I could not find a thread that addresses this issue, so;

I got a crack in my '04 MCS windshield.

I went to the local Mini dealer and spoke with the Service Mgr who told me the cost for replacing the windshield would be $1100.00+.

After he brought me back to consciousness with smelling salts , I asked him to justify the cost.

He gave me a story about the windshield was part of the structural member of the car and needed to be pressed on using a special technique that only BMW was certified to use. Also, if I did not go through the dealer any warrantee I had would be void and the chance for leaks and other serious problems might develop if I took it to a non-certified installer thus compounding the problem.

Lastly, He gave me a BMW report that tried to justify his quote.

I called another Mini dealer in my area who gave me the same story and quote, so I was figuring I was going to have to take it in the shorts when I found out other dealers charge less.

So I contacted a dealer outside the SF Bay Area who gave me a price around $500. He said he has many people asking him about the discrepancy in pricing and could not figure out why the price difference.

Is this some kind of a dealer scam?
Does anyone have info on this pricing issue?
Also, how important is it to have a dealer make repairs?
Are there any shops you can recommend to make the repairs correctly at a fair price?

Thanks for your help

 

Local long standing glass shop quoted me $230. And they had experience with Minis. Sounds like bendover economics are being practised by your local dealers .

 

WoW! Deja Vu all over again. I "just" replaced the windscreen in my 04 last week. Luckily in this State your Insurance HAS to cover it. I called the MINI dealer who gave me the name of the Auto Glass Co that THEY use to do all their windscreens (BMW<MINI<CHEVY it's a RIck Hendricks MotorSports Dealer) They DO NOT do the glass at the dealer. The glass guys came to my house and did it in the driveway, no "special" technique (seen it done before), and the bill to Ins. Co was $457.00 (glass and labor) and all factory warranties intact (I specifically asked the MA @ MINI of Charleston about this). Definitely sounds like they are jacking you around.

 

240 with the rain sensors from safelite. The replacement glass looks just like the OEM one. It even has the same black dot things around the whole windshield, just like the OEM had.

 

I noticed you're located in Lafayette, CA...are you dealing with Mini of Concord?

 

I haven't had one put in yet(knock on wood),however some of our club members have had windshields installed(parts and labor)from$200-$400,for a standard Coupe.I heard our local Dealer asked for $800,two years ago.Now I'm curious to find out how many different windshield manufacturers there are,different methods of installation,different types of glass(?),and warrantees!?!

 

Yes and East Bay Mini. It was Sacramento Mini that had the lower price.

 

my clutch went out in Lafayette and had the misfortune of getting towed to Mini of Concord. Those guys are CROOOKS. DO NOT GO THERE. they charged me 3600 bucks for a clutch that should have cost 1600, and they are very shady, rude, and unprofessional. I think they take advantage of all the rich clientele in the area, so their business practices probably go unnoticed. Just a word of warning. They lied to me on multiple occasions and kept my car for over a month....

I had to replace a windshield when I was in the bay area, and it was covered by my insurance for a $100 deductible (i don't remember the total price, but im sure it was under 500). I had it done at a glass shop that was a couple blocks away from Mini SF, on Otis street (a couple doors down from the infamous Power Exchange). Its been a year and a half and I have had absolutely no problems with my windshield (and I do have the windshield with the rain sensing wipers sensor. it took them an extra day to get it in. everything was hooked up correctly).

So there are lots of places in the bay area that can do your windshield. There are even a couple independent auto shops that specialize in Minis in the southbay (can't remember the names, but a google search should bring them up). Just, for the love of god, don't give your money to Mini of Concord...they are complete and utter bast.ards. By far the worst consumer experience in my 28 years on this earth...

good luck with your search

 

I replaced mine a couple of months ago, everything covered by the insurance. Actually is something like payed by the state or something like that. You just have to call the insurance and tell them you need to replace your cracked windshield and they will give you a number to call. The state covers the costs when your windshield is broken. You don't have to pay a penny. The only problem I found was with the dealer... They gave me some trouble because the new windshield is not an oem mini one...
The point is that you won't have to pay anything, just call your insurance and they should give you the number and then you can choose who to do the work.

 

$287 parts and labor. Car has rain sensors. Safelight Auto Glass 925-447-0647. They did it in my driveway. After insurance $50.

 

Mine came to about 305.00 when was all said and done with at a local glass shop. The dealer was trying to tell me that I needed to spend 800.00 to get it fixed.

My only warning is to be sure to find somebody that is reputable and has experience with MINI's. The person who had done the windshield before I had purchased my car had broken all of the tabs on the inside of both of the A-pillar covers, BOTH of the side mouldings on my roof and had done such a poor job on the adhesive/sealant that the top of the windshield actually had no adhesive/sealant causing a massive leak under my headliner and through my rear-view mirror. I will tell you that it was a huge surprise when they took the windshield off and showed me that most of my trim pieces surrounding the windshield had been adhered using windshield adhesive/sealant!

-Chase

 

haha thats great that they are considering the glass as part of the structural skeleton of the car!

what a bunch of d bag dealers

get it fixed by a local glass dealer, youll be fine, and if they void the warranty on your windshield, try not to cry yourself to sleep every night haha!

 

my experience with windshields goes back a ways. # 8 is in the car now.It's a PPG Non rainsensing.It has been in the car longer than the previous 7 combined. It also has a dime sized pit from a rock strike that has been there for over a year, without developing even a hint of a crack.Sekurit St. Gobain glass(oem) is garbage.Walk (no run) to a glass company and pay whatever you have to to avoid having to deal with the sheott oem glass.

 

Quoted 500 euros here in Germany for a new rainsensor replacement. That is for glass and labor.

 

Same old BS from same SA in MINI of Concord.
Here is his spew/scare tatic (see post #15):
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=86749

I like LarryP's solution in above thread (see post #18)
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=86749

 

If you think your clutch was expensive, imagine how much a slander suit will put you back.

 

Like that's likely.

 

This is absolute bs. Of course, MINI isn't going to warrant a windshield they didn't install, but they cannot avoid any other warranty, unless they can demonstrate the problem was attributable to the windshield install, which, of course, the installer would be liable for.

 

Holy crap that's a lot.

INSURANCE. That is what it is for. Some states have automatic full glass coverage and if not, I cannot say how much money and headache a $0 comp. deductible has saved me over the years.

I have a glass claim called in right now from a flying rock on the interstate, won't cost me a cent.

 

I've had two replaced. Both were done by Safelite for about $250 each. East Bay MINI wanted something like $800. They gave me the whole song and dance about the warranty not applying to it if I have it done elsewhere...and I said who cares, I can get it done 3 or 4 times for what they wanted.

I am calling today to drop my comprehensive deductible, though. I keep putting it off my my 3rd windshield is starting to look sort of rough. Time to get it done.

 

a slander suit for what, stating my OPINION? great, then I can file a countersuit for the multiple times they lied to me and overcharged me 2,000 dollars. last time I checked we still had freedom of speech in this country, and I don't see how anything I said could be misconstrued as "slander". If that dealer didn't take advantage of customers, then they wouldn't have a bad reputation...

 

that dealer is a crook, personally, I'd ask to speak to that guys manager, he totally lied to you. There is no special technique, its not a structural member, thats total ********. Call it slander, but its the truth, that guy lied to you in an effort to steal your money, and he should be called out for it.

Here's the deal, if you replace it with non-oem glass (ppg, safelite, etc) then they might deny a warranty claim later if its a stress crack (stress crack=crack caused by twisting of the body structure). This is only fair as they cannot guarantee the fit of a non-oem part (so they are telling you the truth that parts of your warranty CAN be voided in certain circumsrtances). However, there are plenty of glass shops that can get oem glass. If you replace it with oem glass, replaced by someone else, obviously if any cracks or leaks are caused by the install, the warranty is through them (the installer, and almost any reputable installer will warranty their work). Stress cracks will still be covered under factory warranty.

My local quotes, safelite, $215. Raleigh glass (local independent shop, these are usually the best way to go), $247 for oem (meaning stress cracks are covered under factory warranty still), with full warranty on the install.

 

yeah, don't worry, theres no possiblity of a slander suit for something like this

 

You pay for it every month honey....you dont get anything for free. By taking the consumer who actually cares what something costs out of the loop you only wind up paying higher premiums because there is no competition or accountability on price. Nobody to call 5 places all over town getting quotes.

Insurance is supposed to be for things that you cant afford to replace, things that would ruin you financially if lost. Insurance is not intended to be a easy pay level payment plan for anything that may happen so that way you never have to worry about life!.......Logic like this my friends is why "insurance" costs are through the roof.

Whether the state legislated it or you bought a higher premium coverage that covers such small risks.....you pay for it not once but every month you live.....such that not only do you pay for the repair but the profits of the insurance companys

 

I just dropped my comprehensive deductible from $250 to $0. It's going to cost me $16 more over each 6 month period.