View Poll Results: How long before your windshield CRACKS? Not chips
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll
How long before your windshield breaks ?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Texas
06 CLS500
How long before your windshield breaks ?
I bought an 08 GL in September and have replaced 2 windshields since then. One crack was within the first 10 miles of leaving the dealership. Few months later, a single rock cracked the windshield about 2 ft.
I bought an 08 E550 about 3 weeks ago, and last Friday, got a 1.5 ft crack in the middle (from a rock).
I called MB to ask them about this. Here's my argument:
Why are these windshields not able to take a hit from a small rock without cracking 2 ft long? I've been driving for about 25 years and I can live with the fact that rocks are going to chip and in some cases crack the windshield. But it seems like with these MB's, this happens on the FIRST rock, and every rock after that.
So the question is: How long have you had your MB (new or used) in miles, when you experience a CRACK (not chip) in the windshield. I'm hoping to feed this back to MB.
I bought an 08 E550 about 3 weeks ago, and last Friday, got a 1.5 ft crack in the middle (from a rock).
I called MB to ask them about this. Here's my argument:
Why are these windshields not able to take a hit from a small rock without cracking 2 ft long? I've been driving for about 25 years and I can live with the fact that rocks are going to chip and in some cases crack the windshield. But it seems like with these MB's, this happens on the FIRST rock, and every rock after that.
So the question is: How long have you had your MB (new or used) in miles, when you experience a CRACK (not chip) in the windshield. I'm hoping to feed this back to MB.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
It depends where you live, the distance at which you follow vehicles, whether or not the roads are sanded or salted, how often your Highway Department vacuum/sweeps the highways, and the ambient temperature.
Truck windows are more vertical & more prone to damage too. I had a Chevy Astro that had 13 windshields replaced ove 5 years of ownership. @ replacement windshields on an '05 Suzuki Forenza, and NO windshield replacements on many of my cars lifetimes.
Truck windows are more vertical & more prone to damage too. I had a Chevy Astro that had 13 windshields replaced ove 5 years of ownership. @ replacement windshields on an '05 Suzuki Forenza, and NO windshield replacements on many of my cars lifetimes.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 440
Likes: 1
From: Exit 16E
07 E350 4Matic / Sport with P1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Texas
06 CLS500
It depends where you live, the distance at which you follow vehicles, whether or not the roads are sanded or salted, how often your Highway Department vacuum/sweeps the highways, and the ambient temperature.
Truck windows are more vertical & more prone to damage too. I had a Chevy Astro that had 13 windshields replaced ove 5 years of ownership. @ replacement windshields on an '05 Suzuki Forenza, and NO windshield replacements on many of my cars lifetimes.
Truck windows are more vertical & more prone to damage too. I had a Chevy Astro that had 13 windshields replaced ove 5 years of ownership. @ replacement windshields on an '05 Suzuki Forenza, and NO windshield replacements on many of my cars lifetimes.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
2004 E500 Wagon 4Matic
Many years ago I had my old Olds windshield replaced. Not a rock though. Had my MB 7 months and no probs. I bought it with a couple of chips on the windshield already.
Actually, I now recall that when I drove the car from PA where I bought it, to Long Island, on that trip a rock the size of a softball was kicked up by a truck and hit me square in the windshield. Bounced over the top, but no crack.
Actually, I now recall that when I drove the car from PA where I bought it, to Long Island, on that trip a rock the size of a softball was kicked up by a truck and hit me square in the windshield. Bounced over the top, but no crack.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
2005 E500 AMG SPORT, 2002 ML320 LOADED
hi CrazeAZN!
Just saying hi! Not to hijack the thread, but what was the stuff (a film i think) you guys were putting on your headlights and fog lights to ward off rock cracks?KEELBOAT
Last edited by KEELBOAT; May 15, 2008 at 07:29 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
10 miles on the way from the dealer with new car. Rock hit windshield
25,000 miles in Denver, truck drops !@#$! hits hood, windshield (fortunately didn't come through). New hood windshield. Truck had no plates and got away without stopping.
60,000 miles picked car up from dealer they broke windshield in shop. Then claimed,, brought it in that way. They finally changed it.
Waiting for next windshield. BTW,, don't be fooled by fixing rock chips at glass shops when they say no charge FREE. They bill the insurance co. and this minor repair counts on your comp. insurance the same as a new windshield. Several years ago I had 5 chips fixed over 3 years trying to save a windshield. Then I got a letter from ins. co. rates going up due to high frequency of repairs
. Rock chip Free repairs. So they count on your record. BE WARE OF THIS
25,000 miles in Denver, truck drops !@#$! hits hood, windshield (fortunately didn't come through). New hood windshield. Truck had no plates and got away without stopping.
60,000 miles picked car up from dealer they broke windshield in shop. Then claimed,, brought it in that way. They finally changed it.
Waiting for next windshield. BTW,, don't be fooled by fixing rock chips at glass shops when they say no charge FREE. They bill the insurance co. and this minor repair counts on your comp. insurance the same as a new windshield. Several years ago I had 5 chips fixed over 3 years trying to save a windshield. Then I got a letter from ins. co. rates going up due to high frequency of repairs
. Rock chip Free repairs. So they count on your record. BE WARE OF THIS
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 350
From: Huntington NY
S560
I have had a few rocks hit my windshield so hard I cringed knowing it was damaged, but instead nothing happened or a small nick was left. I am actually quite happy with the windshield. My EXT had two done in two weeks. It was no fault of the truck- just luck, like those wqho hit lotto twice 
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
From: Westchester County New York
GL550 (on order), Ferrari 308GTS, Lexus LX470, Ford Explorer
My GL550 is 10 months old. Just went through my second windshield. 1 more than ALL of my 50 driving years. The first one I was in right lane doing my 55MPH and a truck passed me and bingo. The second one was pretty much the same circumstances. I commute on I95 EVERDAY and have done so for 30 years...same me, the same way I always drive. As far as I'm concerned it's the glass.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 266
Likes: 7
06 e350 17 glc300
got my car in june '06 and in 4 months cracked windshield with about 2k miles from a rock. was in the bronx heading to mohegan sun for an eric clapton concert. crack was 1/2 in when it first started and by the time i got to mohegan sun was 6 in long. going back home the crack was from top to bottom.
fortunately i had geico and it was covered with no increase in premiums.
fortunately i had geico and it was covered with no increase in premiums.
Last edited by yikes; Jul 1, 2008 at 12:07 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
My ins co advised me of raising my rates due to excessive windshield damage, and repairs. (4 chip repairs on 4 vehicles in less than 3 years). They advised me that the average person goes 17 years without windshield damage.
Don't know which planet the average person lives, this poll shows about 50% damage in first 20,000 miles or so.
So if you have chips repaired,, I would suggest you don't use the "FREE WINDSHIELD" repair that you see in so many places because they DO charge your insurance company. This chip repair counts the same as replacement of the windshield as frequency rate, and will raise your rates
.
Pay to have chips repaired out of pocket, save the actual glass replacement for the INS.
Don't know which planet
the average person lives, this poll shows about 50% damage in first 20,000 miles or so. So if you have chips repaired,, I would suggest you don't use the "FREE WINDSHIELD" repair that you see in so many places because they DO charge your insurance company. This chip repair counts the same as replacement of the windshield as frequency rate, and will raise your rates
.Pay to have chips repaired out of pocket, save the actual glass replacement for the INS.
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: little rock,ar
E-320 Bluetec
I have USAA insurance and I call them if I have a rock chip or star. They hook me up with Safelite who comes out and fixes it for free, that way USAA knows its done right and they're not out for a total windshield later on. My comp and collision deducts are $1K anyway, most things are out of pocket. Driving 2 lanes in the MS Delta, I get tagged a lot.
