Rocks on Windshield?
Anyone having window problems? I'm just sick about the two rock dings in my window in the past month. One is moving across the window. I'm having it checked out tomorrow. I'm just wondering if the straighter windshield and closer to the front makes it more susceptible to rocks. Or do I just have rotten luck?
Anne and Smiley
Anne and Smiley
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by toes on -
Well, I got a "bullet hole" a while back. I don't think the windshield is straighter, it is just very large and there is no hood extension to pick up rocks and deflect them first, so maybe the chances of getting hit are a little higher? It is also fairly low to the ground I guess. I read somewhere that a replacement for the windshield cost them 1k? t.
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Permalink Reply by Guy H on -
I'm going to chime in here, but I'm afraid someone isn't going to be happy with my answer. I'm not throwing this out to offend anyone, just to make people aware.
I'm a State Farm Agent in Ohio. In twenty years as an agent, I have noticed that the same people turn in windshield claims repeatedly while other people never have them. I have some people (just two drivers in the household) with an average of one windshield claim a year! I have other families with none. Ever.
I started thinking about that one day, and it occurred to me that it had to have something to do with either WHERE they drive or HOW they drive. Considering that we don't really have any dirt or gravel roads nearby, I'm thinking it has more to do with HOW they drive. Also, I've looked at how the cars are used, and there isn't really a difference (like traveling salesman or farm trucks or something like that).
If you throw a stone into the air as high as it would be thrown by a vehicle, how long would it stay in the air? One second? Two seconds? Three at most?
If you keep that two second interval between you and the car in front, I think you really reduce the chances of windshield damage, not to mention a rear-end collision with someone else.
Obviously, these things CAN happen while passing another vehicle on the highway, but I think that's not as common as someone being a little too close to the next vehicle and catching a rock on the hood or windshield.
Also, I've heard people say that some vehicles (pickup trucks, for instance) are more susceptible to windshield damage because the glass is more vertical. I haven't found that to be the case. In my experience, it appears that windshield damage just follows certain drivers.
Obviously, it can happen to anybody. I'm just saying that I find it interesting that some families turn in a windshield claim every few months while others never have a single chip.
Sorry. I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just stating what I've observed. :-)
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Permalink Reply by Anne on -
Well I must say this is the first time I have received no constructive information from other Smart owners. I am not offended by the response but rather very happy neither of you are my insurance agent. I am grateful I an have open-minded agent with a much better understanding of situations. Now for some facts for the both of you. Besides the two rocks that have hit my windshield I have only had one other rock incident in my 25 years of driving. I have an excellent driving record and fully, probably much better than you, understand the 3 second driving increment. I am also a motorcyclist and always ride with a minimum of a 3-4 second space between vehicles, usually more for safety reasons. Now with an obviously better understanding of physics, a rock propelling from another vehicle will remain in the air for much longer than 3 seconds. I don't know of any situation where a rock is randomly thrown up in the air while riding down the road. So please, if you don't have anything constructive to add to the situation, don't add anything. I am looking for other Smart owners with similar circumstances, or I have I simply had a bad run of luck. And no, to answer that questions, I don't drive on dirt roads.
Anne
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Permalink Reply by Guy H on
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Sorry, Anne. I wish you could sit behind my desk for a few days.
I wasn't trying to accuse. Obviously, there are those people who have an occasional windshield repair and it never happens again.
However, when I see 10-15 windshield repairs in a household in a ten-year period, it just "wonders me."
As someone who hasn't had a lot of windshield claims, doesn't it make you wonder, too? After all, we all pay when another customer has a claim.
(And, I'm pretty sure I couldn't throw a stone in the air and keep it airborne for a full three-count, but I've never had a very good arm.)
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Permalink Reply by mvaldes on
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Anne, you're far from alone. There are many threads on SCOA about this, here's one you might find of interest. But, be warned, it's 11 pages long!
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f4/rant-windshield-replacem...
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Permalink Reply by Anne on
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Thanks! I'll check it out. That's about my average mileage per year. Last year I did an east coast tour. Not the most fun trip I've taken. Northern New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire was nice, but CT, NYC and NJ was a bit challenging. I only have 7 states to go to cover the US.
I did get the windshield repaired today. I surprised the shop when I pulled in, but they had a great time with Smiley. I even got to figure out where the battery was when we drained it with their plug in UV light. The also shocked themselves with how well the repair went. The one ding went about 5 inches into the windshield. They were able to fill it all and do a really great job. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it holds. If I get another good one I may have to get it replaced.
Anne
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Permalink Reply by toes on
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Anne, on top of being completely unhelpful to your question I find these insurance agents' comments rather offensive. They may want to visit me in Colorado some time and check how many cracked windshields are present on our roads. (I am also glad neither of these two gentlemen is my insurance agent :-))
Rocks always hit the windshields and they eventually pit, often times crack. I have not carried windshield replacement in my insurance for years as most standard windshields cost less to replace without the 100 Dollar deductible (plus premium for a year) insurance companies offer (the smart seems to be a different animal, maybe?).
I have driven in Colorado for 10 years and the rate at which I have had rock damage (and the extent) has varied (one new windshield over three years on a Ford Focus, One new windshield over 5 years on our Honda Element - due for another one after this current winter season (year six) is over.
The driving habit argument is ridiculous. My smart windshield was hit by a single rock that must have been kicked up by a truck without mudflaps as I was passing it.
Please keep us posted on what you learn about your windshield repair/replacement.
Thanks, t.
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Permalink Reply by Guy H on
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I guess I should have kept my mouth shut...or my fingers off the keyboard.
I just think it's an interesting tidbit that some individuals have a history of multiple windshield problems and others (like Anne) go for a long time without ever getting a chip. As someone who deals with this every day on the job, it makes me wonder why. In fact, I was thinking about it the day before I posted on this thread. It was already on my mind.
I didn't mean to sound "accusatory" or anything. I know that it's entirely possible for anybody to get a ding in their windshield. In fact, I said that at least twice in my original post.
Toes, I'm sorry, but I still stand by my theory that following too closely will lead to an increased frequency of windshield damage. That only makes sense. Rocks can only stay airborne for so long. However, you might have a point about Colorado being different than other states. Here in Ohio, we tend to see a lot more glass damage in the winter when the road department spreads rock salt on the roads and plows the snow, so it would stand to reason that Colorado would have more problems.
Just thought I would throw out a little encouragement for not following others too closely...not that ANYBODY HERE WOULD EVER DO THAT mind you! :-) But, I'm sure that we all have looked in the rear view mirror and thought, "Could you get off my back bumper, please?" It happens to me almost daily. Of course, I drive like someone's grandma.
And, I'm pretty sure if you met me personally, you might actually like to have me as your agent. I'll bet the same goes for Mike, too. After all, we have a lot more in common (such as our affinity for Smarts) than a difference in opinion about whether following too closely might lead to more glass damage.
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Permalink Reply by Dave Mayall on -
Hi Anne & Smiley
Ive been thru 2 new windshields already, its takes time for them to come in but then its just 1 1/2 start to finish to drive time.
Dave Mayall President
Smart Car of Mass
978-265-6647
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Permalink Reply by Dave Mayall on
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Guy
They are obviously getting their *free* one windshield a year replacement. I have to agree with Anne. I too use the 3-5 second rule and have had 2 broken Smart windshields in 6 months. I travel all kinds of roads but, all are paved, to the best of Massachusetts standards (lol), since our roads are aweful. In my 29 years of driving I have broken 1 windshied and one back window, one from my miss-aim with a 2 x 6 into my pickup bed and one, last week, trying to get the ice off my truck windshield while plowing 2 feet of snow.
I do think its the short nose and the higher profile of the Smart.
Cheers
Dave Mayall President
Smart Car of Mass
978-265-6647
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Permalink Reply by Diana & Gary on -
Has anybody had experience with your windshield being sand blasted? We travel in Kansas, mostly divided highway, and have had to have several windshields replaced due to being pitted with sand from wind gust.
We do try not to replace our windshield each and everytime we get a crack or hole, but at some point it becomes a problem to see thru, especially with a sand pitted windshield, especially at night. I think your experience with the number of times drivers have replaced windshields, probably has more to do with how particular they are about their vehicle appearance. We're not very.
We have State Farm as our insurance and have had for about 30 years, and we always carry that protection. We've probably had 4 windshields replaced in several cars. We Just had a bad experience with Farmers Insurance, when we were run into by a gentleman with that insurance and I have to say we Love our State Farm, they have always done good by us, no comparison when it comes to how they do business.
Guess windsheilds are like everything else, all things in moderation. You have to hit that balance of "That's why I pay for insurance" versus "Is this necessary". Bottom line is we all want to spend as little as possible, the individual, as well as the Business.
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Permalink Reply by vandoren4 on -
I too have to disagree with the insurance agents. I commute quite a bit for work, usually in the neighborhood of 35,000-40,000 miles annually, and almost completely on the highway. I've had my smart since the first of December, and have picked up two dings so far. Its been my experience with the various car's I've driven over the years that the angle of the windshield has a lot to do with whether you pick up damage of not from a rock. I will agree that if you are tailgating an 18 wheeler on the highway, you also have an increased risk, but for normal driving, the lower the angle of the glass, the lower chance of picking up any damage. I had a 94' Honda Civic with the same problem. I was going through 3-4 windshields a year, and when I picked up my Saab 9-3 that had a sporty profile, I never had a problem again.
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