Windshield Installer Recommendation - Northern IL

[TWillz]

Just got off the phone with Geico and they agreed to replace my cracked windshield with an OEM/Lexus one. Now I just need to find a good installer that isn't Safelite. Anyone had luck with an installer in Chicagoland/Northern IL they can recommend? Any help appreciated!

 

[Jmivorm]

Find a good one because you will need him again. I commute 100 miles a day on an interstate at 80-85 mph. I am always getting rocks hitting the winshield but I have never had a vehicle that the winshields just obliterate from a pebble chip like the landcruiser. Ive put 120000 miles on suburbans and land rovers since 2013 and everyone of them got the occasional nick in the winshield from a pebble but never replaced one. Im 7200 miles on my 2019 landcruiser and its about to have its third oem winshield put in it this week. Dont know what it is but a small pebble and its done. If you hear a click on the glass, you will have a crack by the time you get home. So far cost of ownership in windscreens is .35 per mile. I know this sounds ridiculous but its true.

 

[tirewater]

Eh, I have to find an installer in NorCal...had a rock chip during the summer, then turned on defrost in the winter and it cracked across the windshield. My children laughed, I cried.

Find a good one because you will need him again. I commute 100 miles a day on an interstate at 80-85 mph. I am always getting rocks hitting the winshield but I have never had a vehicle that the winshields just obliterate from a pebble chip like the landcruiser. Ive put 120000 miles on suburbans and land rovers since 2013 and everyone of them got the occasional nick in the winshield from a pebble but never replaced one. Im 7200 miles on my 2019 landcruiser and its about to have its third oem winshield put in it this week. Dont know what it is but a small pebble and its done. If you hear a click on the glass, you will have a crack by the time you get home. So far cost of ownership in windscreens is .35 per mile. I know this sounds ridiculous but its true.

 

[TWillz]

Well I finally had my windshield replaced with a factory Lexus replacement panel and the problems have already begun. Driving down the highway today at 65mph and I hear a whistling noise, almost like a side window is cracked open or something but all 4 windows are rolled completely up. I'm pretty sure the passenger side upper corner is where it's coming from.

I noticed along the top edge of the entire windshield there's about a 1/4 inch gap between it and the roof of the truck - almost like a strip of molding is missing or something. I can't imagine that is normal, but I don't have another LX to compare it to. If anyone would be so kind to take a look or even a photo of the top part of their windshield to see if there's a gap there I would really appreciate it. It's an '09 but I'm guessing they all look pretty similar.

I guess I'll be taking it somewhere else to have this fixed and counting on my insurance company to cover it since it was shoddy workmanship.

 

[gaijin]

Well I finally had my windshield replaced with a factory Lexus replacement panel and the problems have already begun. Driving down the highway today at 65mph and I hear a whistling noise, almost like a side window is cracked open or something but all 4 windows are rolled completely up. I'm pretty sure the passenger side upper corner is where it's coming from.

I noticed along the top edge of the entire windshield there's about a 1/4 inch gap between it and the roof of the truck - almost like a strip of molding is missing or something. I can't imagine that is normal, but I don't have another LX to compare it to. If anyone would be so kind to take a look or even a photo of the top part of their windshield to see if there's a gap there I would really appreciate it. It's an '09 but I'm guessing they all look pretty similar.

I guess I'll be taking it somewhere else to have this fixed and counting on my insurance company to cover it since it was shoddy workmanship.

Top of windshield should look like this:
Driver's side

It looks like there is a gap, but that's normal.

HTH

 

[TWillz]

wow - mine is completely missing that rubber gasket piece. Thanks so much @gaijin

 

[Mixelplix]

When I replaced my windshield in my 100 series with Night Vision (which is a notoriously difficult job), I called around to all the local places, and then I visited them as well.

I eventually did end up with Safelite because the manager there took the time to understand the issue, and insisted that it would be done right. He even looked over the factory service manual with me, just to make sure he was confident he could do the job.

He got OEM glass (after some persuasion between him and the corporate office) because the NAGS part number wasn't correct. He also was completely cool with riveting the glass clamps in rather than embedding the glass in place with urethane as most places do.

Here's what it costs to replace NightView Windshield ($2005.07)

Unfortunately that truck got totaled shortly after the glass was replaced, but while it was in there, it was perfect.

My suggestion is to vet out potential places just like you would do with anything else that important to you. Make sure you have a good feel for the people, and make sure it gets done right.

 

[TheEvilPrince]

How about going to a Lexus Collision Center?

FIND A CENTER

Woodfield Lexus Certified Collision Center
1130 E. Remington Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60173

Contact: Tom Hoch
Phone: (877) 815-8550
Email: thoch@resnickautogroup.com
Url: www.woodfieldlexus.com

 

[TWillz]

Thanks for that recommendation @TheEvilPrince

Geico's policy is for me to go back to the original shop that put in the new windshield and have them make it right. If it's still not done correctly, I have the option to take it to a different company.
One way or the other I'll get it fixed!

I'm pretty sure the wind/noise is coming in through these small holes in this seal along the top. Hopefully they can just replace whichever molding strips are missing and that will solve it. Or maybe they will have to pull the entire thing - who knows.

 

[TWillz]

So here's an update on my windshield install. Took the truck back to the original place that installed it on Saturday and dropped it off. They worked on it for about 2 hours and called to say it's all ready and no more wind noise. So I pick it up and drive home, listening to wind noise the entire way. Got it home to the garage and noticed my windshield wiper blades are installed on the wrong sides so I flip up the wiper arms only to see this mangled mess along the cowling. The cowl trim on the passenger side is easily an inch away from where it should be laying smooth against the bottom of the windshield!

I called the shop back and the owner said bring it back in and we will fix it, so I did. I sat there for two hours while the techs tried different things to get it to lay down including glue, and still couldn't get it right... total botch job. They basically gave up and said "we don't know what else to try".

I'll be calling Geico again to see if I can take it in to the Lexus collision center @TheEvilPrince recommended.