Add us to the "Broken Windshield Club"

[karen103a]

Smart + rock + highway =

Oh, well... we made it nine months without one...

I don't think there's anything wrong with the glass in these cars. I think it's simply part of the fact that it's a very vertical windshield, and there's not as much hood up front to take the impact of a rock. I would be willing to bet that similarly-shaped cars (e.g. Volkswagon New Beetle) also have higher incidences of broken windshields.

We're in negotiations with the insurace company right now (Liberty Mutual). It can't be repaired and has to be replaced; now we're waiting to see what happens when the local auto glass place calls Smart to order a windshield (since there's no aftermarket replacement yet) and Smart tells them the windshield costs $590...

[ckgonska]

Had mine five days before I got my first chip! Oh Well!

I've heard that if you have the rain sensor windshield set up you're going to pay!

[Okiesmrt]

Windshield=$295 out the door at Safelite.

[tvengineer]

I just did an online quote and safelite says $322 for me...

but at least they ARE available... for when I need one...

[saronian]

My smart is proving to be very lucky. Every previous car I've owned has suffered a cracked windshield, sometimes 2 or 3 in as many years. It's very frustrating.

A few days ago the smart was smacked by a rock on the freeway. The hit was so hard I jerked my head away, sure that there would be a big crack! But nothing, not even a nick.

Seems to be a wide variance of experience with smart windshields.

[karen103a]

We have Liberty Mutual. We called, and their automation put us through to Safelite, which is their glass partner. The operator directed us to the nearest Safelite glass installer. We don't know if it's different for different states, but here in RI they said they couldn't get the glass aftermarket and had to get it through Smart.

Smart's price for the windshield: $590 regular, $800 for the one with the rain-sensing hockey-puck.

We have a $50 deductible on my insurance. They said if the crack was smaller than a dollar bill they could've fixed it for free, but the crack was too long so they have to replace it. It'll cost us fifty bucks. Oh well.

[karen103a]

So, the local glass company replaced the window. They did use a Smart windshield, and the bill of sale has the window price in the $300s. Why Smart quotes it as $590, I don't know. Something's fishy.

But they covered the VIN number with the black glue stuff so you can't see it. Does anyone know if it's a law that your VIN has to be readable from the outide? Can a window be removed and reglued without breaking it? Should we bring it to the glass place or just leave it as is?

[jwight]

B. VIN Location on Vehicles
The VIN for passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, low-speed vehicles, and trucks of 10,000 lbs. or less gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) must be located inside the passenger compartment and readable,
without moving any part of the vehicle, through the vehicle glazing (windshield) from outside the vehicle adjacent to the left windshield pillar. This is commonly called the “public VIN.” NHTSA regulations require that a
motorcycle’s VIN need only appear on the label that the manufacturer affixes to the motorcycle certifying compliance with all applicable FMVSS and this label must be affixed to a permanent member of the motorcycle...
16 See 49 CFR Part 565
17 See 49 CFR 565.13(d)
18 See 49 CFR 565.13(e)

FMVSS Part 565 is the source.

[Godfather]

If a cop stops you, politely tell him/her that the windshield was replaced, and the VIN obscured in the process. It's on the car in many other places. Shouldn't be a problem.

[saxdiva]

Hey, smart people,

It's been a few months since I was here, mostly because I've been enjoying a hassle-free but busy life with my smart car. Yesterday, after an already-frustrating day of sitting in dumb meetings, I was driving home and a rock nailed my windshield, HARD, on the right edge. Instant foot-long crack. Dang.

But the frustrating part involved trying to get a quote for replacing it from my local smart centers. Called Universal, and on the first try nobody was there who could give me a price on parts. Okay, this seems like it should be routine stuff, but sure... I'll wait for a call back. So when I get one, it's $550 for the part and $250 for installation, and this is for AFTERMARKET GLASS. Well gee, guys, *I* can call a glass company, and they'll come to my house... what the heck do I get from you for that price?

Next, I call Penske in West Covina, as I'm clinging to the belief that there's a benefit to using an OEM part. The first guy I talk to can't give me a price and needs to call me back. Sigh. About 30 minutes later he calls back with a price of $390. I ask, "is that installed," and he transfers me to the service department, but there's nobody there who can answer my question. I wait for ANOTHER call back, and I'm told they don't actually DO glass... I need to work with their glass company, and I would need to call them for a price. Apparently, that was another two wasted phone calls.

So I call the glass company. I'm told that I called the guy's cell phone number, and asked if it's okay that his wife (who works in the office) calls me back. I'm not thrilled by this point, but I consent, and I finally hear from her a couple hours later, at about 5:30. She says she needs to get a cost for the glass from Mercedes, and asks if she can call me back. Sigh again, but sure... I guess this is a more complicated process than I thought. At 6pm I still hadn't heard back from her and needed to leave, but when I got home I had a message from her saying that the computers at Mercedes were down, and she'd have to call me back tomorrow. Still not sure how the installation would be handled, since they're in Rialto and I'm about 60 miles away in the San Fernando Valley. Ugh.

Today, I checked the forum and found several people had used Safelite Auto Glass for replacements, so I looked up their website, got a quote of $379, and called them to see if they'd offer a two-fer discount since I also have a Dodge van that needs a new windshield. The agent knocked the price for Tweety down to $331, gave me a cost of just under $200 for the van, and an installer will come out to my house tomorrow morning to get the work done. I *still* haven't gotten a confirmed price from the company smart Center West Covina directed me to, and it's been almost 24 hours. That's just inexcusable.

In a nutshell... to support my local smart Center means I pay a markup of over $450. To support the smart Center that sold me the car involved no fewer than four wasted phone calls and I STILL don't know what this would cost me. Safelite made this process VERY easy and I get a lifetime warranty on the glass and installation, and the cost for two vehicles is still $250 less than what Universal quoted. I have to confess that worries of poor after-sale support from the Penske network gnawed at me before I got the car, but I'm still not thrilled to see them confirmed.

Has anyone tried using their local mechanic for scheduled maintenance? How did it work out?