As soon as I can add an opinion I will. I am currently on my 3rd OEM glass and they suck the big one ....and yes, that is being VERY polite about it!!!!! For the first one, it was replaced under warranty as stress crack (only a few hundred miles on it). The second was pitted horribly and I was 'negotiating' with MINI to replace it under warranty when it took a small rock (not large enough to cause a chip on any other windshield I have ever owned) and resulted in a chip/crack. My dealer still split the dealer-cost, so it was only about $125. Now, this windshield has pits, one large crack and another large chip . After 20 yrs of driving it is hard to imagine that having to replace 3 windshields in <2 yrs is due to driving habits (which haven't changed in 7 years).

So, Bye Bye MINI!!!! PPG is going on soon and I will be happy to report on that. It is VERY sad that MINI will not admit a problem. We try and teach our kids to take responsibility for their actions....evidently it doesn't apply to big stinking car manufacturers!!

 

Can you let me know the name and location of the place you used? I need mine replaced and it sounds like the people you used know what they are doing. Thanks!

mczinn

 

Here you go, Total Eclipse in San Rafael. Let Tony know "val" sent ya :smile:

http://www.totaleclipse.biz/auto_spa/glass.htm

They really do know their stuff, good window tinter's too

 

Thanks!!!

 

Interesting that you pointed that out. I had mine replaced about a month ago with PPG and noticed a flaw on top of the windshield near the center out of my line of sight. It has a weird "wave" like the windshield is being compressed at that point. I told my installer about it told me that he would replace it if anything happened. So we'll see what happens. So far the windshield is working out fine.

 

My PPG replacement had a wave as well. I was told by my installer this is a PPG thing, not MINI specific. I was told a story about a employee leaving PPG and a water cutting process that was creating these flaws. Since it was out of the line of site, it never realy became a issue.

 

My first PPG replacement was about two hours ago, $210 total (cash - my insurance deductible is $500) in Redwood City, California. I have been driving an MCS '04 with a steadily growing crack almost since day 1 from a small piece of pea gravel... since then have had a number of small dings... hope this one is an improvement.

 

A few months ago I had a FJ (I never heard of it) windshield installed. No pitting, but a rock (in Arizona everything is sharp) hit below the wiper, and I have another crack! Makes me want to apply 10 layers of Invishield along the bottom!

Please clarify: why do the mouldings and not just the clips need replacing?

 

... are you saying every time a windscreen is replaced the moulding new as well?

 

Did it hit on the black border of the windshield? That's when my crack started. All the other chips I had were on the glass part and never grew. Maybe the thickness along the border is thinner, and more prone to cracks?

 

I had mine replaced by a mobile guy. It's labled:

FY
AS1 M848
DOT - 459
FW2305

I have no idea who makes this glass or if it's good. So for I see no piting or chips. Also, it came with the rain sensor lens.

I'm now having a rain sensor issue though and the dealership tells me my module is ok. The guys that installed the windshield are coming over today to check out the lens (and repalce it if needed).

 

my take is sligtly different. The Mini glass seems to be more brittle. It didn't pit as much as my two PPGs have. But the cracks grow like a stoned Oprah's wasteline in an Oreo wearhouse! I'd like to point out that Yucca's reference to "soft and brittle" is somewhat mutually excusive. Because of the (legal
) speeds I drive and how verticle the windshield is, I view them as wear items with a 2-3 year lifetime. The PPG has taken MASSIVE hits that would have done it the Mini glass. But driving at night is getting bad, as the windshield is almost standbalsted.

Matt

 

So your PPG pitted more than OEM glass?

My OEM glass lasted 4 yrs with millions of pits, until a chip on the black border created a 5" crack overnight which grew 1" per day until I had it replaced with PPG.

 

significantly.... The pop, crack, and really long crack is more a symptom of Mini glass. I think there's more stress at the edge of the glass, so the hits right near the glue tend to grow fastest.

Matt

 

I don't have a lot of knowledge here. My mini glass died because a fresh pinecone (all heavy with sap, not the dried out ones), decided to Kamikaze about 40+ feet onto my windshield in the parking lot. I'm pretty sure any car with any brand of windshield would have cracked (unless you've got a up armored Humvee).

 

What the Dr. wrote. The combination of being part of the structure of the body and near the edge makes it vulnerable.

Don't you love it when the vehicle ahead of you suddenly moves onto the cinder strewn shoulder? I really try to keep my distance behind for this reason alone.

 

I also remembered to take the A-pillar caps and all the clips. So we will see how long this one lasts.