I hope I’m welcomed back to seek your outstanding knowledge, experience and advice on auto topics.
I’ve taken some time off to focus on other things and while doing so, a stupid rock launched into my rav4 windshield and left me feeling really frustrated.
Insurance company sent me to safelite for a windshield replacement and they won’t be using OEM glass. If I want OEM, I have to pay out of pocket, an extra $500 on top of my deductible which is $500.
My rav4 doesn’t have a forward camera, neither rain sensor, so I’m not sure if OEM windshield matters much here. My rav4 is the XLE trim. If you know anything about this trim you think I need to know when replacing the windshield, please share.
Yea, I have really bad luck out there on the road. Just 3 days ago a car in front of me its exhaust system fell off and headed towards the Lexus while on the motorway. Luckily, no damage was done despite being hit by it.
Any complaints about the replacement windshield will not be covered by your existing warranty.
Since you don’t have a forward recognition camera or a rain sensor, they can’t cause harm to those. If a water leak from the windshield develops, it will be Safelites responsibility.
There are a greater number of imperfections in aftermarket glass, but unless someone points one out to you, it will go unnoticed.
I’ve had safelite do more than one pc of autoglass for me, whether replacement or repair. No complaints. By the same respect I have a couple of local auto glass places that do just as well. If you want a local place, just look around.
I don’t think your ins company would send you to a unsafe glass replacement company… I have heard nothing but good word of mouth reviews about Safelite Auto Glass (about modern vehicles anyway)…
Been a couple of years but i’ve used Safelite locally, guy comes to you in a van loaded with everything he could possibly need and you’ll have a lifetime warranty on the new windshield as long as you notify them of any defects within 30 days of them appearing. Depends on the quality of your local shop but i’d recommend them to anyone.
We have a few local glass shops that are excellent as well.
Unless you have signed a contract with your insurance company to use their recommended repairer, you can take your car any place you want.
I have never even been offered anything but full glass coverage by an insurance company that I had collision and comp from. Maybe it varries with the state.
Another vote for Safelite, I had a windshield replaced in my garage, insurance said I could use anyone but waived the $50 deductible if I used Safelite. They also patched a chip that was outside the drivers viewing area, quality work for both.
Safelite replaced the windshield on my old Toyota pickup a few years ago. They did the job at my house when I wasn’t home and I have no complaints. I would use them again.
You can count me as another Safelite fan. They did the work in my own driveway, on my schedule, and the guy did a good job. I don’t know whether it was an OEM or an aftermarket windshield, but because that car didn’t have any forward-facing cameras or sensors, I didn’t really care. It looked the same as the original, had no distortion, and there were no leaks afterward, so I was a happy camper.
Here is a pro-tip from my old insurance agent:
Reduce your deductible for comprehensive damage to $100. The increase in premiums is negligible, and because one can never tell when windshield damage might occur, it could actually save you money in the long run.
Several years ago, I chose a very high deductible for collision damage because I haven’t had an accident since 1970, and that very high deductible gives me a pretty good reduction in premiums, so the slight increase in premiums for the low comprehensive deductible isn’t significant.
Safelite did a good job for us. Mrs JT drove her brand new minivan to the outlets and a rock kicked up and broke the windshield - 4 days after we drove it home from the dealer. Safelight would not do it in the driveway since the forward sensors had to be calibrated after the repair, and that was only possible in their shop. That was 5 years ago and we have no problems with the replacement.
If your insurer has a deductible for this replacement, ask Safelite to do it at your home since you have no forward sensors. They might after to waive the deductible if you take it to their shop. If you do that, confirm that they will waive the deductible before starting work and be willing to walk and have the replacement done at home if they refuse once you’re there.
That might not work, depending on the insurance company. When I contacted my ins co regarding the cracked windshield, they confirmed that I would only have to pay $100, and then they rapidly transferred me to Safelite’s phone line. The Safelite rep already had my info on his screen, and all I had to do was to confirm my identity and tell them when and where I wanted to have the work done. The $100 deductible was billed to me as soon as I gave them my credit card info.
call Safelite and see what they charge without going thru insurance. There isn’t anything all that special about your windshield, so I almost wonder if it would be cheaper to not pay the deductible.
I’ve used Safelite, and I’ve used reputable local shops. The local shops have always come in at less that $500 for my work trucks.
and after the repair, call your insurance company and see about getting glass coverage added. A cost of a couple bucks a month could get this done for you at no cost when it happens again.
