Best windshield debate

[JimBee]

MVS home page lists a post on this, but for some reason it doesn't open in my browser.

I researched this several years ago and found that Pilkington was the OEM provider for Volvos. I searched for a while to find a Pilkington windshield when I needed a replacement and then later for the side rear window when vandals took it out. I was able to find them both and insurance convered the replacements.

Looking into this again, I came across a post that helps to resolve any debate.

A quote:
"...Pilkington IS the main Manufacturer of 80% of the OEM glass on the market. Pilkington is also the OEM manufacturer of Toyota and Lexus not the OEM rejects as you call it. Its in every single one of our cars. The only reason your OEM glass does not say PILKINGTON is that Toyota/Lexus and every other car company pays a large sum of money to have their OEM stamp on PILKINGTONS glass. One more thing the distortion your talking about is very common." More at:
https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/t ... placement/

[WhatAmIDoing]

I love my original Pilkington Volvo windshield (265k miles). It's taken some serious hits where I thought surely it would shatter.

Unfortunately, it has multiple chips and is getting extremely pitted. I tried to have it replaced under insurance, but insurance company said my car wasn't worth the price of the windshield and wrote me a check for $344.69

[scot850]

If you are paying windshield insurance, how can they refuse you a windshield? Here in the windshield market of the world, we pay about $250 or less installed for a P80 windshield, but it is not a Pilkington. Usually a PPG (Pittsburg Glass?). They can sometimes be a bit wavy but not always. Had one fitted to my Toyota 4Runner for $200, and our daughter's Saturn Aura was also about $200.

We go through windshields quickly due to the rocks they spread on the roads here as salt/sand does not work below -15C so they spray small rocks all over the roads for grip.

We have to pay extra for Windshield insurance here, usually about $250/car or more. When a windshield is less than the insurance then why pay it. We have 4 cars so $1000/year for insurance can replace any windshield on our cars. Fortunately, we have been fairly lucky due to our low mileage each year to maybe have to replace maybe one every other year. My wife have an Audi A4 for 10 years and we replaced the windshield prior to selling as it was full of small chips. Our Kia has a warranty for one windshield in 5 years so again no point for insurance.

I'd love OE windshields but they are over $900 installed which is nuts.

Neil.

[WhatAmIDoing]

If you are paying windshield insurance, how can they refuse you a windshield? Here in the windshield market of the world, we pay about $250 or less installed for a P80 windshield, but it is not a Pilkington. Usually a PPG (Pittsburg Glass?). They can sometimes be a bit wavy but not always. Had one fitted to my Toyota 4Runner for $200, and our daughter's Saturn Aura was also about $200.

We go through windshields quickly due to the rocks they spread on the roads here as salt/sand does not work below -15C so they spray small rocks all over the roads for grip.

We have to pay extra for Windshield insurance here, usually about $250/car or more. When a windshield is less than the insurance then why pay it. We have 4 cars so $1000/year for insurance can replace any windshield on our cars. Fortunately, we have been fairly lucky due to our low mileage each year to maybe have to replace maybe one every other year. My wife have an Audi A4 for 10 years and we replaced the windshield prior to selling as it was full of small chips. Our Kia has a warranty for one windshield in 5 years so again no point for insurance.

I'd love OE windshields but they are over $900 installed which is nuts.

Neil.

That's a great question. I quit paying for comprehensive on my Volvo, now I just carry liability, because the 3 insurance companies I've had would always try to weazle out of paying for repairs by grossly undervaluing my S70 T5M.

[Rattnalle]

There's probably a reason. The OE is much more expensive. Just sayin'..

[abscate]

Ive replaced one windshield with State Farm comp and it was a Pilkington, fully covered. We don't get the rock chip thing down here as much as in the Providences

[BEJinFbk]

Safeco Full Coverage, LOTS of
pea gravel here - $20 per year
for complete glass and once I
mentioned Volvo, they insisted
on OEM/Pilkington. Through
SafeLite, BTW...

Now if we could get DOT to walk
away from the slimey brine that
they started spraying a few years
ago... Damn Climate Change!