Recently I had to replace the windshield of my Model 3. I'll share my experience here, and hope that this thread helps others around the SF area. Summary: it was a waste of time to talk to Safelite or Tesla about glass repair.
First my insurance (USAA) referred me to Safelite. They said they couldn't get the Model 3 windshield - sorry! Calling various Tesla SCs, and the new SJ body shop, resulted in a bunch of referrals to third-party glass shops. But they didn't seem to want the work: they'd quote a ridiculous price, or they'd quote 4-6 weeks, or they'd refuse to quote at all.
By this time I was tired of wasting time, but I still had to replace the windshield. I listed out the highest-rated business in Yelp's auto glass category, then searched their reviews for mentions of Tesla that weren't obviously problematic. This got me a few quotes.
In the end I picked a quote that was a little more expensive than the cheapest, but with a 1-2 week ETA. That came through, and the next day their mobile crew came to me and replaced the windshield. They advised me that the cameras might need recalibration, but Autopilot worked immediately the next time I drove the car. I may still ask Tesla support if there's any reason to recalibrate, but so far it seems fine.
Here's the shop I used: https://www.yelp.com/biz/king-of-auto-glass-oakland-2 — I hope I won't need them again, but if I do they'll be my first call.
I've heard a lot of horror stories about folks waiting weeks or months for glass work. Maybe those are exaggerated, or maybe I got lucky. But I think it's worth considering options other than the shops Tesla recommends. FWIW I had a similar experience with Tesla-recommended electricians.
If you're in the SF Bay Area, what's your glass repair story?
First my insurance (USAA) referred me to Safelite. They said they couldn't get the Model 3 windshield - sorry! Calling various Tesla SCs, and the new SJ body shop, resulted in a bunch of referrals to third-party glass shops. But they didn't seem to want the work: they'd quote a ridiculous price, or they'd quote 4-6 weeks, or they'd refuse to quote at all.
By this time I was tired of wasting time, but I still had to replace the windshield. I listed out the highest-rated business in Yelp's auto glass category, then searched their reviews for mentions of Tesla that weren't obviously problematic. This got me a few quotes.
In the end I picked a quote that was a little more expensive than the cheapest, but with a 1-2 week ETA. That came through, and the next day their mobile crew came to me and replaced the windshield. They advised me that the cameras might need recalibration, but Autopilot worked immediately the next time I drove the car. I may still ask Tesla support if there's any reason to recalibrate, but so far it seems fine.
Here's the shop I used: https://www.yelp.com/biz/king-of-auto-glass-oakland-2 — I hope I won't need them again, but if I do they'll be my first call.
I've heard a lot of horror stories about folks waiting weeks or months for glass work. Maybe those are exaggerated, or maybe I got lucky. But I think it's worth considering options other than the shops Tesla recommends. FWIW I had a similar experience with Tesla-recommended electricians.
If you're in the SF Bay Area, what's your glass repair story?
