I thought I'd be lucky enough to dodge the windshield bullet, since I have an '04 with the (allegedly) new and improved, crack-resistant windshiled. No such luck.

My windshiled developed a crack a couple of months ago, and it's been gradually worsening. I figured I'd get the dealer to replace it under warranty when I had my first service appointment.

So, I called the dealer this morning to make the appointment. I told the woman on the phone that it was a stress crack, and needed to be replaced under warranty.

"How do you know it's a stress crack?" she asked.

Well, there was no impact, there's no starburst patter from an impact, and I know that this is a common MINI problem, thanks to NAM.

According to her, they can't fix it under warranty, because "The stress crack problem only occurs on a specific place on the windshield, and to cars built within a specific time period."

I don't know where the magic stress crack spot is, but my crack starts where the glass meets the molding behind the rear-view mirror, runs down about two inches, and then turns left and goes about 8 inches across.

She also gave me the impression that only 2002 models had this specific "manufacturing defect" and were having their glass replaced under warranty.

I think this is all BS. Correct me if I'm wrong, but other people have had their windshield replaced under warranty on '03 and '04 models, right?

And what about this location issue?

Anyway, I'm going to have to argue with the technician when I go in for my appointment. Hopefully they won't be as concerned with staying "on-message" as their scheduler.



Oh, and the dealer is Tom Bush in Jacksonville, FL, and the car is an '04 S with 11,800 miles.

 

I paid to replace Wanda's windshield. She was hit by a stone when a semi-rig cut me off just outside Houston on my way home from a 6-week roadtrip, when Wanda was brand-new!

countrym, won't your insurance cover replacement without charging you a deductible? I thought that was the case in Florida. Sorry about the windshield!


Clover

 

Yeah, I've heard of the Florida $0 deductible. I've only lived in FL for a year and a half, and I've never made an insurance claim, but I assume I could go that route. That will be my plan B.

It's more a matter of principle, really. I want to see how cooperative my dealer is.

 

That's a bummer guy, but like so many others it's very hard to get them to fess up to the problem and even harder to get them to do anything about it.

The upside is Florida waves the deductible for windshield replacement. I know it doesn’t make it any better, but should be covered under your policy and shouldn’t cost you a cent out of pocket.

 

I have an 04 S, and Lauderdale MINI replaced it for free. Of course, the messed up, and had to replace the windshield again the next day, but still...it was free.

 

Believe me it's for real and they can't raise your rates because of it. I've had 3 in the last 5 years done. None on the MCS though.

 

Dude I am so sorry to hear about your windshield problems. Fortunately for us, we have not experienced any windshield related problems in both of our MINIs.

The '02 Cooper CVT still has the original factory glass, INTACT save a couple of rock pock marks. That car has been to 7-9 states in roadtrips and no problemos after 26K+ miles and 29 months of ownership.

Ditto for my '04 MCS (9/2003 build, 16K miles) with ZERO windshield issues and still on the original factory glass.

 

You are correct Clo. In Florida, insurance companies are mandated to provide $0 deductible glass coverage to auto insurance policyholders. It is illegal to drive around with a damaged windshield in Florida.

CountryM: They are certainly giving you BS. Let the Service Manager at Tom Bush make that call for you once he takes a close look at your windshield. Tom Bush is not really known for quality customer service.

If worse comes to worse, take it to Downtown MINI in Orlando and talkt directly with Sean.

 

I have an 03, I had the windsheild replaced. First time I took it up there one service writer told me it wasnt a stress crack and that I should just go through the insurance company . Well If I had to do that I was in no big hurry. So by the next time I went up there which was like a month later I got a different service writer which happen to be the same guy that covered my shifter cable when it broke with the B&M short shifter in it. And he ended up telling me that it was a stress crack and that it would be replaced under warranty. So I think I made out pretty good with that guy both times my car has went in for warranty repair.

 

Hi all, I have on '02, and am on my third windshield. Both my replacements were initiated by rock events, but the migration of the cracks were unbelievable! One was about six inches long when I arrived at a dinner party, and when I went home, it was all accross the whole damn thing!

One was paid for by a road construction outfit (rocks not cleaned up in an area with road repairs) and one I paid.

Most of my problems are due to my high rate of travel, and a nearly virticle windscreen.

Seems that Mini knows there's a problem with 02's, and just kept it a secret from me!

Matt

 

The FIRST wondshield replacement on my '04 MCS (at about 2k miles) was covered under warranty without any problem. Whe I scheduled the appointment I got the same "It's probably not a stress crack" line, but when I brought it in they agreed there was no impact. The crack came out from behind the drivers side molding and cut right through the MINI emblem on the glass.

The SECOND replacement (at about 20k miles) was partly caused by an impact, but I had already been in contact with MINI about a replacement because of the unacceptable amount in pitting I was experiencing. It was a long drawn-out debate but they finally agreed to replace it and my portion of the cost was about $125.

Now that I am on my THIRD windshield (currently 40k miles), I can say with confidence that it is a higher quality piece of glass. I still drive the exact same route to work, therefore it receives about the same abuse on a daily basis. I would be hard-pressed to find even one small pit in it.

866-ASK-MINI admitted to me that the glass had been improved after my 9/04 build-date and did go to bat for me in getting the dealer to pay most of the replacement cost on my second windshield. Don't give up the battle, make MINI pay for their mistakes!

 

That's good news, sndwave. My hesitation about using the insurance has to do with the possibility of a resulting rate increase. I'm going to call my insurer and double check that they won't ding me for a glass claim.

I find it so ridiculous that you get a different answer depending on dealer, technician, time of day, phase of moon, or whatever. If Tom Bush won't replace it free, I'll be getting myself some PPG glass at no cost to me.

 

Check with other owners of the PPG glass because I have heard it has some noticeable visual distortions compared to the Sekurit factory glass. I have not seen it myself first hand, so I don't know whether these claims are true or not.

Also let a reputable installer do the job for you. I highly recommed www.safelite.com for this type of jobs. They can hook you up with either factory or PPG glass and give you a lifetime warranty on the installation.

 

I recently replaced my windshield in my 02 MC. I called the closest dealer (in Va Beach 111 miles away) to see if I can have it replaced under warranty. It was an obvious stress crack that started under the molding in the lower drivers' side corner and went up across my inspection sticker... about 10-11 inches long. It was a stress crack b/c it wasn't there on Saturday and appeared on Sunday. It is right in front of my face... I'm sure I would have noticed something hitting it that caused that huge crack. I ran a pen across it and there was no pitting.

I still have warranty on my car but the dealer said it would not be covered due to the age and mileage of the car. They said if it was going to get a stress crack it would have happened much earlier He then said I can make an appointment for them to replace it, but I had to leave the car for at least 3 days! Oh right, I'm going to drive all the way to Virginia and somehow get home, then go back later to get the car. He also said it would cost $750 to replace. What BS.

Sorry for the rant. Anyway, the people who replaced the windshield here in town (in only a few hours for $350) said it was a stress crack. Go figure.

 

I have an infamous Honda Element, that eats windshields like popcorn, and a VW Passat that inexplicably needed two windshields in 3 months. Here in Virginia, I have a zero deductible auto glass policy with Allstate. They come to my house or place of work and fix the car where it sits. My auto rates are uneffected by any glass claim, because it comes under comprehensive.

I truly believe that in states like mine, the dealers are a lot less likely to pay for a warranty repair on a windshield because they know that customers who purchase high end cars usually have high end insurance, and there will be no out of pocket expense.

 

Yup, Florida I-4 traffic, but I've already had 2 replaced on my TC and my MA told me that it isn't under warranty bc it was caused by traffic. However, they told me to request a mini ws from their dealership when i get it fixed

 

maybe the new windshields are a tad tougher. I took a rock in my S at 1251 miles (yes, one mile past break-in ), round chip with no star, right in front of thr rvm (good spot for a break.)

so I stopped at AutoZone for a $7.95 ws glass repair kit, worked great, no MINI should be w/o one. And 2000 miles later and more cold weather, It's still holding up. JB

 

A Mini SA told me that the way to determine if it was "truly" a stress crack was to run a pen under the molding where the crack was. If it was a stress crack you should find a pit/divot !?!!??

 

Sounds backwards. You'll find a pit if something hit it.

 

How can you tell on the OEM windshield? I mean, mine was so pitted from just driving it that there was no POSSIBLE way to determine if my crack was caused by something hitting it or a stress crack... The OEM glass is TOTAL sh**. I must have pointed out 100 other "pits" in the windshield that were exactly like the one my SA and the warranty manager used to deny my claim... they didn't care, and even mused about how crappy their glass was... Of course, I hate this dealership, too. Hah!

I paid for my replacement... PPG... installed, the damage was $231.

 

I just deveoped a crack in my 04 and will have mine replaced under my insurance policy. How does the PPG (or other) replacement glass look. Is the blacked out margin the same around the edge, with the dots and everything?


It sounds like a classic stress crack. Everything was fine on Friday afternoon, I went out of town with some friends for the weekend, started the car up on Monday morning and bam there was a crack starting from the right side about 4-5 inches up from the bottom. I looked and there is a pit that the crack runs through so I did not even think about calling the dealer. There is no star or any real chip and the line runs straight through it and does not change direction like you would expect. Now I might beleive that somehow the pit made the glass weaker there but it did not cause the crack.

 

As posted here, we know that insurers will replace damaged windscreens under the comprehensive coverage on our auto policy, usually without raising rates or assessing a "point".

But, it's not a good idea to use this coverage often. Submitting excessive windscreen claims could result in being non-renewed next time your policy expires. I've seen this more than once, it will happen.

Bottom line, insurers must earn a profit. If a policyholder receives more money in claim payments than he pays in premiums, he's a loser, from the insurer's point of view.

So, tread lightly on the windscreen claims, one too many and you may be non-renewed, which will also make you unattractive to other insurers.

I hope this is helpful.

 

Well,

Mine is done, by Safelite. The windshield looks pretty much identical to the OE MINI windsheild (except the MINI logo of course). The main difference is the view is totally CLEAR. You just do not realize how many little pock marks and sand damage blemishes you have until you go to work with the old glass and drive home with new.

The guy who installed it said he had done maybe 20 MINI's and was aware of the proper way to remove the A pillar covers (he said he leared from experience).

 

Might depend on your insurance company. I've had several windshield claims on other cars at one point 3 in a 6 month period with GEICO, plus my car was hit by a security gate. All covered by my Comprehensive, none triggered a premium increase, and I have yet to have a renewal problem.

Plus I would bet that the law in Florida, in addition to preventing rate increases for windshield damage also prevents an insuror from not renewing you do to too many windshield claims.

 

I wish the person who put in my first windshield knew this -- there is a big crack in one of my A pillar covers. I guess the original owner didn't see it when she had it done.