Windshields

Spurshot · October 30, 2009

My 08 1500 got a stone chip on a trip to Oregon about a month or so ago. It's only about a 3/8" diameter and normally I wouldn't bother with it. But the really friggin irritating part is that it's right square in the middle of my vision. In fact, it's exactly centered on about the back window of a car 100 yds in front of me when I sit centered. To make it worse, I see two of them when focused on objects outside. I find myself leaning to one side to avoid looking thru the chip. That's giving me a neck ache. For such a small chip it's really bothering me.

On the other hand, my 99 has 3 stars in it from rocks and they're larger, but not in my line of normal vision. So, they don't bother me at all. That windshield is a Safelite. I don't think I want another one of the Safelite's. They seem to star pretty easily and have a lot of distortion. Probably a cheap Chinese made windshield.

Can anyone recommend a brand? Go OEM? How much for the dealer to replace one? PPG?

Thanks

Chuck

Spurshot · October 30, 2009

One more question: How would I know if I have a "rain sensor" on the windshield?

thearborbarber · October 30, 2009

I use safelite for windhshield repair and replacement. They offer great service, quality windshield at a reasonable price.

daylower · October 30, 2009

Some windshield places use some of their little glue stuff and almost make the crack/star disappear. I had it done on my old truck and I could hardly see the crack anymore. You might want to look into that rather than replacing the entire windshield.

txab · October 30, 2009

Some windshield places use some of their little glue stuff and almost make the crack/star disappear. I had it done on my old truck and I could hardly see the crack anymore. You might want to look into that rather than replacing the entire windshield.

Since it's in his line of vision repair may not be the best option. Some repairs make it just as disconcerting as having the chip. Most likely you'll be better off replacing the w'shield. I paid cash for mine, got a PPG w'shield. Got a great deal.

Nick The Great · October 30, 2009

Shoot, there's dozens of place around town here that'll fix that for you. In states where you see winter, chips turn into cracks

I had a couple chips filled in my 99 for $35 for the first hole, and $20 per hole after that. Or something like that. I've *heard* of guys using the cheapo patch kits from Autozone, but haven't used them personally.

Spurshot · October 30, 2009

If my truck were a fighter plane, the chip would be an excellent gun sight. Filling it isn't going to help it disappear.

I'd put a Safelite windshield in a vehicle I was trading in, not one I was keeping. My 99's Safelite is extrodinarily wavy and chip/cracks easily. It was cheap as dirt though.

Spurshot · October 30, 2009

I've set up an appointment with a local All Star Glass store for Monday. $229 or something like that for a PPG windshield installed. The Dealer wanted $470 ish for a factory windshield installed and $240 for a PPG. One of the GM discount web dealers wants $200 ish for a factory windshield, no installation.

Tsmith · October 30, 2009

I feel lucky as having a quality local glass company that charges nothing for glass or installation if your comprehensive coverage is not over $100.

pm26 · October 31, 2009

So now GM is using cheaper windshields too?

Spurshot · October 31, 2009

So now GM is using cheaper windshields too?

Sorry, I don't follow you. Please explain. I would get a factory if it was comparable from a price standpoint.

C. Charles Hahn · October 31, 2009

So now GM is using cheaper windshields too?

Sorry, I don't follow you. Please explain. I would get a factory if it was comparable from a price standpoint.

Depends on your insurance's glass coverage. IIRC the GM glass on my Sierra is Pilkington, not Safelite or PPG.... but it depends what the local distributors around you offer.

Honestly I doubt there's THAT much difference between the brands, though I've noticed when I have replaced windshields in the past that you have to watch for distortion/waves in glass with acoustical laminate in it. Seems to be more of an issue with non-OE glass than factory.

Oh and as for the rain sensor, look just to the right of your rear view mirror (toward the passenger side) and see if you have an extra box stuck to the windshield toward the top; if so, then you have rainsense wipers. I'm betting your truck does, being an '08 LTZ that is fairly loaded. My '08 SLT does, and I hate them with a passion. From what I understand they eliminated them for '09....

thearborbarber · October 31, 2009

My last safelite windshield was $212 installed.

pm26 · October 31, 2009

So now GM is using cheaper windshields too?

Sorry, I don't follow you. Please explain. I would get a factory if it was comparable from a price standpoint.

There have been numerous complaints about excessive waviness and other surface defects in GTM900 windshields. This leads me to believe that GM has changed suppliers and started using a lower quality product, quite possibly made overseas. So going with the OEM replacement may not be the best idea.

Spurshot · October 31, 2009

I'm not using my insurance for this, I'm paying. My experience is that they tally this stuff up and you end up paying for it over the long haul and then some. My choice, you're experience may differ.

I'm perfectly happy with the optical quality of the factory windshield. Also, both the 99 and 08 factory windshields seemed to resist chipping/staring better than the Safelite I had installed in the 99. The Safelite I have also is wavy as the ocean on a blustery day. Maybe Safelite offers more than one quality/brand of windshield, I don't know. Not going back to them though.

I'm thinking I don't have a rain sensor. My wipers don't go on automatically. I drove in a downpour in Utah without wipers right after I had used Rain-X. It was better than wipers.