koolkevinj

I have an 04 LX that had a tiny crack in my windshield. We had a -4 degree day in Chicago and the crack spread all the way across the windshield from one side to the other.
I'm trying to decide if I should take it to the dealer to replace it or if a reputable glass place can replace the windshield without a problem. The truck has rain sensing wipers and I don't know if I can trust that to any glass place.

Thanks,
kevin

Da Hapa

Kevin -

Unfortunately, we've had to replace the front windshield not once, but twice on our 2006 LX470. Both times were due to freak rock chips.

In both cases, we took the vehicle to the dealership but the work was done (using OEM parts) by an outside vendor/glass company.

If you can find a reputable glass company that uses OEM parts, there's no reason to shy away from that route, IMO.

BTW - expect to be shocked at how much the factory glass is going to run you. I nearly crapped my pants. I only hope you don't have the night vision on your vehicle as well because that really adds to the bottom line.

Good luck.

gurjot

Take it to the dealer. They will have their regular glass independent shop install the windshield and you can go back in case the job is not done right. In case you can find out who the dealer uses then you can risk going directly.

Going to an independent place will save money but in case they do not fit it properly you will hear annoying road noise. LX470 windshield is not easy to install unless the independent has done it several times.

It is the upright angle of the windshield that causes it to fall prey to rock pieces. They would just bounce harmlessly off most cars.

V8_Fan

x2 here. That's TWO windshields in 7K miles of driving! Problem is, it's a road trip car, and both times, the rocks hit about 1" from the edge of the windshield while I was driving on a two lane highway (first rock was on the right side about 1" from the vertical edge, second was 1" above the bottom center of the windshield). Windshield cracked after it sat in the shade and sun hit the windshield; other time it cracked half a day later after sitting in the garage. Both times, temp was never lower than 65F.

Both windshield replacements were done by Scottsdale Lexus. They farm out to a glass shop for all their work. Be careful on getting any glass shop to do the work since the LX has an unusual windshield that requires 4 rivets on each side. You need a special rivet gun. Many installers have never seen the LX/LC windshield setup. A lot of guys on ih8mud.com who have had 3rd party glass shops replace their windshields had them do it incorrectly, resulting in lots of wind noise/whistling from the moldings. In one case, the shop bent the metal around the windshield. In many cases, the windshields leak. The OEM glass has UV absorption, is hydrophobic, and has better sound insulation. I had one windshield done in Oct '06 (cost me $996 out the door). Second was done in Oct '07 (cost $1200+ out the door). Same windshield, same parts, same labor cost, list price of the windshield rose by nearly $300 in one year while the prices of the moldings & rain sensing tape dropped. Fortunately, my insurance has full glass coverage that's separate from comprehensive, so it was covered 100% both times w/o having an adjuster having to look at it and independent of my comprehensive deductible.

Yes, my wipers are rain sensing and they still work. You have to replace the special rain sensing tape.

Da Hapa

Hey Jim -

I'm wondering if you've heard of anyone having any luck with the plastic/acrylic hood/bug deflectors?

Like one of these:

I'm not a big fan of how they look and don't see many on Japanese SUV's trucks but I'm wondering if they wouldn't help save $$$ in the long run.

V8_Fan

Dunno. I haven't seen those bug deflectors sold in the US for the LX, but I have seen them on overseas LX's, so I know they are made.

Hoser

No idea where to get the deflector either but this is how they look.

Da Hapa

I wonder if these things work.

I've never owned a car that is so susceptible to rocks hitting the windshield. Hell, even my uber-low to the ground NSX doesn't attract crap the way the windshield does on the LX.

I don't really like the way these deflectors look but it might be something I'd have to swallow.

Hoser

I still have the original windshield on my '92 NSX! The more vertical the windshield, therefore more frontal area and less deflection, the more likely it is to get rock chips. These bug deflectors do work for bugs so I'd imagine they work to some extent on small rocks.

lexusrott

That's one sweet bumper !!