New windshield pros and cons

[HomersCanyonero]

Are there any negatives to getting an aftermarket windshield on my 15 year old Gx470? I have rain sensors.

Car insurance says they don’t cover a Lexus stamped new windshield because car is so old. I got a flying rock hit my windshield on the freeway going 65 mph.

The price difference is $380 for aftermarket and $980 at Lexus dealer. My deductible is $500. I’m arguing that I want factory glass.

 

[UltraFJ40]

Are there any negatives to getting an aftermarket windshield on my 15 year old Gx470? I have rain sensors.

Car insurance says they don’t cover a Lexus stamped new windshield because car is so old. I got a flying rock hit my windshield on the freeway going 65 mph.

The price difference is $380 for aftermarket and $980 at Lexus dealer. My deductible is $500. I’m arguing that I want factory glass.

I guess that depends on how much you like your money. I'd go with an aftermarket personally. All it has to do is keep the rain out, right?

 

[HomersCanyonero]

No, it has to protect me from flying rocks.

 

[NMBruce]

I use Techna Glass and have in the pass, never had a problem with any glass they have put in cars. Free chip repairs and I think it’s a year warranty against cracking

 

[DSRTRDR]

I'd argue a bit more forcefully with the insurance company

 

[little_joe]

I too would push hard for OEM glass. When I bought my GX, the dealer agreed to replace the windshield. They did a fine job, no issues, tint matches, everything is fine. They used aftermarket glass.

However, it sounds like every rain drop is a damn pinball against the glass and it drives me insane. I can go check the mfgr - it's not PPG, but Pittsburgh-something. It is really bad - can't hear the stereo w/o turning it up substantially, definitely can't have a call over in-vehicle bluetooth. In California this may not be a problem, but we often get rain here...

 

[Arailt]

Pittsburgh Glass Works? That was PPG's auto glass entity until a couple years ago when they sold it to a Mexican company.

 

[JLee]

I have aftermarket glass from Safelite - they claim it's OEM-spec. I can't tell a difference (I also don't know if I had OEM glass when I bought this thing at 179k miles).

 

[HomersCanyonero]

The main issue is that I can’t tell the quality of the aftermarket glass for windshields. Consumer reports even did a report on this because auto insurance companies were pushing hard for aftermarket glass without even knowing the quality of those windshields.

OEM vs. Aftermarket Windshields - What's the difference?

Anyways, I have a call with my agent on Monday to discuss further. My Lexus dealer is a AAA approved repair shop, so I’m gonna take it there for an evaluation.

 

[joabmc]

I go through a lot of windshields in my work rigs. Spend a lot of time on the road and it’s bound to happen...
I’ve replaced 2 on our 14 Tundra and can’t honestly tell the difference in my day to day driving. First one went at under 50k and another at 95k. Safelite did both with no issues. Other than not having Toyota etched in the glass, I see no difference.

 

[Bluetribal]

Fight for the OEM glass. There is a difference and they need to provide the same item you had. And if a 15 year old vehicle makes a difference then your annual rate should be discounted.

The Lexus and Toyota glass has a foil layer in it that no other aftermarket glass has that I know of. You mainly notice the difference in glass when it rains, your whippers work so much better on OEM glass.

 

[little_joe]

Pittsburgh Glass Works? That was PPG's auto glass entity until a couple years ago when they sold it to a Mexican company.

You are correct, it is PGW.

 

[estoddart]

Mine was replaced by safelite also. Rain sensor still works great.

 

[Bluetribal]

My windshield company said they used a new Lexus rain sensor pad but even after taking it back to try to get it fixed it still didn’t work properly. So I ended up seeing how the did it and bought my own Lexus pad and installed it myself and surprise surprise it worked much better. I still get random swipes by the whispers on hot days when I first start the truck but overall it works like it originally did.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Well, I went down a rats nest trying to figure out what to do about my windshield replacement. Lots of companies buying each other out and manufacturing glass all over the world. You have to do an analysis of the industry to get a clear picture of who makes what where. Even Japanese-company Asahi Glass partnered with American-company Safelite to make some of their windshields. The bottom line is they all are trying to lower the cost of making parts and in the process lowering the quality of parts available.

Here's my situation. My current windshield has the "Lexus - Asahi" stamp and it looks original to 2003 because the rest of the windows have the same stamp. Windshield has two fresh new cracks (about 1" each) and an older smaller crack (1/4"), so 3 total that I could see. Glass is Lexus, but it's cracked and old. My current options:

1. Fix the cracks and hope the glass doesn't fully break during the repair process. I got a quote to fix the 3 cracks for $70 at my own risk.
2. Mom and pop shop #1: $225 out the door for a new rain sensing PGW glass.
3. Mom and pop shop #2: $215 out the door for a new rain sensing PGW glass. Could not get Pilkington glass for GX470 from Pilkington.
4. AAA Insurance Preferred All Star Glass Shop: $377 for a new rain sensing PGW glass. Could not find anyone that had Pilkington glass.
5. Mom and pop shop #3: $175 for Chinese-made Fuyao rain sensing windshield; $275 for USA-made Fuyao rain sensing glass.

All use the 3rd party rain sensing pad. Not sure what that means, but @Bluetribal had to get the Lexus rain sensing pad. How much was it by the way and Lexus part #?

Another option would be to buy Lexus OEM glass #56111-60512-8N for like $550 including tax and the Lexus rain sensor (Longo Lexus), and have someone install it for like $50. That would be like $600.

My insurance, Auto Club of So Cal (AAA), won't budge for Lexus glass. They were quick to outsource the job to their Lynx middle man who then quickly hired a 3rd party All Star Glass to do the job. They both call me everyday to settle the claim and to replace the windshield.

Since my deductible is $500, I'm paying for most of the repair anyways. I have to fight to get like $100 from my insurance and that's going to a mom and pop shop that's not in their network.

Aghhh, this is what happens when I have too much time to think about what to do.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

My car insurance said that I could repair it myself at an independent shop with factory glass and I could send the receipts to them. They would evaluate the charges and if it looks reasonable then they would send me a check for the difference. Since I'm basically paying for the whole thing ($500 deductible), their portion is going to be like $100 to $150 depending on the installation labor and glass pickup.

So, I guess it all comes down to me if I want to pay $500 for factory glass or $215 for PGW glass. Hmmm. If I get factory glass, I'm gonna be driving super slow and away from trucks! LOL

 

[langsen]

...Another option would be to buy Lexus OEM glass #56111-60512-8N for like $550 including tax and the Lexus rain sensor (Longo Lexus), and have someone install it for like $50. That would be like $600...

Check out the procedure in the FSM for replacing the windshield and then imagine that someone will do that correctly for $50. I would bet that even the dealership is not going to take the time to install it right. If I could find a shop that would do it right, with OEM quality glass, at least partially covered by insurance, I would do it; until then I'm driving around with chips in the windshield.

 

[orion]

Nothing to add...except thanks for this discussion.

Mine has a rock chip right outside my straight-ahead field of view...and FL insurance allows for $0 deductible windshield replacement. As soon as that crack spreads (think it's inevitable)...I need to be armed with all this info.

- Brian

 

[Bluetribal]

All use the 3rd party rain sensing pad. Not sure what that means, but @Bluetribal had to get the Lexus rain sensing pad. How much was it by the way and Lexus part #?

For $17 buy the OEM pad. Part No.
8994450010

 

[HomersCanyonero]

@Bluetribal thanks for the part number

I went to a 4th auto glass place and asked to repair my two adjacent cracks. He said it’s a high probability it cracks because there’s two cracks next to each other. $50 to repair both. I said try it. Windshield said no way and it cracked. See my before and after pictures. No charge for cracking my windshield.

He gives me a quote to replace for $165 out the door. I ask what glass and it’s Chinese Fuyao glass. I asked him to check for PGW glass, but he can’t get it. I asked for a Lexus oem rain pad, so he orders it and total windshield replacement price is $180 out the door. Parts arrive tomorrow, so install coming up.

So, in the end, I decided that it would be okay to go with aftermarket glass. I decided to save the money for other repairs that are in my list like shift assembly to fix my L issue, driveshaft clunk that’s getting annoying, and my intermittent P0171/174 that comes and goes.