letsgofast

After 10 mo of ownership, finally got a large rock straight into the driverside windshield because fml. Need to replace entire windshield. Anyways, insurance is having me go through a 3rd party and I've asked to get it replaced with OEM glass. The 3rd party installer (well reviewed locally on yelp) said this.

Option 1 OEM replacement: More expensive (doesnt matter bc I have to pay a $500 deductible) however it's subject to a 'pricing-approval' from my Insurance bc OEM glass is generally more expensive than aftermarket. They are working on getting the pricing quote, but there is a chance I would have to pay out of pocket any amount OVER my insurance's pricing cap for OEM glass. Also, Their warranty will only cover installation and defective glass, Nothing else.

Option 2 aftermarket glass: Warranty includes installation, defective glass & 1 single - replacement of windshield within a year, or unlimited rock chip repair for 12 months. Much cheaper than OEM glass and not subject to pricing approbal ( but i'm still going to have to pay a $500 deductible).

So I'm asking advice on which option to take, and how important is it to get OEM vs aftermarket glass. Would either choice make a difference if I tried to sell the car?

Also, I live in an area that has a major trucking route, so rocks and rock chips are very relevant.

Davew77

I have no idea if it will affect the value of your vehicle if you go aftermarket. But my guess is yes. Every piece of glass on our vehicles is etched with the Lexus name. I personally check for that etching myself when I go to purchase any Lexus, and I'm probably not the only one. If I find a pane of glass not etched, I'm going to insist on a discount.

I had a rock crack my windshield on my 3rd day of ownership and it had to be replaced. My insurance covers it for free. However, they only cover the OEM replacement for free if the vehicle mileage is under a certain limit. Otherwise the difference in windshield cost would have to be paid by me. I was under the limit. I also had to request the OEM replacement or else they would have done the aftermarket.

In my experience, you get what you pay for. If something is cheaper, then there is a reason why it is cheaper. Usually because they skipped some of the steps in the process, used cheaper materials, etc... The cost difference in windshields is probably not huge. I wouldn't cheap out. IIRC the price of the Lexus windshield was like $500-$550. How much cheaper could the aftermarket windshield really be? If it is only $250, I would be extremely skeptical of the quality... I would also insist on more than a $250 discount on a Lexus if it didn't have a Lexus windshield.

My $0.02.


Edit: I was just thinking... you are going to have to pay $500 for your deductible. The total cost to replace my windshield with a OEM windshield was like $850 (I didn't have to pay, but I seen the total). So if you also have to pay the difference of the windshield cost, what is the insurance company really doing for you? You would probably have been better off not even telling them if they are going to increase your rates too... I'd get a lower deductible (which I do) or I'd look for another insurance company.

lexusrus

X2.

Way back in 2001 I got hit by some big gravel and cracked my only one year old brand new LX470 . Initially went to a very reputable small mom and pop glass shop in a very small town in the deep south where we lived at the time. We were the only Lexus in town, let alone a LX470. Insurance company authorized OEM and took two weeks to get it. Came in on a huge box with the big Lexus logo. All good to go and the mom and pop shop installed it. As soon as I got on the highway I can hear very loud wind noise. Then I washed the SUV, there were lots of water leaks!!! Went back to the mom and pop shop and they looked at it and said sorry, but just did not have experience with Lexus as they are more used to Fords snd Chevys. They refunded my deductible and told me to go elsewhere. There was a Safelite about an hour away. Went to SafeLite and insists on OEM and was again approved by my insurance company. Same problem with the wind noise, but no more leaks. So went back to Safelite and they replaced it again and again every some one week to two weeks X like 7 more times. I was getting tired of this incompetence and called up my insurance to complain. So on the very last try, the BOSEMAN showed up to personally see to it. Back then they were using the TWO glue technic and evidently the glues were very expensive on the orders of $250 for the job. They did not put on enough of the glue. Finally on the last try, they got it righT and no more wind noise and no leaks. BTW, years later when I changed insurance company, the new insurance company evidently pulled up the loss history and saw my windshield on thd LX470 was replaced like 8 times in a span of 6 months or so. They wanted to know why and I told them the glass shops did not know what they were doing and NO, I DID NOT CRACK MY WINDSHIELD 8 DIFFERENT TIMES!!!

The cars now are even more complicated especially something like a Lexus. If you have NAVI, Rain Sensor, SOS system, GPS, SAT RADIO, and heating defrost elements (I know my CT200H got this when I replaced it's windshield ), etc..... these may not work correctly if the shop does not know exactly what to do. Also there is an underlying "color" embedded in the windshield. Just make sure that you get an OEM Lexus matching EXACTLY "color". This "color " is very subtle and you may not be able to tell with a naked eye.

I would go to a Lexus dealer with a bodyshop or just ask thd Lexus dealer who does their windshields.

shadow1118

in florida its like a law or something where the insurance companies are forced to pay for a new windshield no matter what if it breaks or cracked. its super easy . see we aint that crazy down here.

Davew77

Well, yeah, I sortof knew that. But I meant if they are going to pay like $600+ for the damage to be fixed through the insurance company, why even bother involving them when it can be done for about $850 (with OEM glass)? If they don't increase the rates for this incident, they almost certainly will if there's another incident anytime soon. I'd rather eat a couple of hundred more bucks and save myself a lot more than that over the next few years.

But first of all, I would never have a $500 comprehensive deductible (this incident falls under comprehensive). For me anyway, It's like a $30 difference over 6 months to go from $500 to $250 deductible on comprehensive. I don't have a $500 collision deductible either, but that's irrelevant.

tfischer

I was under the impression that most insurance policies paid for the full replacement cost of a cracked windshield. You might check with other insurers, especially if you picked this carrier because of the low, low premiums. Also, it might be a state law in some places. Finally, regardless of the cost, I would get the OEM glass, as windshields are pretty involved things these days. Lexus, for example, has thicker glass than less expensive cars in order to provide, among other things, sound insulation. If you cannot afford this kind of a cost for your very expensive car, maybe you are in over your head. The costs of owning a luxury vehicle do not stop when you drive it off the lot, and, as noted above, you want to keep it up to specs or you could well have larger problems on resale.

lexual_rc

I would have to agree with tfishcer when it comes to windshield replacments. Also are you leasing your vehicle...in which case it may be mandatory to choose OEM. I would double check with them. Heres some similar and useful info which you may consider:

http://www.carwindshields.info/winds...something-else

iceweasel

My buddy who owns a body shop said most of the time for new vehicles aftermarket and oem are made from the same manufacturer and the difference is the logo. If its a lease and Lexus does not care then I would pay for aftermarket since it would be cheaper. In the end it depends on what your willing to spend.

10lexISR6

iTrader: (1)

This just happened to us a couple days before we flew to Hawaii. We called safelite first and they came out to see if they could repair it. Said the Crack was too large, over 6 inches and couldn't be repaired. It's a 2015 RC and we weren't going to put a cheap aftermarket windshield on it so we were prepared to pay like a grand. Fortunately I called my insurance company just to ask about if I made a claim for it and paid the deductible. I was pleasantly suprised to find out that on my policy, I had chosen to have a zero dollar comprehensive. This meant I paid no money out of pocket and I requested a Lexus factory windshield to be replaced with. They didn't argue and set it up while we were on vacation. We returned back and the following day safelite met us at our house with the factory windshield and factory seals, which he showed us and installed a brand new windshield, for no money out of our pocket. My suggestion to you would be inquire with your insurance. I asked my agent if this would affect my rates and they stated it would not and I could file this claim all day long without being penalized. Waiting for a good rock to bust my windshield on my IS now so I can get a fresh pitless free one.

lexusrus

Congrats.

Just for future reference (hopefully you won't need to). Even though you got an OEM windshield, the technical aspects of installing the OEM windshield may differ from what Lexus called for.

A couple of years ago I changed my windshield on my other Lexus due to a large crack. Due to my high deductible I opted for after market by SafeLite.
I thought it was all good until I had some fender/bumper body work done at a large Lexus dealership a year later due to an accident. Within a minute or two of having one of the Lexus body shop guy going over the car to see what needed to be done......... the guy noticed right away the windshield is not OEM. I told him it was replace about a year ago, but I did not say by whom. He looked around the rubber seals around the windshield and states they should NOT have glued the rubber seals in like it is now. Now it is all glued in and the Lexus body shop can't pop it out like the original . So this created some problems for them, but the Lexus body shop eventually managed to do what they needed to do. It just took more time, hence costed more for the insurance company. But I asked safety wise any difference, he said no difference.

So in your case with zero deductible. ....... I would just let the Lexus dealership do it. I realize a lot of times, the smaller Lexus dealers contract these services out, but still Lexus puts it's name on it. So why not?

10lexISR6

iTrader: (1)

Well funny thing is, I called my service advisor at Lexus and asked him about them doing the install because I like to give him the business and commission when I can. He said they contract that out to safelite themselves and it wouldnt matter if I brought it to them or I called for safelite to come to my house. It made more sense for me to not waste my time and gas to go get done what was going to be done at the dealership anyways. I'm sure other dealerships do things differently but this was my experience. Trust me, if I'm not paying, I want it done by Lexus. But if Lexus says this is how theyr doing it, then it is what it is.

Davew77

This is normal. They contract out a lot of things. I don't think I've ever seen a Lexus dealer do things like paint, body work or upholstery. Safelite also did my windshield. Like you, I went to the dealer first... if the dealer sends you someplace else, then they still have to honor the warranty for what the other place does.

cjschober

Just call safelite and have them replace it. Pay your deductible and be done with it. Just had mine replaced due to a smal rock making a giant crack in it. Here's the reality, there is only an OEM windshield available at this time for the car. They do not stock an aftermarket for it yet. (Even if they did, I have no choice as my wife works for Lexus corporate and it's a company lease as it is). The removal and installation of this windshield is extremely easy and the guy was in and out within an hour. He even bragged how much he loved changing Lexus windshields compared to most other companies just due to the fact that the side holding clips don't break when they try to remove the shield panels. At the end of the day, and I've had many windshield repair guys verify this through the years, if you take it to the dealership they're just gonna call safelite or another company out to repair the windshield for them. Dealerships won't do windshields. They'll say they do, hike the price a few hundred bucks to make a small profit and then call out a 3rd party. So save yourself time, hassle and money and just call out Safelite and pay your deductible.

mcomer

Be aware that the Lexus Certified Program call for all components to be OEM.
Changing the brake pads or windshield to non-OEM will likely trigger charges
similar to damage fees when turning in a lease.

Benoit

I'm upping this thread because I was on a Lexus RCF fanpage, and I noticed that MANY (means a lot) of peoples had numerous windshield changes. Some reported that their windshield even cracked simply by beeing long time in the heat.

Do you, forum members, have new things to report about your windshield crack adventures, or did Lexus maybe find a way to fix the problem ?