Windshield glass - Toyota vs Aftermarket

I'm wondering if there's a difference between Toyota's (or any OEM's) factory glass and the aftermarket stuff a place like Speedy, Apply or Crystal puts in. I live in an area with lots of industrial traffic and gravel/sand on the roads. Rocks get flipped up left, right, and center. On all 3 of the trucks I've owned in the last 6 years, GM, F**d, and Toyota once I've replaced the factory glass once I end up replacing the glass at least once a year. The factory glass would last me 3+ years.

I'm bringing my truck in today for a new windshield. I called Toyota first and for OEM glass, the quoted me $660+ tax and then they send it to Apple AutoGlass and they install it for a $250. Total of over $900 for a new windshield!

Compare that to the windshield Crystal Glass puts in...$365 installed. I have a windshield inurance policy that I pay $180 per year for and then a $50 deductible but it has to be done at Crystal Glass. $230 per year gets me a new windshield every year, but I don't think windshields should be this fragile.

 

I had my windshield replaced by Safelite. I think their glass are comparable with OEM and they do excellent work. They have mobile install service so they will come to you, very convenient.

 

I've heard of them on some forums but it appears they're only American based. I can't find any Safelite installers here in Canada.

*sigh* Add yet another reason to list of why I need to move to the US.

 

Come on down. It's just a quick drive, right? I didnt know Safelite is only in the US.

 

"Quick drive" he says. LOL. The closest Safelite installer is in Great Falls, Montana. That's only a 12 hour drive, not counting fuel/food/piss breaks...oh, and the border crossing.

Let's not forget the Canadian peso is in the toilet compared to the US Freedom Dollar. Fuel + time + exchange rate...I'd be breaking even with buying my windshield from the local Toyota dealer.

That said...it is an excuse to visit Montana...maybe I could find a job there...move to the US...profit?

 

Come to California for warmer climate.

 

I’ll be the devils advocate and say Safelite has to be the worst glass you can put on your vehicle. Do a little research. A lot of insurance companies try to steer you towards them because of the cheap agreements they have. It is Chinese made and poor quality.
I would suggest calling around and asking what products they use. Pilkington glass has been used in my last three windshields and is far and away better than the stuff Safelite uses.

 

I like the cold and wide open spaces.

Good to know. I'll be calling around for sure next time I need a windshield to find out what products they use. Toyota told me that even if I wanted after market they'd send me to this Apple AutoGlass place, so I'll give them a call and ask them what glass they use. I might bite the bullet next time and pay 100% out of pocket to try a different type of glass.

 

I bought a ppg windshield for my old tacoma and was not happy with the imperfections in it...bubble type looking wavy imperfections. Swore if i ever bought another windshield it would be toyota oem.

 

I had safelite replace a passenger window on 2007 dodge ram, turns out that truck had laminated side glass, safelite gave me the option of tempered or laminated, I choose laminated, looked like OE glass, same number of laminations.

 

PPG is allegedly as poor as the Safelite glass. And I just looked. The glass I have is Pilkington and it is holding up as well if not better than OEM. The Safelite glass I had in my vehicles was wavy to look through and was pitted beyond belief in less than a year.

 

I had a Safelite windshield installed in one of my Tundras and like you said, it was noticeably wavy. It was extremely convenient though to have them come out to my shop and install, enabling me to keep working.

 

I've been thinking about this lately, because my windshield is chipped. AAA will pay for Toyota to replace it if I want, but they make it really easy with Safelite. I did the Safelite thing on my wife's old car, but I'm leaning toward OEM for my Tundra.

 

It's something I've never put thought into until reading this thread. Now that I feel a little more educated I think I'd opt for the OEM glass. Especially after having had the Safelite glass in the past.

 

If I could just get Toyota to come out to my house to do it.

 

I used to always insist OEM glass of my Toyota’s. . In the last ten years ,State Farm charges an extra 1,000.00 for oem . Otherwise my replacement is free. I use safe lite for replacement and repair of my glass. Good luck. D

 

OEM ... accept no substitutes!

 

Call around. Most glass companies will come to you and a lot of them carry quality glass.

 

For those that insist on OEM glass, what kind of prices are you paying? The $900 CDN I was quoted sounds way out to lunch.

 

I was just trying to lure people in to share the tax burden.

 

I screwed up. It’s Pilkington. It’s been outstanding glass for aftermarket. Taken some big road rocks and no cracks.
I just called around a few shops and asked what glass they can get. This place is out of Denver but they do come to you.
The last Safelite glass I used in my Tacoma lasted a day. No shit... they did replace that one for free though.

 

Pilkington seems to be made in Germany. I’ll take that shit over Chinese made glass all day long.

 

Looks like there may be Pilkington glass in Canada. I would recommend it.

 

I’ve always though OEM was a better quality then any aftermarket. Not 100% it’s true.

 

Im dealing with same debate, but more so going with a PGW manufactured windshield versus a PGW manufactured windshield that has the Toyota logo on it. There seems to be a difference in price at least. So basically we can purchase a PGW windshield with the SolarGreen and Laminated features but WITHOUT the Toyota logo. This should save us some money. Im still in the process of getting quotes for the difference but I will attach a picture of the windshield that came on my truck from factory.

On a side note, I purchased the truck certified pre-owned in March of this year and it had a very small crack directly over my steering wheel on the windshield which the dealer had Safelite fill in. It was less visible afterwards and I accepted the truck. Fast forward to 5 months later and the crack has now grown over 5 inches(sort of over night). I have to replace my windshield now but my Geico insurance representatives are all over the place. One gets on the phone and says they will cover up to $903 and I'd be responsible for the rest. Then I call back and speak to another rep and they tell me they would only cover up to $461. Its frustrating but you get what you pay for.

So far I've had a reputable local shop flat out refuse to receive delivery of an $800+ USD windshield seeing as if they accidentally damage they will have to replace such an expensive windshield. Then Safelite said they would install OEM but I would have to pay a difference of $568.19 which sounds crazy to me because my local Toyota dealership priced out my front windshield at $855.51 after taxes! So how much is Safelite charging for parts and labor?

 

Had this issue with the wife’s car, I made a big deal to my insurance carrier about them sticking us with crappy non OEM glass, but after talking with a local glass installer decided to go with Pilkington rather than paying the extra $600 for OEM. Installer comes out, takes out factory, which was actually stamped by pilkington (w/Honda markings as well) Installer swears by it have not had an issue.

 

I forgot about this thread. Here's what I came up with locally:

Glass insurance is $180 per year + $50 deductible each windshield. Premium is not affected based on how many windshields I go through. If I choose to go OEM, they'll pay up to $365. I pay the $50 deductible plus the cost of the windshield minus the $365.

Toyota OEM from the dealership: $900 + install at a local glass shop

Standard Auto Glass: OEM quality available, but on backorder. No idea when it will come in, since it's imported only when available, on an as-need basis and windshields for 1st Gen Tundras are very low demand. Price was $675 ish total, so I'd be into it for over $300 out of pocket.

Prizm AutoGlass and Crystal Autoglass: Both get aftermarket glass from the same supplier. Windshield replacement would cost me the $50 deductible only. Crystal has burnt me with a poor install once. Haven't used Prizm yet.

I'm pretty much stuck with just using the aftermarket glass unless I want to shell out near $1000.

 

Thanks for the quick response, much appreciated. I finally spoke to a supervisor at Geico and they explained I have no deductible on windshield replacement but they will only cover up to $385.65 USD on any option I choose to go with.

I ended up choosing to replace the windshield with a PGW manufactured with Solargreen and Laminated option WITHOUT the Toyota logo on it. I wont have to pay anything out of pocket this way and honestly it seems like no glass shop I called could tell me the difference between the a PGW windshield with a Toyota logo versus a PGW windshield WITHOUT the Toyota logo.

A company thats offers a lifetime warranty on their workmanship and installs right in my driveway will be here tomorrow morning. This couldn’t have been any easier. I will post pictures of new windshield tomorrow to see if there really is any difference after all.