Coated article including low-E coating with improved durability and/or methods of making same

A method of making a coated article including a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising disposing, in order moving away from the glass substrate:

• a first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride;
• a first contact layer comprising Ni and/or Cr;
• an infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver located on the substrate over at least and contacting the first contact layer;
• a second contact layer comprising Ni and/or Cr located over and contacting the IR reflecting layer;
• a second dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride located over and contacting the second contact layer;
• and
• an overcoat layer comprising zirconium oxide,
• wherein the first contact layer is 2.1-2.5 times thicker than the second contact layer,
• wherein the overcoat layer is at least 2 nm thick, and
• wherein the coated article does not include any pyrolytically deposited layers.

A method of making a vehicle windshield including first and second glass substrates that are laminated together the method comprising:

• making a coated article including a coating supported by a glass substrate, the method comprising disposing, moving away from the glass substrate:
• a first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride;
• a first contact layer comprising Ni and/or Cr;
• an infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver located on the substrate over at least and contacting the first contact layer;
• a second contact layer comprising Ni and/or Cr located over and contacting the IR reflecting layer;
• a second dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride located over and contacting the second contact layer;
• and
• an overcoat layer comprising zirconium oxide,
• wherein the first contact layer is 2.1-2.5 times thicker than the second contact layer,
• wherein the overcoat layer is at least 2 nm thick,
• forwarding the coated article to a fabricator so that the coated article can be sized, bent, and laminated to another glass substrate in making the vehicle windshield;
• and
• wherein the vehicle windshield does not use PET.