Miata Mailing List: April 1994, Message #51
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   From: Walter L Greenwood 
Subject: Windshield Karma 8-(
   Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 15:08:44 -0400


Quiz:
What do 10% of all CD jewel-boxes and my windshield have in common?

Late last week:
Halfway to work I heard a loud cracking noise; Looked up & saw nothing. 8-)
Five minutes later, same thing. Hmm ...  8^|
Ten minutes later, no noise, but I saw it. A crack! >8^0  A vile,
monstrous thing about 8" long, arcing up from the bottom edge at the
center of the windshield, worming its way rightward toward the passenger
side.

Next day, on the way in, at about the same block on the same road
(meaning that the heater had been blowing hot air on the windshield
about the same amount of time), I heard another noise, and the crack
completed its journey back down to the bottom edge of the glass. The end
result is roughly an arc about 18" long and 4" high. There is almost no
evidence of a rock impact - a single, almost microscopic (seriously)
crunch-mark less than an inch from the bottom edge of the glass. Any
chance that it is a stress fracture? (i.e., Any chance of it being a
warranty item?)

Anyway, I am sure many of you out there have words of wisdom regarding
winshield replacement & repair. 

And oh, how much should it cost? The Mazda dealer said "$415, but the
glass shop (whom we would use anyway) is much cheaper."  The glass shop
said "Who is your insurance company? ... well then, $420." (My
deductible is $200 anyway, so who cares?)

Am I receiving my cosmically due rewards for being uncharacteristically
cocky over the Internet, or is it just bad luck? Really - in person I am
sweet, kind, sensitive, polite, and always defer to everyone else on
everything. Via email, or in my car (surprise, surprise), I have been
known to be slightly more agressive.

Oh revered Miatasama, accept my humble words of penitence!

Jaa, mat'ashita-
hazukashi na Walter