abbguy

I have a crack at the base of my winshield. No chip on the outside. It looks like a small defect, then spread almost 12 inches.

Anyone have their winshield replaced? What did it cost and any problems after it was done? Did dealer do it or did you go to a glass company. I will probably will have an issue with the dealer re who pays for this. I think it is a defect, and they will say it was a rock.

catnippants

Had mine replaced already...and the replacement already has a chip. I went to a local glass place - one that has done several other windshields for me (I go through them like paper cups). My dealer told me that they would just send it out to a local glass place anyway, so I figured I'd cut out the middle man. No problems, and new one had same sun screen behind the mirror as the original. It just doesn't say Acura.

My insurance covered it, so I don't know what the final price was.

737 Jock

The OEM windshield costs about $700+. A good aftermarket windshield is about $400. Most insurance will pay only for the aftermarket and you would have to make up the difference to get an OEM.

In addition to the big auto glass places with newly trained, high turnover young guys; there is an industry of independant glass guys who are heavily experienced. They are usually who the dealers call to come on site for glass work. They have long relationships with, and are well trusted by the dealers.

I had a 20+ year indy glass veteran come to my house to do the RDX windshield. (Met him at a dealership earlier and kept his number.) I had the RDX prepped with all of the trim removed, and I watched him work and we had a great conversation. I do all my own auto maintenance, but watching him, I learned that the windshield is a job for the highly experienced that day.

He could get OEM, or the best aftermarket glass he recommended was XYG. I went with XYG and it has served well, but XYG is not as perfect as OEM -- from the right angle, I can see a slight wave in it.

If I had to do it again, I would order OEM glass and pay the difference.

mau108

try to find someone that will sell you an AP Tech glass for cheap, that is what Acura uses as OEM.

You just wont have the Acura stamp on the glass but everything else will be identical.

Mr Marco

737 Jock

AP Technoglass (AP Tech) was changed to AGC Automotive back in 2004. The parent company is Asahi Glass Company of Japan.

AGC Automotive has two factories in the US, but they also operate factories in China, India and Thailand.

The quality of AGC glass has declined over the years. Here are a few excerpts from pro glass installer's forums regarding the quality of AGC. The entries are from 2008 and the installers still refer to the glass as "AP Tech".

Most pro installers will tell you that "OE quality" or "OE Equivalent" is not the same as OEM glass -- unless of course they are trying to sell you some.

The hundreds of dollars difference between Acura branded glass and OE equivalent is not just the Acura logo. Quality suffers in the formulations and build processes when not building to Acura specifications. Consider that the windshield plays a large role in impact absorption and roll-over strength. To get the crash worthiness and quality of Acura spec'd glass, I believe you have to order Acura spec'd glass.

There is just no such thing as a free lunch.

mau108

^ Yes but if you purchase an APT glass for the RDX or most other Acura vehicle is most likely is coming from the same warehouse the OEM glass is coming from. Doesn't make sense for them to have the China warehouse build glass for the RDX when they have a template and same glass coming out of their US warehouse.

It's all speculations here, from the post you quoted one installer did say when he installed these glass on Japanese vehicles they had proper fitment and most Honda/Acura vehicles that are for sale in North America are assembled in North America so I'd assume the glass for these vehicles are coming out of the US warehouses.

I'd still pick up an APT glass if it were my vehicle.

f1nzup

I had a crack in my two-month-old windshield, and my insurance covered it (in Kentucky cracked WS's are automatically covered by insurance). They used Safelite and they came out to my work and replaced it. They used an OEM and it has a lifetime guarantee against leakage or wind noise. I have had it now for three months and have never noticed a difference. Couldn't have been happier with the entire process.