Beetle windshields crack easy....

[Darkstar]

I went to have my cracked windshield replaced today, and based on other people's recommendations I didn't go with OEM glass.
Well on the way home I was making sure that I didn't follow anyone too closely to get any more rock chips, and what do you know...a small rock tossed from a car driving in the lane ahead of me on the right put a small bullseye chip right in the center of my new windshield. When I heard the sharp and loud "tchink" off the glass, I knew it wasn't good. I took a long deep breath, and tried not to curse too much ("Try" is the key word).

I went to kragen to buy the DIY repair kit, and I'll let you all know how it works.

[Smileybug]

My windshield was cracked before I got it and they replaced it at the dealer. That was over 2 years ago. I've had rocks hit my windshield so many times and it was only about 5 months ago that I got a chip in it for the first time. I was surprised actually. That was the one time I didn't hear something hit it. With the amount of highway driving I do and the driving I did on highways under construction, I was impressed with how well its held up. And the crack is little and in the middle of the windshield closer to the top so its not obstructing my view. And it hasn't grown at all. So not too bad. G

ood luck with fixing yours!

[digitalputty]

Our windshields have a TON of surface area and they are rather ... up right. Like a freaking wall.

Mine is cracked bad. Has been for two years. Goes from the bottom right (passenger side) alllll the way to the driver side and then it makes a sharp turn to crack upwards. Weird thing though, I don't remember a rock hitting the windshield in that spot. One cold day I pulled out of the garage (when I had the rare opportunity to park there) turned the defrost on and I watched it crack all the way to my driver side. HAHA! It was kinda cool watching it but boy I was angry.

[who_me285]

I got mine from the dealership in dec...and I am sure it was new, it was in a pretty bad wreck before I had it. And about two months later I was traveling down a little rural road and a passing car threw a rock at me about the size of a pea and gave me a little sliver right where I look out! Fortunatly it is really only noticeable when the sun hits it jsut right

[dnyed]

We've had three NB's and none of them got a crack in the windshield.

[Deserion]

Originally Posted by dnyed

We've had three NB's and none of them got a crack in the windshield.

Ditto that. Pitting from sand, but no cracks/chips.

-Des

[squeebug]

no cracks or nothing yet knock on wood.

[ThaDungBeetle]

im pretty surprised mine has held up! there were 2-3 rock chips fixed before we bought the car. then maybe a week later, hubby was driving and a rather large piece of sheet metal hit the windshield. didnt crack or anything. in florida, we get one windshield for free a year. im holding out til december to get it fixed. (right when i get it fixed, something else will probably hit it!!)

what can ya do?

[Darkstar]

hmmmm... maybe it has more to do withthe condition of the roads than the windshield.
The freeways up in norcal have lots of potholes and rocks and pebbles...880 by Oakland is the worst!!

[hyakugojyuuichi]

No cracks or chips on my windshield either and my nb is 6 years old.

[dunno513]

I cracked a windshield once by letting the windshield wiper arm slip while changing the blades... oops...

[Buggle]

My 2000 NB just got hit by something horrid on I-70 in Indy yesterday. I called around to some local windshield replacement companies costs ranged from 280-400.00 or 524 for OEM from one of the companies. Anyone on the list recommend one or another in the Indianapolis IN area?

Thanks!

dee

[warren]

i've lost count on NB, Passat, and Volvo 240 windshields...they are very good rockcatchers.

...IIRC, i'm on windshield #3 on the NB...this one's lasted over three and a half years, and i've had additional cracks repaired at least four times...at least my insurance company will fix most cracks for free.

tons of rocks and other crap on the freeways here.

a while back, got a cracked windshield and really nice long
ding/scratch on the Passat hood from a piece of metal that got flung into us. yay VDOT.

on the other hand, not even one rock chip for the grand prix. same amount of time, pretty much the same miles/kind of driving...ah well.

[Lmhansen]

I bought mine with a small chip in the windshield. It hasn't spidered, nor have I gotten any new chips or cracks in the two years I've had it.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

Originally Posted by Darkstar

hmmmm... maybe it has more to do withthe condition of the roads than the windshield.
The freeways up in norcal have lots of potholes and rocks and pebbles...880 by Oakland is the worst!!

it has nothing to do with the "glass."

I would say you are pretty close, we live in norcal as well, not the bay though. Out of the 3 cars that see some driving they all have had cracked windshields in the last couple years. Roads and where you drive in general has the most to do with it. People who don't drive on highways or drive where there is a lot of large truck traffic (every highway around us has lots of trucking traffic).


I would ALWAYS replace with OE glass, but that's just how I roll. Some of the frequency of complaints probably also has to do with the surface area of a NB window, more area to hit than in other cars (also remember the people with the problems are the ones you hear from). The crack in ours started as a very small chip in the black part of the window on the edge, would have never cracked but we didn't see it until it had become a crack.

[Ms Deeve]

When I announced to my hubby that I was getting my NBC, the first thing he told me was to be thankful that I was marrying the owner of a glass shop. He said between the windshields and the power window trouble they have he does a lot of them.

[OldSkoolVWLover]

well the power window issues are VW in general not NB specific.... waiting for the NB to lose a reg, the vert lost one at a lil before 40k IIRC.