[tofumaker]

don't have a cube yet, but already looking into protecting the HUGE windshield that is begging for dings and cracks.

read that upright windshields are more prone to cracking and a cube owner here just experienced a windshield crack.

did some googling and there are some invisible windshield skins. i've read about the clear skins for protecting the car's nose... that's important too, but the windshield- i'm obsessing over it

has anyone used this kind of product on their cube or other car?

 

[1HoTCuBe]

Luckily in FL if the windshield cracks, its protected by insurance in florida..thank god! haha

 

[ewraven]

Windshield protectant film is a really good idea. Hmmm.

 

[ChristineK]

Seen this stuff used in homes. You can take a baseball bat to a window, it will break but will not come apart or shatter. Used for security and hurricane resistance.

If someone goes this rout and it works let us know. It is a sticky tint material that has no UV resistance.

 

[ewraven]

Oh yeah, I've seen them apply this stuff to the windows of businesses. Come to think about it, I probably wouldn't apply it to any car window, they are designed to fracture in a certain way when they break. That window protectant film would change the properties of the windshield. Which might be a little unsafe.


That is unless there is a protectant film made just for car windows?

 

[momzbox]

have never heard of the window skins for passenger cars. They do use them on race cars. I do know that alot of Scion owners use the clear bra. If there is a window skin , it will be the first thing I put on after the new window gets put in.

 

[1HoTCuBe]

Yeah this would be a good thing to know about..since our Cube has the best aerodynamics of any car..haha jk Seems like everything hits my window..

 

[ChristineK]

I see bug deflectors are going to be popular, however not pretty.

Just remember that film will not stop the window from breaking, just from shattering, our window already has a coating on it to prevent that. This film will also get nicked and that will be visible as well. Homes don't have that problem as they don't move

This may be used in "stock cars" for racing but in Nascar is it Lexan windows.

 

[[email protected]]

Speaking from experience with box shaped cars (both the cube and the Element), the large windshield may be more suseptible to dings and cracks, but proper maintenance and inspection of the windshield coupled with proper driving practices (i.e. not riding on anyone's butt, especially trucks and tractor trailers) should keep you from having any major issues. Catch it while it's still a chip, and you should be fine.

I realize that "catching it on time" may not always be possible, and sometimes the widshield will crack. But you greatly reduce your chances of it happening this way.

 

[momzbox]

I heard about the risks before with my XB but I never had a problem. I have my cube for 3 weeks and a truck passing me was the cause of my windshield's demise. I wish it had just pitted or was a small spider but that crack ran so fast you think it was running a marathon