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I was leavng chaicgo, at the I55 and I355 interchange there were giant chunks of concrete that were getting stirred up from a major pothole. Football size chunks were getting kicked up and tumbed over 3 lanes and hit my glass before I could even react.
Very scary- but the glass held together! We dusted off the glass shards and werent cut up. I keep packing tape in my trunk for Amazon returns and such. So we taped it inside and out and carefully drove 150 miles home. I have a 4" section under the headlight that had paint scraped too - but no dents! Probably 12-15 cars were pulled over we were told with tire/bent stuff or suspension damage.
I believe many on this forum have replaced the windshield with aftermarket glass and been very pleased. Do a search, I think you will find some positive stories.
I'm on my second windshield on my LS with non OEM glass. It was inexpensive and works fine but is clearly not same quality as the factory glass. Given the poor condition of the roads in my area I assume I will have to keep replacing windshields on a fairly regular basis hence I decided not to spring for the significant extra cost of OEM glass.
You can count me as one of the unhappy people with non-OEM windshield replacement. Cheap glass that is "soft". Chips so easy you wouldn't believe it. Mine has been in for about 2 years and when you have to drive into a low sun, it actually looks like it has been sandblasted. But, OEM glass costs around $1500 or so while the insursance companies are contracting with Satellite who put $100 glass in and the insurance company just denies your request for OEM glass. Disgusting!
There is a claim process in Chicago for damage from potholes. Might be worth a search to see if Illinois has one as well. (That treacherous interstate interchange of 55 & 355 is 4 miles from me.)
Glad you came out unscathed, B. I don't travel that far south in the Chicago area, and fortunately for me, most of I-94 between Milwaukee and O'Hare is mostly new, and really a decent road to commute on
You can count me as one of the unhappy people with non-OEM windshield replacement. Cheap glass that is "soft". Chips so easy you wouldn't believe it. Mine has been in for about 2 years and when you have to drive into a low sun, it actually looks like it has been sandblasted. But, OEM glass costs around $1500 or so while the insursance companies are contracting with Satellite who put $100 glass in and the insurance company just denies your request for OEM glass. Disgusting!
I went through this with the lizard co. when I had them. My feeling was I've paid premiums for 7 yrs. without an incident, now I need a windshield, and the call center agent is trying to convince me that if I choose a repair (inject it with a substance), there's no deductible. My feeling was why is it my concern if OEM with a BMW logo costs $850 retail, and the aftermarket is $139 retail (in the end I got the glass with the BMW logo)? This conversation went around and around for 40 min. My current insurance agent claims this would never happen with them (somehow I am skeptical, but he has been responsive because I suppose an agent who is local wants to keep you on board for years without a claim as he's making money that way)....I really don't want my Lexus glass to crack, but if it did, I'd try to get Lexus glass as a replacement. I mean the darn thing is laminated/acoustic from what I understand, as is my wife's. I think the argument is that so is the $100 replacement....the $100's number is retail, without insurance! Insurance has gone one step further...FUYAO baby! I think it's an OH plant...
A windshield replacement shop in our area was happy to put in whatever I wanted for glass. It's all made by about 6 different companies plus the Chinese stuff.
He offered all of the big brands that were non-Chinese and guaranteed that the sensors would work. He tested our rain sensor before replacement because more than a few skanky owners come in with a bad sensor and try and put the replacement on them. I put in PGW (Pittsburg Glass Works) but Pilkington is good too and I understand they are used for OEM Toyota and Lexus glass. My glass is DOT approved and has no waviness. Sensor works well too.
Pilkington is not good, I don't care what they say. My Pilkington looks like it was sandblasted! Cost installer $100 and is junk.
I went through this with my BMW because I really cared a lot...I think I do with the LS430 as well.....the car came with Saint Gobain Sekurit. Some of the cars came with Pilkington. Regardless, all cars from the factory have the BMW logo. On the forum there, it was explained, you have OE glass, OEM glass, and cheap Safelite equivalent. Guessing, the prices may have been $800, $500, $129. Of course, which do you think the insurance co. wants to install, esp. if you have a $0 or $100 deductible?
There was a tough guy on our BMW forum who said he was insistent he's gonna get what came with the car. He reported back that he got FUYAO!! So we all laughed, you're such a tough guy and you got that.....one day, I was driving my 2016 BMW 328i loaner car, and I happened to look at my side glass....wth, FUYAO??!! I then looked at all the side glass, rear glass, windshield, and it was all FUYAO. This makes it now very hard for us to insist on OE because the 2017 cars come with FUYAO right from the factory, only they do have BMW logos....it's a brave new world....so I guess what determines OE and cheap replacement is the mfg's logo on it. That indicates it's the best or at least most expensive. And with insurance, how is it our responsibility to help them keep their costs lower and their bonuses higher?
07-24-17, 11:31 AM
Chicago Road Debris = new windshield time
