dstewart

Got a crack in my windshield, filed a claim with my insurance ($0 deductible), asked glass company to quote OEM glass, rep says OEM is $1500 installed, aftermarket is $279 installed, aftermarket brand is apparently Pittsburgh Glass Works?

One would think that the quality of a $1500 windshield would be considerably better than one that costs $279 but I know OEM adds $ just because. This just seems like a HUGE price difference. Should I be concerned at all with the quality of PGW? Or is a windshield a windshield? Only way insurance will agree to replace with OEM is if I have an OEM endorsement on my policy, which I do not.

Appreciate any feedback!

Johnhav430

I had thought that I saw on the forum original glass does not exist anymore? That is, with a Lexus logo?

Anyway, what I learned from my BMW.

There are 3 grades of glass. OE, OEM, aftermarket. OE has a BMW logo, it could have been made by Saint Gobain Sekurit, Pilkington, Fuyao. This costs the insurance co. significantly more than aftermarket. Retail? $800 vs $129.

The middle grade is OEM. That is Saint Gobain Sekurit, Pilkington, without a BMW logo. This costs less, maybe $500.

I argued until I was blue in the face with that lizard co. with the funny ads, for almost 50 min., before they would approve OE with a BMW logo.

If you can get original, by all means get it. Why do we have to save the insurance co. money? I hope mine doesn't break as it has a Lexus logo on it, and also the Lexus dealer's sticker from Naples FLA. I like having that to remind me that the car is from Naples. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

dstewart

Just ran across this article:
http://triblive.com/business/headlin...lkq-pittsburgh

...apparently PPG sold PGW back in 2016. If no one has heard of PGW, any thoughts on PPG's windshields? My biggest concern is increased wind noise should I go the aftermarket route.

Hagar

When I bought my 04 LS430 a year ago, the dealer gave me the song and dance over how crazy expensive the windshield would be to replace. It was special water resistant, supposedly crack resistance, sound deadening, and a few other things they told me. So I included the insurance to cover it for 4 years. Lets see what happens when mine cracks.

There's a discussion here about the windshield already.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-replaced.html

onthelo

There are multiple topics about this windshield .... on mine I have aftermarket and hate it I feel like I hear nose and my rain sensor doesn't work properly anymore. If I could get OEM I would just cant afford it. Read a lot of articles of owners with same or similar problems and also a lot without so I still don't know i just know if I could be covered and just pay deductible i would go OEM and replace all the side and top trim along with rain sensor IMO. Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

nthach

PPG's aftermarket glass was probably the best when it came to aftermarket glass. A lot of the 1LS guys(like I was) recommended the PPG replacement windshield. PPG spun off the automotive division as PGW to a private equity firm and for a while they did make glass in the US - they still do for PGW's OEM business which is now owned by Vitro. Vitro is a Mexican glass company that also bought out PPG's architectural glass business and supplies OEM glass to GM, Ford, Nissan and VW.

PGW is now sourcing a majority of their glass from XYG. Not the best when it comes to optical quality or fit. I've been in cars with XYG replacement glass and the windshields would have some visible distortion from the sides or tint mismatch. I helped my parents get a windshield replaced on their van and the Safelite tech told me he won't touch XYG or Benson glass. But their neighbors have a PGW-branded XYG on a Subaru and it seems fine in my eyes.

OEM is the best but most expensive option. I would try to push for a Pilkington windshield at the least. FYG was junk back in the 1990s, it's now a decent pick but their aftermarket glass might be made to the same spec as the OEM stuff. My parents have an FYG windshield on their 3LS, visibility seems good but I'm worried about how it was installed - I presume Safelite. There's rumor AGC(Asahi Glass) also supplies the aftermarket but it's not OEM glass - it's also from XYG and they did have Safelite make a few of their part numbers when they still made glass. The DOT code on the glass "bug" tells all.

LS430inDE.

There is still Lexus glass for our 430's. I know because I had my front windshield replaced August 2017. I learned that glass 'coverage' with Met Life (my insurance company) was only an extra $5 PER YEAR! Needless to say, I opted in for glass coverage, then called to have the glass replaced the following week, lol. I told the rep I needed genuine Lexus glass because of the special water resistance coating, the rain sensor for the wipers, and the special double lamination that Lexus puts in their cars! (I didn't tell her I owned a Modern Luxury, lmao) The glass replacement company called me the next day to schedule and during our conversation, he remarks, "they are sending the glass from a Lexus dealership in PA, so we have to schedule for next week." I said no problem. The following week, sure enough, the glass has Lexus on it, and MAN is it amazingly clear as compared to the pitted and worn out glass I had!!!!!

So, yes----as of August 2017, Lexus glass still existed. I was going to post pictures, etc, but kind of went underground for a few months. Had to deal with life issues that were handed to me.

dstewart

biacs

I had a windshield this year. I had a whatever brand of glass -its worked just fine for my daily driver -still very quiet.

The only hiccup is you NEED to get the Lexus OEM gel pad sensor. Otherwise the wipers would swipe at odd times when it was dry out. Lexus gel pad fixed the issue!

mickb

Don't give up insisting on OEM glass unless you're reselling the car. Even my installer of 25 yrs. agreed there is a big difference in the fitment, not having to use more caulking. He easily did installation in about 2 hrs. Greetings from Sarasota FL.

juanluis1

Safelite is good option to go with. I had personal experience with Safelite and I liked it.

CA2WALS430

Nice job looking up an old thread, and thanks for the info. I see Safelite is advertising that on their commercials that they can align the window features. My windshield is pitted, but I know at 18 years old, insurance will say no way to OE glass. I would be very upset if my car was not as quiet because the glass was not as thick or a softer compound.

Anyone else? New windshield experiences?

CSA

OE Lexus glass is still available for our cars. I know this because my dealer recently replaced my cracked windshield. It's crystal clear with no wind noise.

HiPatrick

My windshield is pretty blasted and has a filled in chip right near the centre.. I am going to get a Fuyao branded aftermarket windshield, eventually. Here in Australia, I really don't know where, or how to get a hold of the OEM unit. The big house online OEM suppliers state they don't ship these units overseas, which is understandable. I remember seeing on a Facebook group, that some guy managed to get an original Toyota branded windshield for his Toyota Crown (forgot which chassis), through a local dealership. Don't think I will be going through that hassle. I'm not too phased having a non-OEM windshield, as long as the installer does the sensors correctly, then there should be no issues like wipers going off at random intervals.

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I have an OEM windshield I purchased two years ago. State Farm tried to get me a crappy Safelite windshield but I turned it down. They promised me an OEM one but then they shut down my claim and gave me nothing. I ended up paying out of pocket and buying an OEM windshield and used the installer my Lexus dealership uses. He came to my house and did the install.

My installer mentioned many of the jobs he did for our dealership were botched Safelite jobs. Safelite replaced my mom’s Escalade’s windshield and she had tons of wind noise. I would recommend asking the service department at your local Lexus dealership who their installer is and get their information. My dealership charges $600 for something our installer does for $100.

He also mentioned that you don’t need to go OEM if it’s too expensive for you. His jaw dropped when I pulled the OEM windshield out of my garage because it’s not common for people to use one.