January 17, 2005

• Once my window was smashed when the thieves could've easily reached in a rolled down the window. They took a bottom-of-the-line cd player that must've fetched all of, oh, 3 dollars on the street. Don't ask for logic from thieves. Cheapest method is to go to a junkyard and find a replacement. Windows in modern cars are usually designed to be pretty easy to replace, if you're mechanically inclined at all. Other options rise in price, but discount car glass shops should be the next cheapest. Call around, I found substantial differences in service/price ratios. Final price totally depends on make/model/year.
• I wouldn't go to the dealer for something like this... Orococo's junk yard option is cheapest, if you have faith in your abilities...if not, go to an auto glass shop (and, some shops will come to you to do the repair).... Then rig your car with explosives to catch the next jerk that wants to mess with it!
• I just had my car window replaced for around $150, and they actually came to my work to do it. It's an 02 Civic. (same thing, smash and grab. They took my totally broken car stereo so now I have a nice i-pod compatible new stereo. Thanks thieves!)
• Never go to the dealer for ANYTHING, but that's just me. A few years ago 8 cars in the parking lot of my building got broken into, mine included. Any glass place will take care of it. You can always call around for quotes as well.
• i replaced a window in my old 86 ford escort after a bastardly little hooligan smashed it with a bat. while i was driving it. long story. anyway opening the door panel isn't too hard, find the screws and bolts and start undoing things. they might be hidden under little plastic plugs, and sometimes are in the door handle as well. do you have electric windows or locks? might make it harder... be careful of any wires. if you have to unplug something make a note of where it went originally. keep the window rolled all the way down while you remove bits, to avoid cutting yourself on the leftover glass stuck to the bracket that holds the window in place. once the panels are all out you can remove the broken window and vacuum up any bits of glass that might have fallen into the door. there were special rivets holding my window on, i removed them with a hacksaw and used some short bolts to replace them. if you have to do something similar make sure the bolts you use are short enough to avoid catching anywhere inside the door. get a junkyard window. you don't need the whole door, just the glass, so don't let them sell you the whole door (unless the price difference is negligible). check your car model, lots of manufacturers use the same body for several models so if they don't have your specific car the window from another model might still be a match. don't buy it unless you know for sure it will fit, of course. they might sell you the window plus mounting bracket, the arm that makes the window go up and down. this is the part i had to cut off, don't recall why but i think it was easier to just use the glass rather than replace the whole arm + glass combo. get the new window in place, roll up the window bracket, position the window in the bracket, then attach it. make sure everything you removed gets put back in correctly. test it out, make sure all the mechanisms work correctly before putting the interior panel back on the door; if anything needs to be adjusted it will save you some time unscrewing the panel again. ps - check the bolt types, you might find you'll need a torx (star-shaped) driver to remove some of the bits. you can find these at most hardware shops, sears sells a craftsman torx tool that has multiple sizes (like a hex key set) to make it easier to be sure you buy the right one. (if you have to buy a tool, might as well be a quality tool, right?) good luck with it!
• I'm going to second (or is it third?) the going to a junk yard route. You'll get a piece of factory glass (unless the person had their window smashed and replaced it with something else) and you won't pay very much. And, if you look at the whole thing with the proper perspective, working on your own car is fun. Just bust out the old tool box and get to work.
• Well, tmb... it just so happens that I'm on the Atkin's diet... no chips for me now... Also, mini disc players are sooo passé. I thought was a GameBoy SP... (seriously... junkyard d00d!)
• Definitely junkyard. I don't know what kind of car you have, but I do know that Ford has people by the short and curlies on their windows. My mom had a Ford minivan that got the window shot out (ah, Texas!). When she called around for quotes, every single place named the same exact price, down to the penny. Ford wouldn't let dealers give discounts, so no matter what, she had to pay dealer price. Often, you can find a mechanic willing to use junkyard parts, if you go get them. If you're afraid to try installing the window yourself, you could try that.
• Probably because it was some drunk (or possibly even sober asshole) teenagers on a vandalizing spree
• Depending on the state in which you live (assuming U.S. residency), you may not have to pay anything. While living in Florida, I had both side windows and the windshield replaced --at various times-- and was never charged the deductible. IIRC, state law in Fla. prohibits insurance companies charging the deductible on glass replacement. I could easily be wrong however, as it has been several years since I had to deal with an insurance claim.
• Wow, seriously can you actually get dressed without making a dumb post on here about it?
• Wow, seriously can you actually get dressed without making a dumb post on here about it? Wow, seriously tough crowd. Was it worth the time it took to express this empty negative sentiment?
• carfilhiot - the purpose of Curious George is to get advice/answers from members for those who need it. His question was perfectly appropriate. No need to do the "this isn't the best of the web" thing in these cases, much less be insulting. In fact, I would advise against the latter in any case.
• Wow, seriously can you actually get dressed without making a dumb post on here about it? Is your commenting style the same on Ask.me? Because that's what these CG (=linkless) posts are the equivalent of.
• Speaking of which, the stripy white business shirt with the gold tie or the smurf costume? FOR GOD'S SAKE I NEED SOME FUCKING HELP HERE!1!! Thanks.
• The gold tie is only appropriate with the striped business shirt if said shirt has a white collar. You cnut.
• Thanks! - smurf outfit it is, then. I tells ya, this is one job interview where I'm NOT gonna make a fool of myself!
• Make the smurf outfit crotchless. More impressive that way.
• And rub yourself with the musk of a javelina in order to emit just the right scent, the kind of scent that spells S-U-C-C-E-S-S.