Tom57

Good point, but Pilkington is OEM quality in structural integrity. Pilkington glass is not "OEE" = a lesser quality glass that only meets the minimum federal safety standards.

* Pilkington > provides OEM quality for both factory OEM and replacement OEM aftermarket auto glass products such as windshields, door glasses, vent glasses, quarter glasses and rear windshield back glasses to auto glass replacement professionals throughout the United States and has markets extending into Canada and Mexico. Over the years, Pilkington Automotive developed a large number of glass operations around the world, each with their local identity. Several other brand names have been absorbed by the Pilkington Automotive brand such as Triplex, SIV, Libbey Owen’s Ford (LOF), and Blindex. In 2006 Nippon Sheet Glass of Japan who already owned 20% of the company, purchased the remaining 80% reportedly to be able to take on Asahi Glass, the world's number one player. Its close ties to Toyota and Honda help it secure more business from the car sector, Pilkington's biggest market. Pilkington provides glazing for one in three of the world's vehicles and supply all of the major vehicle groups including Toyota, GM, Ford, Daimler,VW, Renault/Nissan, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Honda BMW and Volvo.

dicer

Maybe so, but does it say on it "Toyota Lexus" OEM says that. Where is most of it made? China or Mexico?

Owczar

On LS430 OEM windshield was made by Asahi.

Tom57

There's plenty of research on this. Asahi is the OEM manufacturer. Pilkington manufactures the glass according to the exact OEM / ASAHI specifications. Pilkington is not "OE equivalent" which is a lower quality windshield.

Most insurers will not replace a cracked window with the ASAHI when there's an exact spec OEM window available for less. If you want the Asahi / Toyota "label" you'll have to pay a lot extra for it, but you won't be getting a better structural quality window than Pilkington OEM.

SW17LS

Just because Pilkington makes OEM glass, doesn't mean that every piece of glass they make is OEM quality. Glass manufacturers, just like manufacturers of anything else have different lines and different levels of quality within their lines. I promise you, a Pilkington windshield that is installed in your car for $200 (meaning, that includes labor) is NOT the same quality as the OEM windshield that came on the LS. The economics there just don't make sense.

Pilkington makes the OEM windshields that come on Lexus vehicles manufactured in North America (the ES and RX), but that line of glass is going to be better quality than what they're going to sell as a replacement. What you're getting here is a replacement grade, replacement line windshield...not the line that goes OEM. That $1,500 OEM Aashi windshield is the same windshield they install at the factory. Will it be the same? No...the glass is thinner, its going to resist impacts less, it may not be as optically clear...the consistency between two windshields of the same line may not be as good (meaning you may have a good one, and a not as good one). Might it be louder? Maybe depending on the quality of the install. Is the tint going to match? Probably not.

Honestly? I'd rather have the OEM with a small star in it than a new Pilkington windshield.

If I had to buy an aftermarket windshield I would go Pilkington, but I would still rather have the factory Aashi Lexus branded windshield by far, and I would fight for it with insurance, and I have done that and been successful before...that was on much newer cars though. At some point it becomes a point of diminishing return...I'm not going to put a $1,500 OEM windshield in an LS worth $10k. Its not unreasonable for an insurance company not to pay 15% of the car's value for a windshield. In something a couple years old though? OEM Aashi all the way.

Tom57

So, Pilkington makes "better quality" glass for assembly line Lexus glass and reduced quality glass for replacement Lexus glass? "Better quality"? Define that. That would mean two different manufacturing processes. What's your proof for that suggestion?

SW17LS

Absolutely they do. Thats like saying all brands of Michelin tires are of equal quality. Believe it or not...the OEM Michelin tires that come on a Lexus have a specific code, they are made FOR Lexus to their specifications and are slightly different than replacement line tires.

Thats only partly a good analogy, as often the replacement line tires are better tires generally.

Lexus has very strict quality tolerances, and they reject windshields that don't meet those tolerances. When they sell aftermarket they don't have to live up to those standards. When you buy an OEM windshield it was built for Lexus' factory tolerances for clarity, fit, etc. Thats why they're so expensive.

In an older LS430 I would take that $200 Pilkington windshield, I'd fight with the insurance company first, but in the end I would take it. But I would not under any circumstances accept one in my 2015 LS460. I would escalate it and demand the OEM windshield.

911LE

A lot of OEM suppliers do the same thing. If you order a Denso radiator from Rockauto it will be different than one purchased from the dealer. The Rockauto one is even labeled "Denso aftermarket" and is of noticeably lower quality.

Coulter

Regardless if someone can definitively prove to me that the Lexus dealer windshield is better, it's still a REALLY stupid financial decision considering what these cars are worth.

And the replacement is made by the same company that makes glass for car companies like Mercedes, BMW, Toyota etc. Most everyone here is really happy with the their replacement (including me and I'm picky)

Use that money saved for other maintenance on your car, buy a new set of tires, or pay your auto insurance for the next few years.

Your $7,000 LS430 with 180k miles will be fine with a windshield made by the same glass company that makes them for new $100k Mercedes.

NickTee

KYB makes OEM shocks for a variety of car companies, including Lexus. But buying the KYB OE struts yields a sub par ride because they're not the same quality nor valved correctly when compared to the OEM struts. Just because they make OEM parts doesn't mean all their parts are OEM quality.

SW17LS

I agree 100%.

jayclapp

I had a Pilkington windshield replace the original OEM 2 years ago (the insurance company refused to use OEM glass because the Pilkington glass met their $230 maximum limit installed). After two years the Pilkington glass looks like it has been sandblasted, it is so baddly pitted. This glass is no way as hard as OEM glass. I consider it next to junk. Driving into the sun if now difficult.

If Pilkington was OEM quality, then Lexus would purchase their OEM glass from them.

Tom57

Pilkington affirmatively represents its replacement glass as "OEM quality." They are an OE supplier to Toyota/Lexus and many other auto manufacturers. If their replacement glass is measurably and materially inferior to OEM glass, then this is the stuff class actions are made of.

http://www.pilkington.com/en/automot...ss-replacement

http://www.pilkington.com/en/automot...ng-aftermarket

http://www.pilkington.com/en/automot...motive-glazing

jayclapp

I read all the Pilkington web site info before I had Pilington glass installed. They can say what they want, but show me a Lexus LS that has Pilkington as OEM from the factory. The upper tint color isn't even the same as my original OES glass.

Coulter

Nobody is saying that, it's well documented they used Asahi for THIS generation of LS430.

What people ARE saying is that Pilkington DOES make glass new for the OEMs like Lexus, Toyota, Mercedes, etc. and is a top quality glass replacement at an affordable price.


They do









My Pilkington replacement looks fantastic, not a single pit or crack, and the OEM glass that was on there before was badly sandblasted and pitted. One of the worst I've ever seen on a car. Windshields need replacement from time to time and an insurance company is not going to blow years of premiums when there is a quality alternative.