Replacement Windshield w/ blue shade band?
 

Woke up today to notice a crack along the passenger side windshield :mad0260:

Called around to get quotes and they had windshields with the blue band tint across the top.

Was wondering if anybody who has replaced their windshields has installed one with the blue shade band and how does it look? Are you happy with it?

For whatever reason, the ones with the blue shade band cost quite a bit less than the ones without.

My parents had one on their '98 Suburban. It was quite pleasant from the passenger seat. I bet it would go nicely with your blue car.

I also have a crack from a small rock on the highway, does anybody know how much the OEM windshield costs? I dont want anything else, or a blue strip lol

Thanks for the thread jack :slap:

It was between 600-800 judging from what other have posted. Now GTFO :)

That's because the blue shade is an aftermarket windshield. I had to replace my wife's when we drove out to CA in June. It's not really noticeable from the outside compared to the inside.

Too bad yu don't live near me as I could get you a way cheaper discount threw safelite

I had to replace mine three weeks after I drove it off the lot. Started off with a 4 inch long crack that in short order became a 2 1/2 foot crack. Cost me my deductible, but the price on the invoice for the replacement was $680.00. Wasn't OEM, Safelite wouldn't do OEM. Insurance company is partnered with Safelite. Toyota dealership quoted me $920.00 for an OEM windshield not installed.

That is ridiculously expensive...ill be riding with a crack for awhile :sigh:

Figured it was the same topic so why make a whole new thread then get :flame:for not doing a "search" lol

I got my answer so yeahhh:slap:

how does it look, ... safelite refused to put in their glass,...twice for me,.. said they would not be able to make it as good as it should with their aftermarket... something with the gaskets not lining up correctly

Just to throw it out there, I got quotes ranging from $235-$469+tax installed. All aftermarket of course.

The one place quoted me $235 w/ tint band and $297 w/o tint band. You would think the ones with the tint band would be more but it is the exact opposite.

I'll post a pic of the crack when I get home. This sucks either way...

I had mine replaced with the green tint/green shade. I like it. The strip across the top is very subtle, not at all like those ridiculous strips the window tinting companies put on there. You don't see a solid line like with tint film, but rather a subtle fade from the top. The only time you ever even realize it's there is when the sun is shining through it. Otherwise it's actually kind of hard to see, and I doubt it would even show up on a photo.

I would stick with the green tint, however. The standard tint color for the glass on this car is a very subtle green, and I'm not sure the blue would look right.

As for cost, I had mine replaced with APTech glass, which is OEM equivalent, for $420 all in. The green band was $2 more than the unbanded one, and the blue band was the same price as the green band. I actually like the replacement windshield more than the original glass because the dot matrix strip around the rear view mirror is more dense than the original, which I think looks a little better. If you can get a reputable brand like Pilkington or APTech, the quality will be equal to or better than original.

BTW, Safelite wanted to charge me $520 and couldn't pencil me in for an appointment for a week. I looked at reviews online of other glass shops in my area and found a reputable one that not only stocked good glass but also was able to get me in and out in 90 minutes the next day, AND they saved me $100. Forget Safelite and go local.

Ask them what brand that glass is, then search for opinions on that brand. If it's that cheap, it may not be a reputable brand. I had cheap Chinese glass put in my Jeep, and it was fine for that purpose. I wouldn't put cheap Chinese glass in my BRZ, though.

Wow! Thanks for the awesome info! Out of all the years and all the cars I've been through, this is the first windshield I will be replacing. I will certainly call back to ask what brand of glass they use. Like yourself, I don't want to cheap out on the FRS. But on the flipside, I don't want to get raped on OEM glass.

I had all the same questions. What I discovered in my research is that companies like Pilkington, APTech, PPG and some others are actually OEM for some cars and aftermarket for others. For example, APTech is not OEM for our cars, but they make the OEM windshields for some of the Hondas. So while they don't supply the windshields to the factory that makes our cars, the quality of their product is likely to be equal to OEM without necessarily carrying the same price tag. As I said above, I actually like my replacement windshield better than the original.

That's why I say to find out what brand glass they're offering and look for opinions on line. I had some rather strong suggestions on this board to go with Pilkington and actually thought that's what I was buying, but for some reason the shop installed APTech instead. I was mad at first and was considering taking it back and making them install what I asked for, but when I read some reviews of APTech and found that it was generally regarded favorably, I left it in there. I doubt the Pilkington glass would have made me any happier.

My Jeep's glass doesn't even have a maker's mark on it. I paid $150 for it. It was probably made with Indonesian child labor.

Funny you have mentioned that. I've noticed the past couple days (It's been raining) there is a minor leak on the bottom of the windshield and condensation is building up on the inside of the windshield. Going to have to call them to come back out and fix it. I'll let them know other installers are having issues with the gaskets lining up. Other then the leak though it looks great and has the same tinting on the top to match the OEM version.

I had my windshield replaced about 6 months ago... I told the insurance i wanted OEM from the dealership, no go. Safelite replaced it, had the normal black around the outside along with the bluish tint on the top. After the bill, (even though insurance paid - deductible) it would have been cheaper to get OEM lol (insurance is in with Safelite so they pay less).

In the end I don't care, I'm just going to get the window tint across the front (4 inches) like my original windshield.

*but, I've heard the aftermarket glass is not as strong as the original OEM. I just stay back from other cars now.. I initially got mine crack (front view all the way across) tailing an SUV on the on-ramp.. driving too close.

/rant hehe

That may be the case with Safelite, but it shouldn't be the case with a reputable manufacturer like Pilkington or APTech because those companies make OEM glass for a variety of car manufacturers. It would make little sense for them to market OEM quality glass to the car makers and sell crap in the aftermarket. Their factory quality control is going to be the same for both.

So, funny thing.... the APTech windshield for our cars is actually made by Safelite's Plant to AGC's specs under agreement in the United States. I work for Safelite and have the AP Tech branded glass on my car, with the blue shade band (which matches the WRB spec here in the States) - other than a slight mis-alignment on the VIN plate you wouldn't really notice -

I will say though, be careful with the rear view mirror mount - the original 2013 mounts were very weak metal and Safelite (and likely other glass shops) will attempt to reuse this piece. I'm off today to find replacement screws to see if I can tighten mine down after it fell off - if that doesn't work it's back to the dealership to see about getting a new one.

Pics if you are curious as to how the replacement process should look like: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...9&postcount=70

Well. That's disappointing. Wish I had held out for Pilkington.

(Just kidding. The APTech glass is fine.)

Where you guys are buying the windshield????
Dealer price for P/N SU003G0006 is $347 plus $64 for all mouldings and installation is $95 almost anywhere.
If you have a friend at a Body Shop, price for them is $289 plus $51 for all mouldings.

I went online and searched for "auto glass" in my city. Then I read the reviews of several glass companies and selected one that was very highly rated. I called and got a quote, and as I said above it was $420 all in.

The trick is to read the reviews. There are cheaper places out there, but they used shitty glass and do shitty work.

I have a little experience to impart.

Aftermarket optics compare favorably to OEM and that's the focus (!) of insurance companies.

The potential conflict between OEM and aftermarket that I've seen based on science show that the rollover protection provided by the OEM windshield is proven while I've yet to see rollover tests of aftermarket glass.

Understand that windshields provide up to 25% of roof structural integrity in a rollover and this can become an important decision factor. Aftermarket glass is tested for optics, not structural integrity, or wasn't the last I knew.

Insurance companies will object to OEM prices. I encountered this when my FJ Cruiser got a chip/crack and the aftermarket glass would have cost $550 installed while the OEM glass was $1,800. I stuck to my guns, referenced everything I wrote above, and they paid without question.

Please, for you and your occupants safety, insist on an OEM windshield. Our cars are far less likely to roll compared to any SUV, but I'd still want the assurance that the replacement glass is up to every task.

So, in other words, you have seen nothing to indicate that any particular aftermarket glass brand is inferior to OEM.

Meanwhile, the companies that make OEM glass also manufacture aftermarket glass in the same factories under the same quality control system. So as long as you select a reputable brand of glass, there's no reason to believe that it is structurally inferior to OEM. If you were talking about that cheap Chinese glass that gets installed in the $90 place next to the junk yard, you might have a point. But not if you're using a reputable dealer.

I live in a state that does not force insurance companies to replace windshields, so if you file a claim here, it can increase your premium. I have a $500 deductible. If I can get OE equivalent glass from a reputable manufacturer for $420 (which is what I did), I not only save $80 out of pocket, but I also don't have my premium go up at the next policy date. Getting OEM glass installed would be $600 to $700. If I file a claim and insist on OEM, I end up paying more out of pocket to "save" the $100 to $200 the insurance company would pay, which they would get back starting with the next premium.

It's simply just not worth it for some vague, unsupported claim that aftermarket glass is inferior. Show me some actual evidence that Pilkington, Carlite or ApTech (which are all OEM manufacturers as well as aftermarket) makes inferior glass for the secondary market, and I might reconsider.

Safelite guy replaced the glass in my car a few months after ownership due to 2 rocks hitting it a week apart. The replacement was identical to the OEM glass, however they tried to use some crappy universal rubber trim where the glass meets the frame. I was at work luckily, so I grabbed some high strength 3m doublesided tape we use in the factory and had him pull the trim off the old glass and put it on the new glass. Threw him 20 bucks for the effort, as the insurance covered the glass with 0 deductible

Make sure they have or will use factory trim/molding, or don't be as picky as me lol

In many cases OEM and aftermarket parts such as windshields, brake rotors, rims, etc. are made side by side in the same place, at the same time and with the same materials. The only difference between the two is a tag that gets thrown on them and where they get shipped to.
It makes no sense at all for someplace to tool up to make crappy knockoff windshields when the plant that makes them OEM is already doing it.
When it comes to glass even the aftermarket has to meet the DOT specs for their product so in reality they are probably made side by side with the OEM.
The big problem is that you never know for sure if this is the case!

@extrashaky, there is no evidence I'm aware of to show since aftermarket windshield suppliers aren't required to crash test their product. Until that proof is provided, I won't be trusting my or my passengers lives to anything but OEM glass. Maybe they don't test since they can't guarantee installers will follow recommended installation proceedures that would help keep the roof intact.

FTA: “OEM auto glass standards require 100 percent windshield retention in frontal barrier crash tests, while DOT only requires 80 percent!” and that “Some aftermarket parts do not match the tolerance, thickness, and shape of OEM auto glass parts; therefore, they can have a higher rate of leakage, wind noise, imperfect fit, solar performance, and optical distortion”. Note that glass “from an OEM manufacturer” is not OEM glass, it’s just glass from the same company that made the original part (which may have completely different specs).

http://www.carwindshields.info/

The OEM manufacturers may produce aftermarket glass like you say but it's a jump in logic to assume that they're made to the same crashworthiness standard as OEM. That's like saying all Toyota, Scion and Lexus vehicles are rated by IIHS the same since they're made by the same company. An example is HiLux. They all look pretty much the same but are built to at least three standards (maybe more with the China/India ramp up) depending on intended market. US gets the top grade.

I pay the small monthly increase, about $12, to maintain a $0 deductible comprehensive policy on several new cars currently. I make about one windshield claim per year, specify OEM (typically $1,500-$1,800) and my rates have never increased due to those claims. More than pays for itself. Maybe it's a statewide reg there, but if my rates increased I'd look for another insurance carrier.

Whenever possible I would recommend getting an OEM windshield. The way windshields are installed in cars now a days (glued in) they actually serve a structural purpose. They add structural rigidity and crash protection. Many/some aftermarket windshields do not meet the same specs regardless of what they tell you when they sell it to you. You can always add a strip of tint.

It's a bigger jump in logic to assume that they're not, when you have no evidence at all to support such a claim.

Not really. You're comparing the manufacture of various models of entire vehicles, which have dozens of designs manufactured in numerous plants using thousands of parts supplied by hundreds of companies, to a single part using a very small number of raw materials in a fairly consistent design and manufacturing process that, with respect to the reputable brands, is used to manufacture both OEM and aftermarket glass. That analogy doesn't work at all.

Valid point, I think another concern is the installer. I've read reports of how replacement windshields popping off in accidents because they were not installed correctly.


Aside from that I've seen sloppy installers: smear the black adhesive on the interior pillars, leave gaps that resulted in leaks causing rust, and exterior windows trim/molding not being flush. This was by a shop -what's the expectation for a single guy that works out of van outdoors?

I would like to second this. Safelite changed my windsheild after a mere three weeks of ownership. Took the ex-wife for a ride in the FR-S (was only able to purchase it because I was divorced, she wouldn't let me get one because it was impractical she said for two people with no kids :bonk:) and on my way to pick her up for a birthday lunch, a Porsche 911 GT3 kicked up a rock and cracked the windshield.

The glass was exactly the same, black band and all. However three days later, I noticed condensation forming at the bottom of the windshield on the inside of the car. My guess is due to crappy aftermarket seals. I called and complained and even though I wasn't really that upset, I stomped my feet hard enough and had them order an OEM windshield and materials from Japan. Had to wait three weeks for it to come in, but was happy to see the invoice cost Safelite over $1,000 for their mistake (plus whatever the first windshield cost them to put in). Crazy to think that an OEM windshield alone was $917.00!

I had my windshield replaced with the green tinted option by Safelite two months ago (~8500 miles). The windshield was tinted with 80% when all the other windows were done, so going to clear glass with just the green strip doesn't thrill me, but it looks much better than completely clear glass, in my opinion. That is WHEN you can see it, as someone else mentioned earlier. It's very subtle, and if you don't know any better, you'd never notice.

I have free glass on my insurance policy (it ends up being like $4 extra a month, and very well worth it). Install was done in literally below freezing temps -not generally a good idea- but it's been fine. Of course the replacement seals/surrounds aren't OE in appearance, but they are functional so that few-hundred dollar savings was worth it to me. And like the green tint, if you don't know what it "should" look like, you won't notice.

You omitted the parts of post #25 that address both of your concerns.

I think the horse is dead now.

aww poor baby got his thread jacked ;)

I chipped my windshield last year, had it filled up with a resin but about a month ago it finally cracked and spread to about 3 feet. Had the windshield replaced with the blue tint at the top, not a huge fan of it but I got used to it. Since your car is blue anyways itll mesh a bit better.

Do you mind posting a picture? I really would like to get an idea on how it looks. How much did it cost? Pm me if it's better.

Thanks.

I'm on my 3rd windshield. (SC roads). I prefer the non-OEM. Seems tougher so far.

This thread was not jacked in fact it has stayed on topic unusually well.
Now if we want jacked...

Sure Ill try and get a picture of it up. It costs me my deductible which was $100 in my case. You can try negotiating that with some shops as well, some place tend to be flexible when it comes to how much deductible you have to pay.

My deductable is $500. It makes more sense to just pay out of pocket since everything I was quoted ranged from $350-$450.

I added a 18% tint band to my window and actually prefer it (I know that's not the same as the blue one your referring to)
I never suggest people using their insurance for a window, You never know what the shop is going to ding your insurance company which then shows up on your carproof as a claim which just makes that one more hurdle in resale

Since nobody else has posted pics yet, I took a few real quick.

This is what Safelite considers the "blue strip" windshield. The glass itself has a slight greenish tint, the strip at the top is blue, and goes to the AS1 line as per regulation.

http://www.guapozx.com/users/dogpile/frs/Bluetint.jpghttp://www.guapozx.com/users/dogpile/frs/Bluetint1.jpghttp://www.guapozx.com/users/dogpile/frs/Bluetint2.jpghttp://www.guapozx.com/users/dogpile/frs/Bluetint3.jpg