Windshield replacement
 

This morning on the NJ TUrnpike, I heard a thunderous crack in my car. Sounded like a gunshot. Sure enough, a rock came hurtling towards my windshield.

I never saw the rock since it was going at a high velocity. I only heard the thunder-clap and the saw the aftermath: a 2-inch diameter circular "snowflake" crack on the right side of my windshield.:yikes:

But I guess this kind of stuff happens when you're surrounded by trucks and semis on your daily commute. Interestingly, GEICO said it's only a $100 deductible for a full windshield replacement. And what's more, Safe-Lite Auto Glass (the company GEICO contracts with) has a mobile windshield replacement service that comes to your place of work. You leave the car parked, get out of work and....VOILA! New windshield!
The nice GEICO chickie re-assured me that she would have them order the correct windshield for the X5: rain sensor and everything. And no insurance adjuster is necessary for a windshield claim.:thumbup:

Has anyone else had experience with Safe-Lite Auto Glass? I'm thinking that going through a BMW dealership is pointless in this case, since the windshield work would still be sub-contracted to a dedicated auto glass company??

Supposedly there's a lifetime warranty. If they do anything wrong, just call GEICO again and they'll have Safe-Lite make sure to come out and do it right.

Who else has had their windshield replaced? And where? Am I good to go with GEICO's plan?

Maybe Mr. Fat-Scruffy-Guy and his Fat American SUV found you. :stickpoke

My only suggestion would be to get an OEM windshield. Several here - including myself - are not happy with the non-OEM replacement.

LOL!!! After 3 12 packs of schlitz and a Bolognia Sandwich he hunted you down!! LOL!

Stan....Safe Lite is good....I have used the 3 times in the past .....say 10 years........Once on the X......the others were on my 2000 Rover....

Im a nut though if I have a chip....I get a new one....LOL!

RR:thumbup:

sorta off topic here...but is windshield replacement automatically included in all insurance policies? or I have to ask for that to be included at an extra charge? I have Mercury...does anyone know?

depends on insurance carrier. as for Mercury. no. you will have to claim thru collision or comprehensive coverage. they used to reimburse for windshield repair but about 2 years back they stopped doing that.

It's good that Geico only asks $100 deductible on windshield. Similar thing happened to me a couple months ago. I was insured by Geico before but changed to 21st century last year. Hope I still had Geico.

No need to go thru dealer. Some dealers even call other companies to do this job. I used SafeLite. Ask them to use OEM windshield. It has to be approved by insurance company. When I requested mine, 21st century didn't give me any problem. SafeLite should be able to do all this for you. Just remember to request for OEM parts. Insurance company will pay for aftermarket one if you don't request. In fact, the guy who did mine told me they also prefer using OEM one on Mercedes and BMW. I was told it's because they will have to modify something related to wire or rain sensor if aftermarket parts is used. Just make installation time longer.

Carefully inspect the job once it's done. They have to sort of pry the old windshield out and might cause some scratch. Maybe a good idea to talk to the installer before he's working on the car and let him know that you expect no damage during the process.

Yep, that fat bastard must've thrown a rock off an overpass!;)
He's distressed that Ford, GM,and Chrysler are all about to go belly up!

As far as the OEM windshield, I had an interesting discussion with the GEICO girl on the phone. She said that while our new windshields all have a "BMW" logo on them, BMW does not make them. They go to another company in the States for the manufacturing. And she's pretty sure it's the same company that makes the replacement windshields for the X5, except they don't have the BMW logo on it. Apparently there are only 2 or 3 companies in the whole country that are authorized to manufacture windshields.

Why are you not happy with the replacement?

Nice! So the one you have on your X right now was done by Safe Lite? Does it have the BMW logo? GEICO girl says that's only on the brand new ones rolling off the lot. But that the same company makes the replacement ones. Don't know how true that is....

I called the dealer when I heard about all the warranty, sensor, and wavy glass problems people were having.

Since I was paying out of my pocket (glass was cracked when I purchased the vehicle), I wanted cheap, but also good. A rare combination.

Anyway, my SA called in his glass man and they replaced mine with BMW glass for ~$580.

Had I cheated my insurance company, it would have been free ($0 deductible).

I have heard that the BMW glass is thicker and of better quality. For $100, I'd go for that.

Wavey glass on the passenger's side.