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Windshielf replacement

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Old 05-15-24 | 02:06 PM
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Default Windshielf replacement

Hello everyone, I got a 6-inch or so crack on the windshield (from the random flying stone chips in AZ), called two different glass repair shops, and both are trying to talk me into buying aftermarket windshields. Are aftermarket windshields any good?

Additionally, the first shop claims there is a national shortage of ES windshields, and I have to wait a few months before getting mine replaced, which sounds absurd, does anyone know if that's the case?
Old 05-15-24 | 05:11 PM
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Crap! I had mine replaced my safelite and regret it to this day. They scratched my roof near the top of the windshield... left my interior a complete mess.. Car had about 10k miles on it if I remember.. Plus the after market glass isn't as thick and I think its also not UV protected the same.

Go to Lexus.. get it replaced if you want it dont correctly vs fast and in a hurry.
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Old 05-15-24 | 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Vertdafert
Crap! I had mine replaced my safelite and regret it to this day. They scratched my roof near the top of the windshield... left my interior a complete mess.. Car had about 10k miles on it if I remember.. Plus the after market glass isn't as thick and I think its also not UV protected the same.

Go to Lexus.. get it replaced if you want it dont correctly vs fast and in a hurry.
I agree...
Old 05-15-24 | 10:35 PM
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Considering the amount of tech in the car and that being in the housing by the windshield. I'd just get it done at the dealership. If any calibration needs to be done too then your vehicle is already there too. Most importantly I'd want it done correctly and with OEM windshield glass.
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Old 05-16-24 | 05:05 AM
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Safe lite software is used by my auto insurance company. The VIN number provides all the information needed to determine which windshield is required. My ES300h Luxury required an OEM replacement. My first replacement was delayed one month waiting for the windshield and installation kit. The second replacement (one year and one rock later) was within a week. My local independent auto glass vendor did an absolutely perfect repair both times.
Old 05-16-24 | 05:13 AM
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Originally Posted by jfz219
Safe lite software is used by my auto insurance company. The VIN number provides all the information needed to determine which windshield is required. My ES300h Luxury required an OEM replacement. My first replacement was delayed one month waiting for the windshield and installation kit. The second replacement (one year and one rock later) was within a week. My local independent auto glass vendor did an absolutely perfect repair both times.
Safelite can go f@$% themselves after my experience..I'll never go back to any of their locations.
Be happy and don't take a chance with your investment..use the dealership.

I didnt buy a Lexus to have my service done at DollarGeneral.

Why not instead of going to your Dentist stop at the zoo and let the money give you a root canal?


Old 05-16-24 | 05:26 AM
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I’d be immediately suspicious of any shop I walked into if they told me that there is "there is a national shortage of ES windshields”. Easy enough to verify by calling your local dealership and see what they say. It might be true, but it could be red flag.

That said, I would not use anything that wasn’t OEM from Lexus, including having them install it for me.
Old 05-16-24 | 07:36 AM
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There is absolutely a massive shortage of windshields!
I just went through this with my wife's RX. Called it in back in December/January, Safelite (through insurance) said it MIGHT be August before they could get an OEM windshield, but they really couldn't say. I called two local dealers and they told me the same thing. This crack was 3' wide and growing, so I called Safelite back to ask for an aftermarket option and was told the same thing - they just didn't know when they could get one.
Some stars aligned a couple weeks ago and I was able to get an aftermarket brand. All good, but still a 5 month ordeal.
Old 05-16-24 | 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Vertdafert
Safelite can go f@$% themselves after my experience..I'll never go back to any of their locations.
Be happy and don't take a chance with your investment..use the dealership.

I didnt buy a Lexus to have my service done at DollarGeneral.

Why not instead of going to your Dentist stop at the zoo and let the money give you a root canal?
The problem isn't even Safelite. It's whoever is installing the windshield. Bad things can and do happen even at the dealer.

My wife drives far for work so she's had her fair share of replacements and in FL windshields are covered under insurance. Safelite didn't seal her windshield properly in her former truck so as soon as it rained, it rained in the truck. The next vehicle she went with a different company and that guy scratched the hell out of the hood, headlinner, roof, etc. to the point they had to repaint the entire hood and replace parts. This was on a 1 month old car too.
I know others who have had ones done at the dealer with similar results. You're at the mercy of whoever puts them in and nowhere is 100% safe.
She had one replaced in her RX, but took it to Safelite vs having someone from Safelite come out to do it. No issues.
The to op, always demand oem, ask questions and ALWAYS take pictures prior to anyone touching it. If they can't get one in a fair amount of time, look into other places.

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Old 05-16-24 | 09:07 AM
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I’ve had the exact opposite experience with Safelite with my Infiniti M35x. A rock hit my windshield on a trip from Illinois when I lived there back to Georgia to visit my daughter. I took it to Safelite the day after I arrived and they replaced it quickly.

A few days after I got back to Illinois I got caught in a rain shower and noticed the automatic wipers weren’t working. I called them and they came to my office parking lot and replaced it no questions asked. No issues with my car.

That was 12 years ago so things must have changed for the worse
Old 05-16-24 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Vertdafert
Crap! I had mine replaced my safelite and regret it to this day. They scratched my roof near the top of the windshield... left my interior a complete mess.. Car had about 10k miles on it if I remember.. Plus the after market glass isn't as thick and I think its also not UV protected the same.

Go to Lexus.. get it replaced if you want it dont correctly vs fast and in a hurry.
never put after market screens on.
Old 05-16-24 | 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Vertdafert
Crap! I had mine replaced my safelite and regret it to this day. They scratched my roof near the top of the windshield... left my interior a complete mess.. Car had about 10k miles on it if I remember.. Plus the after market glass isn't as thick and I think its also not UV protected the same.

Go to Lexus.. get it replaced if you want it dont correctly vs fast and in a hurry.
Ooof, that sucks, the dealer referred me to a shop because they don't do any replacement themselves. But it sounds like right now all Lexus glasses are on a national backorder, the lady literally said it might be a couple of months.
Old 05-16-24 | 01:40 PM
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Yeah, originally I was gonna get it replaced at the dealer, but to my surprise, they said they don't do any windshield replacement themselves. The repair shop I got referred to claims there is a national backorder for Lexus glasses, seems like I will be stuck with the cracked windshield for a couple months.
Old 05-16-24 | 01:50 PM
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That's a fair point, the only thing that surprised me was the Lexus dealer here claims they don't do windshield replacement, and I just defaulted to the fact that all dealers don't do windshield replacement.
Old 05-16-24 | 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Traverseis
That's a fair point, the only thing that surprised me was the Lexus dealer here claims they don't do windshield replacement, and I just defaulted to the fact that all dealers don't do windshield replacement.
Yeah, called the dealer, and they said there is a national back order on all parts, and somebody ordered a part with them in September last year and was still waiting in the queue. For the ES windshield, the national inventory is showing as 0.

Bad timing for having a cracked windshield indeed.



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