Topic: Cracked windshield

[Cobra951]

Son of a bitch.  I can't buy a break.  I take the car out on the highway for the first time in months today, and it takes a supersonic pebble on the passenger side.  I got a small crack with a star pattern sure to spread.  I heard that these can now be patched with some sort of injection.  Does anyone have any info or experience with such a repair?  If I can get away without replacing the whole windshield, even if it isn't perfect, then that's what I'm going to do.

[idolminds]

Linky

(I have no experience with this, but this is what I found. I also found mixed reports on using superglue and stuff, but that seems rather...not permanent)

[scottws]

Yeah they inject some sort of silicone epoxy or something.  It really does a good job of filling and hiding the damage, as well as prevents it from spidering even more (which it will do - badly - if you don't get it fixed).

It's pretty cheap.  I know of a place on the West Side that does it.  It happened to Jennie and insurance covered the whole thing so it was even cheaper.

[Quemaqua]

It's funny, I was just talking about this with Julia today.  Apparently she was on the road with a friend today and they got a crack in the windshield, and I'd never heard of this, but apparently it works pretty well and this is what our friend plans to do.

[Cobra951]

The consensus is encouraging.  I guess the next step is to find out who does this and how much it costs.  I don't even want to drive the car except to get this fixed.  Thanks.

[scottws]

The place in Bridgetown is called Ryan's All Glass.  Even if you don't want to come over here, I'm sure you could at least call and get a rough estimate.

From other descriptions, I think you live in the Finneytown or Greenhills area.  Isn't there a place called Mel's Auto Glass around Mosteller?  I know they do full windshields, not sure if they do minor repairs.

[Cobra951]

I'll have to check.  Thanks.  It's all new to me.  I'll keep you posted.

Edit:  Have you heard of Jarrotts Auto Glass Repair or Safelite Auto Glass?

[scottws]

I've heard of the latter, but I can't say I know anything about either.  I think some dealerships can do this repair as well, but maybe they farm it out... not sure.  But if you have a dealer you like to go to you can check that out too.

[Cobra951]

My brother recommended Guardian Auto Glass.  I went ahead and scheduled a repair for tomorrow at the Sharonville location.  $60 plus tax.

I'm thinking of putting a piece of transparent packing tape over the crack tomorrow before I drive it over.  Would this help?  I swear the crack pattern got bigger between the time it happened and when I got home.  They're saying the size of a quarter can be fixed, and I'd hate to start out from here with a repairable crack, and get there FUBAR'd.  I do have to drive about 9 miles.  I think I'll stay off the interstates, but I can't do much about rough roads.

[Ghandi]

I've had a crack in my windshield the size of a dime for the past year and it hasn't spread at all. Which is remarkable considering that I live in a cold environment where it freezes constantly.

Just wanted to throw out the alternative option of doing nothing and praying for the best.

[Cobra951]

If it's a cone-shaped chip, it usually won't spread.  But if it has a star pattern of tendrils, some of those will spread in a hurry.  Praying for the best may be a short-term feel-good option, but I don't think it will work through the Fall.

[scottws]

Yeah, we had a little tiny spider chip on a work truck at the ice company.  I hit it with my fist on the inside of the windshield just to see if it would expand any.  I didn't hit it hard, but it was a good single tap.  It instantly spread from a little thing the size of a nickel or smaller to a huge crack going all the way to the A pillars on both sides.  I wouldn't mess with these things.  $60 repair or buy a new windshield?  Hmmm...  Seems like a no-brainer to me.

I have no idea if packing tape would help or not, but I'm leaning towards not.  I would think I-275 would be alright.  Didn't they just lay some new asphalt down recently in the Eastbound direction?  Or you might take Ronald Reagan I guess.  Should be pretty smooth either way.  It won't do you any good to stay off the highway if the roads you take are bumpier.

[Cobra951]

OK, for what it's worth, it's done.  They suction-cup this plate with a hole on top of it, then syringe-inject the goop in there, put a piece of tape on it and let it cure a while.  It took about a half hour.  The result is that the crack is almost impossible to see unless the sun hits it just right so that it reflects from the inside to your eyes.  So it's not magic.  It is guaranteed, and they'll take the $60 off a windshield replacement if it fails.

It did not spread at all on the way there.  I did take it easy, but some shitty roads around here are hard to avoid.  I think I'm set, even if it isn't completely as it was.  Replacing a windshield has its own set of risks.  They are often more weakly affixed to the car, and windshields are structural components in modern cars.  I'm good, but still pissed it happened after so many years without that kind of hassle.

Thanks all.

Edit:  Oh, that's interesting.  I can't green-flag more than one post.  Only the last one stays green.  I guess it's just as well, since that fluorescent green all over the page might burn your retinas.

[scottws]

You're supposed to flag the post that answered your question.

[Cobra951]

Yeah, that's just it.  I got several good answers from several of you.  You gave me the most direct and detailed answers, so . . .

. . . there.  Fixed.

[Ghandi]

So I get in my car today and the little crack that has been there for years decides to spread last night. It's about halfway across the windshield on each side, making a long line. Son of a bitch.

I think this thread jinxed me.

[Cobra951]

Sorry to hear that.  I've seen some ads that claim long cracks can be fixed, but I think at this point you're better off replacing it.