milwaukeeshark

Searching past threads for windshield replacement information yielded prices all over the place so I wasn't sure what I would find. The windshield in the 79 was toasted during the fire and I needed a replacement to allow it to atleast be functional.

Called several locals and national vendors and found Auto Glass Specialists. They are international and came out and installed a new green tint Sigla glass windshield for $220.

The installer did a great job and I'm quite pleased with the result. Now I can start the task of cleaning things up and assessing the damage. If useful, I will post pics.

Bill Ball

Wow, Sigla for $220. I'll have to see if any local shops here can get it. Most here, even national chains, seem completely inept at finding glass. I paid $280 for wavy Chinese glass last time.

JHowell37

I don't think anyone can beat $220 for a Sigla windshield. I bought a sigla from e-bay back in december for about $300 and shipping was another $200. Now I have to find someone to install it. Most places say they'll do it for $100.

SwayBar

Excellent information!

I have to replace the glass on my GT racecar as it's really sandblasted and virtually impossible to see through while driving towards the sun.

SwayBar

Can you provide a number where you got the glass? Mine said that they'll have to order one from the dealer.

milwaukeeshark

Purchased from and installed by Auto Glass Specialists (www.littleredtruck.com) 1-800-872-5772. I believe they are headquartered in Madison, WI. By the way, lifetime material & workmanship guarantee and lifetime stress guarantee. I'm a satistied customer today!

SwayBar

I'll check, thank you.

dr bob

There's a local shop in the City of Commerce, just a little east of downtown L.A. Might be an opportunity to get a 'group buy' going for area sharksters. Come by, have a tech session for something fun, while the experts install a few replacement windscreens.

Anybody else in the SoCal listening area need a new windshield? Mine is due, thanks to a combination of x-blasting and the white fog in the plastic laminate layer. I would like a count of interested owners before calling and negotiating. How many would be in for a $200-250 installed prices. (includes the geographic markup I'd like to negotiate away.) For $200-225 for a Sigla glass, the truck couldn't get here fast enough for me.


Thanks MJ for the tip!

Rob Edwards

I had the windshield re-done in my BMW wagon a few months back by a local autoglass place, for about $200. I asked the salesperson to give a quote for the 928 (which is also sandblasted to high heaven) and they said $1100.

So, Bob, for $200-250 for Sigla, definitely count me in.

Tom928

When I was looking for a windshield for the 81, several sources (Porsche, Pro Source glass in MA and a glass warehouse here in Portland) performed an exhaustive search for me (US and Germany) and indicated that Sigla with bronze tint (MY 1978 thru 82) was NLA. At that time you could still get the Sigla green tint; however, I wanted to try and stay with the original bronze tint. Safevue (Chinese made) in bronze tint was all I could get and that was $325.

When I went to pick up the glass at the warehouse, I got to talking with the glass technician and here are as couple pointers he gave me.

For cars earlier than 1983, consider buying the aftermarket glass instead of the original. Glass technology prior to 1983 usually did not include UV protection, shade bands (the blue or green band at the top) or circumference bands (the black band all the way around the edge).
Newer glass technology is incorporated into the aftermarket replacements (Safevue, Pilkington etc) which have UV protection, a shade band at the top of the glass and usually a circumference band. These help prevent dash, seat cracks and leather shrinkage due to UV exposure. The circumference band is so you don't see the ugly squashed adhesive bead after the glass is installed.

I mentioned that I had heard aftermarket glass is softer and often becomes pitted easy. He said that all auto glass is softer now. Older glass was more brittle and could crack or shatter easier. Softer glass was the solution; however, some vendors get carried away especially this Chinese stuff (Pointing to my windshield which didn't make me feel like I was buying a quality product). He said the way to avoid that is to have the glass inspected before you accept it. If the glass is too soft it will show up during the inspection and you should request a replacement and that would be documented by the tech.

If your windshield is not local (most are not), have it shipped to a glass warehouse near you and then go pick it up. Many glass warehouses around the country bulk ship windshields and other glass products to each other for distribution. You can take advantage of this and save some $$. Only issue is you may have to wait for their next scheduled shipment. He said this allows you to have the glass inspected by a glass tech AT THE WAREHOUSE so if there are issues you can request a replacement.

During the inspection the glass tech should check for cracks, surface defects(like pitting) and uneven translucency (the wavy-wavy) using a bright light at different angles. He should use a high power magnifier to check around the edge for premature cracking. He also should measure the thickness of the glass at several places (thickness variation can lead to delamination issues). After showing me 1 minor defect (that I had to sign off for) he cleaned the windsield on both sides and packed it into a box approx. 24" x 30" x 96".

In about 30 minutes, I learned more about auto glass then I really cared to know; however, I know what to look for and how to avoid some problems.

This was my experience and I thought I would pass it on to others. YMMV

soontobered84

That is great info, Tom.

I got a Sigla windshield in the Stepson for $165.00 installed. Local vendor

rixter

too sweet! there is one right in Raleigh
THANKS!!!

BC

I need one, but I would need it as take-out.

F451

Just make sure they are familiar with the 928 as its easy to mess up the trim and/or the inner A pillar cover.

I did a windshield myself with the help of a bunch of listers and it was a bear of a job.

And that's a great price on the Sigla. -Ed

dr bob

Ok, with you and Rob that's three. Brendan, you might want to check with a local shop there in the SD area. The savings we might realize in LA would get chewed up pretty fast with the cost of pickup for you.

I posted a simlar note on the SoCal board, so we'll see how many we get to negotiate for.

For the record, my car (and Rob's) are green banded with no antenna in the glass. Will that be OK for your car, Brendan?

We could probably put the glass on a seat on the train with a ticket taped to it, and it would be in your neighborhood in an afternoon... Faster than Greyhound service I suspect.