New Windshield-State Farm Balking On OEM Replacement?
 

In Florida insurance companies have to replace your windshield without a deductible if it gets broken. There seems to be a catch though. When I got a price from the MB dealer to do the job and gave it to SF they said no way, that it was too much, that I would have to get it replaced by a SF "approved" shop. When I asked MB why the big difference they said they remove the old seal install a new one and that their windshiel would have the MB star in it.

The SF "approved" glass shops I talked to do not replace the seal and instead apply a new sealer over the old seal, also the aftermarket glass will not have the MB star logo in it.

I am the original owner of the car and I feel not having the MB star in the windshield possibly affects the reasle value.

Also I notice there is some sort of dark gray masking imprinted in the lower portion of the windshield and I can't confirm that the non MB glass will have that.

Has anyone else run into my situation? If so how did you resolve it?

Thank you.

"I am the original owner of the car and I feel not having the MB star in the windshield possibly affects the reasle value."

I believe the resale value of your car already took a hit by having to have the windshield replaced. I seriously doubt that not having all OEM parts will affect resale value unless that's a 300SL Gullwing sitting in your garage.

Sekurit and PPG windshields are excellent quality replacements so long as they are properly installed and sealed. Applying some form of sealer over the old does not sound kosher to me.

I have State Farm and can attest to their balking at dealer glass. Luckily for me while in Arizona for work, the local SF agent handed me a stck of installers they use. I called and talked to them, found one which could install Sekurit, Sigla or PPG. I opted for Sekurit. The glass arrived the following day and was installed in about 2 hours. The non Star Sekurit is identical in all respects to the original.

The only thing the Sekurit glass didn't have was the Star.

Call your local installers, see what they can get for you.

The installer should be removing the old sealant and laying in a heavy bead of new sealant. If the installers in Florida don't I'd suggest taking a drive out to Phoenix and getting it done there ;).

windsheilds are cheap at the dealer anyway, only a few bucks
more for the star.

If you needed a fender replaced due to an accident, a lot of insurance companies now want you to use cheaper aftermarket sheet metal. Another example is the bumper - they will try to get you to accept a thinner, imitation OEM bumper.

It is a process of negotiation between you and the insurance company right up until the Judge settles a lawsuit. Unfortunately, the insurance company has the cash and you want the cash. So, you have to convince them that you are only going to accept a quality replacement part on your car, and if they do not provide it, they have broken their contract with you - and that you will sue.

Nothing else you say matters to the insurer. They have "whine listening" classes to learn how to ignore anything else. :)

The other big trick/scam after more serious accidents is to total your car for blue book value rather than fix it. What a great deal for the insurance company if you had a nicer than average car!

Ken300D

Hold your ground with State Farm
 

Don't let them get by without using genuine M-B parts. They have been charging you insurance rates for a Mercedes. Right now, State Farm has a massive class action suit against them for using sub-standard parts on repairs. Remind your agent of that.
Finally, tell them that unless you get the service you have been paying for, you're gone as soon as they fix your car or before!

Re: Hold your ground with State Farm
 

While it can't hurt to talk/yell at your agent, it's really the claims rep that has the lock on the pocketbook. It's the ying and yang of the insurance business. Underwriting (your agent's team) take in the money and Claims (the adjusters) tries to prevent paying more on a claim than they have to.

Probably the adjuster, and not the agent, will refer to the "like, kind and quality" clause in nearly all auto collision policies which contractually gives the insurer the "right" to use non-OEM crash parts, like TYC or DEPO headlight assemblies instead of Bosch or you pay the difference.

In short, you get what you pay for and always read the fine print.

Just a word on State Farm: My dad practiced law and dealt with a lot of personal injury cases. While he said that all insurance companies were "crooks" and hell to deal with, he specifically said that SF was the worst. It's sad when you need a lawyer just to get what you were entitled to or deserved in the first place.

I deal with insurance companies EVERY day, and have yet to have State Farm quibble on aftermarket parts for a Mercedes. On an older one they will try to find used parts,,, which is all right it they are as good as what came off,,, but they have never given me a hassle about OEM. Some companies are tougher on the aftermarket line than others, but if it becomes a real issue, they will usually,, within reason,, do what the customer wants. State Farm uses OEM sheet metal for all repairs, but will go for aftermarket lights and radiators and condensors. Mercedes windshields, by the way, are generally always cheaper than aftermarket. Also, we are not a direct repair shop for any insurance company.:p :p :p

Three magic words
 

State Insurance Commission.

In Florida, this is a mantra to be used when the insurance co. balks or hesitates.

A good used windshield and a new seal should make your car as good as new, and that probably won't upset State Farm.

In a like manner,
If you have any trouble with the telephone company in Florida, such as I did when they refused to acknowledge payment of a $70 phone bill in Novenber that I paid for with my bank's e-payment system (which I had used for a year before) they did nothing until I sent e mail to the Florida Public Service Commission.

Two digits of the three digit number that follows my phone number were reversed. My phone number is unique in the US, so this should not have been any sort of problem for them.

As soon as I complained, they called and stayed on the phone until they found their error.

If you look closely above the Securit logo on the windshield you will find the MB star logo scratched out/erased.
Looks like they (Sekurit) sells glass to the aftermarket folks by removing the star logo.

I recently had the windshield replaced on my car and Allstate had no problem with an OEM windshield. Well the windshield does have the star on it BUT it is made by PPG not Sigla! Allstate also aproved having my seals replaced so essentially the results is the same as bringing it to the dealer.

Next time around I will insist on the German MB glass on the US Made for the sake of originality.

By the way, I've never heard of the value of a car going down because you replaced your windshield. As long as it's replaced with original glass not even a collector will complain IMO.

Dropped like a hot potato...
 

I had SF insurance for years (since 16yo, now 40 something) except for a small gap when I was stationed in Germany for two years. I was involved in an accident in '97 and 3 years later it went before a jury. The jury concluded that it was my fault, (never cited or charged) not the lady that hit me from behind, causing me to hit the guy ahead of me. I was promptly dropped from SF and 3 years later with a continued spotless MVR my wife's new SF policy was cancelled due to me being listed on it. I don't even drive her car. They want your money or else and I agree with most that you'd be quicker to squeeze blood from a turnip.
Thanks for letting me vent....lol

Before I forget again...lol
 

The reason I posted to this thread...... the car I was driving was an '86 Chevy Caprice (big car) and SF wanted to total it. All it needed was a new fender and front headlight/grill piece. This "totaled" car was driven every day for 3 more years with only a headlight re-aim and was taken off the road ONLY because it wouldn't pass the smog inspection here in Metro Atlanta.

Id try to get the mercedes glass. I can notice the difference in clairty of mercedes and non mercedes glass. I am very picky about that kind of stuff. I have very sensitive blue eyes, and my eyes detect distortion very easily, so I always get mercedes glass. You can get mercedes glass from other places than the dealer. My friend got a 500E rear window from the dealer for close to 800 dollars, but I know you can get them for about 400 from SSF or something like that. Definately put in a new seal, none of that sealer stuff.