Trouble locating replacement windshield

[jlhiowa]

Hello

Our 2012 i-MiEV windshield has a long, wavy crack Not sure how it happened, it was that way after work. https://goo.gl/photos/pKyA5HENE66vh1fj9

We moved to a somewhat rural/remote area in the Pacific Northwest (Eureka, CA) and the closest Mitsubishi dealership is 3+ hours away, but would take much longer towing Mievy on the windy roads.

We contacted a local glass repair shop, but they have contacted 4 different Mitsubishi dealerships and none of them are willing to ship the windshield. The repair shop said they've never had a dealer refuse shipment, let alone 4 dealerships.

The repair shop could not find any aftermarket windshields either. I did a bit of googling and checked ebay, but no luck.

* Does anyone know of an internet company we could order a replacement windshield from?

* Or would it be possible to buy the windshield from a dealership and transport it back in our other car?


Thank you for your help!

 

[phb10186]

Standard insurance in the UK covers the front windshield as a non-recorded claim, normally with a small excess of about $75... meaning that it does not effect your policy at all. This is to make a provision for the front screen only. The idea being that having a good front windshield delivers a greater benefit for the rest of humanity than it does only to you.

Does the US insurance system worK like that? I'm not surprised it could be main dealer only.

 

[JoeS]

* Or would it be possible to buy the windshield from a dealership and transport it back in our other car?

jlhiowa, that's what I would do in order to expedite this. Sorry, don't know how to find out who has a windshield, but if you do go to pick it up first find out if it's in a crate and what are its dimensions as that sucker is quite large.

Do you have Comprehesive coverage? I would talk to your insurance company to see what they would cover and if you are covered then perhaps they can help expedite the repair.

There's a dealership in Florida that ships all sorts of stuff all over the country - I think RC Hill Mitsubishi.

I've had two i-MiEV windshields replaced - in one case they came out the next day and replaced it at my house, and in the second I drove about ten miles to the car glass replacement shop (Safelite AutoGlass who work directly with my insurer, Allstate), also the following day. Dunno where they got the windshields from.

In the first case they also had a new rubber U-channel which goes around the edge of the glass, but in the second they forgot to order it but I told them to go ahead and re-use the old one. No problem.

In each case it cost me the $100 deductible. Hmm, I just looked it up, my Comprehensive premium is $25.29 on one i-MiEV and $54.60 for the other. [Edit: that's a biannual payment]. Go figure. Although I no longer carry Collision on any cars except the Tesla, I do have Comprehensive coverage primarily to pay for such glass breakage.

Good luck and if you still hit a brick wall let me know and I can poke around here in the Bay Area and talk with both the Mitsu dealer as well as the glass shop... hmmm, if the windshield fits in a Tesla MS I could pick one up for you and swing by Eureka on my way up to Medford next week.

 

[jray3]

Interesting. I've had my windshield replaced twice at the local Safelite and it arrived within 24 hrs both times. (Seattle metro area)

My windshield is cracked again so I got a Safelite quote for $479 a month ago and they lowered the price $40 a week later, $50 off after that. A new quote just now on a different identity came in the same at retail $479, instant $50 off for online ordering....

Luckily, the crack ain't bad. I'll wait for the next rock, which is inevitable but will probably take its sweet time now.

 

[Don]

We contacted a local glass repair shop, but they have contacted 4 different Mitsubishi dealerships and none of them are willing to ship the windshield. The repair shop said they've never had a dealer refuse shipment, let alone 4 dealerships.

I would contact a better, more capable glass shop - One who doesn't need to order glass from dealerships - Even if it meant driving to another town

I've been dealing with the same glass shop for nearly 40 years and it would be almost unthinkable for them to say that they cannot get a glass for any car. If you think getting a windshield is difficult, getting the rear glass for older cars which were sold in small quantities is 10X as difficult. Windshields get broken every day and if you're dealing with a glass shop which can't get a windshield, IMO it's time to seek another shop

Don

 

[jlhiowa]

Thanks for the information everyone

We have comprehensive auto insurance through Metro Mile (MM).

@JoeS - Wow, thanks for the offer to transport the windshield. Based on other comments about the windshield being in a crate, I don't know that it will fit in a Tesla? Also, not sure what MM will think of that. I'll PM you

The local auto glass shop, S&H, has been recommended by everyone we've talked to, and was also suggested by Metro Mile insurance. Since the 'metro' population here is about 40,000, I think there just aren't as many options. I was supposed to get a callback, this afternoon but didn't, so I'll check in with auto shop tomorrow. If the shop hasn't made progress, I'll ask MM what other options there are.

We miss driving Mievy!

 

[JoeS]

Good that you have comprehensive, so just let the insurance company duke it out with the glass installers and Mitsubishi if needbe. In my case, it was the insurance company who recommended the glass installer and I had no reason not to take them up on it.

...We miss driving Mievy!

Looking at your photo, I wouldn't have any qualms about driving with that windshield crack until such time as the shop is ready to install your new windshield..., but, then, that's just my uninformed opinion. :roll:

 

[jlhiowa]

Windshield replacement shop finally located a replacement window that will ship to our remote area

They are ordering it and then will call us back to set up an appointment in a few weeks. No mention of pricing.

 

[JoeS]

Glad to hear it's coming along. Pricing should be identified on your insurance policy as the deductible amount. For example, mine is $100.