SQLGuy

Hi folks,

As you may remember, my S4 came with a cracked windshield. I initially checked with Safelite, who wanted >$1000 for one without the antenna. The local Porsche dealer wanted more like $1300, with the antenna. I found a used one in NJ, with antenna, but it didn't survive shipping (claims process ongoing). I called around to some Porsche parts places and body shops I knew in Denver... no luck. Roger had some without antennas for reasonable money, but didn't feel comfortable shipping them.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a glass repair van on the highway with a "call us" sign on it. So I called them (Auto Glass America, in Denver). They initially came up with an all-in (except tax) price of $360. Yesterday they called me back to tell me they had a special going on. Tomorrow they're coming down to install the new windshield for $275!

I'll probably need to add a bee sting, but I'm pretty happy to find such a good price on a windshield for my car. I'll let you know how the final result looks.

Cheers,
Paul

LightStriker

Used?

If I could, I would change all my windows. After 30 years, they aren't so nice.

SQLGuy

No. New.

Bill Ball

I've not had much trouble getting windshields from our local glass houses. At that price you are probably (but not necessarily) going to get Chinese glass which may have some waves in it. That's what I got once. You should ask them to talk to their Pilkington glass source. Pilkington makes good windshield glass for our cars, marked Sigla, and can be gotten for around $300 or so depending on mark-up. At the last couple of Sharktoberfests there was a glass installer doing Pilkington and who was willing to ship glass if needed, but I think a decent glass house should be able to source a Pilkington windshield.

Antenna in glass puts a twist on this. That can be harder to source.

LightStriker

Nice!

shmark

Just curious, I've replaced several windshields in different cars and never paid a dime for them. Most insurance policies will cover it no questions asked, and will let you specify OEM glass if it's available. It's one of the few really nice benefits of insurance. I've been considering having the 928 windshield done since after 28 years it's pretty pockmarked, but no cracks yet so I can't really justify it.

SQLGuy

Yes, this would have been the case if the PO had the windshield replaced. Since I bought the car with a cracked windshield, my insurance will not pay to replace it. I will certainly stop by the agency to show them the new windshield once it's installed.

SQLGuy

That's because you're in CA, where a lot of local glass houses are making 928 windshields. The east coast and Texas also seem like good places to be for a 928 windshield. I spoke with a number of sources that had windshields in these locations, but they either wouldn't ship them at all, or wanted quite a lot of money to ship them.

Seems like this is not just a "little guy" problem, as Safelite (D'Iteren group) is the largest auto glass company in the world, and they couldn't get an aftermarket windshield for me in Colorado Springs.

SQLGuy

Called them back to check... it is a Pilkington windshield they'll be installing.

Cheers,
Paul

danglerb

Wholesale glass seems kinda weird, if you are a glass installer your local distributor should be able to get you anything from anywhere, without a lot of cost related to moving it around, its kind of like shipping between distributor warehouses is included in the wholesale cost or something.

$275 is a good price for Pilkington installed, but most areas should be around that once you get down to the nitty gritty.

soontobered84

I just had a new windshield installed in my '89 for $220.

dcrasta

Wow, I guess they must have made another run of glass. Took me a month but I found Sigla glass for 350 installed. (no antenna).

rixter

I just got one from ProSource on recommendation of folks here, I had it shipped to my local installer who verified the glass was intact and not "wavy" before signing off on it, they then came out and installed it for me
total cost was about $650, but the windshield is gorgeous (no antenna)

Franks928s

SQLGUY - is your replacemetn windshield with or without antenna? I had a similar experience in Charlotte NC for my 85 S. NOBODY could find me a windshield with an antenna. I ended up driving to Atlanta to purchase a new (in storage) porsche windshield that he had from the days when he owned a 928. However, no antenna.

SQLGuy

Hi Frank,

I'll let you know tomorrow, but I'm pretty much planning on no antenna.

Paul