Anybody used Safelite to replace a windshield?

[Glava2876]

Well, title is pretty self explanatory. Got a nice split in my windshield and am looking to replace. I know safelite comes to you and can replace on the spot, but has anybody used them before? Do you recommend/not recommend? I have yet to get a quote, but I'll call them this afternoon as well as the dealership and compare the two.

 

Those of you that have had it done, should I remove my inspection stickers/toll tag before they do the replacement or are they able to salvage the stickers?

 

For what its worth, I'm located in Houston.

 

Thanks

 

Safelite replaced the windshield in my wife's 2011 Cadillac SRX with rain sense -no problems.

They replaced the windshield in my 2013 Cruise -sold, but no problems when I had it.

They removed and reinstalled the NYS registration and inspection stickers.

[2016 Sierra Owner]

I've used safelite o 2 windshields with no problems. If you have State Farm ins this repair should only be a deductible or less.

[Kerrslight]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Ended up going the safelite route. Quoted me $360+tax and will be installed tomorrow afternoon.

 

A couple of you mentioned checking with insurance. My insurance doesn't cover windshield repair or replacement. I don't think most companies cover that in Texas, could be wrong tho. Deductible on my ins is $1000 so coming out of pocket on this one. My truck didn't come with the top quarter tinted so all in all should look exactly the same minus the GM logo in the corner.

 

Happy to hear they move the stickers over. One less thing for me to deal with.

[dagwood2001]

Interesting to hear others comment on the stickers. it certainly was no big deal and I'd have to have had the angriest police officer on the face of the earth cite me for it but my installer was adamant "tampering" with inspection stickers in PA was illegal. Odd.....maybe he was just lazy? But then again he cut out the glass around the stickers, sanded the edges so I wouldn't cut myself on the glass, and gave them to me. I had three at the time, the inspection, the emissions, and the class 2 sticker (which I later found out wasn't needed)........

[TenofMe]

I'm in Dallas and I had mine replaced by SafeLite last week. The tech did an EXCELLENT job. I watched most of the job. I insisted on OEM glass when I called. I found out my insurance company, Farmers, also specifies OEM glass. The tech had just come from the GM dealership where he picked it up.

 

I have the driver alert package, and the tech said there aren't any aftermarket manufacturers for that version of the glass yet (that he knows of). He said there is an aftermarket option for the standard windshield, but that SafeLite only uses OEM on all of these trucks as of now. This was his 6th K2XX he had done. He said he's done about that many '15 Tahoe/Yukons, too.

 

It was interesting; the top part where the camera and sensors go already had two mounting screws attached to the glass. He unscrewed the entire assembly from the old windshield and attached it to the new one. He also moved the registration sticker and toll tag without any issues. You can't tell there were even moved. I had him scrap the inspection sticker because in Texas it is no longer needed. As of April 2015, the inspection is tied to your registration, so only one sticker from now on.

 

My insurance covered all but the $100 glass deductible. Nice follow-up by both Farmers and SafeLite, and it has a lifetime warranty (on the part and installation, not against chips or cracking).

 

I'm sure like anything it mostly depends on the tech you get, but based on my experience, you shouldn't have any issues.

 

BTW, I did price just the glass for comparison. You can get it online for under $200.

[chuckl1218]

A couple of you mentioned checking with insurance. My insurance doesn't cover windshield repair or replacement. I don't think most companies cover that in Texas, could be wrong tho.

State Farm and Farmers do cover windshields in Texas...just FYI...

[JRaschke11]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Ended up going the safelite route. Quoted me $360+tax and will be installed tomorrow afternoon.

 

A couple of you mentioned checking with insurance. My insurance doesn't cover windshield repair or replacement. I don't think most companies cover that in Texas, could be wrong tho. Deductible on my ins is $1000 so coming out of pocket on this one. My truck didn't come with the top quarter tinted so all in all should look exactly the same minus the GM logo in the corner.

 

Happy to hear they move the stickers over. One less thing for me to deal with.

Is a slightly lower monthly premium really worth it to shell out $1k for repairs?

[Doobs41378]

Glass repair should be covered under your comprehensive coverage. With your $1000 deductible it is a non point but if you lowered that to $100 I bet it wouldn't be much more per year.

[Kerrslight]

Well I'm currently on a joint coverage plan with my family. We've got coverage for 5 cars so for now it is what it is. If it was me alone, I'd probably go for a different plan, which I might be doing in the near future.

[Stex]

Had safelite do one and the glass was very wavy. Had it replaced with OEM. On my truck, I use the dealers independent installer, about $75-125 and buy the oem from the dealer. Get a break on the glass as I bought the truck from them. Just check the glass before it goes in. On some insurance you can get a glass rider or just lower deductible.

[KMGZ400]

I just used safelite and had a good expirience, they also have a method for removing te glass that no one else has, they use a tool that pulls a string around the glass rather then the typical air chisel

[PGDriver]

Just a couple things note note. The best way to cut out a windshield without damaging the pinchweld is to use a pull knife on the sides and top and a Exrtactor only on the bottom bead of urethane.

All windshields are the same thickness of glass, acoustic ones have a thicker vinyl between the glass, the AS1 rating has a .030" vinyl layer and is the minimum required. The exception is bullet proof ones.

The old urethane bead should be trimmed down and the new bead should be put directly on top and should not be put on the windshield.

Glass quality (optically) may very a little but with most glass coming out of Mexico, China and some still made in the US at companies like PPG, as to construction they must all meet certain ANSI standards.

The biggest veritable in having your windshield replaced is the technician, a competent one can make a big difference.

[nibroc92]

I recently had one replaced in an avalanche while traveling the safelite that fixed it didn't get the windshield trim in correctly so got it home and took it to the local safelite for repair and they fixed it no issues since then and that was back during the spring.

They did change my inspection sticker over to new windshield

[Kerrslight]

Had the windshield done this afternoon. Watched/talked to the guy throughout the whole process. Was very professional and the glass looks identical to OEM. I don't remember the brand name off the top of my head, but all in all it was a very clean install. Hasn't seen any water yet but being on the highway it was just as quiet as before. Overall very pleased.

[cjb321]

i've had both good and bad experiences with Safelite, all the windshileds on a few cars/trucks i had never had trouble with, the one they put in my jeep was better than OEM, it was chipped during shipping and the dealer sent them to my job to replace it after that it went 4 years without any chips and was hit alot(jeep windshields are rock magnets lol). Also had them do a side window on my 74 nova and the tech saw that the track was rusted out and replaced it at no charge, said he went to the junkyard for it but it looked brand new. Bad was my 89 chevy rear window, took 4 techs and six tries to get it to not leak, final tech was the boss man at that shop.