My poor Penny...

She was violated last week; someone broke in and stole her lunch money. They also tossed her glove box looking for ,but didn't find it. Left a nice mess for me to clean up. Thank goodness, on a whim, I put my CD binder in the boot. I would have been out $$$$! Also, thank goodness for MINI toggle switches! The punk who broke in couldn't find a trunk release and couldn't get the boot open!

Fast forward to this morning. After a very exhausting (and expensive) move from MD to WV, I finally got to drop off "Deathtrap Bernie" , my moving truck, and pick up my Penny. She has a divit-like impact crack at her washerline with a 10" arched crack extending from it. Someone threw something at her glass and broke her! (A tire is also low on air, but I don't think that's related.)

Among other negative feelings, I'm really upset that after living in Laurel for over three years, this is the impression with which I'm left.

Can anyone here recommend a MINI-friendly, reputable glass company with a reasonable price for a new windshield? And now that I mention it... what IS a reasonable price? I figure I could call around and get quotes, but if I can learn from those who have gone before me and all that cliche-type stuff... yeah. You get the idea.

Can anyone serve up some advice? Pretty please?

Sympathy cards can be sent to: Penelope Cooper, Inwood, WV.

 

awn geez, Pen...that stinks.
A new windshield will prolly be @$400..just what you wanted to hear after a pricey move, but I'm afraid that's the amount. You might be able to find cheaper.
I used Banner Glass in Glenn Burnie...north of Annapolis. Kinda far for you, tho'. Perhaps MINI of Sterling has a glass co. they use...at least they're closer to you geographically. Maybe give them a jingle and see what they say....

 

OMG!!!! I am soooooo sorry that this happend to your sweet baby! Unfortunately I have no advise tho. Just sympathy

 

That sucks.

About the glass though, I've always had good experiences with Safelite Auto Glass. There's a bunch of shops around, and they have a mobile service. I think some folks had issues with the outside 'A' pillar covers coming off, but I didn't havwe any issues. They used Pilkington glass if I remember correctly. (OEM < Pilkington < PPG is the glass brand heirarchy from what I've read in the past).

If you have a windshield without a rain sensor, it'll be about $200-$300. If you do have the rain sensor,, it'll be about $500.

Oh, and as I learned and others will tell you, see about decreasing the comprehensive coverage deductable on your insurance. To go from $500 to $50 with USAA, my insurance went up about $60 for 6 months. Plus, just as long as you don't overdo the claims, your insurance shouldn't go up as a result of a comp. claim.

In any case, good luck!!


-Paul!

 

So sorry to hear that Pen. I too cannot offer any advice as I don't yet own my MC, but I can for sure offer sympathy. Vandals and thieves are the lowest form of (non-violent) scum on this planet IMO.

I've never understood the reasoning behind it. I never leave anything worth of value in any of my vehicles, be it previous Mustangs, my current driver (a Ford Escort ) or my new Mini when it comes in. And to vandalize just for the sake of it is as cowardly a move as ever was.

As someone who has been violated (house break-in, thankfully we just closed on the property and we hadn't moved in yet), I feel your pain. May your ordeal end quickly and as painlessly as possible.

 

Thanks for the recommendation and well wishes. I decided, after consulting a car DB here at work and running a cursory searche online, that it's probably best that I report the claim and not handle the cost myself. (I have insurance for circumstances just as these, right?! )

Using Geico's website took me all of 3 big fat minutes to report the claim, request a recommended "local" shop, link to Safelite's site, make an appointment at their Hagerstown facility, and confirm my deductible ($250)! (Lots of people here at work recommend Safelite and say they provide superior service, which is a biggie with me.)

I seriously need an "Easy Button" for this! I'm very impressed by Geico's website, and further impressed by their partnership with Safelite. So far, this has been remarkably simple. I'll cross my fingers and hope that it continues to remain that way.

 

Thanks to kgdblu for the estimated cost.

BOSS10L and MINInurse: I'll be sure Penny receives your condolences.

 

I would recomend the dealership. It's ugly expensive but worth the headache.

My insurance company made me use safelite. It was a very bad experience. They put are putting in a 3rd windshield now. The first one I had to pay for and it cracked a few weeks later. when they installed it they broke lots of molding and used the windshield glue to "fix" the broken pieces. glue ozzed out of those spots. The parts i made them replace took a week for them to get because the had to wait for a check from the company to get to the MINI dealership. Crap....... I ended up paying for the parts and keeping the check that would have gone to the dealership. The dealership was kind enough to install them for me. They've worked with the "kind people" at safelite so they knew the amount of hassle i was dealing with.

When they installed my second piece of glass (they paid) it was installed to low so the trim between the roof and glass doesn't reach the roof. Also when they pulled that cracked glass out the guy before had put so much glue to try and hide the broken trim parts that it had ozzed onto my VIN number which was then ripped off the car. now my car has no VIN number on it. MINI had to order a new one from England. The new one has arrived and they are waiting on me to bring the car over for another windshield so they can put my VIN number back on my car under the windshield.

p.s. cops really don't like seeing a car with a removed VIN number.

 

I would stay away from safelite as well, and go with a local independent glass shop. Also, I'd get OEM glass if you are still under warranty for this reason, its not that much mroe expensive, we got my wife's replaced for $275 with OEM glass.

If your new windshield develops a stress crack (i.e. a crack from the frame twisting, not a crack from an impact), it will be covered under warranty if its OEM, and will not be if its not.

 

First windshield, I used Royal Glass. Not impressed , they broke the plastic cover A pillar . Also the windshield didn't align right. Took me 3 trips to the shop to fix it.

Second time, I have mine done at Towson. No more headache.

 

I've had many windows replaced by Safelite and I've never had a bad experience. This includes the Mini windshield that was replaced about three weeks ago. It's unfortunate that others have had bad experiences, but I guess it depends on which franchise is closest to you.

 

thats just the thing

with an independent shop, they'd be out of business if their service sucked. A franchise is a mystery bag, some are good, and some aren't.

 

If you would, please let me know with which Safelite locations you had your good and bad experiences. Now that I live out in West by-God Virginia, nothing is actually "local" to me. My appointment is with the Hagerstown storefront, which is a good 30 minutes away. (I figured I could get a little shopping in while I wait!) If there's another location which "knows" MINIs and will baby my Penny, I'd happily drive there instead.

Which Safelite should I avoid?
Which treated you well?

 

My good experience with them was at:

Safelite AutoGlass
6616-6618 FLEET DRIVE
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22310

They replaced one windshield at their shop, repaired two dings, once at the shop, and once coming out to me. Nothing negative to report.

Can't speak for any others! Although, in the DC area, you *may* be safer using Safelite due to the sheer number of MINIs on the road around here. More MINIs = more experience repairing MINI glass, and hopefully less problems.


-Paul!

 

That was my thinking, and subsequently the cause for my hesitation with regards to Hagerstown Safelite. Not a lot of MINIs up in them thar partsuh town.

 

I used Safelite as they are the shop of choice for USAA. I was not happy. They used a piece of trim for the top of the glass that did not match the factory trim, got glue on the passenger side glass, installed the windshield too high on the driver's side, and mis-aligned the a-trim on driver's side.

They did come back and fix it all to my satisfaction, but it was still a pain as I had to alter my schedule to get it all done.

Good luck

 

I used the Sterling location for my Mini Repair, as well as a Ford Explorer Repair. They came to me for the Mini and I went to them for the Explorer. Things looked even better than I expected as they were able to take the decals from my old windshield and put them on my new windshield with no problem (VA State Inspection and DOD decals).

 

Sorry to get here late... hope your problem is all resolved. I had my windshield replaced 2 months ago at Sterling. I went there to avoid any hassle.

The rain-sensor windshield was $300 but I'm afraid with other stuff I had done I can't remember the install charge. I think it was expensive... but for some reason I got a discount on it... and the club discount on top of it.

I dropped the car off at 5pm and got a call at 10 the next morning to tell me the car was ready to be picked up... [They have 2 MINI night crews.]

It seems to have been a flawless job with no problems to date. Even with the club 10% discount on parts AND labor, it still wasn't the cheapest but not by much.

(Sorry to hear about Penny's experience.)

-del

 

Del-

Good to hear from you! Thanks for the advice/input. I didn't even consider the NAM/DCMM discount for parts/labor. I cancelled my appt with Safelite and rescheduled with MoS on Monday.

I'll post an update once the work is complete.

-Megan.

 

Please let us know what the cost was (roughly). I still need to get mine repaired.
Thanks

 

At Towson, parts and labor come to >$700. Don't have the exact # though.

 

Well, Time to replace mine. 03MCS 92K and my first windshield. Statefarm want me to go through LYNX. Has anyone used them?

 

I use Statefarm as well. They don't mind that I was using Towson. I had to pay Towson in advance, and they reembursed me later.

 

$1150 from MOS

Chris, did they cover the whole cost or just part?

 

Covered all, (except your deductable). ~$750 @ Towson, plus a MINI, not Chevy, as a loaner.
They will keep your car overnight to make sure everything is ok.