I don’t know what it is…..but the windshield on my MINI is a magnet for rock magnet! I’ve had the car for about 10 months......and have got hit with 5 rocks/pebbles so far…all on the highway when I’m going to and from work. I’ve had the windshield people repair the cranks twice so far (my insurance does it for free), fixing multiple chips/cracks each time. Luckily none of them have done more than a little dime sized crack. I’m to the point now where I’m just about ready to buy a new windshield….but I’m afraid that as soon as I do, I’m just going to get smacked with another rock. On the way to work this morning I got smacked with another one, just out of the blue….I think it was thrown from a semi trailer that was about 500feet in front of me and in the other lane.

Is it the angle of mini’s windshield, the fact that the car is so low to the ground, or the way the air flows over the front of the car? What makes it such a rock magnet?

I’ve got a 2004 Dodge Ram that I’ve put over 100,000 miles on without a single rock/peddle hitting my windshield. I don’t tailgate, I keep a huge distance between the car in front of me, and I try to stay away from anything that looks like it may throw a rock (dump trucks, trailers pulling farm equipment, …stuff like that).

Anyone seem to get hit with lots of rocks on the highway?? Any way to prevent this?

 

I've avoided them so far, not sure how. I catch every insect, however, and clean them off daily (my wife's C6 Corvette, same commuting pattern: nada).

My belief is it's the (near-) vertical windshield. I was on the Toyota FJ cruiser forum in 2007 as these came out...*many* rock / windshield replacement posts for this vehicle with a similar straight-up windshield.

 

Good point about the bugs .....I have the same problem. Every bug splatters on the mini windshield, but with most other cars I've had the angle of the windshield will deflect the majority of the bugs. Yep.... I'd say the angle of the windshield is the major factor.

 

I got a dime size crack from tailgatting an uhaul van on the highway the other day, thats about it

 

First thing I did after ordering my Mini in 2005 was to drop my insurance deductible to "$0" for comprehensive (State Farm does not/ did not have the ability to add a windshield policy). I think I went 6 months before the first crack/replacement.

I'm now on window #4 I (think). Besides cracking mine always got sort of sandblasted (Ohio winter salt does more than just rust everything). I've since moved to North Carolina and need a new window now (sandblast effect is getting bad again and I have a chip that I'm waiting to spread more).

 

My 2004 has never been cracked but hit several times. I have a 2012 as a daily driver, just replaced the windshield yesterday due to a rock.

 

Just turned 30K miles on my '06 JCW. Have replaced the windshield once about 10K miles ago but have rock chips peppered all over the front end. Sometimes I think I have more touch-up paint on it than original paint. I even have a gouge out of the plastic bumper and 1/4 inch chip out of the roof paint about 3 inches from the edge of the glass plus another smaller one on the other side of the roof. And to think my local body works guy recommended not putting on the clear bra- hmmm. Bug splatters are moderate.

 

I feel like a low-ish (not really compared to like a miata) with a nearly upright glass is a recipe for stone chips :( Based on my MINI anyways...

 

On my 3rd windshield.
State Farm in FL replaces it free, no deductible.
I never had a windshield break or crack before in 40 years of driving.

 

I have a dime sized crack from my buddies GTO when we went on a mountain run.

I have, however, discovered many new and interesting bugs that have never been seen before :P

 

My windshield is definitely a rock magnet. I already replaced one windshield resulting from a creeping crack caused by a rock kicked up by an 18 wheeler I was passing on the highway. Not even a month with the new windshield and another crack, this time from a smaller rock.

I repaired it this time and so far it's holding out, but it's still visible so I may end up replacing it after all.

 

I have 110K on my 04MCS, Windshield number 5 will be going in sometime next week as I took yet another rock on the lower left corner near the inspection sticker last weekend, all I can say is glad I have Glass coverage on my insurance policy

 

+1. Have a nice divot just to the right of my line of sight. Not too bad yet but may involve a replacement when the cold weather returns again and defogger heating causes differential expansion. Yipppekiy-yahhh.
On their defense however, have had 2 Camaro and 1 Pontiac Grand Prix windshield replaced, plus a Nissan Pathfinder, so busted glass isnt manufacturer partial.

 

I had a Jeep Wrangler that I had to replace 3 windshields in 2 months due to rocks. I was constantly being hit by stones. I put Rain-X on the windshield, and the rocks would still hit but not damage the glass. They seemed to just glance off.? It may have been coincidence but I quit buying windshields so often. No problem with the Mini yet (Knock on wood). No I'm not a Rain-X salesperson either.

 

I've had a Mini for a week, and my very 1st commute to work on the highway I caught a rock in the windshield. Ugh. I've had a ton of rocks hit my windshield (at much higher speed) in my BMW and never had a window crack like this. Do Minis have unusually soft glass or something?

Anyway, the dime-sized chip was repaired today by Safelite Auto Glass (free from Geico). They came to my office and did the job in the parking lot in about 20 minutes. I must say, I am not pleased with the result. Very visible still and right in front of your face where you can see it. While the Geico rep stressed that it would reduce the visibility and "may" still be somewhat visible afterwards, the repairman outright told me before the job that it would most likely still be visible afterwards. Does the repair fade to the point of being negligible as some sites say?

Also, for those that have replaced the windshield, how much does it run? My deductible is (I think) $200 for auto glass damaged on the highway (by law in Virginia "uninsured motorist" insurance will have a $200 deductible).

 

Good to know since we are evaluating lease vs. buy. All those dings can add up when it is time to turn in the car at the end of the lease term...