Morning, all. I need to get my windshield replaced. 18 months of New England road gunk has given me a windshield that looks like the surface of the moon. No stress cracks, however, so I can't get this one done under warranty. I'm insured through State Farm and Lynx, who handles their glass claims, says MoP doesn't participate in that program and won't work with them to set a competitive price for replacement. I haven't talked to MoP myself (Lynx did) but I think I'm just going to go with a local service. Does anyone have any experience with either Safelite, Triumph Auto Glass, or Glass America? The latter two sell PPG windshields and since I've heard such good things about PPG from Jock and a few others here, I thought maybe I'd give that a whirl. I'd love a recommendation on an installer, however.

Thanks,
B

Giant and J N Phillips did a couple of mine, both national chains who will come to where ever your car is .My PPG has outlasted the previous 7 OEM COMBINED !

In one of last January's more challenging commutes, my windshield was visited upon by a 4" wide truck-launched flying projectile. I just used the SafeLite website to request service and the installer came out the very next day. You can also go to their shop in Hooksett. Cost was $248. Install was flawless and no problems to date. Its so much nicer to see again!

On the downside some say the quality is not as good with SafeLite as the PPG.

P.S. About 500 years ago I had Triumph Auto Glass replace the windshield on our Toyota Previa (another vehicle with an oversized-for-the-vehicle-larger-than-life-windshield). I never did like that install.

Well. That narrows things down. Hmph. ;) I'm tempted to go with the Triumph guys, since they do PPG, which sounds like a good thing. And they're on Amherst in Nashua, so I could theoretically go back and harass them if I wasn't happy with the work... Are the plastic covers on the A-pillars problematic? Seems that I've heard some folks end up getting them replaced when the MINI dealership does the windshield, because they tend to break.

My installer had no problems with the A-pillar covers.

Does Portland Glass on Amherst Street carry PPGs? They did a great job on a BMW for me about 6-7 years ago.

I'm not sure, Dave, but I don't think so. Not sure if State Farm works with 'em, either. I'll give them a call.

Portland Glass did our PPG and it's lasted for 2 winters. An amazing feat around here. No problem with the A-pillers except 2 corner molding covers loosened this year.

Of the 8 windshields I have put on my MINI MoP did 3. Ace auto and plate glass have done the other 5. They both did a great job.I always have the corner mouldings replaced when I do the glass,insurance will pay for them..I highly recommend Ace glass,they have been doing the glass in all of our Mass.dealerships for over 20 years..

I'm sure my PPG windshield was a fluke, but it sucked royally.

The day after it was installed, the first rock that hit it (nothing special) caused a massive star crack.

That was filled... then, about a month later, I washed the car, went inside to put the hose and bucket away, and came outside to a top to bottom crack in the windshield. It wasn't through the repaired crack, but through a different, tiny stone chip.

That windshield was replaced with... ummm... something other than PPG. I forget the company's name, and the car is in CT. It was something British sounding.

I forget the total windshield replacement count on the brown MINI, but it is at least 6. It wasn't until the last one that an A-pillar cover cracked.

So, not all PPG windshields are perfect (or even good).

We paid Portland Glass an additional $20 last time for a 1-year replacement warranty. Covers cracks and chips.

Cracks and chips *anywhere*, or just in the driver's line of sight?

Warranty | Portland Glass | Windshield Repair, Auto Glass, Glass Repair in Maine, New England, Vermont, New Hampshire (http://portlandglass.com/auto_glass/warranty.aspx)

Check the G-12 warranty at the bottom of the page.

Of course they don't say anywhere that they charge for it.

One day you will all learn that both PPG and SecurIt vary widely with each batch.
I for one am glad they need to be replaced often, each time it's like a new pair of glasses when you no longer need to see the millions of tiny chip constellations when driving into the sun.

I'm definitely looking forward to losing the sandblasted look. After 18 months and 38,000 miles in Indiana with my old MINI, I finally had to replace the windshield under warranty due to a stress crack. The day the odometer hit 3,000 on the new MINI I got a stone chip on the passenger side. That old windshield was still in very good shape, but this one was ready for replacement a year ago! Damn New England roads. :(

I have a tiny chip almost in the middle of my windshield. I'm waiting for the cracks to get bigger because my insurance won't pay for a new one until the cracks are at least one inch long. Probably this summer or next fall!

I've had my recent windshields done by Julian @ Sublime (http://www.sublimerestorations.com/) - he echoes the comment about PPG variability, but the PPG in GPMINI has held up well so far :)

That's interesting about the variable PPG windshields. Sarah and I introduced ourselves to Julian a couple of weeks ago (when we drove the Clubman (http://www.flickr.com/photos/blalor/2362310715/)). That's *really* far for just a non-warranty windshield replacement and no other service, but I bet he'd do a top-notch job. I wish MoP worked with State Farm. I think I'm going to have to talk to Chris about that ,just to make sure. I swear my car came back with more issues than it went in with, so it's going to get to spend some time with them when we go to Florida in a couple of weeks.

I don't think MoP have *ever* worked with insurance for windshields ... they leave the customer to do the billing. I had no problem sending an invoice to my insurance broker and getting a refund.
Julian has told me that insurance companies try to force the price - which surely MoP won't like, and I bet they don't pay as quick as a customer, either!

Of course, none of that is necessarily a good excuse for putting more work on the customers shoulder ...

Every time my windshield needs replacing I just call Mark at MoB and he arranges for the installer to go there on a date. It gives me a break to sit in the waiting room and drink the free coffee and get a free apple, too.

I don't think MoP have *ever* worked with insurance for windshields ... they leave the customer to do the billing. I had no problem sending an invoice to my insurance broker and getting a refund.
Julian has told me that insurance companies try to force the price - which surely MoP won't like, and I bet they don't pay as quick as a customer, either!

Of course, none of that is necessarily a good excuse for putting more work on the customers shoulder ...

There's a lot of legwork for me to do if I don't use one of Lynx's approved installers, I think. Something about three competitive quotes. Maybe they get them. I forget. If MoP wants $700 for a new windshield, it's a moot point (for some reason that number sticks in my head). I'm waiting on a call back from Chris and I'll run it by him.

I'm not *really* giving this whole thing that much thought; I just haven't had time at work to follow up with anyone. :)

After having my MINI 21 months, I just got a 1/2 inch crack in the line of sight on my windshield. It is pitting to all heck after driving to and fro from Belmont-Plymouth. :( I am debating doing PPG. Does anyone know what the protocol is for a MINI with auto-sensing wipers? I'm sure that is even more hassle.

21 months? - My first didn't last 21 minutes! Since I love having the MINI logo on my windscreen I replaced it with factory glass a couple more times, then they came out with newer, slightly thicker glass that MoP installed. It's been a while now and I want it to break because it's pitted...
Each time I called about getting it replaced the very first question was "Do you have auto sensing windshield wipers?" so it sounds like you will have more problems and less choice. Good luck!

The "new thicker MINI glass" rumour was only a rumour :(

Rain sensing glass officially can only be the OEM part, no aftermarket makes it.

Julian @ Sublime has (rarely) transferred the sensor to a non-OEM glass, but the tinted glass pattern is of course missing, so you see all the sensor "insides"!

The "new thicker MINI glass" rumour was only a rumour :(

Wow - the power of rumor has made it last a long time. The mojo is now broken so I'm sure the windshield will do the same:D

Thanks a lot Brian... I've been looking at this thread for the past couple of weeks, quite smug that my '03 windscreen ( aside from the wonderful pitting ) has been ding and crack free until this morning on I-91 , some sort of high speed projectile left a good-sized ding with about a half inch crack to each side... of course it's at eye- level , drivers side.

Thanks a lot Jeff -
I was supposed to get the cracked windshield, but no... The mojo was broken and I have the return of the infamous airbag light - Thing has been fine for almost 8 months!
MoP told me that there was a rev.4 version of the harness (revs 1,2,3 didn't work) - Hope that's true!

... of course it's at eye- level , drivers side.
You never knew that is a rule?

Finally went with Glass America and had them do a new PPG 'shield last Tuesday. The first thing I noticed was that the weatherstripping at the top of the windshield doesn't even come close to matching the factory one. I called them today (we left town on Wednesday for a couple of days) and they're dispatching someone tomorrow to set it straight. Shouldn't have to do that, but I'm learning that every repair has to be done at least twice, so I guess I should get used to it.

Had a little chat with Paul at MoP on Sunday about the high price of their windshield replacement. I was quoted about $256 for the replacement from GA, but I only paid $100 with my deductible. MoP charges at least $420, depending on how many pieces get broken and whether or not you have rain-sensing wipers. That's a pretty hefty difference to have to swallow. Provided GA fixes it right tomorrow, it'll have been worth it...

I washed the windshield this morning and put on a new set of über-expensive PIAA silicone wipers and noticed that there's a very pronounced difference in the curvature of the glass between the stock one and the new one. The new one feels much thicker in the middle and thins out as you get closer to the edge of the window at the top and bottom. I wonder how well it'll stand up to the constant sandblasting around here, tho.

So, I'm currently sitting in MoP's waiting room while they install a new windshield. Glass America replaced the molding with the "correct" one, but did a pretty lousy job, as it was all wavy and crooked. I could have lived with that, I suppose, but then it started leaking when we drove down here for the poker rally on Sunday. Joe helped me tape it up a bit so that water was no longer dripping from the mirror. I took it back to GA and their supposed fix was to pull down on the headliner and smear some more urethane schmutz on the inside of the glass to fix the leak, creasing the headliner. I kind of lost it then and got them to agree to pay to have MoP put things right, including a new headliner if need be. Lynx is backing me up on this, too, fortunately, through their warranty department. Chris just came up and told me that the windshield is still leaking and that they can't save the glass. So, I'm on to my 2nd windshield in three weeks. Whatever. I'm just here to make sure it gets done right, this time.