On a recent trip from Florida to Michigan, my C5 and I were greeted just across the Michigan state line with a couple of small hunks of drywall, which suddenly popped up, and out of, a pickup truck bed at about 80mph. I dodged one, but the other caught my passenger side windshield with a nice solid WAP!!! Yup, put some deep scratches in the glass. Called the insurance company, who gave me a couple different companies they work with. One says they no longer do windshields for modern cars, only vintage. The other told me he uses 3 suppliers, and 2 of them no longer carry windshields for older cars. He said he has one supplier that may have one, but isn't sure, so he took my name and number, and is going to call me back. Well, he just called and said there are 2 different windshields for the 2000 model (WHY....Does GM do this crap??!), one of which is easier to get, the other not so much, as it has some sort of condensation sensor that goes on it, and is pricier when he finds one. He said both are HUD windshields. He said the harder to find version that has the condensation sensor is also pricier than my insurance company is going to want to pay! I've never heard of this! Anyone else? Sounds like BS to me, but he said he has to see the car to know which one to order......

 

Sorry Man... I've got the problem also... Don't you love GM?.. I'm gonna live with it couse I'm not gonna let GM get to me... ******

 

He is correct. I believe the z06 cars glass were made thinner to save weight. Really tough to find. This is the joy in owning an older car.

 

I looked into one last year for my 03 Z06 and the place closest to me couldn't find OEM but wanted $9XX for a non HUD and $10XX for HUD aftermarket windshield, aboot $100 difference between the two. Other repair places wanted between $1000 and $1300 for aftermarket HUD version

 

I didn't know about the coating for condensation but sounds like something you could do without since it was not on all models.

 

Caution the installer not to damage the surround molding while replacing the glass. Totally unavailable.

 

On facebook market place a windshield replacement or installer told me 255$ to install the windshield including labor and the glass they stock. Said they didnt have the antenna style windshield mine comes with stock. Mine has already been replaced with the thin windshield similar to the frc or z06.
255$ isnt bad she told me that some of the trim or rubber around windshield was body shop type stuff whatever that means and they didnt have it but should be able to reuse the old one. Whoever did my glass looks like they reused the original rubber windshield trim or rubber.

Try facebook market place "windshield installs or replacement repair" I got quoted 255$ for the glass and installation they told me the rubber trim on top and sides was body shop work but i guess they reuse the old one. I had looked into it after a hail storm came thru 3 months ago leaving two nicks in my already skinny windshield.

 

I have a vert, and I'm aware of the Z06 thinner glass windshield. 2000 models are obviously pre-Z06. This is the 2nd replacement windshield my car has had. The first one I had replaced at least 10 years ago, but don't recall any issues. However, the guy who did it won't do it this time. He's blaming my insurance company (Farm Bureau) for not paying a fair labor rate, and/or an unfair reimbursement cost of the windshield. I thought a pre-Z06 model had 2 choices, HUD & non-HUD. So are you guys saying there are 4 different windshields for my 2000 model? They would be:
1-non-HUD without condensation sensor.
2 non-HUD with condensation sensor.
3 HUD without condensation sensor.
4 HUD with condensation sensor.
Sheesh!!! Who knew???

 

seems odd to have that many choices for a windshield, other than you want OEM or aftermarket. If you had to go this route, and as a caution, I was told that the thinner Z06 windshield is more sensitive to breakage and would probably not survive if you tried to source a good used one.

 

UPDATE!!!
I took the car to a very respectable class company here, in business since the 1940s. According to him, the owner, my windshield does NOT have the condensation sensor. So that's a plus. HOWEVER, I do have HUD. The owner was very up front about everything. He told me that in his experience thru the years, the non HUD windshield will work fine in my car, only because the late model Corvettes have such a steep angled windshield. He has discussed this many times with other glass companies, and they all say non HUD windshields will be fine. The reason for all the discussion? $$$$, of course!! He says, and another installer said this same thing, that my insurance company (Farm Bureau) will not pay him even HIS cost on the HUD windshield alone. In other words, the amount Farm Bureau pays for the replacement HUD windshield and labor to install it, won't even pay him enough to break even on buying the glass at his cost, and the labor cost would be all his!! So he wont do the job! The HUD windshield would cost the insurance company $1,250.00, plus the install labor. The non-HUD windshield is around $450.00, plus labor. So, I'm going to find out personally whether or not a true HUD windshield is needed in a C5, or not. I'll post my opinion and satisfaction level when I get the car back. BTW, this is the only car the glass shops say Farm Bureau won't pay for the HUD windshield. More than one glass installer has told me this, so there must be something to it....

 

I remember reading about everyone who did HUd retrofits and kept the non HUD glass saying it was fine back when I was considering a retrofit. I think you’ll be perfectly satisfied

 

I fall in this camp with my '01 Z06 that came without HUD (as did all '01 Z06's). Granted I don't have any comparison to a C5 factory-equipped with HUD, but it's good enough. Only time I can't really see the HUD is when I'm driving while it's bright out and I have on my usual polarized sunglasses.

Beyond that, you might be able to buy a small piece of thin clear film that goes on your windshield (inside) which will better reflect the HUD image. Mine isn't bad enough that I've looked further into this prospect.

EDIT: just did a quick Google search. You can get this film (2 pieces) on Amazon for $10, might be worth a shot... It's even cheaper on ebay as well. Lots of listings come up under the search term 'HUD film'.

 

Good Day,

This got me to thinking about the windshield so I contacted Safelite and filled out their online thingy. So for a 1999 windshield with HUD it $949 and without HUD its $389. Wow what a difference. So if that HUD film really work and for $10 I'm going to do the non HUD and save some money! Does anyone here have the HUD film installed? Thanks and cheers!!!

 

I've always had a HUD windshield. I had mine replaced several years ago, and stayed with the HUD version. State Farm had no issues paying for the correct glass for my car. From what I'm told, you will likely notice a difference. However, even without the HUD coating you can still see the image. It just isn't as good as it is with the film. As I said, State Farm didn't give me any trouble at all. If I were you, I would make your insurance pay for the windshield that GM says you need.

 

My 2004 didn't come with a HUD, bought one used and installed myself, along with the dash. Works perfectly fine, no problems, not blurry, clear as crystal.

 

I had State Farm for years. It is damn good insurance. I'm going back to them after this experience. I'm always blabbing you get what you pay for. I just proved it to myself.......