I have been a legal driver for over 30 years and have logged well over a million miles in dozens of different vehicles. I have never experienced any significant, and certainly not frequent, windshield damage on any of those vehicles. I have definitely never had to replace one due to damage.

My wife drove a 2004 XJ8 (X350) for a couple of years putting about 25,000 miles on it, never a scratch on the windshield. She has a Passat now and has 30,000 miles on it since new, still not a scratch.

I've owned three (3) X308 Jaguars over the years and ALL three have taken windshield damage! Chips and so forth were common on the first two I owned (an XJ8 and an XJR) and now my third (2002 XJR) took a rock the first week after I bought it! That rock hit so hard the whole windshield had to be replaced. Yesterday I took it for spin and a rock chipped my newly replaced windshield. Now these two incidents were almost a year apart but during that year I only drove the car 4,000 miles!

I've become hyper aware now because I know anytime I drive my X308 the probability seems higher than average that I'll be getting windshield damage.

Is this just me? Is there some aerodynamic feature of this body style that attracts road debris?

 

I think you're just unlucky. Although you may have a point of the screen angle being just right for strikes to matter...

 

I've had mine for 3 years (as of yesterday actually), and haven't had any chips or anything happen. Thinking back, I can only think of a few strikes off it from passing items but no damage to mine. I'd have to say it sounds more like just bad luck

 

No issues here after 7 years of ownership or so. I do think the glass is pretty weak though as it does seem to get lots of pitting in the glass.

 

I'm sure the low rake is a big factor compared to many other cars. It's probably also factor in the pitting, that's definitely one problem I've heard a lot about on the x308, and mine is showing pitting as well.

It's really too bad, cause the low rake makes it look so damn good.

 

Pitting issues here as well, I replaced mine as soon as I acquired it.

 

I had ruled out the fact that the windshield has so little angle to it because I have owned pick-up trucks before with window that are straight up and down without any glass damage issues. I realized however that those pick-up windshields are much farther above the roadway!

 

Harvest14,


Also was surprised by amount of road debris hitting the windshield on X308's. While not yet big enough to break glass, have a growing pit collection.


I believe it has to do with not just windshield angle, but the shape of nose and hood. If you have the nerve, shut off your wipers in a heavy rain. Airflow pushes the rainwater upwards in an (almost) transparent sheet. (I accept no responsibility for negative outcomes of this experiment. I didn't know that car ahead had no working brake lights!)


Vehicles with vertical windshields usually have a 'roll' of high-pressure air where the cowl meets the windshield. I believe that helps redirect debris flying at their windshields. (and why some musclecar hood scoops face rearwards.)

 

I have been driving and driving in XJ's all my life -- the only time I have replaced is when age and miles take a toll. Now, my Cayennes that's a different story ... have bought a few.

This just bad luck

 

Cayennes are nice, I wouldn't mind having one some day.

I have never been an "unlucky" person, if you believe in that sort of thing. Maybe some of you are just "lucky"? haha

 

I had an Infinity J30 that went through at least 4 windshields during it's life with me. Can't think of any reason why?

i'm on the second with my S-type. a rock took out the first, not the car's fault