this is not a stress crack.

I spoke with my insurance agency today about getting my windshield replaced. they said the max they cover is about 317 bucks. the dealership says it's gonna cost about 800. has anyone actually paid 500 bucks to have a new windshield put in? I'm not sure about MINI but i know that with BMW the windshield is a structure part of the car and the install is pretty busy.

Has anyone in the Charlotte area had a windshield replaced at the dealership or somewhere else with good or bad results? can you tell me how much it was if it was not at the dealership.

 

Had to have mine replaced several months ago. It's less than a 2 hour job when someone knows what they're doing. Though insurance paid for it, I'm pretty sure the final bill was way under $800. I had it done through Flow, but I believe the glass company's name that did it was Piedmont Triad Auto Glass. Their phone number is (336)722-2428 if you want to check them out.

 

This is coming from the 'left coast' Sacramento, CA. I had my 3rd replacement windshield put in my 2002 Cooper S last Friday. All 3 came from road hazards (rocks), two 10 days apart. Hayes Brothers Auto Glass got the OEM from Niello MINI, Hayes does all of Niello's glass work. Here's the breakdown

Windshield (non rain sensor) 189.00
Labor (3.1 hours) 133.00
Adhesive 40.00
Moulding (Upper) reused caps 13.90
Subtotal 375.90
Tax 18.82
Total 394.72
Deductible 100.00
Billed to AAA Insurance 294.72

A lot less than $800.00

 

now, those numbers sound resonable. i'm taking my car in tomorrow a.m. and we'll see what they say.

 

Personally I would not bother with the dealer. I would bet they sub it out to a windshield company and tack on surcharge.

I found a great windshield company through my insurance agent. I've had windshields replaced in both my MINIs and they did an excellent job. Don't know the cost since it was covered.

 

They charged over $600 for one of my windshields. And they contracted it out for a lot less, and marked it up!

I got one done for just over $200 when I had it dealt with myself.

Mini glass cracks, PPG pits....

Matt

 

I have to agree with Matt. I had mine done at Binswanger Glass in Greensboro. They had to get a piece of molding from Flow and the insurance cover all the cost.

 

I found the paperwork I had for mine. Seems final price was just over $330.

 

Deleted due to double-posting!!

 

I got mine replaced the other day. PPG brand, installed at my home by Safelite glass. All inclusive, $297. My insurance was only willing to get the glass repaired, not replaced. So had to shell out the green stuff outta my own pocket!!

 

I had mine replaced in Nov 2003, 5 months after I got Oz, damaged by a flying rock on I-85. Century MINI charged a little over $700 for an OEM windshield. Insurance paid 100%. The reason I went to Century was that MINI's were new, and I very much doubted if any of the glass replacement companies in the area had any experience replacing a MINI windshield.

 

mine's a 02 mc, & my 1st windshield was actually marred by the wipers (during a tremendous rain period of 2 weeks) Dealer replaced at no charge.
Two months later, 1 small crack from a rock became a big crack! I had a local glass dealer install PPG windshield, insurance paid for it and no problems since. this was in 02. after that, i read the OEM windshields were not spec'd properly and mini was aware of it and MANY windshields were replaced, some of them at least 4 times. there's bound to be something on this site that goes into detail. Check it out - MINI may pay!

good luck

 

I just got mine replaced a couple of weeks ago. Done with insurance. After talking with the tech, but out of pocket would have been somewhere around $300- $350.
So far so good.
FWIW Pilkington is the brand of glass. I haven't seen this one mentioned before. I was told that they all will pit.
I was concerned about the structural issue and a special adhesive was used, but I really have no way of knowing what's better or worse.

 

well, i've just returned home to find that my windshield has been replaced. Not to my satisfaction. safelite was the company that did it. i knew i wasn't going to be home today so i pre-paid. i left the car in the carport unlocked with windows and sunroof cracked open. someone else told me i should do that as shutting the door will mess up a setting windshield if there is no window cracked open.

when i got home there was a note saying to call about the windshield replacement. one of the side trim pieces is missing. i've read that these get broken by window glass replacement companies. also, the bottom molding is not all connected. I call the number left by the tech. and he tells me that he broke the side molding and a few of the clips that hold that bottom molding in. My concern is that i have a driving school this coming thursday. My car has to be tech inspected before then. he assures me that my car is fine and that i can drive it now with no danger. he tells me that the tape he put around the glass is just to keep the molding in place until the new clips arrive and that should be soon.

around the car i find a few little green clips and a piece of what looks like foam molding with broken glass on it. upon further inspection i also see a few very small slivers of glass under the wiper arm. i'll take pictures just incase this becomes and issue.

anyone else have this happen and if so what was the time frame for getting it all put back together?

 

Glass Dr. did mine with PPG brand glass. They did a great job, I paid the $200 deductible. I think that the key was not the company but a tech that has done MINIs before. The tech said that he was assigned the car because he was the only one who has done many MINIs at the company. So maybe if you inquire with the company before hand if they have done many MINIs, and request that a senior tech or someone that has experience with MINIs in particular do it, it may turn out better.

 

I paid $226 for a PPG windshield including ALL the OEM trim pieces ordered from the MINI dealer. Went to a local independent glass shop that does nice european cars.