2002 MINI Cooper S

Date I Took Delivery: June 7th
Today's Date: November 5th
Mileage: 14,700 miles
- Insurance replacement - glad I have a zero deductable.

Windshield #4: To be installed on Friday
- #4 in 5 months.

Needless to say, I am not pleased with the quality of MINI glass.

dave@northamericanmotoring.com

 

That is a horrible list of ......windshield....problems.
I never noticed a ..windshield ..post from you before...so it comes as quite a shock.
Let's hope....it ...stops....
And you are a very lucky man ...to have a zero deductable insurance policy :smile:
Peace,
D

 

>>Needless to say, I am not pleased with the quality of MINI glass.


I've seen/heard several shows where they have talked about windshield being easier to break these days. From what they have said, you're not a victim of MINI, but the victim of profit margin. Weight and gas mileage we're the manufactures reasons, but we know what that means. Sorry Dave.

 

I had 2 chips in the first Cooper. I also think it is related to
the angle the windshield presents to the road. None in the S
so far but I haven't done any high speed, long trips. :???:
Sorry to hear this DID.

 

It's not luck. After seeing the first two windshields crack and reading the boards about others problems, I realized the windowshield glass in not very durable. So, I changed my $500 deductable to a $0 deductable. At this pace, I will probably recoup my insurance premiums in windshield replacements alone.

 

>>>>
>>It's not luck. After seeing the first two windshields crack and reading the boards about others problems, I realized the windowshield glass in not very durable. So, I changed my $500 deductable to a $0 deductable. At this pace, I will probably recoup my insurance premiums in windshield replacements alone. :evil:

 

On Long Island,NY I can not (or am not able to find & I've searched feverishly) an insurance carrier ..that will permit me to have a zero deductable.... on my MCS.

Peace,
D

 

If a Mini windshield cracks in the forest can MINIUSA hear it???? :evil:

 

I've gotten 2 stone chips...one on the second day I had the car! Fortunately, in MA, all comprehensive policies have a $0 glass deductable (state law!). So, I can get as many windshields as I want. But, unless I get an actual crack I think I'll just get the chips repaired (that's free too!). I don't see any need to have the entire windshield, trim, weatherstrip, etc. pulled unless absolutely necessary. Also, the law mandates free glass replacement...but not necessarily with OEM glass.

I DO think that the chipping is a factor of glass angle.

 

Sorry to hear about all your replacements - I have one chip so far ,got it around 900 miles. YES I think the glass is cheap,never had a problem with chipping in the past.

 

Sorry to hear about all your replacements - I have one chip so far ,got it around 900 miles. YES I think the glass is cheap,never had a problem with chipping in the past.

 

Yo Dave--- It's the stupid rocks they use here in the Denver area instead of sand or gravel. I have 4 cars, all of which have rock dings except the one I really don't care about ( Ye ole 94 Geo Metro). Just replaced one on my van and the idiots did $365 worth of scratch when installing. Needless to say, I won't be using that company for Buster. I already have another long crack on van's but is low so will wait until I get another more anoying one which I'm sure wont be long. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

I have one chip right now...got it about 5 days after I got the car. Probably won't have it fixed right away-it is tiny, but from what I've been reading off the posts, it seems like I will have to be replacing the windshield soon! Asked my dealer about the quality of the glass and he totally denied it-"this is not a MINI problem," I believe is what he said.

 

One chip/scratch thingy and counting.

R

 

Just a friendly FYI....

Be careful tapping into that Zero deductible.... you'll quickly find your insurance rate increasing. Remember, insurance isn't for little things. It is really made for catastrophic damage. If you can avoid making a claim and paying the cash, you'll save on the rate increase, which goes down MUCh slower than it goes up, plus not risk being dropped or "non renewed."

 

I just got a major stone chip today!!! AHHHH

 

I'm guessing it's the high angle of the windsheld too... it's going to be easier to chip a I then a /

Rocketboy_X

 

When it was just one chip, I was satisfied to wait through the winter to get it replaced... plus, given my MINI's history, there might be a decent chance of a new (warrentiable) stress crack showing up. But now that there are three chips, two of which are nicely situated right in the field of view, I'm going to have it replaced.

The MINI windshields aren't cheap. Plus, it's been my experience that some of the trim pieces may need to be replaced as well, because the plastic clips which attach them have a tendancy to break.

I'm hoping another company starts making windshields for the MINI soon. Warrentied or not, replacing the windshield this often is pure craziness. If the current pace keeps up, even the new windshield won't last past the end of the year.

 

Does anyone know if there is a profession glass windshield repair kit to fill chips and stop them from becoming cracks? I envision it containing some sort of drill bit, a suction pump/device, and clear epoxy filler of some sort to fill the hole. The price range I am thinking of is $100 to $400. This may sound like a lot of money, but if it enables us to avoid large deductables, it might be worth it.

 

most insurance companies will repair your windshield for free regardless of your deductable.

Mine now has a couple of chips in the field of vision and a third on the side, so I'm choosing to get it replaced. Actually I'm now getting the windshield (#4) installed tomorrow, the 5 month anniversary of taking delivery.

 

>>Yo Dave--- It's the stupid rocks they use here in the Denver area instead of sand or gravel. I have 4 cars, all of which have rock dings except the one I really don't care about ( Ye ole 94 Geo Metro).

Compare the angle the Metro presents to the roadway. I think it is a matter
of the angle of the windshield but I could be wrong.(97 Metro..loved it....
sold it to a friend...still running..150,000+) BTW Dave, here in Bug County,
Florida a lot of people use bug deflectors on the front of their cars. Think
it would help to deflect little stones??

 

Dave & all:
I hope that the quality of glass isn't to blame, but it might be a factor. And, it's true that the angle of the MINI's windshield might also play a part.

But there are two other factors that come into play that you should also consider: Colorado relies on a winter sanding mix that is much higher in sand and gravel and lower in salt than most of the other states that sand roads. On the plus side, Colorado has lower rates of auto rust. But there are a lot more rocks in the stuff spread on the roads. You can't do too much about that.

Driving style is also a factor. It's really a pain, and not your "fault" but you might have to drop further back when following large vehicles that can kick crap up. I know it's not fun but it's the one factor that is somewhat in your control.

Also, I'll confirm that underwriters will notice the use of $0 deductibles when adjusting rates. Do your math and it may still be a better deal for you -- but use it wisely. My Colorado-driven Blazer had 8 windsheilds in 12 years!
Motor on....

 

About 3 weeks after I got my MINI I was on I-95 and a rock flew up and hit my windshield. There was a little chip from it that wasn't very noticeable so I got a glass fix kit from Salvo that didn't work at all.....oh well....I am the only person that can see it because I am super **** about my car.

I am very sorry to hear about your windshields, Dave. I know a couple of people that have had one crack on them.....but not 4!

 

The important thing to remember here is that my first two windshields both stress cracked with no prior damage from road debris. So, I do stand by my belief that there is a problem.

It's just very very frustrating (warrentied or not, insured or not) to be on a first name basis with the autoglass repair people in my area.

 

Here it is, windshield #4 in all of it's fresh newness.