I took mine into Motor City MINI (for snow tires, actually) and service manager Ken Berman took a look and nodded gravely. Definitely a stress crack, he said. Surprisingly, the first he's seen. Lots of windscreen chips and dings, but this is the first stress crack in Detroit (I'm so proud!).
Looks like they'll take care of it next week and have car back same day, but MINI should get on the stick and have this fixed once and for all!

 

Ok, just talked to my dealer and here's the scoop:

He said if it is just a crack (without a chip, etc.) then it is most likely a stress crack and will be covered under warranty.

If it does have a chip, it was caused by a rock, etc. and it will need to be replaced. He said that the MINI windshields are only about $110 bucks and I'd be better off paying for that than a $250 deductable and higher insurance!

I just cancelled the claim.

_________________


My girl Holly. Happy motoring!

 

>>He said that the MINI windshields are only about $110 bucks

Was that installed? Or $110 for just the windshield? I'd be shocked if that included installation. Not that installation will put it over your $250 deductible - but I'd be curious what the installed cost is for my own situation ($100 deductible). ?

 

>>
>>>>He said that the MINI windshields are only about $110 bucks
>>
>>Was that installed? Or $110 for just the windshield? I'd be shocked if that included installation. Not that installation will put it over your $250 deductible - but I'd be curious what the installed cost is for my own situation ($100 deductible). ?


Hmmm...good question. That price came from the dealer and not the service dept. I'm sure it will be less than or as much as my deductable without the rate hike!

 

>>My MINI is on windshield #4

 

Just to clear up what seems to be a trend in this "windshield crack" thread (and other similar threads over time)... In my experience with other cars, it's HIGHLY unlikely that "chips" and impacts from small stones will ever cause windshield cracking. In general, you have to get smacked really hard with something to cause a crack. Further, cracks from impacts will generally start out as "stars" or "bullseyes" which may spread to cracks. Chips -- which are the most frequent results of small stone impacts -- don't spread since they're on the surface of the glass and don't extend down through the layers of the safety glass. I've been driving around with two small chips in my MCS's windshield since my initial trip home from the dealer (small rocks on the way home). I have no cracks resulting from these.

Thus, if you have a windshield crack -- and don't recall getting hit with a large stone or some sort of similarly remarkable impact -- you probably have a stress crack caused by an improperly installed windshield or otherwise defective part.

You also can't break your windshield with your defroster. If that were the case, 90% of the cars in New England would have cracked windshields.

So, don't let anyone snow you...these cracked MINI windshields are (IMHO) related to the "metal spur" issue reported by several posters.

 

In Florida the law is if you have a cracked windshield caused by road debri or anything for that matter your insuance company has to replace it for FREE.

 

Okay, that's ONE thing to like about Florida.











Kidding!

 

>>In Florida the law is if you have a cracked windshield caused by road debri or anything for that matter your insuance company has to replace it for FREE.

Yep, same deal in MA if you have comprehensive coverage (which you do certainly if your car is financed). No deductable. On the other hand, it's unclear as to whether repeated windshield replacements will cause your rates to rise. Seems like just about everything else does.

 

My insurance in PA will cover chips and any damage "smaller than a dollar bill" for free. A whole new windshield will cost ya!

 

Just got back from the MINI Dealer in SF having the windshield replaced at a cost, (to my insurance company) of $1,056.09. That's $281.09 in parts and the rest labor. A rock had hit it and left what looked like a bullit hole the size of a quarter.

Sooo....30 minutes later, I'm home, washing my MINI and..........you guessed it, the new windshield is cracked. Starting at the lower drivers pillar, about 7 inches long. There is a very small nick in the crack about a half inch from the pillar-could a rock hitting the windshield at this point, leaving only a very very small nick have cracked my windshield?

Aaaaahhhhh! :evil: :evil:

 

I just had my windshield replaced by a dealer - $530 total - my cost. The problem was a crack that appeared to have started under the trim on the lower left (driver's) corner. I suspected a stress crack and took it in to the dealer, but was persuaded that it was caused by an impact near the edge of the glass. I gave in at the time, but it sounds like this is actually a common crack pattern that sounds like it could be stress-related.

The aggravating minor build issues issues with this car are reaching critical mass. Especially when it shares the driveway with a Subaru Outback that has gone 8 years and 80k miles without a single problem. :evil:

 

Less than one week after my MCS was out of the shop after being repaired from an accident, a GD stone flew up and gave my windshield a nice little bubble type chip...why is the world so cruel.

 

By this point in the winter, the highway department out here is getting despirate and has started spreading what I believe is small gravel mixed in with the salt. So, as of yesterday after a 200 mile trip to NY, I now have 6 small chips in the windshield in various locations. I will say that the MINI's windshield chips much easier than other cars'. Somewhere I heard that the glass was thinner...and I'll believe this.

But none of my chips (some of which I've had for nearly the full 8500 miles on my car) have spread into cracks. My plan is to wait until the end of the winter and then get the whole windshield replaced. As I've said, it's "free" in MA. Still, I don't look forward to making this an annual procedure...but given how easy this thing chips, I fear this will be the case.

 

I have a tiny ***** from a rock...happened about 3 days after I got the car. No plans to replace it yet, unless it worsens.

Erin

 

As far as "chips" go, I know my insurance company will have these repaired for free by a local glass repair place of my choosing. I had them fix 3 chips in my windshield last month. They came to the house and were finished in less than half and hour - cost me nothing. I think they cover it because they consider it "preventive" - theorizing that it will avoid future cracking and therefore replacement. Might be something worth asking your insurance company about. :smile:

 

Just curious - I was just in an accident (a camry rear ended my 2002 Ford focus). The focus was drivable post-accident but my wife and I were thinking that a similar impact in the Mini would render the vehicle undrivable due to the rear wheel Mini configuration (We thought that the fender would be driven into the wheel after even a slight impact.) Our Focus performed admiarably in the collision. She hit us going about 15-20 mph and there was some QP buckle and the trunck floor was bent but the wheel well maintained it's integrity.

I am curious to know how your Mini dealt with the impact.

I have to say - safety concerns are our #1 consideration in deciding if the Mini is right for us.

Thank you!

 

So I'm out driving my MINI yesterday (Saturday) and I look down to the passenger side and, yep.....a crack just like everyone else. What sucks about this is I just had the MINI down at Motor City MINI for service last Monday. Grrrrr. So, I sure it is a stress crack as there is no point of impact. I printed out one of the posts here, and I will give it to the Service Manager when I check the car in for service. I'm having my Dad drive the MINI down to the dealer, because I can't afford to take any more time off work for this. Is this something that will take a few hours, or should he ask for a loaner?

I sure hope MINI decides to do something about this problem. Make a stronger glass please! I was wondering if anyone has had their windshield replaced by someone other than a MINI dealer. Does anyone know if local glass shops carry the MINI windshield? That could possibly be a stronger glass. My only concern with this is, I saw a 20/20 episode one night where they showed the dangers of not installing a windshield correctly. You are not supposed to touch the glass with your hands when installing it, yet people are always doing it. This causes the adhesive to not settle like it should, and the windshield could pop out in a rollover crash, which could make it easier for you to be thrown from the vehicle. (The windshield is designed to keep you in the car during rollovers)

I also want to chime in with the others who say that their other car's windshield is not cracked, even though it has been hit with a rock. My Buick's has about 7 little knicks, but none of them have spread. Some of them are going on 2 years.

 

I think we are dealing with either very low quality glass or as some have stated, spurs causing stress cracks. I have not seen this in any of my other cars. In fact, here is a story to demonstrate just how tough the glass is in one of those crappy old American-made vehicles.

On the way home, my son fell asleep in his car seat. My wife pulled into the drive and asked me to watch him while she ran inside. As she exited the car, she locked it out of habit. What she didn't realize was that she had left her keys in the car. We also soon discovered that the spare keys were in her pocketbook...which was also locked in the car.

I have my MCS on order, and I sure hope they decide to upgrade the glass before mine is built sometime this summer.

See ya,
JS

 

ok, so this is the last thing i want to be hearing about a car i'm getting. I've had to put 5 winshields in my jeep, for a grand total of about 1000 bucks. I had a freaking bug go through my windshield. Part of what makes jeep windshields so weak is that they are pretty much straight vertical, so nothing gets reflected off. The force of the impact goes right into the glass. I wonder if this could be part of the issue with the MINI's?

 

Here is an update to my Decenber post.

MINI San Francisco referred my car without seeing it to an "area rep" that I was not allowed to talk to. The rep denied that it was a warranty issue. I was told that I could not see the rep myself and that that was that.

I tried to take things a rung up the ladder with customer service but got completely stonewalled. They refused to let me have a conversation with this rep (or even know hios name or when he might be back at the dealership) or get someone, anyone else to offer a second opinion. Since this a ery common and well documented problem, my request for a second opinion seemed reasonable. I was told that the customer service reps word was final, no matter what. They said that they did not care that this is the story I tell people when prospective buyers ask me about the car rather than how much I like the car.

I was flabbergasted to get this shabby treatment from a company that purports to be so user friendly. If anybody has any ideas of how to get past the obviously misnamed custome service department, please let me know.

By the way, SF MINI gave me a quote of $1149 for replacing the windshield (which they acknowledged that they keep in stock because so many have to be replaced). When I asked why it was so expensive, I was told that it was because they had to let the car set for 24 hours. Anybody see the logic in this?

 

This is the worst thing I have ever heard about MINI. It seems to me that we have some very different service departments across the country. I looked back on my windshield, and I don't think my crack (which has gone from 1 inch to about 4 inches from just sitting in my driveway over a week) was caused from stress. I looked very close at it, and have noticed a very VERY small place that appears to be caused from a rock. I don't understand this glass issue, but I'm going to call my insurance agent, and see if I can get a windshield that is not made of OEM glass.

Over $1K to replace a windshield? That is B.S.! I spoke to my Service Manager in Detroit and he said that he likes to have the car sit for at least 5 hours before releasing it. 24 hours is just over cautious.

 

Well ...please add my name to the list of people who have windshield "dings".

Got my 1st one today...
A SUV pulled in front of me....I got hit with a small piece of somthing his tires picked up & thru off ...I see then hear the "crack" on my windshield...and the SUV responsible conveniently exits via an off ramp on a local parkway...

A sad day in mudville

Peace,
D

 

my windshield was cracked by a rock about a month or two ago and no crack appeared until a few days later but then it rapidly grew from less than an inch to 6 inches and freaked the hell out of me.. we had it replaced and my insurance company covered the whole thing.. i didnt have to pay a dime.. that is the way it should be..

 

Got one! A stress crack ( or what has been described here as a stress crack) same place as everyone else- lower edge on the passenger side. I did some hard motoring through the wine country of Santa Barbara County this weekend and I'm sure that had something to do with it.

I'll be taking Carlos to Desert MINI in Las Vegas this week (some work takes me there...really) and I'll let you know what they say about warranty coverage.

Darn! :???: