Check your insurance before spending $1k+ on a dealer windshield plan. My insurance (Farmers in AR) will replace windshields for $100 deductible and no fault.
Paper thin Windshields
- Thread starter Gx550moto
- Start date
Not sure of your local. In Florida, if you have comprehensive insurance then the state requires your carrier to provide 0-nada-zero deductible full coverage for windshield replacement. For just a few hundred more than you paid for your "windshield" coverage, I got a 9-year 100k bumper to bumper extended mechanical policy through Toyota Financial (Platinum Policy.) In Florida the windshield is considered a "life safety issue" since sensors look through the windshield to be effective. I replaced 2- in 90-days before trading the GX away for something more suitable for my lifestyle. Would have been over $4k.
My dealer wants $2600 for this.
Who is your dealer; hell, I’ll buy the warranty from him.
Who is your dealer; hell, I’ll buy the warranty from him.
- Thread starter
- #24
Eskridge Lexus in OKC. I'm on my 3rd windshield for in town driving. This is BS! And don't give me the crap that the windshields are almost vertical. People have responded with "driving tips" of not following vehicles so closely.......blah, blah, blah. They are paper thin!
With 3500 mi, no chips. Got PPW on the windshield. It's a pain to wash, especially love bugs, but it seems to work;
If it was paper-thin it would be....well, paper-thin. It's a windshield, maybe it catches more rocks than others but either man up or go buy something safer.
The windshield on the GX550 is more vertical than most vehicles and therefore more prone to windshield damage from flying rocks.
I have had several jeeps over the 40 years of licensed driving and just traded my Hummer EV after 79K miles. Never had a cracked windshield. I think part of it is driving habits and where you live. Seems to be more problems out west. Only have about a month in the GX. We will see…
My experiences with WPF have been mixed.
If you decide on WPF - (which is A DIFFERENT PRODUCT LINE than PPF) this is what you are buying:
1. Cost of at least $250 - $300
2. Extra maintenance of your wipers (keeping them clear of any sand or debris). And cleaning them with product weekly. Keeping the windshield clear of dirt and avoid using them when contaminated with dirt or sand.
3. Avoiding a host of products on the WPF that can damage it.
4. Avoiding placing front window tint AFTER WPF (tint/ UC/IR protective film on the inside must be placed prior to WPF installation).
5. Accepting that this intervention will last only about as long if as long as the warranty. (Likely about 2-3 years).
6. Mine will be in the shop today getting redone (at no cost out of customer service by the installer). Use someone who stands behind the product (and discuss what they will cover UP FRONT and GET IT IN WRITING - tell them you will review them well on Google and Yelp If your experience is good and NOT if it isn’t.)
7. You may experience minimal distortion at certain angles after WPF is applied.
8. Most people do fine without it. Just be sure to keep the “COMPREHENSIVE” on your insurance to $100 and stay well back from trucks carrying sand or debris.
9. Take my advice - either way you go - don’t perseverate about this issue as it erodes your joy of ownership. Take one path and accept the downsides of that decision, and be content with the positives.
If you decide on WPF - (which is A DIFFERENT PRODUCT LINE than PPF) this is what you are buying:
1. Cost of at least $250 - $300
2. Extra maintenance of your wipers (keeping them clear of any sand or debris). And cleaning them with product weekly. Keeping the windshield clear of dirt and avoid using them when contaminated with dirt or sand.
3. Avoiding a host of products on the WPF that can damage it.
4. Avoiding placing front window tint AFTER WPF (tint/ UC/IR protective film on the inside must be placed prior to WPF installation).
5. Accepting that this intervention will last only about as long if as long as the warranty. (Likely about 2-3 years).
6. Mine will be in the shop today getting redone (at no cost out of customer service by the installer). Use someone who stands behind the product (and discuss what they will cover UP FRONT and GET IT IN WRITING - tell them you will review them well on Google and Yelp If your experience is good and NOT if it isn’t.)
7. You may experience minimal distortion at certain angles after WPF is applied.
8. Most people do fine without it. Just be sure to keep the “COMPREHENSIVE” on your insurance to $100 and stay well back from trucks carrying sand or debris.
9. Take my advice - either way you go - don’t perseverate about this issue as it erodes your joy of ownership. Take one path and accept the downsides of that decision, and be content with the positives.
Apart from what I’ve mentioned above - and in other posts - DONT necessarily be scared off by WPF on your GX windshield. My situation may have been a one off!
Further useful information - when Kayden at Esoteric removed the old WPF (windshield protection film) he said the film felt dry - he said that something had damaged the ceramic infused top coat - most likely the heat gun treatment when heat shrinking the “tint” prior to its application to the inner surface of the windshield ..
Art at ARTints Heat gun “shrinking” of tint on top of a windshield that had WPF in place. That process likely destroyed the ceramic coat on the WPF.
Worker prepping the glass at ARTints prior to INITIAL tint placement
May have also been due to harsh chemicals that they applied on the first go around - looking forward to picking her up tonight from Esoteric (who I trust, due to his 6 years of experience).
I will do another 3 month f/u update on how the new WPF does. And then yearly updates.
Kayden tells me the warranty is 2 years. But decent WPF should go 4-5 years. Which when amortized comes to about $60 per year on average. To me “IF” the new WPF does well over the next 5 years, I may consider a replacement at 5 years. By then, new tech and better materials will also likely have been developed.
Further useful information - when Kayden at Esoteric removed the old WPF (windshield protection film) he said the film felt dry - he said that something had damaged the ceramic infused top coat - most likely the heat gun treatment when heat shrinking the “tint” prior to its application to the inner surface of the windshield ..
Art at ARTints Heat gun “shrinking” of tint on top of a windshield that had WPF in place. That process likely destroyed the ceramic coat on the WPF.
Worker prepping the glass at ARTints prior to INITIAL tint placement
May have also been due to harsh chemicals that they applied on the first go around - looking forward to picking her up tonight from Esoteric (who I trust, due to his 6 years of experience).
I will do another 3 month f/u update on how the new WPF does. And then yearly updates.
Kayden tells me the warranty is 2 years. But decent WPF should go 4-5 years. Which when amortized comes to about $60 per year on average. To me “IF” the new WPF does well over the next 5 years, I may consider a replacement at 5 years. By then, new tech and better materials will also likely have been developed.
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