Cracked Windshield - Asking for advice please

[SSE 4 2SS]

Decoding Glass Bugs.... The imprinted information.

Not all glass will have the manufacturer logos displayed, but all will list their Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) number that the company is registered under.

“LAMINATED AS1”? U.S. federal regulations require that glass pass certain safety tests.
AS1 glass passes them all,
AS2 does not pass all the impact tests,
AS3 is typically of a darker tint and is referred to as privacy glass.
Since AS1 is the only glass to pass all safety tests, it is the only glass allowed for windshield use.

As I said before, my glass supplied and installed, by Safelite has been 230 mph... I doubt many of you will ever drive this fast, nor will your car run this fast....

A little bit of research goes a long way....

I'm not saying Safelite is the only choice... far from it, I'm just saying don't out of turn without firsthand knowledge trash on them or any other vendor.

[Glassman66]

I own an auto glass company. I have 25 years of experience. Pilkington glass and PGW, or OEM are the only windshields I'd use on my personal vehicle. Behind the wheel you will not be able to tell the difference between the three.

Glass claims generally fall under your comprehensive insurance.

The biggest part of the replacement falls under the tech. You could have an OEM windshield installed by a tech who is trying to rush the job or cut corners and I promise you won't be happy with the results.

The problem with Safelite in my opinion is they have a lot of inexperienced techs, you don't know who they are ending out. Find a independent shop in your area with a lot of positive Google reviews, that will get you to someone who knows what they are doing.

This is just my opinion. you will find a competent installer who will treat your car with care you are looking for.

Not to mention a Camaro is not a hard vehicle to replace.

[mr_honez]

Mine was $400 installed from Safelite a year ago. Zero problems with it.

[Foxfire15]

So, I can say that since you have a 2SS, go with the recommendations. I've had the windshield replaced twice in my car, and the HUD can look strange with the non-recommended brands. My current one is PGW I think, and it looks fine. The one before it was kinda squashed, and gave me a headache to look at (I don't remember the brand offhand)

[mikeman]

Originally Posted by Glassman66

I own an auto glass company. I have 25 years of experience. Pilkington glass and PGW, or OEM are the only windshields I'd use on my personal vehicle. Behind the wheel you will not be able to tell the difference between the three.

Glass claims generally fall under your comprehensive insurance.

The biggest part of the replacement falls under the tech. You could have an OEM windshield installed by a tech who is trying to rush the job or cut corners and I promise you won't be happy with the results.

The problem with Safelite in my opinion is they have a lot of inexperienced techs, you don't know who they are ending out. Find a independent shop in your area with a lot of positive Google reviews, that will get you to someone who knows what they are doing.

This is just my opinion. you will find a competent installer who will treat your car with care you are looking for.

Not to mention a Camaro is not a hard vehicle to replace.

Yes, do your own research on Google. You will find that a lot of people have had problems with Safelite regarding quality of glass and installation issues.

To the OP Linda, I would find a shop that does glass replacement for dealerships. Just ask the service manager and they will tell you who they use. That's what I did on one of my previous vehicles and I was very happy. It wasn't Safelite.

Good luck!

[sherob]

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

You think????? Can you prove this, or show where it is relevant...???

Linda and all....

Safelite has a lifetime warranty on their glass.... This I know --- Not "I think.".... I've seen it (the warranty), and acted on it (the warranty) several times as a customer of theirs. In roughly 20 glass purchases from Safelite, I've had one that was replaced due to a de-lamination. This is in South Texas with three to four weeks of over 100 degree days every summer....

Here is a tidbit of information....

There are three different types of auto glass that can be used to replace your windshield: dealer glass, aftermarket glass, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) glass.

Dealer glass is purchased directly from the auto dealership authorized by the vehicle manufacturer to service your vehicle. This glass is from the same original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that made the glass in your car when it was new.

OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, means the parts are certified to be genuine manufacturer parts. Like dealer glass, OEM glass will be the same as what came out of your vehicle. Replacing glass with another brand makes no difference at all. Collector cars may want OEM parts to retain originality of the vehicle, for the rest of us all glass is AS-1 certified and is guaranteed to fit correctly every time.

Aftermarket glass is manufactured by companies that contract directly with car manufacturers. As such, aftermarket glass is made to the exact same specifications as OEM or dealer glass but is considered to be “original equipment equivalent.” Although it is significantly less expensive, aftermarket glass is typically the same thickness from the original glass in your automobile and carries the same guarantee as OEM or dealer glass." They are also all DOT approved.

Quit believing everything your friends sister's boyfriend Cletus read on the P'cup truck boards. This is how bad information is passed on.

As a final point, MY windshield, provided by and installed by Safelite has been over 230 mph in my car... with no issues. It hasn't cracked, or been blown in or bowed or anything else....

I've used nobody BUT Safelite in all of my vehicles here in CO, Binswanger when I lived in Texas. Both top notch, and I have nothing BUT praise for the Safelite technicians that have worked on my Camaro!

[Rock-It Man]

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

You think????? Can you prove this, or show where it is relevant...???

Linda and all....

Safelite has a lifetime warranty on their glass.... This I know --- Not "I think.".... I've seen it (the warranty), and acted on it (the warranty) several times as a customer of theirs. In roughly 20 glass purchases from Safelite, I've had one that was replaced due to a de-lamination. This is in South Texas with three to four weeks of over 100 degree days every summer....

Here is a tidbit of information....

There are three different types of auto glass that can be used to replace your windshield: dealer glass, aftermarket glass, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) glass.

Dealer glass is purchased directly from the auto dealership authorized by the vehicle manufacturer to service your vehicle. This glass is from the same original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that made the glass in your car when it was new.

OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, means the parts are certified to be genuine manufacturer parts. Like dealer glass, OEM glass will be the same as what came out of your vehicle. Replacing glass with another brand makes no difference at all. Collector cars may want OEM parts to retain originality of the vehicle, for the rest of us all glass is AS-1 certified and is guaranteed to fit correctly every time.

Aftermarket glass is manufactured by companies that contract directly with car manufacturers. As such, aftermarket glass is made to the exact same specifications as OEM or dealer glass but is considered to be “original equipment equivalent.” Although it is significantly less expensive, aftermarket glass is typically the same thickness from the original glass in your automobile and carries the same guarantee as OEM or dealer glass." They are also all DOT approved.

Quit believing everything your friends sister's boyfriend Cletus read on the P'cup truck boards. This is how bad information is passed on.

As a final point, MY windshield, provided by and installed by Safelite has been over 230 mph in my car... with no issues. It hasn't cracked, or been blown in or bowed or anything else....

Nevertheless, I have experienced poor aftermarket windshields that are either wavy or that distort near the corners, which causes me motion sickness. While aftermarket windshields may meet structural requirements and survive 230 mph, that doesn't mean that they are optically up to par with Pilkington.

Pilkington is, BTW, also a world class manufacturer of optical glass and components, that I have dealt with in my professional life. So obviously, when I needed replacement of my Camaro windshield, twice so far, I demanded Pilkington.

The Pilkington windshield is the OEM glass, and it is first rate.

[linda53]

I called Safelite today about an OEM replacement instead of the aftermarket glass in their online quote. The total installed price was about $40 less than a local glass shop so I will probably use the shop here in town that's been in business for many many years.

All the comments and information has been a tremendous help. Now I feel more confident that I will make a choice that I won't regret later. Thanks again to everyone!

[GEEKFREEKSCOTTY]

Insurance companies will not penalize you for a glass claim as it is considered a "no fault road hazard".

That said, some insurance companies will put it through your comprehensive insurance unless you have a different deductible for glass, which is often around $100.

I just got mine replaced a couple months ago using Safelite. I have a 2011 2SS/RS so, I have the Heads up Display.

The first windshield they installed said "HUD" on the glass, but it distorted the HUD display on the windshield, making it much smaller and hard to read.

I called them back and explained things and they got approval from my insurance company to use the OEM glass. They had to wait a few days to get it in stock, but replaced it in my car as soon as they did get it in.

I haven't had an issue since.

[Snoman]

• Camaros with the RS package require special glass for the heads up display. A good glass company knows this and will be able to explain it to you with crystal clarity. The front windshield is north of $800 plus installation give or take.

• Safelight et al will quote you $350ish, then charge you $900 when they show up, or they will install your non-heads up $350 windshield and deny your phone calls later when you can't see the glass.

• Your insurance company will in fact raise your rates, period. Anyone believing otherwise is naive or ignorant to how the insurance industry works. Nothing in life is free and your insurance company is in business to make money. Different States have different guidelines as do insurance companies and most people looking for a free lunch are also chasing the smallest insurance premium swapping companies every 6 months over $1. You will get the 5% magical "State rate hike" 6-12 months down the road. Never file a random insurance claim under $1,000 for any reason, it will cost you more in the long run, as all rentals do.

[Spurshot]

i've used Safelite in the past for one of my trucks. I was unimpressed with the glass quality. It had a lot of distortion waves compared with the OEM glass. I later had another truck that went thru 3 windshields. I had a local shop put PGW and Pilkingtons in that one and was satisfied.

I believe I researched this years ago and many windshield brands are produced offshore, maybe even Pilkingtons.

[Rock-It Man]

Originally Posted by Spurshot

i've used Safelite in the past for one of my trucks. I was unimpressed with the glass quality. It had a lot of distortion waves compared with the OEM glass. I later had another truck that went thru 3 windshields. I had a local shop put PGW and Pilkingtons in that one and was satisfied.

I believe I researched this years ago and many windshield brands are produced offshore, maybe even Pilkingtons.

Pilkington is a UK based company. However, my Pilkington replacement windshield is made in Canada, just like the car.

[Foxfire15]

Originally Posted by Snoman

• Camaros with the RS package require special glass for the heads up display. A good glass company knows this and will be able to explain it to you with crystal clarity. The front windshield is north of $800 plus installation give or take.

RS package has nothing to do with it. 2LT/2SS have a HUD. RS is just wheels, tires, lights, some paint, and a higher governor limit.

[Snoman]

Originally Posted by Foxfire15

RS package has nothing to do with it. 2LT/2SS have a HUD. RS is just wheels, tires, lights, some paint, and a higher governor limit.

Correct, thank you for the reminder