now with the bag taped to it!

The only thing we've had thus far is just some pinpoint chips across the front of the hood since fall (she thinks bug deflectors are hideous), and have to get some touch up paint for them. ?Well, I guess things can't stay perfect too long...

Hmm, maybe it's a sign from the Gods that we should go find a new 2003 with the $4k rebate before it expires...I hope nothing else bad happens!

 

[imaniguana]

Beach,

Sorry to hear about the stone damage. ?Sounds likes the parking lot repair will do the trick. ?It's a lot cleaner than replacing the windshield. . . . . But who knows, it just might be the gods of the incentives speaking to you in their own mysterious way.

I got my first chip on the front edge of my 03 hood. ?Didn't have a chance to get the bug deflector on in time. ?Well, it's on now. ?That'll teach those errant stones a thing or two.

 

[flynhigh]

I also got the little chip near the drivers side in the windshield. I have just been to lazy to go to the parts store and buy the quick little windhsiled repair goo.

 

[Nightshift]

Insurance companies generally fix chips for free, call your agent. They would rather fix chips then fork out the $$$ to replace the windshield.
Call it an incentive....

WW

 

[Beach]

Now I'm really, really P.O.'d! She called yesterday from work 10 minutes after it happened, and the insurance company arranged for the typical parking lot repair. Well, as expected, I got a TERRIBLE report on the work that was done....

In typical lower Delaware idiot fashion, the guy that showed up from Safe-Light was a moron, plain and simple. First of all, it was clear that his usual equipment was missing. He told her he didn't have his ladder with him, nor did he have the injector to put stuff in the drilled hole. STRIKE ONE. She was fuming at just hearing this, but let him go ahead and work anyway (good thing her desk and windows are literally 10 feet from the Av). Now he said he had to STAND ON THE TOP OF THE TIRE AND LEAN UP AGAINST THE FENDER (I mind you, it's black and I don't let anyone or anything usually touch it). Just when her head was about to blow off, it got even worse!

Now, since he didn't have the right tools or injector, he was just going to goop some stuff over and in the hole and then proceeded to wipe it smooth and clean up WITH HIS FINGERS! STRIKE THREE. He finished on the outside, and then went inside. Now, he put some foamy stuff not on just the little area, but in about a 6 inch square, and proceeded to scrape the excess off with a razor blade. In effect, he went quite wild with the razor blade and scratched the living hell out of a big part of the windshield on that side. Then, to top the scratches off, while he was inside, he got out his lighter and passed the flame over the area, but also burnt a part of the windshield slightly. Then he left........


Needless to say, the insurance company was called again, and so was the GM dealer we take the Av to in Lewes, because they seem to be quite good at what they do. She asked who they have do their glass work and who they would recommend. They gave her a name and it happens to be one that has fully replaced the windshield in her boss's Buick twice (both times after flying rock incidents.

So guess what? From the one rock flying and taking a chip out of the windshield to the dimwit who tried to fix it, OUR PERFECT, UNTOUCHED, UNMOLESTED AND BABIED AV IS GETTING TAKEN APART FOR A COMPLETE NEW WINDSHIELD TOMORROW! And this time, it will be done indoors, in a garage at the dealership. Maybe it's not the biggest auto repair out there, but with our luck with everything (especially cars), there will be problems. I'd like to say I have 100% confidence in it being fixed right and remaining problem-free, but I can't. And if there is one water leak or agitating wind howl or whistle....I just don't know.

I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best.

 

[flynhigh]

Sorry to hear about your experience Beach.

 

[Beach]

Thanks, I just hope things turn out okay. Supposedly this is a very reputable place that puts a lifetime warranty on their work (but who doesn't these days in the big repair business), and her boss's Buick was perfectly fine after two new windshields (it's on it's third since new). I'm just worried because the Av is larger and a truck, and the fact that the first repair was such a disaster.

Oh well, maybe it's just the rebate gods like imaniguana said, trying to send a message, "Buy a new Dark Gray Z66. Buy a new Dark Gray Z66"

 

[imaniguana]

In typical lower Delaware idiot fashion, the guy that showed up from Safe-Light was a moron, plain and simple. ?

Grrrrr . . . Some people should not be allowed to breed! Sorry to hear about the screwball they sent to do the work.

Yes, at this point, it seems getting a new windshield is the way to go. It's probably for the better anyway.

 

[Beach]

I assume it's being done right now or already is (I'm in school), so we'll see how things turn out. Hopefully, all is well .

Now, if the weather would just get better. Our Av has never been so dirty but it's been too cold or just too messy to detail it. I can't stand when things are dirty..lor when they have screwed up windshields!

 

[marc_w]

Wow.. I'm sorry to hear about the mess... ?

I'm pretty unlucky with getting chips. ?Here in MA, windshields are a 'freebie' covered by insurance.

If my windshield gets chipped, I usually wait until it actually cracks before calling them up. ?It usually doesn't take too long with some heating and cooling... ?It's not for the fact of repairing/replacing - I'm just a procrasinator. ? ?

Now that I think about it though, I don't think I've heard of anyone out here getting a windshield repaired. ?The auto glass and insurance companies have some sort of a little alliance. ?Ya call the insurance company up, they give you a company to call with a claim number, and bingo, the windshield is pulled out.

Once I actually got chipped on a 1.5 hour ride somewhere... ?within 20 minutes of the chip, it cracked... and grew about 8 inches. ?It was incredible. I could almost watch it creep across.

 

[jackalanche]

Beach, don't freak. The windshield replacement thing, assuming you have been directed to one of the major chains (safelight, etc.) is a no-worries kind of thing. It's only too bad it didn't happen later on when you would have really appreciated getting a fresh, unscrathed windshield. Should come back to you just fine. Not like your Av was hit and you have to worry about it never being the same again.

now the brainless wonder who was first sent to help should be put on "breed restriction" (castrated) so that the problem stops with him.

I have also seen posts noting the unusual "softness" of the windshileds we get on the Avs from the factory, word is they pit, chip etc. very easily.

 

[davidi4]

I have also seen posts noting the unusual "softness" of the windshileds we get on the Avs from the factory, word is they pit, chip etc. very easily.

my truck has almost 50K miles on it, and the windshield looks sandblasted... previous owner abused it pretty good

 

[Beach]

Well, so far all is well again. This time the place that did it really stood up to their reputation, and it looks no different (Although I could see thin glue lines when I was up closer, that were out past the moldings. But it's not at all anything to be picky about.). I looked and it all seems to be fine and intact.

Now, one minor annoyance. I usually keep 4 or 5 coats of wax at least on the Av at all times, and also polish and seal all glass regularly, so I have to start fresh with this new window. Actually, it might be a good thing, because the old windshield looked like it had etching marks (probably just acid rain), and I was going to have to do some polishing as soon as this crappy weather is done with.

But, overall, things are good again. Oh, and not to sound like I was freaking out because of a new windshield--that's an everyday thing that happens all the time without problems. It's just that things around here (ahem...lower DE) don't seem to go as planned very often. That, and the first moron did such a craphole job and in effect, ruined the other windshield, when just fixing a chip, having the whole thing taken out and replaced was a little worrysome.

Good, that's done and over with for now at least!

On another note, I was looking up our Av's value today, and it looks like we'll be keeping it for a while regardless of how big the new rebates get. Oh well, not like it's constant torture or anything driving this one ...

 

[Beach]

Oh, by the way, the first screw-up was the masterpiece of a guy from Safe-Light. The new one was done by Delmarva Auto Glass. This morning, Safe-Light actually called and said they "had our name for a full replacement". Yeah, like anyone would let them even get close to the car again....