Needing Some Input on A New Windshield

[willc]

When I bought my '06 LX470, I didn't notice the crazy wind noise it was having at highway speeds.

It was driving me crazy, so about a year into ownership I got it replaced. Aftermarket glass. Really cut down on wind noise, but I still have it. They said it had been screwed in and was a mess as far as surface rust around where the windshield seals, but they "got it cleaned up for me." for around $350... I decided I'll live with the noise. BUT now I have a leak on my driverside floorboard (about 2 years later) with heavy rain or the carwash. I cleared the Sunroof drains, I'm going to try to figure out if it has to do with the cowl hood as well.

IF it is the windshield... is it worth it to buy Lexus glass (acoustic glass that would work with night vision) $750ish + install? OR should I just go with aftermarket glass again and roll the dice for $350? Would Lexus glass being acoustic cut down on any of the wind noise or is that more indicative of a bad seal around the windshield? If it's a bad seal, will screwing it down again improve anything or do I need to find someone who can do the rivets and possibly repair where the rivets need to attach to the body if they've been messed up by screws?

If you know anyone who does this type of work in the Austin to San Antonio area, who's good, and ok with me being a stickler, please let me know!

 

[GTV]

I wouldn’t worry too much about the glass. The person doing the work is the most critical factor.

 

[x8o8drifter]

So wait...
They as in those who replaced the windshield said the previous owner had replaced it already in the past and it was "screwed" in. (With all that rust and stuff that they cleaned up)
They replaced it and screwed it in AGAIN? Not rivet it like they were supposed to?

If that is true I'd be worried they even actually did much to remove the rust and clean the area at all.

 

[Coin]

If you can spend the money get the Lexus glass. I replaced mine last summer and in installer said the aftermarket was the same except for the label. Wrong.

Not only is it a bit noisier, the aftermarket glass lets in A LOT more heat.

 

[DuckLN]

My insurance covered oem a couple years ago. Both the glass and trim pieces.

 

[yjeff]

@willc I would get the windshield out before the next rain and review the screw holes. Safelite did this (use screws) several years ago and created a leak on my a pillars that eventually ruined the control boxes and electrical junctions in the footwells. Parts were several thousand and 1/2 the electrical in the car didn’t work.

I had the holes welded and the OEM rivets put in correctly. It’s a bad design but the seals won’t prevent leakage and the location of LX470 electronics makes it tough to ignore if you don’t want to ruin the vehicle

 

[willc]

@willc I would get the windshield out before the next rain and review the screw holes. Safelite did this (use screws) several years ago and created a leak on my a pillars that eventually ruined the control boxes and electrical junctions in the footwells. Parts were several thousand and 1/2 the electrical in the car didn’t work.

I had the holes welded and the OEM rivets put in correctly. It’s a bad design but the seals won’t prevent leakage and the location of LX470 electronics makes it tough to ignore if you don’t want to ruin the vehicle

Yikes! good to know- thanks for the input!

 

[Rhetoric]

My insurance covered oem a couple years ago. Both the glass and trim pieces.

Same.

Some notes:

It is typically not the windshield that leaks. It is incorrectly installing the trim on the L and R sides.

The Lexus glass has no markings on the bug saying it is acoustic glass.

 

[willc]

Thank you all for your input. I reached out to insurance to see about covering the windshield, but since there is no damage to the glass, just an improper install, no help. Which seems reasonable to me, but I thought- why not ask?

Lexus of Austin will do the windshield and all the trim for ~ $2650. They recommended a local installer to me, Capitol City Auto Glass, that seemed very knowledgeable on the phone. Haven't gotten a quote yet, but I'm thinking I'll more than likely use them over the dealer. They're mobile, so that will be a big benefit.

My main reason for typing this all out is to say that Capitol City Auto Glass said that they will use Rivnuts (which I'd never heard of) and have success with them on the 100 series and would, in theory, prevent the leaking issue that sounds like it's from the windshield being screwed down. Anyone have any input on that solution? My concern is that the hole for the rivets was more than likely expanded by a previous installer with a screw, so a factory rivet wouldn't work. The Rivnut solution sounded reasonable to me.

And just to confirm, I wouldn't get Lexus glass- but if the install is correct, it should be all good- right?

 

[Rhetoric]

I would stay away from anyone not doing it by the book. No rivnuts. No screws.

They have success they say. But they dont own the vehicle and look for leaks when it rains…

 

[dchilds]

I had mine replaced earlier this year by Park Place Lexus (in-house) in Plano, TX with OEM glass. I had another 100 before my current one and went the Safelite route. The difference in install was night and day. With the current OEM glass, no noise, no leaks. The same wasn’t true with the Safelite experience. I had to have them re-do their work after experiencing a leak. Thankfully I caught it early and no damage was done. Even after “fixing it”, there was still substantially more wind noise than OEM.