Has anyone used any windshield protector or applied any film to help prevent chips and cracks? If so, what brand did you go with and have you been happy with its performance. I had to replace three windshields on three different vehicles this last year, as a result of flying rocks. I do not know what it is, but it seems highways have recently been littered with junk and debris...

 

Hello ...I have been looking everywhere for a protector. To date, after 3 years I could not find one. And no, I do not think is your bad luck, is the fact that the windshields manufactured by or for JLR are utter junk. In the last 3 years I had 6 ( six ) times windshield replaced and / or repaired on 3 Land Rovers ( Velar is the worst, then Disco, and Sport ). This is a known issue and well hidden by JLR, their windshields are made under the thickness generally approved in the industry -SAE J673-201506 ( being cheap...ish ? - no, not for you ). All I can say is get a good insurance, and make friends with the dealer, so you can get a replacement quick.

 

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the LR vehicles. I had an LR3, and several Range Rovers for the last 25 years and never had any issues with the windshields. This last year, I had to replace the windshield in my new Defender, a Porsche Cayenne, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and an Audi A8; they are each over $1000 to replace with the exception of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. There is so much crap on the highways, it is just unbelievable. I have driven all over Europe, the UK, South America, and the Middle East, and never experienced any windshield issues like I have this last year here in North Carolina!

 

I have had a pebble hit our 2021 Defender 4 times in the 8 months that we have the vehicle. I believe it is a design issue due to the fact that the windshield is more vertical than in most vehicles and the windshield can not tolerate the stress upon impact. I did reach out to corporate customer relations and was told:
“I have had the opportunity to discuss your situation with our Executive team. I am sorry, we are not in the position to financially assist with moving into a future vehicle. As you have said that the cracks occur because of debris striking the windshield, that would be considered outside influence. As noted in your Passport to Service, this falls under items not covered by warranty.

Damage caused by collision, fire, flood, theft, freezing, vandalism, riot, explosion, or objects striking the vehicle”

Pebbles striking windshields on the highway is a condition for which a well-designed windshield should not repeatedly fail. It is an embarrassment for a company like Jaguar Land Rover not to stand by its product at all. I will never return as a customer and suggest that perspective customers stay away from the Defender.

 

I totally agree, it is not JLR's fault. Stay away from pebbles.

 

Or, you know, move to Florida where windshields are $0 deductible and you get a free box of steaks.

 

Yeah .... dunno about that ...
Check it out, the statistics. JLR is on top of worst windshields - of any car.
Their glass do not follow the standards.
Prove me wrong please.

 

I've had three chips and one cracked windshield in about 18 months.

 

Just curious… Is there any reason one can’t have PPF installed on a windshield?

 

I agree with your advice. After not having a flat, blowout, leak or other tire issue in decades I had a spate of incidents in a short amount of time involving several previous vehicles. Who do I blame that on? Vehicle design? How about just calling it bad luck. Oh, and I dropped my beer and the bottle broke. Brewery must be trying to screw me using underrated bottle specs.