Motorway Dangers

[Emmanuel]

G'day All,

I just want to share my recent experience in regards of my Corolla Levin ZR 6sp. On my way home Thursday night (westbound), A rock (not sure what size) hit my windscreen and made a deep chip and created a small 10c wide crack, a star shaped crack if you wish. It must have been lifted by oncoming traffic (eastbound) because the rock must have been travelling mighty fast to make that deep chip.

I got up the following morning and found out that the crack spread horizontally to about a 1 litre coke bottle length thanks to the chilli conditions here in the west. I was so devastated. Only had the car for about 2 months and a half!

Obviously I had to get a new windscreen. So I rang up Toyota Penrith and asked for a quote. It was about $300 for a normal windscreen. They then realised that I had a Levin ZR with rain sensors, so the price was then amended to $550. Installation costs will take me all the way to $700 in total.

I then rang my insurance issuer to ask if I was covered. Unfortunately I was not, so I will not be covered in a sense that they cannot waiver the excess. (since my excess is > than windscreen repair cost, it makes more sense to just pay for the repair costs).

To all of you who have rain sensors and are heavy motorway users: Make sure that you have windscreen damage coverage on your policy. By doing this, the insurance issuer will usually waiver the excess on the windscreen damage claim and you will not have to pay a dime. Yes your premium will be a fraction more, but it is worth insuring your windscreen especially if you have a special sensor attached to it.

On another note, my Dealer Lander should have mentioned this to us. They were the ones who issued the insurance policy as well. They should have mentioned at least the cons and pros of windscreen coverage, especially with my car.

I hope you find this post useful peeps. This experience is far too unpleasant to go through.

Manny

Edited May 2, 2008 by Emmanuel

[mono]

G'day All,

I just want to share my recent experience in regards of my Levin ZR 6sp. On my way home Thursday night (westbound), A rock (not sure what size) hit my windscreen and made a deep chip and created a small 10c wide crack, a star shaped crack if you wish. It must have been lifted by oncoming traffic (eastbound) because the rock must have been travelling mighty fast to make that deep chip.

I got up the following morning and found out that the crack spread horizontally to about a 1 litre coke bottle length thanks to the chilli conditions here in the west. I was so devastated. Only had the car for about 2 months and a half!

Obviously I had to get a new windscreen. So I rang up Toyota Penrith and asked for a quote. It was about $300 for a normal windscreen. They then realised that I had a Levin ZR with rain sensors, so the price was then amended to $550. Installation costs will take me all the way to $700 in total.

I then rang my insurance issuer to ask if I was covered. Unfortunately I was not, so I will not be covered in a sense that they cannot waiver the excess. (since my excess is > than windscreen repair cost, it makes more sense to just pay for the repair costs).

To all of you who have rain sensors and are heavy motorway users: Make sure that you have windscreen damage coverage on your policy. By doing this, the insurance issuer will usually waiver the excess on the windscreen damage claim and you will not have to pay a dime. Yes your premium will be a fraction more, but it is worth insuring your windscreen especially if you have a special sensor attached to it.

On another note, my Dealer Lander should have mentioned this to us. They were the ones who issued the insurance policy as well. They should have mentioned at least the cons and pros of windscreen coverage, especially with my car.

I hope you find this post useful peeps. This experience is far too unpleasant to go through.

Manny

I heard O'brien will repair something like that for about $50

[Emmanuel]

G'day All,

I just want to share my recent experience in regards of my Levin ZR 6sp. On my way home Thursday night (westbound), A rock (not sure what size) hit my windscreen and made a deep chip and created a small 10c wide crack, a star shaped crack if you wish. It must have been lifted by oncoming traffic (eastbound) because the rock must have been travelling mighty fast to make that deep chip.

I got up the following morning and found out that the crack spread horizontally to about a 1 litre coke bottle length thanks to the chilli conditions here in the west. I was so devastated. Only had the car for about 2 months and a half!

Obviously I had to get a new windscreen. So I rang up Toyota Penrith and asked for a quote. It was about $300 for a normal windscreen. They then realised that I had a Levin ZR with rain sensors, so the price was then amended to $550. Installation costs will take me all the way to $700 in total.

I then rang my insurance issuer to ask if I was covered. Unfortunately I was not, so I will not be covered in a sense that they cannot waiver the excess. (since my excess is > than windscreen repair cost, it makes more sense to just pay for the repair costs).

To all of you who have rain sensors and are heavy motorway users: Make sure that you have windscreen damage coverage on your policy. By doing this, the insurance issuer will usually waiver the excess on the windscreen damage claim and you will not have to pay a dime. Yes your premium will be a fraction more, but it is worth insuring your windscreen especially if you have a special sensor attached to it.

On another note, my Dealer Lander should have mentioned this to us. They were the ones who issued the insurance policy as well. They should have mentioned at least the cons and pros of windscreen coverage, especially with my car.

I hope you find this post useful peeps. This experience is far too unpleasant to go through.

Manny

I heard O'brien will repair something like that for about $50

The crack is beyond repairable. The crack spread all the way to the right side seals.

Edited May 2, 2008 by Emmanuel

[selyaT]

Sounds like typical Toyota and typical insurance companies.

Luckilly no Corolla has rain sensors as far as I know

[Emmanuel]

Sounds like typical Toyota and typical insurance companies.

Luckilly no Corolla has rain sensors as far as I know

Mine is a Corolla. Its the Levin ZR with all the extras, including rain sensing wipers.

[selyaT]

OH! Before you editted your post it only said ZR so I thought you meant Aurion ZR6.

No Corolla in my driveway has rain sensors

[Emmanuel]

OH! Before you editted your post it only said ZR so I thought you meant Aurion ZR6.

No Corolla in my driveway has rain sensors

[/quote

so you noticed. Hehehe. My aplogies B)

[LEGEND888]

G'day All,

I just want to share my recent experience in regards of my Corolla Levin ZR 6sp. On my way home Thursday night (westbound), A rock (not sure what size) hit my windscreen and made a deep chip and created a small 10c wide crack, a star shaped crack if you wish. It must have been lifted by oncoming traffic (eastbound) because the rock must have been travelling mighty fast to make that deep chip.

I got up the following morning and found out that the crack spread horizontally to about a 1 litre coke bottle length thanks to the chilli conditions here in the west. I was so devastated. Only had the car for about 2 months and a half!

Obviously I had to get a new windscreen. So I rang up Toyota Penrith and asked for a quote. It was about $300 for a normal windscreen. They then realised that I had a Levin ZR with rain sensors, so the price was then amended to $550. Installation costs will take me all the way to $700 in total.

I then rang my insurance issuer to ask if I was covered. Unfortunately I was not, so I will not be covered in a sense that they cannot waiver the excess. (since my excess is > than windscreen repair cost, it makes more sense to just pay for the repair costs).

To all of you who have rain sensors and are heavy motorway users: Make sure that you have windscreen damage coverage on your policy. By doing this, the insurance issuer will usually waiver the excess on the windscreen damage claim and you will not have to pay a dime. Yes your premium will be a fraction more, but it is worth insuring your windscreen especially if you have a special sensor attached to it.

On another note, my Dealer Lander should have mentioned this to us. They were the ones who issued the insurance policy as well. They should have mentioned at least the cons and pros of windscreen coverage, especially with my car.

I hope you find this post useful peeps. This experience is far too unpleasant to go through.

Manny

sorry to hear that... yeah.... same case like my uncle... he works as a messenger... his car is tiida, the windscreen got hit by a rock or smt... made a small chip and now, its starting to spread. T_T

[MR22ZZ]

Did you read the product disclosure statement?

It's not Toyota's job at all to tell you about the insurance cover, it's up to you to decide if the pol,icy it right for you.

Compare different insurers and see what the right options for your needs are.

Windscreen cover is something I always ask about, some insurers have it standard, like Shannons, and others like AAMI and NRMA you need to pay about $60 extra a year for it.

[Emmanuel]

Did you read the product disclosure statement?

It's not Toyota's job at all to tell you about the insurance cover, it's up to you to decide if the pol,icy it right for you.

Compare different insurers and see what the right options for your needs are.

Windscreen cover is something I always ask about, some insurers have it standard, like Shannons, and others like AAMI and NRMA you need to pay about $60 extra a year for it.

Lander Toyota were the ones who offered the insurance too. I believe that they should have at least told us the higher than usual cost of repairing the windscreens of the Levin ZRs with rain sensors, and at least recommended us to get windscreen coverage. These are the type of things that differentiates the really really good dealers from the others.

AAMI will not have windscreen coverage till end of this month (May 28) as advised by one of AAMIs CSRs yesterday.

Its good that you ALWAYS ask about windscreen coverage. Obviously I did not foresee the extra costs of repair on my Levin ZR. That is why I am sharing my experience in the hopes of preventing other people from going through it.

[Tofuboi]

i had the same thing happen a month or so ago.

smallish rocks from a truck bounced off and up onto the windscreen of my ZR and the next day, turned out to be 80% across the windscreen!

$795 to replace and refit a ZR rain sensor screen.

insurance paid it out luckily :P

[Emmanuel]

i had the same thing happen a month or so ago.

smallish rocks from a truck bounced off and up onto the windscreen of my ZR and the next day, turned out to be 80% across the windscreen!

$795 to replace and refit a ZR rain sensor screen.

insurance paid it out luckily :P

LUCKY YOU!

<_< Too bad I was not thorough enough to take into account this risk with my insurance. Sigh.

By the way, should I worry about my rain sensor?. Cuz its on the windscreen pretty tight. DO you have any post rain sensor problems?

Nice Ride by the way!

[mrs.sportivo]

HAHA omg exact same thing happened to my mums camry, the truck infront of us had like rocks [ gardening im guessing ] and some flew off and hit my mums front window, ended up getting a little crack RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE LOL, i dont think ours is as bad as yours but =x

[Topdog]

My Camry and Corolla both have rain sensors, they're called "eyes" and when they see little wet spots on my windscreen they tell me it's raining and I should think about turnining on my windscreen wipers. Sorry, I just couldn't resist that. Do you really need a rain sensor??

There are many insurance companies which have windscreen replacement cover, generally free of excess and at the rate of one a year(maybe 2), comprehensive cover only and highest no claim bonus.

[Brad!]

Do you really need a rain sensor??

When it comes standard on the model, do you say OH no sorry, please take it off.

While your there, take the other extras that come with this model?

Just like the no key ignition/door, not needed but its standard on the model

[TsvCelica]

I was lucky in regards to insurance, my Toyota dealer had Esanda and RACQ fight it out with each other. Esanda came back at the end with a free windscreen replacment every calendar year, and a premium $1 cheaper per month than RACQ. The free windscreen made me go straight for them!

[-ALFI-]

Holy Krwap, $700!?!? I totally dismissed the windscreen cover when asked by AAMI at the time, the front glass on my falcon only cost $140 to replace so I figured stuff it, I'll just chance it and cover it myself. I'll be calling insurance company tomorrow to add it on, Cheers Emmanuel for bringing it to my attention.

[Kenneth]

i suppose its a matter of u pay for what you get and when u pay more for something i suppose u'd have to pay more to replace it but i didnt think it'd be double the normal windscreen.. thats just CRAZY!

[Emmanuel]

i suppose its a matter of u pay for what you get and when u pay more for something i suppose u'd have to pay more to replace it but i didnt think it'd be double the normal windscreen.. thats just CRAZY!

Yeah. Friggin rain sensors! If I didnt have it I would have had to only pay about $250 in total. Oh well, that's life for ya; you gain some you lose some.

[Emmanuel]

Holy Krwap, $700!?!? I totally dismissed the windscreen cover when asked by AAMI at the time, the front glass on my falcon only cost $140 to replace so I figured stuff it, I'll just chance it and cover it myself. I'll be calling insurance company tomorrow to add it on, Cheers Emmanuel for bringing it to my attention.

No probs. dude.

[Topdog]

If it's standard you've got it like it or not, but my drift was do you really need to replace it if expense is a problem??

[selyaT]

Why can't you just put a regular windscreen in if expense is a problem? Or is it a case where if it's fitted from factory it MUST have the sensors forever after? I weep for the future used car market.

[Emmanuel]

Why can't you just put a regular windscreen in if expense is a problem? Or is it a case where if it's fitted from factory it MUST have the sensors forever after? I weep for the future used car market.

Only the windscreen specifically designed for the Levin ZRs can be used. Otherwise the rain sensor will not work properly as advised by O'brien and Penrith Toyota.

[selyaT]

But what if you're in the position where you want to save money and don't give a sh!t about the rain sensors? You could just fit a regular one right?

[Leroy]

Why can't you just put a regular windscreen in if expense is a problem? Or is it a case where if it's fitted from factory it MUST have the sensors forever after? I weep for the future used car market.

Only the windscreen specifically designed for the Levin ZRs can be used. Otherwise the rain sensor will not work properly as advised by O'brien and Penrith Toyota.

What a way to ensure future income...