Windshield replacement - best plan? OEM vs. Aftermarket?

After a rock went through the windshield of my ‘05 Tacoma, I got it replaced with a Safelite. Which lasted about 6 months. When replacing the passenger side wiper blade, the wiper slipped out of my hand and hit the windshield and caused a crack. The arm had a stock OEM spring on it, so the hit couldn’t have been that hard. So, I’d be leary of going with Safelite.

 

Not a fan of State Farm right now. After telling me they would replace with OEM they changed their mind and will only do aftermarket. My agent won't advocate for me at all. In fact told me he wasn't allowed to step in and interfere with the claims process.

Sucks, but I hope the aftermarket isn't too bad.

Ready to dump State Farm after 30 years.

 

Understood, but have to say it's been 2 years since I started this thread after being peeved that my insurance company was only willing to pay for a Fuayo brand windshield. I researched Fuayo and found they build a great product. Our Fuayo has now been in our 22 Limited longer than the Toyota OEM windshield was. And... yes... we run the windshield wiper de-icer fairly often including probably 8 times within the last 48 hours with no problems. We're on the Oklahoma - Texas border and are being pounded by the winter storm this week. Glad we have that feature and glad it works so well.

 

There has to have been a flaw. Glass is very strong but brittle. Any small chip or nick will cause a stress riser that will concentrate stress to one specific point. Add extremes of heat/cold and the stress ln that point will exceed what the glass will stand.

 

It doesn't get "extremely cold" on the Oklahoma/Texas border.

Snow doesn't necessarily mean cold.

 

It gets cold in Texhoma! Been there, done that. Not like Arctic Circle cold, but it gets cold enough freeze hard.

 

Dang sure does!!!! Hey this is my back patio right NOW! That's about a foot of snow on my fire pit there. Not a drift. Next week we have single digit lows - so.... it's true it doesn't stay cold for months here like it does up north, but it darn-sure gets cold enough to break water pipes, put sheets of ice all over everything (including your windshield) and create all kinds of havoc with travel... AND... that makes the use of the Gen 5 Runner's heated windshield wipers (the reason I started this thread in the first place) a really nice luxury.

We use them a lot on both our Gen 5 Runners as we often get stuck out on business calls when the weather hits. Gotta say once more, not a hint of trouble with the Fuayo windshield in the wife's 22 Limited. The heating element for the windshield wipers works exactly the same as the Yota factory element did. Can't tell a bit of difference and no cracking despite using the heck out of it.

 

If your water pipes are freezing and breaking either they're not buried deep enough or your house isn't constructed/plumbed properly.

Yesterday was the 1st day in about a week where it got above single digits for a high. That's not unusual here in January. I've seen it -37°F and that's not a windchill temperature.

I don't seem to recall spontaneous windshield breakage .

That's cold!

 

That reminds me, it’s been awhile since I watched the movie Gung Ho.

 

I'll keep it in mind, but I was talked into my zero comprehensive deductible after being assured I would get OEM windshield replacement if ever needed. They said not for fenders or body panels, but for the windshield yes. I'm peeved at State Farm already for storm damage denials on my home, so this was just the final straw. My old agent retired, and my new agent is worthless and told me he can't help me. I replied with what's the point of even having an agent at all if I have to do all the leg work and you won't file a claim for me?.....I'll stop now. There's plenty of good insurance agents out there, I'll just get my windshield replaced and find a new agent, but after 30 years I'm done with State Farm.

 

Yep! That's the real frozen tundra up there. No doubt about it.