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Windshield glass - Toyota vs Aftermarket

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by Outbound, Apr 14, 2018.

  1. Aug 27, 2019 at 8:55 PM
    #31
    kgb4187

    kgb4187 New Member

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    My insurance includes free glass coverage, got a few big chips last month and made a claim. Dropped the truck off (they offered to do it at my house but recommended coming in), they billed the insurance $850 and I was all set. It is aftermarket but they have a good warranty.
     
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  2. Aug 28, 2019 at 3:01 AM
    #32
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    I see. Do you mind taking a picture of your window manufacturer logo? I’m interested in seeing what is classified as “aftermarket” for insurance companies along with what features it comes with. Sometimes they will classify a PGW manufactured windshield as aftermarket even though they are who hold the contract for our Tundras as seen in picture
     
  3. Aug 28, 2019 at 4:09 AM
    #33
    Jas4tundra

    Jas4tundra New Member

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    Toyota OEM-glass has acoustic coating, helps in keeping road noise down. Others lack that coating.
     
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  4. Aug 28, 2019 at 4:11 AM
    #34
    Rubberdown

    Rubberdown Spilling my guts here.

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    Safelite did 3k plus of paint damage to my wife’s 4Runner and had to have the dealerships guy install the windshield after the 2 attempts requiring more repairs post first repaint. Never call Safelite. Oh and the windshield cracked three days after we got the car back. The experience was so bad my wife refuses to get a new windshield as it “isn’t worth it”.

    Now I have to drive around in a crappy 4Runner with a broken windshield.
     
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  5. Aug 28, 2019 at 4:13 AM
    #35
    Rex Kramer

    Rex Kramer Vinyl Spinner

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    I am more interested in a clear undistorted view through the windshield glass, than the warranty.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2019
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  6. Aug 28, 2019 at 5:57 AM
    #36
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Im not sure if it does. Based on my windshield logo, it doesnt show any type of Acoustic logo or code or little ear drawing which to my understanding is the only way to determine if your windshield comes with this Acoustic coating. Can anyone further explain to me how to determine if our Tundra windshields have an Acoustic lamination? Maybe its just my 2016 TRD Pro which didnt come with it stock. I posted my factory windshield logo earlier in this forum
     
  7. Aug 28, 2019 at 5:59 AM
    #37
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Im with you! We already paid a pretty penny for our trucks. Why cheap out on something like a windshield
     
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  8. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:04 AM
    #38
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    That sucks! I ended up going with a smaller shop which warranties their workmanship for life as all companies should. I also elected to have them do it in my driveway and I DEFINITELY intend on doing a walk around with the installer prior to any work being done on my truck. I will be sitting right out there with him during the replacement. Best way to guarantee they dont cut any corners rushing to get to the next job. No scratches prior means no scratches after or I wont pay and we’ll see each other in small claims court. I also take pictures of everything prior to any work being done.
     
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  9. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:11 AM
    #39
    Rubberdown

    Rubberdown Spilling my guts here.

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    I would have never thought if it with a windshield replacement but do a full walk around and take pictures before they start. If the big ass scratches hadn’t led under the new windshield I would have been hosed. The first thing they said was price it wasn’t scratched like that before

    I had binswanger do my old tundra. Cheap and easy. And I didn’t have so much in that I didn’t mind replacing it a couple years later for a big rock chip star thing.
     
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  10. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:13 AM
    #40
    e30cabrio

    e30cabrio I'm e30cabrio, I'm a modaholic

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    I have 0 deductible glass. When I first got my Tundra I was driving 1000 miles a week on the Az freeways which have more kicked up desbris than the Oort cloud.

    I broke 2 windshields installed by Safelite with their junk brand. As I knew I was changing my driving I let it go. After that ended I insisted on Toyota glass and it's been in there since mid 2018.
     
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  11. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:29 AM
    #41
    Twinky

    Twinky Keep the shinny side up!

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    Wow, I've never even thought about "OEM" glass. Guess I've been lucky in that department.

    Not sure why I'm surprised though, just never thought about it before.
     
  12. Aug 28, 2019 at 10:07 AM
    #42
    kgb4187

    kgb4187 New Member

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    IMG_20190828_100501.jpg
     
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  13. Aug 28, 2019 at 3:44 PM
    #43
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Alright so I had the installer change out the windshield in my driveway. Even with me there watching his every move one of many tiny little plastic clips snapped off the black gutter cover that is directly over the windshield motors. The guy immediately apologized and I could tell he was being as careful as he could when he snapped it off so I took a look at it an there were many other clips to the left and right of the snapped clip so this wasnt a big deal. I was more concerned with my paint and interior as the tools they use mostly have razor blades at the end of them and run right along the pillars and roof. So not one scratch on anything so I was happy.

    As to the replacement windshield see for yourself the differences. In my opinion, I should have just paid the 568 difference for the Factory windshield. There definitely are small quality differences. One thing I did confirm was that the Aftermarket PGW windshield actually has a solar tint film in the window. I called PGW North East and they confirmed with that part number that this window is manufactured with a solar coating that helps reduce the heat transfer from sun.

    1.jpg
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    Last edited: Aug 28, 2019
  14. Aug 28, 2019 at 4:32 PM
    #44
    mtTundra

    mtTundra New Member

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    Longer list than the wife needs to know about....
    Toyota (or any brand) do not make their own glass. What you get in buying a OEM windshield is a piece that undergoes stricter quality control. In some aftermarket applications they will do cheaper manufacturing processes as well (like attaching the heating element on the inside pane of glass vs between the laminate (See images above).
    There are only something like 5 or 6 manufactures of glass in the world. The rest are just white labeled.
    PGW (formally PPG i believe)
    XYG (Chinese brand)
    FY (Chinese Brand) may be corporately tied to XYG?
    Pilkington
    Carlex - (Japanese owned)
    Safelite also has their own "Service" glass that is manufactured in the US

    All of the above (minus Safelite) provide OE glass to a given brand or model. As they are all bidding for the OE work.

    All glass is virtually the same with respect to impact resistance. Bear in mind when a rock breaks your windshield it is often traveling some "X" mph (KPH for our Canadian friends) in the opposite direction of travel of "Y" MPH from you. X+Y is not the same in every situation.
    Rocks also have a different composition between them some hard (like granite or quartz) others of softer (like calcite). Something very hard like porcelain (from a spark plug) can break a window with very little force, where as a calcite rock might require an order of magnitude of force to do the same damage.

    So no 2 rocks that hit your windshield are exactly the same composition, weight, traveling the same direction of travel with the same velocity. So while the assumption that the new glass is "softer" or more prone to breaking is simply wrong. There are too many variables.

    What is different between the brands is the fit, finish, and quality control processes.
    The Chinese brands are much more likely to pass pieces of lower quality resulting in a bad fit or incorrect curve.

    Some glass companies will also polish damaged glass (ie scratched) this will create distortions in the glass causing it feel like you are looking thru a fishbowl vs a clear piece of glass.

    What is most important is getting a competent installer. A bad installer can seriously mess up your truck (especially if you are in an area prone to rust). Bigger companies have better training typically (Safelite or Speedy) however they also typically pay the least so get the most inexperienced installers (There are always exceptions to this however).
    Doing glass work is truly a skill. Most body shops will out source glass work for this reason.

    My advise..
    Ask the question "how long have you been doing this?" Less than 2 years I'd be worried. Ask for the most experienced installer, every shop has the guy that's been doing it for 30 years.
    Pilkington has the best aftermarket in my opinion... but that is just that MY opinion.
    Work with a shop that has a solid warranty and reputation for doing good work. This will very from town to town.
    If you travel a lot use a shop that has a nationwide warranty.
    Accidents happen and techs are human so mistakes can be made. Be nice to the tech, if they admit their mistake they'll also want to fix it and take care of you. If they won't admit the mistake... your actions are up to your own willingness to engage in conflict.

    I spent 10 years as a glass tech, and another 5 as a manager for Safelite. Take everything I've said with a grain of salt I've been wrong before as my wife likes to remind me daily. I've also been out of the industry for 8 years so things i'm sure change.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2019
  15. Aug 28, 2019 at 4:52 PM
    #45
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Well put. Thanks for all the info. For a second there I felt like I was back in Physics 1 lol. Safelite scared me off for the exact reason you mention about it the roll of the dice as to who you get and their experience. Even if you asked for an experienced tech, I doubt they would be transparent as to how many years the tech thats available has been doing the work. This is why I would strongly suggest that regardless of who you go with, have them install at your home where you can stand right next to them and follow their every move. I did a walk around with my tech along the pillars, roof, and fender areas to verify there are no scratches or dents. I also took pictures with him there so he knows he has an obsessed owner on his hands lol.

    I noticed you mentioned the cheaper manufacturing process in the location of the heating element. Are there any disadvantages to having the heating element on the inside vs in the laminate? Im assuming defrost time would be longer. Also from the looks of it the Toyota wiring seem to have some voltage regulator or diode or something wrapped up in sloppy electrical tape. Any idea why that would be that way?
     
  16. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:05 PM
    #46
    Kerch71

    Kerch71 Surgical Precision

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    Go with Pilkington. I agree it is the best quality autoglass.
     
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  17. Aug 28, 2019 at 6:40 PM
    #47
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Is there a specific reason you like Pilkington over PGW? Everywhere I looked online I didnt see anything negative on PGW. After all they were awarded the Toyota Tundra contract. I’ve been looking all over my windshield and have yet to find any imperfection or distortion. The thickness from the Factory windshield and PGW windshield seemed exact when I had them side by side.
     
  18. Aug 28, 2019 at 7:10 PM
    #48
    BTBAKER

    BTBAKER DIFFERENT NAME. SAME JUNK.

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    Check out this insurance scam. I had State Farm with glass coverage. I needed a windshield and they directed me to Safelite. I get there and they didn’t know I had glass coverage and quote me 176 cash. I tell them State Farm called, they pull up my paperwork and they are billing State Farm 711 bucks. WTF? I call State Farm, I ask them why such a big discrepancy. They had no answer. They seemed completely off guard.
    I’m sure this is how it always works. What a total scam.
    And, that’s also the time I learned how bad Chinese Safelite glass is.
     
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  19. Aug 28, 2019 at 8:18 PM
    #49
    shellshock

    shellshock Guy who drives a lot

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    I second this. Plus the installers at safelite are always new guys, not the experienced people you want. I won’t go anywhere other than an independent glass shop and use OEM glass after the disaster safelite pulled on my taco to the tune of $7500 due to their incompetence.
     
  20. Aug 29, 2019 at 4:08 AM
    #50
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    Same thing I read everywhere online. Thats the reason I went to smaller independent family owned shop which guarantees their work for life and rely heavily on word of mouth for growth. Safelite tech could care less about such a large corporation.

    As I mentioned earlier I do think I will go with Toyota OEM for my next windshield and just pay the difference. What Im glad I did NOT do, is order through my local Toyota dealership and use their preferred shop which the service representative said was JN Phillips. They are just like Safelite! Changed out a door window on my wifes Hyundai and didn’t vacuum any of the glass under the seat or inside the door. Every time we open the door we can hear glass rattling lol.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
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  21. Aug 29, 2019 at 10:01 AM
    #51
    mtTundra

    mtTundra New Member

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    Longer list than the wife needs to know about....
    I can't speak to efficiency, but heating from the inside layer effectively heating both pieces of glass at the same time seems like it would work faster than heating the inside pane and then relaying on that pane to then heat the laminate and then the outside pane.
    In all honesty tho the voltage to that system is so low the air from your heat will warm the windshield faster than the wires will.
    I've put a non heated windshield in my truck and can't tell the difference (I also live in a cold climate).
    Glass is a good transmitter of heat so it doesn't take much to warm the glass.


    I like Pilkington just because the fit and finish seemed to be the best when I was working with it. I think they have the best quality control for their aftermarket pieces, and had fewer issues with bad parts. It still happened just not as often as some of the others.

    I wouldn't automatically rule out Safelite they do have really good training programs, and do have some very good techs, just depends on your area. Not to mention they do have a customer complaint department that is fully dedicated to making sure the customer is happy. So if you don't get any traction from a local store you still have options to get any issues fixed.

    Insurance companies set their price, and the shop agrees to do it for the price they require. The price would be the same regardless of the shop chosen and are set on the national level (they do not take the local price into account).
    This is common on all insurance companies. Not sure your area but some markets are more expensive to do business in. Also Safelite never tells an insurance company "no" so they make take a job in a rural area 2 hours from a shop when they would've declined to service the cash job.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
  22. Aug 29, 2019 at 6:03 PM
    #52
    Turtle

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    had a similar experience as @BTBAKER with windshield on late model GMC new out of pocket $125.00 with new La inspection sticker. Through insurance co., $800.00 including my $250 deductible. Gladly paid the lower price and have never bothered with Windshield insurance again. I feel your pain.
     
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  23. Sep 22, 2019 at 2:58 PM
    #53
    kgb4187

    kgb4187 New Member

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  24. Sep 22, 2019 at 3:23 PM
    #54
    DireWolf

    DireWolf The Dark Lord - Tundra Owner

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    I replaced once with safelite owned the car an additional 3 yrs with no issues.
     
  25. Nov 23, 2019 at 11:42 AM
    #55
    B737

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    Ive been through the windshield routine enough times to learn some lessons (im a slow learner). I knew I had to do some additional research here before figuring out what to do this time... Thanks @New_DoorDing for posting your experience to confirm my gut feeling. I've had safelite butcher a truck in the past, so I knew not to use them. Second, I wasn't sure to take my insurance company up on their "FReE At hOmE gLasS RePlAceMeNt!!!1!", or take care of it on my own with OEM glass.

    In the past I've found aftermarket glass to be like looking through a swimming pool, and very soft. The company my Toyota dealer subs out the work to, will only do it at the dealer because of the delivery of the OEM glass. The glass was around $800 through the dealer, prob $300 for the install. Which is pretty close to what I suspected the moment it happened. Since im doing it "on my own" insurance will only cover flat rate reimbursement of $450 of the work, a joke, but I think it beats the "free" alternative.

    [​IMG]


    This was the result from safelite on a former vehicle, the window aperture rusted out in less than 3 years because of their careless installation.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2019
  26. Nov 23, 2019 at 12:31 PM
    #56
    T-Guy69

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    I have a friend in the glass business. This is what he told me. OEM is great if insurance or you will pay. From there he mentioned that Toyota may have molds that makes their windshields. The mold may be good for 2000 windshields (I do not know the exact number). Others buy their molds. Say make another 2000 windshields. If you get one of the first 1000, your probably good. Get some on the last part and the mold may have warped. Since he is in the business, I assume he is knowledgeable.
     
  27. Dec 11, 2019 at 12:39 PM
    #57
    B737

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    Just as a follow up... got my truck back. Toyota had me order the windshield through the parts department, it arrived in less than a week. It was $830 and they charged me $300 for install (subbed out), so around $1100. Dropped the truck off in the morning and had it back by noon. The glass is perfect. I know each time ive used non-OE glass ive found it to be wavy. Since I used OE glass my insurance only reimbursed me $350. I guess some companies will only pay for OE glass if the car is less than 2 years old, or if it is leased. kinda sucks but beats the alternative of living w crappy glass i guess. That crack shown above, spread across the entire windshield in just a few days.
     
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  28. Feb 11, 2021 at 8:30 PM
    #58
    New_DoorDing

    New_DoorDing New Member

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    After months of driving behind the aftermarket windshield, I can say I do notice on wavy visual effect on objects outside the passenger side. To be honest I have to look extremely hard for it. I’d say so hard that sometimes I cant see it. It’s almost as if the amount of sunlight or maybe the object Im looking can make it easier if harder to notice. Best object I could notice it on was the horizontal siding on a house. I still stand by what I said about going with OEM and biting that bullet next time. The green solar tint on the OEM definitely enough of a difference to me for me to go with it next time.
     
  29. Feb 12, 2021 at 4:26 AM
    #59
    PonyMan

    PonyMan Old Man

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    Well said, and exactly correct! 37 years in the automotive glass industry and still at it!
     
  30. Feb 12, 2021 at 4:28 AM
    #60
    PonyMan

    PonyMan Old Man

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