A new technology that helps keep your eyes on the road is also driving up the cost of some repairs.
High-tech windshields can sense when it's raining and turn your wipers on or sense an upcoming collision and trigger the brakes. But they can be expensive to replace—which might be especially frustrating for Interstate 4 drivers during lots of construction.
A few miles off I-4, Pete Muller's auto enhancement business has seen a steady uptick in customers looking to install a special windshield film, trying to put an end to the dings, chips and windshield cracks collected on I-4.
“They're fed up with having to replace their windshields and they're looking for a solution,” he said.
One of his customers had it happen four times and what some new car owners are finding is a steep jump in replacement costs, mainly due to the arrival of advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS.
“(The system includes) everything from heads up displays, to collision avoidance sensors and systems,” said Muller.
But the array of high-tech safety features are also embedded in the windshield.
It means the $300 windshield in the 2016 model of some automakers now costs $1,700 in its 2017 version.
“If they don't have comprehensive coverage on their insurance policy and they have to pay out of pocket on it, they're blown away by how much more expensive it is to replace a windshield,” Muller said.
In Florida, depending on a driver’s comprehensive coverage, most insurance provides at least one windshield for free.
But Muller said drivers are not always guaranteed the same factory glass, or insurance won't cover the total cost.
Some drivers like to pay out-of-pocket so a claim doesn't degrade their car's value. Read more at article link.
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