Well I was driving at lunch, and on my left side, the mowing crew was trimming the edges of the grass and POP. I get this rock flicked at my passenger window (driver's side). I figured no big deal, it didn't crack so it must be fine. I get back to work and there I see a chip in the window, it's a few millimeters deep. Do I need to get this taken care of now, will it get bigger? It hasn't pierced window all the way through, just a few mm's on the surface. Any thoughts?

I'll try to get some pictures after work today...

 

If it is smallish and hasn't spidered you could try to get filled in one of the roadside glass repair places. Insurance may even cover the bill.

 

It hasn't spidered yet, but I was just wondering if these types of small glass dings usually spider. I know the smaller and deeper cracks spider really bad, but this is like a little hole, or semi-circle into the glass.

I don't want to get my insurance involved, i don't think I can handle any higher rates.

 

Just get one of those little epoxy glass repair kits from Kragen or something to fill in the hole a bit and prevent it from spidering later, just in case. I had a rock that made a small pit in my front windshield that just began to show some cracking and used one of those things. Its been a year and hasn't gotten any worse.

 

it would be under comprehensive and shouldn't affect your rates. your deductible might be hgiher than the bill though.

 

No it wont spider , , just get the chip specialists to do a job on it,

 

good point. Would the dealer swap out the glass, or should I get a quote from a body shop? Or should I just leave it alone and see if it spiderwebs?

 

Call your insurance company and see how theycover it. With my windshield I had the choice to replace it for the cost of the deductible or have it filled in for free.

I chose to have it filled.

It can't hurt to call and find out what they offer.

 

Was the mowing crew hired by the company you work for; perhaps your buildings property management company? If that's the case, I'd be contacting them and making a claim.

The property management company isn't liable if some a$$hat co-worker backs into you in "their" parking lot. However, if a vendor they've hired causes damage to a vehicle, they are, in fact, responsible.

A year ago, when I had a new SUV, it was in the work parking lot. Some idiot took one of those dirt/weed blowers all the way down the sidewalk beside my truck. It blew all kinds of debris and stuff again my vehicle, causing tiny little marks in my jet black SUV. I went to the Facilities manager, he contacted the property management firm, and they were happy to write me a check for a $175 buff and wax job.

 

^ Good to hear. They were in fact contracted by my company. I will have a talk with our facilities manager.

 

I have been a glazier for over 5 years. The windshields only are Laminate glass, that means 2 pieces of 2.7mm glass bonded with a .09mm urethane sheet. Now the rest of the windows on any car is Tempered glass, which is 5mm thick, but cannot crack/spider, but will blow up into 1000's of tiny pieces. Tempered glass is about 6 times stronger than normal glass.

So, if you have a chip in any other window other than your windshield, it will eventually blow up at ANY given time. Plus I honestly don't think fixing it, will do much good, except maybe delaying the blowup time. What the windshield chip guys use to fix the chips is called UV glue that bonds glass permanantly! If it's your windshield, get it quickly fixed $20 give or take, and it should never crack/spider, depending on the age of the chip, depth/layer and if it has started to crack.

Hope that answers your question, and now you know about glass.

Scott.

 

Thank you for posting, dorkboy. Makes me think I'm not so dumb after all--I would have posted that it was tempered glass, if you hadn't!

 

Thanks dorkboy... so I basically have to get it fixed else it blows up?

 

No, he said get it replaced. Fixing it will only delay the inevitable blow-up of the glass.

Replace it. But you have two avenues to cover the cost, as noted up-thread:

Your comp coverage on your auto policy, if you have a deductible low enough to cover it (I always suggest a $100 ded or full comp).

Or, hold the contractor or the building managment group liable for the damages. If they refuse liability, go through your insurance company and they can subrogate against the responsible party to get back their payout AND your deductible.

 

^ OOps, by fixing it, i meant replacing it. Very well then, I just spoke with some folks at work, and I have a few phone calls to make. I didn't realize how severe this was

 

By the way, can any body shop replace that window, or does it need to be worked on by the dealer?

 

The auto glass replacement people are usually a lot cheaper than dealer, and most of them come to your home or office to do the replacement. I live near one of those tiny rocks mining facility, and they have their trucks on the freeway all the time. Even with the cover, they still drop lots of them on the freeway and got kick up to the windshield all the time. The windshield replacement for both of my cars are around $100 to $150 each, dealer wanted $300+.

I decided to leave the last chip there on the windshield to see if it spread. It has been there for 4 years and it hasn't gotten any bigger. I never tried chip repair. Do they actually repair it so you cannot see the chip or they just stop it from getting bigger?

 

I just talked to a local glass shop, and they want $320 to replace the rear quarter glass. That can't be right.

 

I'd believe it. Don't underestimate the cost of maintaining a MINI. I've been through 3 rain sensor windshields now @ $265 each. $320 for the rear quarter glass really doesn't shock me.

 

Alright, the police report was filed. I spoke with the gentleman who oversees the mowing crew and he acknowledges that they were the ones mowing at the time of the incident. Now we have to wait for the Risk Management office to get back to me... argh...

 

Let us know how it goes...

 

UPDATE:

Risk Mgmt just called; they are paying for it. Just made an appointment at the local glass shop and they're doing it Friday.

I'm worried how well of a job they will be able to do. Do they just have to rip off the chrome trim on the outside (bottom of the glass)? What else do they have to tear off? I told the lady at the counter that it's a manual, and she said she knows how to drive one... but I don't know if she'll be able to figure out how to get it started Should I show her or am I just being paranoid?

 

Great news about the fix.

I also just got a ding in my windshield and will take it in very soon to get it filled, thanks to all for the information

 

Well, I dropped it off this morning... we'll see what kind of job they do on it.