Windshield Replacement

I've got a hair-linfe fracture running the length of my windshield horizontally and its pissing me off :banghead: lol. Has anyone been able to replace their windshield using a "used" windshield from a scrap yard? I imagine a brand new one with installation is going to push me around $300.

ya its not hard. the important part is cleaning the metal window frame, so that the sealer bonds the glass to car and Doesnt leak. And use the correct sealer for autos, parts stores hav it in small tubes and biger tubes that fit a chalking gun.

One tip, if its cold where you are, take the car into a garage to warm up some before aplying the sealer. If its to col d it might not bond and it'll leak, and leaks suck! Good Luck

The biggest problem you may have is getting the old winshield out of the junkyard car unless they have done it for you. If you get a used glass like Xero says make sure it is clean, especially where the old sealant was. You are going to have to get it all off do not assume that it is clean enough, even a slight bit of old sealant can come back to bite you in the butt later in the form of a leak. Just make sure to take the time to clean both the glass and the car inset you will be better off and run less chance of developing a leak later.

If the scrap yard window is still in place I would see if the car can be put in a warm area (If you are in a cool/cold climate) let the sealer get warm and remove the trim, if you do not have windshield tools you may be able to use a piece of heavy cord, find a way to work it between the glass and the car frame through the sealer and have someone help you work it back and fourth as you move it through the sealer and the carefully push out the glass as you go so the sealer does not re-adhear as you go.
Good luck.

P.S. Check your auto ins. Most have windshield replacement with a small deductable. It may be worth the phone call. That way you don't have to mess with anything, hell if you do have the coverage most places have mobil units that come to you and do the replacement.

P.S. Check your auto ins. Most have windshield replacement with a small deductable. It may be worth the phone call. That way you don't have to mess with anything, hell if you do have the coverage most places have mobil units that come to you and do the replacement.

I agree with Hoags here. Check your insurance first. Same thing happened to my moms 04 Sunfire. She took it in for an estimate and they quoted $270, which is not cool. She called insurance and they took care of it for like 150 bucks or something which isnt bad compared to 270. Good Luck to you. Later.

Bobby

The best thing I hav used to remove the windsheild is an E string from a guitar or piano wire. The strings hav a wound surface that acts like a saw.

But as they said above, check you insurance. I hav State Farm, and I hav free glass replacment , didnt even know it till a Semi fliped a rock up and chiped my windsheild.

The thing about having the ins. coverage if you have it, the windshield is installed by professionals and they guarentee no leaks.

I had to eat the cost of my windshield, cost me $180 and they came out to the car. Most places will quote high prices because they are including the side trim pieces in the quote, they are expensive and as far as I know dealer only.

I called my insurance agent a while back, he said the only thing they could do is put it under my comprehensive and since I have a $250 deductable they probably wouldn't even cover it. Sounds like b.s. to me. I'm going to check into it a little more, might call their headquarters, now that I know ins. companys do stuff like you've all stated.

I checked into my ins, they would replace my windshield if an "outside force" acted apon the glass. Nothing that I know of hit the glass, got up one morning to find a huge hair line facture. No impacts, just showed up. We had a big, sudden. sing in temperatures and humidity that night, It may have had a weak spot in it. So yeah, looks like I still get to install a new ws :(.

Ya you should hav told them you were behind a dump truck and it fliped a rock up and cracked it. And of course you didnt see the plate # because it was coverd in mud. ;) Thats not fraud! :lol:

yeah, next time, lol.

yeah, next time, lol.
It just sucks when it actually happens to you and the buggers don't believe you! I guess these insurance people I chatted with had heard the same "story" all week that week...I had to actually show them a rock chip the "dump truck in question" spat out on my windshield.


Yee-Haw!

I've found most times it isn't worth my time to deal with used windshields, call around to all the differnt shops in the area and get quotes for buying the new glass and sealer from them, then do the work yourself. I found if they say they will do the windshield for $280, the glass is like 1/2 that $140 and the rest is labor & sealer, and yes the prices you get will vary alot, there must be alot of price markup in the glass industry.

I guess it might be worth buying a new windshield. It'll hav a nice clear veiw. It is easy to crack them when trying to salvage a used one, and it'll be old and scratched. Hell thats worth $250 to hav a new one put in and No Leaks! Either way Good Luck!