2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Cracked Windshield

bjoseph1bjoseph1 Member Posts: 1
edited July 2014 in Subaru
Less than 2,000 miles on the vehicle and a stone happened to crack the bottom part of the windshield towards the driver side. When I came home from work that day, it had already spread from the along the bottom part of the windshield. When I called the dealership, they quoted me between $530-560 for the new windshield/installation. My deductible on my car insurance is $500 so this is almost a wash for me. Has anyone on here replaced the windshield on their 2010 Legacy for cheaper? Please let me know as this quoted figure seems ridiculous.

Comments

  • gizzer777gizzer777 Member Posts: 335
    edited June 2010
    There are lots of Chinese made windshields for about half of retail (oem) on most cars . The FIT is extremely important, (flexing) and there are companies that actually have the oem glass or can get it (there it is a company here in Reno called Triumph auto glass. They make it a point to get the proper glass IF ASKED...otherwise it's the imported stuff!!!

    A poorly made or poorly constructed windshield (cheap glass) can be a real pain, and the dealers usually send the autos out to 3rd party installers anyway! You also want it installed properly to avoid wind noise all around it.

    The glass usually has its maker's name etched in the lower driver side so you can check! I remember my ole Mini Cooper (the BMW made one) where the body flexed just enough to cause lots of cracks in the 2003-2005 models. Those that used the oem windshield were in good shape as opposed to those that opted for the chinese brands. Major temp changes also are your worst enemy (like a hot windshield in summer...going into a car wash!

    YOU WANT PAIN...MINE HAD THE RAIN SENSOR BUILT INTO THE WINDSHIELD..(I think the dealer wanted over $1100, back in 2005!!!!..Now those were really expensive!!!! My Insurance Company actually covers them, BUT NOT in Nevada (land of Big Rigs, sand, and rock!

    USE GOOGLE TO FIND IT, AND THE INSTALLER.
    It's worth the lookup IMHO!!
    BTW...be prepared for a rotten smell from the "glue" they use, until it cures....nasty odor!

    Good luck with it
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Windshields are typically covered under the comprehensive section of your policy. I know in MA, one can get a $0 deductible on glass so check your policy.

    The OEM is probably etched on the glass. I've had go luck with Safelite replacements for my Honda - they were the Honda OEM at the time. The only difference was that the Honda label wasn't on the windshield.

    As for the dealer - they probably sub that work out and you really won't get a factory windshield. Even if they did it in house, you most likely wouldn't get a factory windshield.
  • gizzer777gizzer777 Member Posts: 335
    edited June 2010
    YEP...I am insured with The Hartford.

    They USUALLY cover the stone thru windshield event (crack....they will try to have it "patched" and filled using the epoxy filler method(good for small chips) .......don't go for it with a crack!!

    Besides, it sounds like you have a pretty good sized crack that is spreading! if your Ins. does cover it in the Comprehensive section of the policy, and should they try the filler approach (Great method for little chips smaller than a quarter......JUST MENTION THAT YOU ARE AFRAID FOR everyone's SAFETY, (as in passengers) and you would like the ENTIRE conversation DOCUMENTED in your file

    SAFETY is the magic word. Magic sword that cuts both ways....they love to document things in their interest, but not when it is in yours!!!! Legit Ins. company's are good about REAL claims, but all of them are looking Really hard at everything these days!

    Even The Hartford will not cover rock /windshield damage in this state, I guess there are just too many instances here, due to all the wind with blowing debris that are quite common here :sick: Beautiful here unless we are having one of our little storms w/ 90 mph winds! (a mini hurricane!!).It is so bad that even a little freeway driving in the wind will actually PIT the windshield from blowing sand etc...Nasty, and I really do not blame them for the exclusion in Nevada!!!

    Alas, folks just wait until the pits become so heavy, that windshield replacement every few years is common!

    There is also EXTRA hard windshield replacements to be had. You guessed it, I have had many cracked and/or pitted windshields during the many years I have lived here. Had a 2005 Honda Element where a class action was won by customers against Honda sor the problem (body flexing, which caused cracks....The Mini Cooper had 3 replacements in the 3 yrs I owned it...Must have been its low height which was just the right height for thrown up rocks....Just considered it, the price for fun!

    I think some of those rocks were larger than the MINI!!!!(LOL)

    I do not want to be a pain, but do make sure that it is replaced with the same OEM glass (as said, that name etched on the lower passenger's side of windshield) My other post said driver's side! Carlex is the name on all the glass, except the windshield, which says FX...(2008 Outback) The glass will have "DOT approved" etched as well!!!!

    Good luck again!
  • rschleicherrschleicher Member Posts: 79
    edited June 2010
    I have a fairly long highway commute, and have needed to have 5 windshields replaced over the past 10-12 years (since I started having the long commute), with 4 different cars. The most recent being my 2010 OB.

    My insurance (State Farm) covers full replacement, with no deductible, sufficient to pay for aftermarket glass (for a crack or chip that is larger than a quarter - they want to repair it if smaller). If the crack or chip is right in your line of sight, they will usually allow replacement for more minor chips.

    Basically my insurance uses a third party administrator for windshield claims, who lets you choose any glass shop from their pretty lengthy approved list. I picked Safelite, as I have had good experience with them.

    The car being so new, I wanted to get OEM "Subaru glass", even if it cost a bit more than the aftermarket. This was fine, as long as I was willing to pay the price difference. But the aftermarket glass was the same price as the OEM glass. My theory is that the car model was so new that the only glass available was from one vendor, either with or without Subaru's name on it. (The OEM glass is from Carlex, and has both Carlex and Subaru names on it.) I think it was about $500 for the glass, plus $100 for installation (at my work parking lot).

    If you have the heating element at the base of the windshield (std. on my Limited - possibly it is part of a "Winter" package for other trim levels), make sure that the glass that is ordered has the heating element. It is a bit hard to tell if your glass has this from the outside - there are two small dots under the windshield wipers. But the new glass will have two electrical contact tabs on the passenger side edge (inside). (To connect these, the trim piece on the inside of the passenger A-piller has to be taken off.)

    Perhaps by now other makers are making aftermarket glass for the 2010 OB, so your experience may be different.

    As an aside, here is the approx. cost of the various windshields I've had replaced over the years, in ascending order of price:

    1. 1991 Mercedes 420SEL - around $350 (just a basic windshield) This was even using the same German glass brand that was original (Sindelit, or something like that...).
    2. 2000 Ford Expedition (twice) - around $450 (more tinting, and fairly large but otherwise nothing special)
    3. 2010 Subaru Outback - around $500 (tinted, plus heating element - OEM glass)
    4. 2000 VW Jetta - around $800 (as with one of the posts above, this car had rain-sensing wipers, and the special film in the windshield makes it very expensive. This might have been OEM glass also, as I don't think many Jettas get bought with the rain-sensing wipers).

    Note that the windshield cost for the above cars is in reverse order of the original price of the car.....
  • gizzer777gizzer777 Member Posts: 335
    A bit off topic along with with a mini rant!!!

    I have the 2008 OB with the heater element on the windshield, and as I mentioned in an earlier post, had a 2005 Mini Cooper that had a the oem rain sensor attached to their windshields. (and guess what...the ECU knew about the rain thing!) Now we have extra significant money and added code for the ECU for them.....Just more to go wrong IMHO.

    I guess I thought the same way about Cruise control when it first came out...gotta have it now! :)

    Both are marvelous ideas (IMHO, I like the heater element concept better than the rain sensor). Think about it, anything like a rain sensor to start the wipers when a few drops of water get on it is just plain wasting $$$. (I bought the MINI used w 6ooo miles on it in 2005) is really lazy...The heater element attached to the class is...well....a safety thing. For $500 bucks on top of the price, My opinion is that they just line someone's pockets with $$$, but $500 extra!!!! WOW.

    Some may argue the same way about the heated seat option...Well it's worth major $$ TO ME to keep my butt warm in the chill of winter, here in the High Sierra!!!! (WINDY and COLD winters)

    Bottom line...we are getting a bit eccentric with all of these kind of add ons...ESPECIALLY IF IT COMES TIME TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD...and like in Nevada, Insurance does not cover it! $500 for a rain sensor add-on! :P
  • gizzer777gizzer777 Member Posts: 335
    The windshield w/ rain sensor was in my 2004 Mini Cooper S. It was over $1100 including the glass shop, then the extra markup the Mini dealer put on the glass shop's labor :mad:

    I think, aside from the name brand, the price was affected by WHERE the car lived! Up until a few months ago, the closest Mini dealer to Reno (my home) was a few hundred miles away in Sacramento Ca!!!!

    Hey, I bought the Mini slightly used (I think maybe 5000 actual miles on the clock!), and I always wondered why any car needed a sensor to tell the wipers it was time to start wiping!! Just look hard enough and a used auto that fit the bill is just out there too (my 2008 OB 2.5 base, but really LOADED hsd just come in on trsde

    Aside from living in the desert (take the sensing windshields for example), I figure I can tell when its time to start the wipers myself!!!!! Kind of like toilet paper...do we need a sensor for that too! :P

    Some things, like heated seats, heated outside mirrors + heated wipers, or an auto dimming rear view mirror can be GREAT OPTIONS....and I really like them! Other things like self parking sensors and auto folding outside mirrors are a waste of $$ (EACH TO THEIR OWN THOUGH) I am certain the rain sensors for the wipers are a complete waste of $$$...

    However, Certain options that fit in the "useless" category (FOR MY TASTE anyway!!!) especially living in the desert and all. We hardly ever see rain!

    They DO NOT plow the side streets or Cul de Sacs, here, so my large snow blower, goes BEYOND the option stage just a few hundred ft into the "boonies" The thing even has a headlight!!! THE REALLY BIG "OPTION....really a SUBBIE standard " IS THE AWD...JUST A SIMPLE MUST HAVE. If the Reno-ites don't grab em, the people from Lake Tahoe come on down for them and "clear out what's left!!!!!

    BTW: for those not familiar with Reno; my house is at the very base, (about 5000 ft above sea level.)....We get some nasty, cold weather here and in the High Sierra mountains in case some thought the AWD + M&S rated tires (could really use snow tires) are useless and expensive in this area. We have plenty of 2 foot snow storms +a few 0ver 5 footers that really get your attention :sick: EVEN WITH THE AWD and aggressive M+S tires (Might pick up a set of real snows too!!!) We can go from the high 40.s in the day to a low of -6 (YEAH MINUS SIX DEG.F!!!!)

    A parting thought on options, (be they rain sensors or not....BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, THERE IS NOT A SUBARU TO BE HAD IN THE ENTIRE AREA!

    EVEN MENTION Subaru OB and a dealer almost chokes up laughing
    Best time to buy an AWD (especially a SUBBIE, is between now, thru mid Sept...Then the selling prices spike up until May (they bring AWD to a really LIST PLUS price level.

    Sorry for the OPTION rant!!!! :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    FWIW, my wife broke two windshields on her Mazda 626 sedan, and one on her 02 Legacy.

    Now she has a Forester, and knock on wood, no cracks.

    I think the fact that's it's higher up helps a lot.
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