Windshield made of sugar???

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2016 CX-9 GT
I have had 2 chips and today got a crack in my windshield, 34000 miles on the car. My old Jetta had 210000 miles on it when I traded it in and never had a chip or crack.

Has anyone else had excessive windshield damage with their car?
 
I have a 2018 coming up on 13,000 kms. So far I have had two chips (can barely see them because I got them repaired almost immediately after they happened). This is pretty common though since I lived in Calgary at the time, a city known for excessive snow and ice control leading to rocks being flung around more often. My wife's 06 Civic was driven there for 3 years, not a single rock chip on the glass, but quite a few on the bumper and hood. I attribute this to the more aggressive slope on the Civic's windshield - if rocks were to hit the windshield, they're more likely to simply glance off.

I do notice that the CX-9's front and rear glass does seem to scratch very easily though. Not sure how this could happen as I'm usually very careful when washing my car, though admittedly, there were a couple of times when I used the foam brush at the coin-op to clean the windshields and windows. That could very well have done it. I don't have any pics now, but I'll take a couple later and post them.
 
When I bought my 2011 used it had 4 lines in the back glass from previous owner scrapping the show. I did get one more chip within 2 years. So far so good no cracks but indeed it is just luck. Maybe aerodynamics has something to do with it as well. I dont know if it is true that bug deflector helps with small stones and chips. I dont have one because it is ugly
 
I dont know if it is true that bug deflector helps with small stones and chips. I dont have one because it is ugly

I agree. 3M film (Scotchgard) is almost invisible and really does protect against chips. I have had it on my last five cars and now on the CX-9. Not cheap, but cheaper than repainting. Doesn't do anything for the windshield, of course.
 
I agree to this. The only tjing I saw is in places where it is hot and sunny for example Texas I have seen many times when within a few years the paint will fade differently and then it becomes very visible. The paint under the film tends to retain more colour and not fade away as quick as the area without it. Other than that there is not better solution. The only thing is if you did manage to have a chip or bull eye or any small defect on your glass to cure it right away so at least it does not grow and does not crack further. Then it is illegal to drive.
I agree. 3M film (Scotchgard) is almost invisible and really does protect against chips. I have had it on my last five cars and now on the CX-9. Not cheap, but cheaper than repainting. Doesn't do anything for the windshield, of course.
 
I can relate to the OP... we moved to Phoenix in October 2014 and we drove our 2006 Volvo S40 all the way up to November 2016 when we purchased the CX-9. Same type of use and driving... 2+ years and not a single chip on the Volvos windshield... 1.5 years on the CX-9 and were on our second windshield. The first one went through numerous chips that were repaired but it got to the point that it couldnt be repaired any more. Replaced the windshield two months ago and it got chipped about a month in. Got it repaired of course. Now were just patiently waiting for the next chip...

I guess some of it is luck but Im sure it has a lot more to do with glass quality.
 
I think it has almost nothing to with one company's glass to another's. It's just circumstance. A rock hits your windshield, it gets chipped. If not, no chip. First chip could happen on day one, while some may not see a rock for 50,000 miles.
 
I think it has almost nothing to with one company's glass to another's. It's just circumstance. A rock hits your windshield, it gets chipped. If not, no chip. First chip could happen on day one, while some may not see a rock for 50,000 miles.

I totally used to think like that... and thats why Im only comparing the time weve been living in Phoenix (and ignoring the previous 8 years with the S40 which were also chip free). Out here in the desert there are rocks everywhere!!! Exact same circumstances, same commute, same road trips, same highways, same everything... not even one chip with the S40, compared to numerous chips in fewer time with the CX-9. You can say it might be coincidence or that it might not be related to glass quality... but its definitely odd. Thats for sure.
 
Bought our cx-9 on April 7th. Had our first chip in June that was fixed by Safelite (still didn't look right). Fast forward another two months got another chip which almost immediately turned into a crack along the bottom right side of the window. Had to wait several weeks for Safelite to get the window in and then had to go into their facility and wait 2 hours for the replacement and recalibration of the forward facing camera/radar. The windshield replacement and recalibration was almost $1,200. That was just two days ago. My wife texted me this morning and said another tiny rock hit her windsheid on her way into work. Lukily she said no damage was done.

Glad I pay an extra $150 a year to our insurance company (both cars) for $0 deductible for window cracks/breaks. I'm just hoping to get into next year without having to fill another chip or have another replacement...uughhh.
 
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We have a 2012 CX-9 GT FWD, 65,000 miles, we've owned it since 2014/32,000 miles. In May of 2017 we were traveling on I-5 S from Seattle and a truck threw up some gravel and we got a chip, had it repaired by Safelite within a day or two. No other problems.

We've been lucky in that we haven't got too many loose rocks on the roads around Portland OR, but sometimes it's just the luck of the draw.
 
This is good to know. I may want to upgrade my glass coverage when I take delivery of my CX-9.
 
This is good to know. I may want to upgrade my glass coverage when I take delivery of my CX-9.

If you check any forum for any make and model of vehicle, you will find complaints that newer windshields seem to break more easily than older ones. It's certainly not exclusive to Mazda.
 
If you check any forum for any make and model of vehicle, you will find complaints that newer windshields seem to break more easily than older ones. It's certainly not exclusive to Mazda.

Same goes for paint, actually. Newer paint seems to be much thinner and less durable (with some exceptions).
 
When I insured our new CX-9 I talked with our (State Farm) agent. For us it turned out to be cheaper ($12/year) to lower our comprehensive deductible to $0 than to add glass coverage. I'm sure I'll make that back on windshields. I typically need one replaced every 5 years or so.
 
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