Cheap Windsheild Replacement?

[mixd]

I bought a used lexus with a long scratch in the windsheild which the dealer agreed to replace. I drove the car for about a month before it was replaced, so I was fairly used to the original.

The new windsheild, however, does not repel water whatsoever, does not say Lexus on it, and just seems harder to look through. I would much rather have the scratched Lexus windsheild back.

Did they go cheap on this, or is there some coating that lexus uses for their windsheilds that I could simply apply myself? Is glass glass? Am I just imagining all of this because it doesn't say Lexus on it??

The new glass says: "Pilkington".

Any advice or insight would be appreciated!

[THE ONE]

I bought a used lexus with a long scratch in the windsheild which the dealer agreed to replace. I drove the car for about a month before it was replaced, so I was fairly used to the original.

The new windsheild, however, does not repel water whatsoever, does not say Lexus on it, and just seems harder to look through. I would much rather have the scratched Lexus windsheild back.

Did they go cheap on this, or is there some coating that lexus uses for their windsheilds that I could simply apply myself? Is glass glass? Am I just imagining all of this because it doesn't say Lexus on it??

The new glass says: "Pilkington".

Any advice or insight would be appreciated!

You bought the car from Lexus dealer or Used car dealer???

If you got them from a Lexus dealer then they should give you the OEM glass not after market one!!!

[mixd]

.

[mixd]

No, it was from a large dealership in my area. I hadn't planned on buying a lexus or I would have gone to a lexus dealer. I just needed a car and instantly fell in love with the IS300, so I bought it kinda quick. This is my first car so the whole process was a bit overwhelming, I just assumed I was in good hands as long as I wasn't buying from ebay. The car was otherwise in near perfect condition and low mileage compared to other cars from that year.

Anyway, I guess my question is, has anyone every heard of "Pilkington Glass"? Is this notoriously cheap glass, or am I just being a jerk about the new windsheild not saying "Lexus" on it.

The difference is very subtle, but I am convinced it is not as good as the original.

Questions I hope to get answered:

1) Is Pilkington Glass a respectable company, or are they just a cheap AMR glass co.

2) Is there a coating on new glass that needs time to wear off?

3) Is there something I should treat the new glass with to make it water repellant like the original glass

[98es]

mixd- same thing happened with our 02 es300. Dealer replaced the windshield when we bought it CPO because we noticed a chip on the OEM lexus windshield. Even if you would have gone to lexus, at least in my town, you still wouldn't have gotten a 'lexus' windshield. I know lexus of Memphis doesn't do their own windshield work, they contract it out. I know this because I had to go back to the dealership 3 times to get everything right. After 2 weeks of having the car the molding started coming up in the corner. The replacement windshield was an off-brand and the first time we were on the interstate a VERY small rock hit the windshield and chipped it! (I've had rocks 5 times bigger than that hit my oem windshield and not even leave a mark!) Then a week after that, molding started coming up again and the first hot day the rear view mirror fell off! So they sent the company they contracted to do it in the first place out to fix everything and replaced the windshield with the chip for free with a Pilkington, no chips at all since then.

I'm anal about the windshield being OEM too, but in this case I was just happy to get it done right. My 98 ES300 still has the OEM windshield with 140k, and only one small chip (About 80% of the 140k are highway miles too!). IMO would definitely have to agree that these aftermarket windshields are not the same quality of the lexus ones.

[mixd]

Thanks for the reply, it is good to know i'm not the only one who has had to deal with this. After driving around with this Pilkington for a few days I am now positive I am not just being picky, this windshield is definitely not the same quality as the OEM. I would actually rather have the scratched Lexus one back.

I noticed that this windshield distorts the light, like a pair of cheap sunglasses compared to oakleys. The difference is subtle, but once you have gotten used to the real thing it is quite noticable.

Does anyone know if it is possible for a non Lexus dealer to aquire an OEM windshield? I want the dealer to take this one back, but if they can't get the part, complaining won't do any good.

[sirrah74]

There is nothing wrong with Pilkington windshields - they are an OEM supplier to various car makers - I had 2 BMWs that had Pilkington Windshields and my dad's Volvo has one. I don't think there would be any difference between the Lexus OEM windshield versus the Pilkington.

[SW03ES]

There absolutely is a difference between the quality of aftermarket glass and OEM glass. Aftermarket windshields have distortions etc, and you very rarely ever have those kinds of issues with OEM. It has less to do with the brand actually as it does the fact that the glass was produced for replacement and not for OEM.

Glass places will always put aftermarket in instead of OEM unless you tell them not to. If you're going through insurance then your insurance company can't force you to use aftermarket glass unless your car is 7 model years old or older. if you're paying out of pocket you might want to think about it, since an aftermarket windshield costs $300 or so and an OEM Lexus windshield costs closer to $1,000.

[bartkat]

For the water repelling get some Aquapel. It's easy to apply and not expensive. Lexus puts it on some side windows and mirrors. I've used it on two cars now and I swear by it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Applications-of-AQUA...1QQcmdZViewItem

[nzbc]

3) Is there something I should treat the new glass with to make it water repellant like the original glass

I use RainX and it works great.

[steviej]

3) Is there something I should treat the new glass with to make it water repellant like the original glass

I use RainX and it works great.

I find RainX to cut the life of my wiper blades in half. Chemical reaction....I don't know.

I am trying Aquapel on the next warm day.

I too had to have my windshield replaced two years ago. The replacement was Pilkington, and no problems whatsoever.

steviej

[TOBY]

I am a large supplier of Pilkington, PPG, and Safelite glass. As to where Pilkington glass is used in BMW OEM it is not the same as what I sell in the aftermarket. Pilkington has two different specs, OEM and A/M. As a dealer of Plikington I have never had a claim about distortion, Pilkington is a very good manufacturer of A/M glass. I would take back to the dealer and let them replace the Pilkington glass. If are still not satisfied get the OEM glass ordered. I have heard that the OEM glass costs nearly $1,000 USD though!!

[bartkat]

3) Is there something I should treat the new glass with to make it water repellant like the original glass

I use RainX and it works great.

I find RainX to cut the life of my wiper blades in half. Chemical reaction....I don't know.

I am trying Aquapel on the next warm day.

I too had to have my windshield replaced two years ago. The replacement was Pilkington, and no problems whatsoever.

steviej

I've been using Aquapel for about 3 years now and I think it's the greatest thing since whatever. You really notice it when you get up to above 40-50 MPH. I've been through some heavy storms where people were pulling off the road and stopping, and I could still see ok to drive.

[Cherokee_Outlaw]

3) Is there something I should treat the new glass with to make it water repellant like the original glass

I use RainX and it works great.

I find RainX to cut the life of my wiper blades in half. Chemical reaction....I don't know.

I am trying Aquapel on the next warm day.

I too had to have my windshield replaced two years ago. The replacement was Pilkington, and no problems whatsoever.

steviej

I've been using Aquapel for about 3 years now and I think it's the greatest thing since whatever. You really notice it when you get up to above 40-50 MPH. I've been through some heavy storms where people were pulling off the road and stopping, and I could still see ok to drive.

How does Aquapel compare with Rain X?

[SW03ES]

Aquapel is worlds superior to Rain X in water shedding ability, longevity, and doesn't cause wipers to smear like Rain X.

[mixd]

I got a quote for the aftermarket glass from a private contractor, it is $550 - this is not too far off the Pilkington price so I'm not sure why they would waste their time over $250 and just do the job right in the first place.

After driving with this Pilkington glass I am totally convinced that the quality is just not as good as the OEM. I even visited a Lexus dealer just to look through the OEM glass. With the Pilk, everything is slightly distorted and the rain smears. Not to say anything bad for Pilkington - it is excellent quality for the price, but just doesn't cut it compared to the Lexus glass.

I have the dealer's customer service people working with the contractor who replaced it in the first place to see if I can get the OEM glass. Hopefully they will just replace it and eat the cost. If they can't do it I will offer to pay the difference, it will at least be better than replacing it on my own. It's hardly a matter of cost at this point, I'm just aiming to get what I paid for in the first place...

[steviej]

With the Pilk, everything is slightly distorted and the rain smears.

mine did that too for a very short time after is was installed. I think it is/was a protective coating that came off when I washed it with windex and then with this awesome aerosol spray glass cleaner that I get a NAPA store nearby. I forget the name of it right now, but it is awesome stuff.

steviej

[mixd]

if you remember the name can you post it here? I will try a thorough cleaning...

[MRSpy02]

Aquapel is worlds superior to Rain X in water shedding ability, longevity, and doesn't cause wipers to smear like Rain X.

RainX never smears if you buff it off correctly. I've never tried Aquapel...I'd like to try it so I can compare.