VTHokieTL

Well, my bad car karma continues

Anyway, my front windshield has spidered so now I need a new windshield.

Can anyone recommend a good place in the DC area (I live in northern VA) to get a new windshield? If you can give me an estimate of the price, that would be great too. Looking at posts on this site, it looks like it will run me anywhere from about $800 to $1300 (which is a wide range!).

Thanks!
VTHokieTL

JPTL-S

There is Cherrydale or Harmon Autoglass in Arlington. You might also look into Safelite Autoglass. BTW those quotes seem kind of high

Ron A

Don't you have insurance to cover glass breakage?

Could it be a factory defect so you can get it replaced under warranty?

VTHokieTL

Thanks JPTL. I called Harmon and they quoted $550, which is much less than the Acura recommended place that quoted me $1100. Harmon doesn't use original Acura glass, so that's probably the difference. I've seen posts on here saying that original Acura glass has some kind of acoustic dampening in it, while non-Acura glass doesn't, but Harmon says that they glass has it as well...

Ron, I do have insurance, but a $500 deductible on it. And it looks like the glass was chipped from an impact, so I don't think it's a defect.

JPTL-S

Since you mentioned it. A couple of friends and I went out this past summer. Upon returning to our cars, my friend noticed that his window was cracked. A small hail storm had passed earlier in the day but we had thought nothing of it. He brought the car into Pohanka out in Chantilly and asked them if they could replace it under warranty. They said they would look into it but they had to examine his car. After a few hours, they called him back and told him that it looked like there was an impact near the edge of his window but they would replace the winshield for him at no cost. I don't know how big your impact is but you might want to see if another dealership will cover it under warranty.

BTW we have a local meet coming up this Nov 20th, this is the last meet for the season. Hope you can make it: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...1&page=1&pp=25

JPTL-S

^ Edit: windshield not winshield

kevin922

I'm very suprised at this, I bought mine at pohanka and have had nothing but problems with them and their service department.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Harmon Autoglass for sure. I wouldn't use anyone else. And they'll come to you for the same price as if you were to bring your car to them.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Oh and Acura doesn't make glass. So there's no such thing as "Acura glass." PPG makes nearly all the glass for all OEM manufacturers. Harmon Autoglass uses PPG glass. It will have PPG etched in it, not Acura like your original windshield but it is the same thickness and quality.

JPTL-S

I've gone back and forth between Pohanka and Acura. I have never been blown away by either one's service. Much of the time it vibe is that I get from the service advisors is that they really don't give a S#$T about your time or your concerns. But what can you do. I'd rather take it to some place that knows my car inside and out. But (this sounds quite funny after what I just said) there is one service advisor at Pohanka which I have befriended, his name is Jason (evening service advisor), try talking to him he is easy to work with.

SouthernBoy

If your glass was chipped by a stone or such thrown up by another vehicle, your deductible should not apply. At least that is the policy of State Farm.

If, on the other hand, your car struck something and that something came back did the damage, then your deductible does apply.

Check it out.

VTHokieTL

Cool, thanks for the info!

VTHokieTL

Looks like I need to find a new insurance company. When I went with American Express (through Costco) a few years ago, they were half the price of the competition. In that time, I've had an accident (claimed about $5k) and bought my TL. My rates have gone through the roof. Plus they don't have the policy you are talking about, so my standard $500 deductible applies. Oh well...

NLYTN

Correct me if I am wrong but ur car needs a special glass that is somehow tuned to the stereo system ( lack of better words ) . When I replaced my windshield this is what i was told by every glass company that i called ! Ended up paying $400-500 ! Just my .02

SouthernBoy

I know it sounds weird about "how" the object that strikes your car is launched but that's what was explained to me once by my State Farm agent. We were coming back from Virginia Tech after having visited our youngest daughter down there. Traveling up 81 at night, I was in the inside lane slowly approaching a flatbed semi 18-wheeler. Suddenly, I just barely caught a quick glimpse of a fairly large object as it struck the right rear quarter panel of my wife's 1991 Honda. It was a shed tire tread.

When I told my agent about it, the first thing he asked was if our car had hit it laying in the street or if it was airborne when it hit the car. I told him it was airborne and he said good.. that means we don't need to pay the deductible.

It seems that if you hit something in the road, you could most likely have avoided it. But if it is in the air due to having been shed or thrown by another vehicle, ten it's pretty much unavoidable.

JPTL-S

Very interesting, thanks for the info

1995hoo

Cherrydale is good; I think they changed their name, though. They have a location on US-29 just west of the post office at Merrifield.

Most glass places will come to you and do the work on the spot. I suggest you call your insurance carrier even if you don't want to make a claim. Just tell them that your windshield got damaged and that you do not intend to make a claim, but that you would like their recommendations for glass replacement. They should be able to give you names and phone numbers.