Replacement windshield
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 59
Likes: 17
From: NoVA
Replacement windshield
So thanks to the Virginia DOT's apparent inability to properly repave a road, I have a nice windshield chip which, since it was behind the stupid sticker they make us put on our car, was left unnoticed and now developed into a crack that arcs perfectly through my field of vision. I'm looking at quotes for replacement windshields, but I'm only seeing the RC and RC F-Sport show up. The F-Sport has the selectable option for the rain-sensing wipers (although if I'm honest, I'd be fine with losing this feature, I find myself turning it off half the time anyway). Does the RC-F use the same glass as the RC? I know our front ends are radically different, but the greenhouse looks identical.
I know I could just do it at the dealer, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'd charge me a ridiculous amount and my insurance wouldn't want to work with them. Plus I've had Safelite/OEM replacement glass in my other cars for years and never had an issue.
I know I could just do it at the dealer, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'd charge me a ridiculous amount and my insurance wouldn't want to work with them. Plus I've had Safelite/OEM replacement glass in my other cars for years and never had an issue.
Pole Position
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,634
Likes: 254
From: CA
I recently had the same thing happen to me on my RCF.
I researched the topic and found that Pilkington made OEM windshield for many auto makers, including Toyota/Lexus. Toyota/Lexus does not make their own glass.
https://www.pilkington.com/en/global...inal-equipment
So the shop verified that the RC windshield will fit my RCF. The question is if there is a heater option (electrical coils) at the bottom of the windshield glass. Mine did not.
The Pilkington version is $645 installed. The same windshield with the Lexus logo is around $995 installed. Both will meet or exceed federal safety standards. So no danger there. I went with the cheaper option. I had a Pilkington windshield replacement in my other Lexus car several years back and NO PROBLEMS at all. No optical distortion. No leaks. Not excessive wind noise. Same as my original.
I researched the topic and found that Pilkington made OEM windshield for many auto makers, including Toyota/Lexus. Toyota/Lexus does not make their own glass.
https://www.pilkington.com/en/global...inal-equipment
So the shop verified that the RC windshield will fit my RCF. The question is if there is a heater option (electrical coils) at the bottom of the windshield glass. Mine did not.
The Pilkington version is $645 installed. The same windshield with the Lexus logo is around $995 installed. Both will meet or exceed federal safety standards. So no danger there. I went with the cheaper option. I had a Pilkington windshield replacement in my other Lexus car several years back and NO PROBLEMS at all. No optical distortion. No leaks. Not excessive wind noise. Same as my original.
So thanks to the Virginia DOT's apparent inability to properly repave a road, I have a nice windshield chip which, since it was behind the stupid sticker they make us put on our car, was left unnoticed and now developed into a crack that arcs perfectly through my field of vision. I'm looking at quotes for replacement windshields, but I'm only seeing the RC and RC F-Sport show up. The F-Sport has the selectable option for the rain-sensing wipers (although if I'm honest, I'd be fine with losing this feature, I find myself turning it off half the time anyway). Does the RC-F use the same glass as the RC? I know our front ends are radically different, but the greenhouse looks identical.
I know I could just do it at the dealer, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'd charge me a ridiculous amount and my insurance wouldn't want to work with them. Plus I've had Safelite/OEM replacement glass in my other cars for years and never had an issue.
I know I could just do it at the dealer, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'd charge me a ridiculous amount and my insurance wouldn't want to work with them. Plus I've had Safelite/OEM replacement glass in my other cars for years and never had an issue.
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 59
Likes: 17
From: NoVA
I recently had the same thing happen to me on my RCF.
I researched the topic and found that Pilkington made OEM windshield for many auto makers, including Toyota/Lexus. Toyota/Lexus does not make their own glass.
https://www.pilkington.com/en/global...inal-equipment
So the shop verified that the RC windshield will fit my RCF. The question is if there is a heater option (electrical coils) at the bottom of the windshield glass. Mine did not.
The Pilkington version is $645 installed. The same windshield with the Lexus logo is around $995 installed. Both will meet or exceed federal safety standards. So no danger there. I went with the cheaper option. I had a Pilkington windshield replacement in my other Lexus car several years back and NO PROBLEMS at all. No optical distortion. No leaks. Not excessive wind noise. Same as my original.
I researched the topic and found that Pilkington made OEM windshield for many auto makers, including Toyota/Lexus. Toyota/Lexus does not make their own glass.
https://www.pilkington.com/en/global...inal-equipment
So the shop verified that the RC windshield will fit my RCF. The question is if there is a heater option (electrical coils) at the bottom of the windshield glass. Mine did not.
The Pilkington version is $645 installed. The same windshield with the Lexus logo is around $995 installed. Both will meet or exceed federal safety standards. So no danger there. I went with the cheaper option. I had a Pilkington windshield replacement in my other Lexus car several years back and NO PROBLEMS at all. No optical distortion. No leaks. Not excessive wind noise. Same as my original.
Pit Crew
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 112
Likes: 32
From: Ontario
Doesn't the RCF have heads-up display? If so, I would just caution you on replacing the windshield with the base RC glass which I'm presuming does not have HUD.
The reason I say this is because on my current vehicle (Acura RLX Sport Hybrid) the same thing happened to me and the dealer replaced my windshield with OEM glass from a base P-AWS model RLX thinking that would suffice. Turns out the glass on the Sport Hybrid with HUD is different and as such, my HUD was all blurry - so it had to go back to the dealer and wait for the correct Sport Hybrid glass to arrive from Japan. That was an expensive windshield at almost $4,000 CAD - thankfully my insurance covered it all but my $500 deductible...
The reason I say this is because on my current vehicle (Acura RLX Sport Hybrid) the same thing happened to me and the dealer replaced my windshield with OEM glass from a base P-AWS model RLX thinking that would suffice. Turns out the glass on the Sport Hybrid with HUD is different and as such, my HUD was all blurry - so it had to go back to the dealer and wait for the correct Sport Hybrid glass to arrive from Japan. That was an expensive windshield at almost $4,000 CAD - thankfully my insurance covered it all but my $500 deductible...
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 59
Likes: 17
From: NoVA
Doesn't the RCF have heads-up display? If so, I would just caution you on replacing the windshield with the base RC glass which I'm presuming does not have HUD.
The reason I say this is because on my current vehicle (Acura RLX Sport Hybrid) the same thing happened to me and the dealer replaced my windshield with OEM glass from a base P-AWS model RLX thinking that would suffice. Turns out the glass on the Sport Hybrid with HUD is different and as such, my HUD was all blurry - so it had to go back to the dealer and wait for the correct Sport Hybrid glass to arrive from Japan. That was an expensive windshield at almost $4,000 CAD - thankfully my insurance covered it all but my $500 deductible...
The reason I say this is because on my current vehicle (Acura RLX Sport Hybrid) the same thing happened to me and the dealer replaced my windshield with OEM glass from a base P-AWS model RLX thinking that would suffice. Turns out the glass on the Sport Hybrid with HUD is different and as such, my HUD was all blurry - so it had to go back to the dealer and wait for the correct Sport Hybrid glass to arrive from Japan. That was an expensive windshield at almost $4,000 CAD - thankfully my insurance covered it all but my $500 deductible...
Pole Position
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,634
Likes: 254
From: CA
The rain sensors are not a problem
The shop I went to opened up the plastic covers near the windshield wipers to verify that there are no heater coil electrical lines connected to the bottom of the windshield. There were none.
I also asked my shop to call Lexus to verify the RCF windshield part numbers.....and they did. All good to go. Incidentally I got a quote from Safelite Auto Glass as well. It was MUCH HIGHER ($400 more for the Pilkington and $600 more for the Lexus branded) for the same thing. Safelite also verified it's the same windshield as the RC series.
Also I had 3M Crystalline tint for my windshield (the lightest at 80% and optical quality). It's WAY easier for them to do the tint BEFORE installing the windshield. And they gave me a 20% discount on the whole job.
I'm going later on this week to have it installed.
The shop I went to opened up the plastic covers near the windshield wipers to verify that there are no heater coil electrical lines connected to the bottom of the windshield. There were none.
I also asked my shop to call Lexus to verify the RCF windshield part numbers.....and they did. All good to go. Incidentally I got a quote from Safelite Auto Glass as well. It was MUCH HIGHER ($400 more for the Pilkington and $600 more for the Lexus branded) for the same thing. Safelite also verified it's the same windshield as the RC series.
Also I had 3M Crystalline tint for my windshield (the lightest at 80% and optical quality). It's WAY easier for them to do the tint BEFORE installing the windshield. And they gave me a 20% discount on the whole job.
I'm going later on this week to have it installed.
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