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I went with the OEM replacement windshield. The installer (Safelite) purchased the windshield from the local Audi dealer and installed it. It is the identical windshield that was in the car. I haven't had any issues, other than my rear view mirror would pop off when adjusted a certain direction, it needed a tension adjustment to its spring clips which was an easy fix with pliers.
You must tell your insurance company and installer that you want the OEM windshield, otherwise the insurance company will tell the installer to get the generic replacement glass. I cannot tell you that non-OEM glass will be a problem. If your car is leased, the leasing company will expect that only OEM parts are installed to preserve the value of the vehicle.
I think your windshield is going to crack further. You could have the damage repaired (they inject glue into the damage) before it spreads. Your insurance company may pay it with no cost to you. Not knowing your insurance, you need to decide to take care of this now or wait until the crack that is larger than a dollar bill, then it will need to be replaced.
I always get full glass coverage ($0 deductible) so that I don't need to worry about the cost of replacing the windshields. It costs about $15 to $30 a year to have full glass coverage on top of your comprehensive coverage. I typically need a windshield every 3-4 years. And I wouldn't worry about the claim causing premium increase. It wasn't your fault. At fault accidents and tickets increase insurance, not things not of your fault.
Yes. The crack looks bigger in the photo. The sent is deep with some minor spreading. If you look at your car it is right by the dotted section of your window which might be used for defrost?
Originally Posted by SQive
Wow...really??? It's "the size of the top of a bic pen" and it's not in front of the driver.
Is there something in your area that prohibits repairing it? There are a lot of places that will seal that with epoxy...15 minutes and $45 and you're done. I had one done years ago and it never spread. It's less visible as well. I have since gotten other chips and cracks, but that first one never expanded. Just say no to crack, but a little chip like this is easily repairable.
In California you can be cited for operating a vehicle with a defective windshield. A chip this size is an "Officer Discretion" thing, but if it radiates any further, it would probably qualify. As I mentioned in my PM to you & others have pointed out, there's about a 99.9% chance your insurance will pay for a "chip repair" by a reputable auto glass company (they'll even come to your home / office). Call your agent & get a repair appointment before you hit a bump & you end up with a top to bottom honest to goodness crack
Any reason to not do epoxy repair? For example does it impact the "acoustic" glass or does it impact the defrost etc.... My inital thought is to try to protect it from spreading as long as I don't have any negative implication from it impacting the current window. --- I was told some windows might have some electrical inclusion and might impact the defrost of the car?
My insurance doesn't cover the chip repair but I have a $100 deductible for the replacement of the window. They mentioned that they typically the insurance will push for OEM but it won't say Audi but it will be the brand that makes it for Audi etc... I guess they say they will give me an overall cost that they will spend and if I really want audi oem that I may need to pay the difference above what they are willing to pay etc... --- They also said this won't count against the insurance premium.
Originally Posted by Q5 Bob
Good points. I suggest the OP check with a (epoxy) repair shop and check either your policy for coverage or call the insurance carrier to see what's covered. Everything else is speculation that may or may not apply to you.
Any reason to not do epoxy repair? For example does it impact the "acoustic" glass or does it impact the defrost etc.... My inital thought is to try to protect it from spreading as long as I don't have any negative implication from it impacting the current window. --- I was told some windows might have some electrical inclusion and might impact the defrost of the car?
My insurance doesn't cover the chip repair but I have a $100 deductible for the replacement of the window. They mentioned that they typically the insurance will push for OEM but it won't say Audi but it will be the brand that makes it for Audi etc... I guess they say they will give me an overall cost that they will spend and if I really want audi oem that I may need to pay the difference above what they are willing to pay etc... --- They also said this won't count against the insurance premium.
A "repair" may not make it invisible. Sometimes it may still look like you have dust inside the glass. In fact a reputable repair facility, such as Safelite (even though I hate Safelite) will even tell you that in a disclaimer. Also a repair doesn't make the windshield strong again, but merely covers over the flaw. If this is as small as you mentioned(a tip of a bic pen) you may not need to worry as much, but I've looked into the pros and cons of repairs and there are some serious things to worry about. For example, if something was to become airborne and strike the windshield at the exact spot of a repair it could puncture the windshield. Although it doesn't happen often, a repair doesn't bring back the original strength and effectiveness of a solid(non repaired) windhield. If you don't believe me, look it up, there are some serious horror stories out there. Also, some repairs may not completely take, which then still require you then to replace the windshield anyways.
OEM and like OEM are very similar, but not the same. Most insurance companies will provide and cover like OEM(generic). The reason is simple, cost. It's cheaper for them to provide a generic replacement then the exact same thing. In most cases there is no difference, just like pharmaceutical medications. However, in some cases OEM is preferred because it is better, but the choice is up to you. I've had generic, like OEM, windhield replacements and never noticed a difference, but not on my AUDI. However, I would probably go with OEM on my Q if the situation did arise.
I just want to address what your insurance company told you about it affecting your premiums. In most cases they are right. One incident won't cause an increase, but remember they are in the business of making money and not charity. They do this by assessing an individual's risk. Whether that risk is gauged in traffic violations, accidents, or other claims, in the end everything factors in. What they tell the customer and how they calculate that risk are usually different. They will never tell the customer that because you've had to replace a few windshields they have deemed you an individual that costs them more money and your risk to their bottom line has become higher, but that is what their systems(or hidden formulas) do. Everything counts regardless of what they tell you. Whether it's health insurance, life insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance or in this case car insurance, it is all based and assessed on risk to them. Basically, will they loose money. So again, one or two incidents will probably not be an issue, but if your replacing windhields often and filing a claim every time , you will eventually see your premiums increase regardless what their customer service agent tells you. The link to the thread I posted earlier is a good indication that windshields may be cracking more easily in recent years, and pair that with our horrible Californian roads, just makes the possibility of a future replacement that more likely. So be warned. I've already replaced two windhields on another car I have this year alone, but I choose to pay out of pocket. The reason I do this is because we live in a cash strapped state(California), which loves to fine and ticket people and I would prefer to leave the strikes against my insurance for things that I know will be out of my control, but again this is merely my opinion. Everyone is different , but I just feel you should be aware of your options.
Thanks your for your detailed response and experience with repair vs replacing windshields. I came across the thread you posted earlier and found it interesting. I recall reading it before as well when I was in the market for the Q5. It is disappointing to hear that the Audi windshields might be having more issues than in the past but I definitely would also blame it on the "California roads" since a lot of our roads have problems. I live in Santa Cruz, CA and mainly drive between here and Monterey. I'll likely do a trip to SF once a month but due to my "virtual" job and co-working office I don't commute which is nice (although I wouldn't mind driving the Q5 TDI more often! haha...
I did go through San Francisco for the first time last week and wow... The roads suck! I grew up in the city and it was the first major test of crappy roads for the Q5. I did realize that Subaru (which we still own one and sold one for the Q5) = Santa Cruz and San Francisco = Audi and in particular Audi Q5. The street I parked on had 4 Q5's out of the 12 cars. Hilarious.
Back to the cracked window.... I ended up deciding to see if I could get it repaired. The local shop owner said that it was a pretty deep crack and that he could try to repair it but unknown until he did it if it would work or not. He did say that due to fluctuation of weather between hot and cold I could have an issue with it spreading, but maybe not etc... He did say that if I drove it in a car wash today it would spread fast with it being hot and the water being cold.
I decided to go for it and let him try to repair it with the thought that if I need to replace the glass I would do it in the future since it is a small crack.
I'm excited that it appears to have worked. The owner/technician said that it should have no issues beyond the risks of what "B" stated of any repairs etc... I'm pleased especially since it is not in the line of sight, it is upper right corner that the driver or passenger can't see unless we lean forward and look at the upper right corner of the window etc...
Attached are the photos... Shockingly good!
Before Repair
After Repair
Before repair - inside view
After repair - inside view
Originally Posted by - B -
A "repair" may not make it invisible. Sometimes it may still look like you have dust inside the glass. In fact a reputable repair facility, such as Safelite (even though I hate Safelite) will even tell you that in a disclaimer. Also a repair doesn't make the windshield strong again, but merely covers over the flaw. If this is as small as you mentioned(a tip of a bic pen) you may not need to worry as much, but I've looked into the pros and cons of repairs and there are some serious things to worry about. For example, if something was to become airborne and strike the windshield at the exact spot of a repair it could puncture the windshield. Although it doesn't happen often, a repair doesn't bring back the original strength and effectiveness of a solid(non repaired) windhield. If you don't believe me, look it up, there are some serious horror stories out there. Also, some repairs may not completely take, which then still require you then to replace the windshield anyways.
OEM and like OEM are very similar, but not the same. Most insurance companies will provide and cover like OEM(generic). The reason is simple, cost. It's cheaper for them to provide a generic replacement then the exact same thing. In most cases there is no difference, just like pharmaceutical medications. However, in some cases OEM is preferred because it is better, but the choice is up to you. I've had generic, like OEM, windhield replacements and never noticed a difference, but not on my AUDI. However, I would probably go with OEM on my Q if the situation did arise.
I just want to address what your insurance company told you about it affecting your premiums. In most cases they are right. One incident won't cause an increase, but remember they are in the business of making money and not charity. They do this by assessing an individual's risk. Whether that risk is gauged in traffic violations, accidents, or other claims, in the end everything factors in. What they tell the customer and how they calculate that risk are usually different. They will never tell the customer that because you've had to replace a few windshields they have deemed you an individual that costs them more money and your risk to their bottom line has become higher, but that is what they're systems(or hidden formulas) do. Everything counts regardless of what they tell you. Whether it's health insurance, life insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance or in this case car insurance, it is all based and assessed on risk to them. Basically, will they loose money. So again, one or two incidents will probably not be an issue, but if your replacing windhields often and filing a claim every time , you will eventually see your premiums increase regardless what their customer service agent tells you. The link to the thread I posted earlier is a good indication that windshields may be cracking more easily in recent years, and pair that with our horrible Californian roads, just makes the possibility of a future replacement that more likely. So be warned. I've already replaced two windhields on another car I have this year alone, but I choose to pay out of pocket. The reason I do this is because we live in a cash strapped state(California), which loves to fine and ticket people and I would prefer to leave the strikes against my insurance for things that I know will be out of my control, but again this is merely my opinion. Everyone is different , but I just feel you should be aware of your options.
Looks much better. It's only somewhat noticeable, but considering its location, you should probably be fine from getting a ticket. The only thing you may want to watch out for is when we get some cooler temps in the next few months. Especially after using the front defroster because the heating of the glass mixed with the outside cooler temperatures may cause it to worsen over time. However, for the moment your golden.
09-17-2014, 06:43 AM
