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Crystal Fusion treatment ?

12K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  jamesepoop 
#1 ·
My wife and I both have FJs. When we purchased hers, she got a Crystal Fusion treatment done on the windshield. When I got mine, I didn't spend the extra $. Over the next two years, I got rock chip after rock chip. Eventually I got a huge crack and will have to replace the windshield soon. Meanwhile she never has gotten a chip. I drive mine more on the Interstate (where most of the chips have happened). But it appears the Crystal Fusion on hers has made a difference.

I'm wondering about the experience of others. When I did a search for Crystal Fusion, I came across some negative hype that it was snake oil. Have any of you had the treatment and do you think it makes a difference?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Never heard of it before.
 
#3 ·
Never heard of it, but all of my chips were accumulated on I70 at speed commuting to and from work. Passing or following hwy traffic will get you every time. Ask you're wife if she has ever heard stone smacking the windshield w/o making a chip. I have three chips and heard each stone hit...
 
#4 ·
Thanks Bigguy and cliffy. I have about 7 chips and one big break now. Most of the chips occurred on the interstate while passing 18 wheelers (which I now do very fast).

We took the wife's FJ on a trip to the Olympic Peninsula from eastern Idaho a couple of years ago. While I was driving there was one big smack on the windshield and no chip. So I guess that says something. I was surprised to see the snake oil complaints on a few other sites. It is expensive. I think it's normally about $300 (but when I looked, the wife paid $500 to Toyota dealer). But an FJ windshield is expensive and if the treatment avoids replacement costs, it would be worth it.
 
#16 ·
You might want to look at getting windshield coverage on your auto insurance. I have State Farm and it was included in the policy. In Colorado they will replace the windshield as often as once a year for a $100 deductible. Much cheaper than the coating.
 
#5 ·
Maybe there is something to it? It's hard for me to think an invisible treatment would prevent glass breakage or even chips, but then again every time I've heard a substantial smack on my windshield there was a chip so I dunno...
 
#6 ·
Same for mine. If there's a whack, there's a chip. I just went to California and got two new ones before I got out of Idaho. I seriously LOVE my FJ, but a new windshield is at least $500 (based on 3 places I called). And the fact that the windshield is so vertical makes it more vulnerable than for any vehicle I have previously owned. My wife begged me to get a new windshield before the trip, but I suspected I would just get more damage (which I did). I am seriously thrifty and don't spend extra money unless clearly warranted. I would really like to know if this product has worked for others.
 
#7 ·
Before I bought my FJ, I talked to a local glass company. The owner said that if she was going to get a new rig she would have it put on theirs. I had it put on when I bought mine. I got one very small chip that they paid to have fixed. I seem to get these micro chips in the finish, but it is hard to tell where they come from.
 
#9 ·
Where's the data:
Never herd of it, but it sounds like more "snake oil" to me? Do they independent laboratory testing to prove it works? How was the test designed? What were the particle sizes used, what was the projectile material (stone, what type?), what was the impact velocity, angle of impact, how many strikes and where on the windshield? In 30 years of driving I have had 3 windshields replaced and my wife has had 1. 2 of mine were my FJ40 and the third was my FJ cruiser. It is easy to understand since both windshields are relatively flat (the FJ40 is flat) and their incline angle is very steep. Does the coating work: to some ridiculously small degree it will since it is reducing the coefficient of friction and adding a boundary layer to reduce impact. After visiting their website, definitely snake oil. My guess would be your wife drives a bit slower, does not stay closely behind trucks (less tendency to tailgate or try to push drivers), maybe he is on the freeway less often or for shorter distances and has better luck than you?
 
#10 ·
it might be the same thing that we sell. I as well thought it was "snake oil". but I was talking to a customer that is a scientist at NIST who specialized in Nano technology. he looked at the Nano tech chemicals that are used and explained that glass is not smooth it is rough (see picture below). the 2 part coating fills in the valleys so that when an object hits the glass it has nothing to "catch" on and glances off.

this makes sense to me because the easiest way to brake a window is to throw a handful of broken spark plug insulators at it. there are many super sharp points to get caught under the roughness of the glass and start the fracturing process.

https://youtu.be/z67DKJUgSa4

the proof in my case is I drive a 08 with almost 100K on the odometer and I had this done 8 years ago and still have the original windshield on it. YMMV.
 

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#11 ·
3 words if your insurance offers it, zero glass deductible. If I get two windshields in a year my policy has paid for itself. And they say it doesn't increase my rates like non glass claims would.
 
#13 ·
Does your wife's windshield show any pitting on it - like it's been sandblasted?
 
#17 ·
Guesss it's one of those things that some may love and some may hate, but this lady falls into the latter category...
That's a bit misleading. It seems like she was sent a different product altogether. If it wasn't for her description of "tiny bottle" of application. It seems like applying the crystal fusion is a multi step process, so what gives. Sounds fishy to me. I'd probably just talk with the dealership that's applying it, what guarantees are offered.
 
#15 ·
I wonder if it's similar to the liquid screen protectors you can apply to your phones now? That's all I've used on mine for the last couple years and it's done a great job of protecting the glass from small scratches. As for chips, it might prevent some small ones on a windshield but I imagine that it wouldn't do much against a larger rock.
 
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