Sabrina
My boyfriend H and I took a trip to Montreal last week, just for a couple of days. We got back on New Years Eve and then went out with another couple for New Years. The next morning as I'm driving home I suddenly hear a sudden crackling sound - lo and behold, there is a giant crack running across my windshield that wasn't there moments earlier.

Nothing hit my windshield, there were no stones flying on the road, no trauma to the glass. Obviously, I figured it was a defect in the glass itself, and hoped and prayed that come monday morning, the dealership would cover the cost of replacing the windshield, since they had just replaced the it 7 months ago as part of the sales contract.

This morning, I called a couple of places to get some quotes for the replacement.

First quote was at Apple Auto Glass - $475 or $600 for my car, depending on the model chosen.
Second quote was from Ontario Auto Glass - $405 + tax.

Then it occurred to me to try and persuade the dealership to cover the cost of the glass, thinking they may have scammed me and not replaced the windshield months ago when they were supposed to. It turns out they had replaced it, but they were nice enough to call a glass representative in from the manufacturer to take a look at my windshield. He agreed that he couldn't find a dent or ship or any injury to the glass suggesting that trauma had caused the crack, but mentioned that the warranty on my windshield was only 3 months, and had therefore run out. I insisted this was highly suggestive of a defect in the glass itself, since the crack was in the middle layer and could not be felt from either inside or outside the car. He called the manufacturer and told them what was up, and within a few minutes had gotten them to agree to cover the cost of the product.

The dealership asked me to pay for labour ($130), and I agreed. Clearly, the crack was the result of an unforeseeable defect, and the cheapest alternative estimates placed the cost of replacement at around $405+ tax = $465.

Cost to me (through dealership) = $130.

Total Savings =$335.

Better believe that's going in my savings account!

I wonder if it was my power of persuasion that did it, or if the defect was so obvious that the manufacturer couldn't help but admit it? I like to think it was all me :)
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