15 Z51 conv

I want to get my windshield replaced but I知 not sure who to trust. I prefer Oem glass. The more I read different companies reviews, the more nervous I get! Any suggestions? I知 in mid Michigan

NortonCO

I've had good luck with the local Safelite, but I've heard horror stories from drivers in other areas, so YMMV. OEM glass should be an option. I had no trouble requesting and getting it for my GT500 and my wife's BMW.

Haven't had to replace my Z's windshield yet but, based on the experiences we've had, I plan to use Safelite when the time comes. Good luck!

bearone2

i've used safelite twice thru my insurance company, no issues!!

Vetteman Jack

Speak with a local Safelite vendor and see if they either use OEM replacement windshields or can get them. Then contact your insurance company about using OEM parts.

Bill Dearborn

Having been through this with my C5Z I can tell you OEM glass doesn't necessarily mean anything. GM Assembly plants have production contracts with specific glass suppliers. However, GM Service Parts may or may not have spare parts supply contracts with the same suppliers. As long as the glass meets specifications it is acceptable. A windshield made by a different manufacturer may not be marked in the same manner as the original glass. In many cases, Service Parts orders glass from the same suppliers that replacement glass shops use.

By the way, the dealer has no idea what they are going to get when they order the part number.

Bill

aklim

My personal experience with Safelite was with my MB. I found that the rain sensor wiping stopped working soon after I changed the glass. Safelite swore that it was my rain sensor. I had a trusted independent tech check it but no luck. The rain sensor part wouldn't work anymore and defaulted to a faster wipe. Safelite swore it wasn't the glass. You see, other than the 3 point star, the glass is the same and rolls off the same assembly line. He had been doing this for almost 20 years and that is how it is. Finally, we went to MB and they checked everything on Safelite's dime. They too assured me that the rain sensor was working. IIRC, Safelite and I had a deal. We buy the 3 point star one from MB and I will pay for it if that doesn't fix the problem. What do you know, it DID fix the problem immediately after. We tested it with the garden hose in front of them. Foremen couldn't believe it and said he never saw that before. Go figure.

Kingman99

I tried Safelite and found out the glass was softer then OEM

aklim

THIS seems to agree

corvettezman

I have not had to use a glass replacement for my Vette yet, but when my work van lost its windshield to a rock, Safelite was Erie's preferred vendor.
Having a $1000 deductible, their quote came in at $650 out of pocket and this thing had no sensors or cameras or nothing! That was for an aftermarket "OEM quality" glass.

I called a local glass shop 20 miles away, and they installed a Plinkinton (sp) glass for $320 with no insurance necessary.

I have been pelted with few rocks since and it's still holding strong. The glass on this van is like a giant big screen TV propped up.

Look up quality local shops. With Safelite, you pay for the name and their advertising. There are better options out there.

bearone2

this is the 2nd time i've heard pilkington glass mentioned.

i stopped in to the safelite facility i've used before to ask if they'd use them if i have a claim....yes, just had to request!!

BAT

Safelight replaced the windshield in my GS last year (through my insurance company). Insurance would cover the replacement, but if I wanted OEM, I'd have to pay the difference. I went with the non oem glass, and it's been perfectly fine. I can't see any difference other than there's no more pits and chips

One suggestion, have it done IN shop and not mobile. The more trained techs are in shop and have better tools vs the mobile vans. You can specifically ask for a tech to perform the install, so ask for the highest trained/skilled tech (and they also have their own rewards so you can also ask about their time and achievements)

NashvilleGrandSport

On my 2019 Mercedes SL45, I also had a bad experience with Safelite, which is where my insurance recommended. They did use OEM glass, but that's about all that went right.

The tech misrouted the driver's side washer tubing, left screws in the floorboard that he said he couldn't find so he used some he had, and he lost the cap that covered the driver's side wiper arm bolt. He told me there was not one. I fixed the tubing myself, and got the replacement cap from the Merecedesdealer for about 20 bucks.

The tech, when questioned bragged about his skill and attention to detail. Unbelievable.

Otherwise, ok. No leaks and recalibration of the sensors was ok.

I went to their local facility in Nashville to have this done, and in the 2.5 hours I was there, I'd say half the other customers there came in for an issue with a previous repair. Not good.

In the future, I'll use two long time local glass companies that were great in my previous experiences. Safelite... never again.
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Travlee

my recent experience with safelite.. someone broke my drivers window while at the gym. i get a quote from SL for just under $500 and schedule appt on 4/18 for 4/24 install. on 4/23 they emailed me stating that the only option was OEM glass taking the price to $1030 and 3 additional day wait. I called a local glass shop and they told me that there is in fact an aftermarket option for the same price SL quote. had it installed, and since it was chinese made it wasnt quite right, the shop manager asked if i was happy, and i said no.. she then called GM for the glass and i just pay the difference of that i originally paid (about $350) which still made it several hundred less than SL. they also let me keep the ill-fitting glass until the OEM comes in so i can at least drive the car... after they did this, i looked up their reviews and it was a solid 5 stars from everyone, and with how they treated me, I can see why

eboggs_jkvl

I used safelite and got the OEM glass. Only issue is they twist off the mirror and that bends the mounting pins thus I have a mirror vibration. Going to have to replace the mirror I guess.

Elmer

fireicyhott

When I bought my 2015 Z06 it had the de-laminating glass issue near the top of the windshield. I called my insurance. Covered under comprehensive. They quoted aftermarket glass. I asked how much out of my pocket for OEM glass and they said $90 extra dollars. I said do it!

Took car to Safe-lite shop. They wouldn't come to house to do a C7 windshield. I also made the technician aware of the factory issue causing this de-laminating and look for factory mounting/alignment tabs that were a problem. He did a great job and actually found one of these tabs on the car that was too "high" and likely caused my windshield to crack. He ground it down before installing new OEM glass and not issues since.

My car has heads up and no problems at all.

Safelite all the way!

Jeff

96GS#007

I used Safelite for my windshield recently. The glass is made by Pilkington who is an OEM provider to Mercedes and Porsche among others.

Knowing how shops inevitably break clips, I removed out the trims parts myself. All they had to do was remove the a-pillar covers and install the glass. Crystal clear and works as good as OEM with the HUD.

In the pics below there are two where you can see what looks like speckles in the original windshield. The entire windshield was like that, not to mention some large chunks out of it and a long crack. I got caught in a construction zone several years back and that was the result. It's nice to have clear glass again The spots on the replacement glass are just dust.

aklim

So they said but my experience and a few others have said different. I think they're made to different specs.

Dcasole

Glass is glass , there is not a softer glass or a harder glass ...

I come from 30 years in the automotive manufacturing and replacement glass business and I can tell you with a 100% certainty that all glass has to pass some very stringent DOT standards

As long as you purchase a name brand part from a 1st tier automotive supplier like Pilkington, AGC , ZY Etc ( all OEM suppliers ) it will be the same quality as OEM

AGC is the OEM supplier and the only difference between AGC after market and OEM is the GM trademark which you will pay anywhere from 300 to 500 more just to get that trademark . There is absolutely no differences in color , tolerances etc

As stated above most dealer parts counters might order an aftermarket AGC without the GM trademark

Even then , with all the value added attachments mounted to the glass like rain sensors , HUD, ADAS or collision sensors, you might run into an challange where there might be an issue caused by manufacturing tolerances , it's rare but it happens . Rain sensors are one of those outliers that can cause a headache for the installer and most of the time it's caused by the gel pad that is used to mount the sensor to the glass

As far as installation , a C7 is no more complex of an install than say a Toyota Camry or a Chev Impala

Dave

96GS#007

Let Pilkington know they have false advertising on their website. Since it's so horrible, I'm surprised they're still in business.

Sleazy Rider

My insurance referred me to SL for new glass, and I must say it was a friendly glass...it kept waving back at me. I said NO to that and contacted my insurance about going to an independent glass company and they agreed so I had a PPG? glass installed and everything worked fine, the HUD and the side vehicle awareness.