pointofdeparture

Hi folks,

Looking at picking up a 968 for a rather good price and one of the caveats is that the windshield has a crack in it.

Trying to account for how much of a headache this will be and use it as a negotiation point, I have done some searching but not come up with any definitive answers. Ironically, someone posted a thread complaining about the lack of definitive answers, said he would return to provide clarity after ordering glass, and then did not do so...

I see that the 968 glass is apparently the same as the 944 S2. Aftermarket part numbers FW00710 (no antenna) and FW00603 (with antenna) are supposedly what you want. All of the threads I can find discuss getting glass through Autover who apparently is no longer around or no longer does business in the same way.

Safelite, the devils that they are, claim they can do it for $530, but I had a suspicion that they might be trying to force in the incorrect 924/944 glass. However, I reached out to a Safelite representative, and they confirmed that they now have FW00710 available! This came as a shock to me as all of the threads I could find on the subject indicated that correct aftermarket glass was extremely hard to get.

So, just to make sure, has anyone had their 968's windshield replaced recently that can shed some light on the situation? Anyone confirmed that Safelite now actually has and uses the correct glass? I might be willing to step up and be a guinea pig but based on the terrible experiences I've seen some others have some reassurance would be nice.

Cheers

Yogii

I had my windshield replaced last year. My local Classic Porsche dealer ordered the glass. It is the windshield with the antenna.
They delivered to my glass place, who installed it. Fits perfectly! Windshiled was more expensive that what Safelite quoted you.
Your Classic Porsche dealer should be your best friend!!

-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice

pointofdeparture

Hi Yogii,

I appreciate the response! However at about $1,000 for the glass alone I want to see if anyone has hands-on experience with the new aftermarket units at about half the price with installation.

Curious, why did you need the glass with antenna? 968 coupes have the antenna on the roof.

Yogii

When I bought the car, it had lots of micro scratches on the windshield. I assume that it either was in a sand storm or was media blasted....
Really weird reflections at night! The I got a stone divot that was repaired with crazy glue(professionally). This started to spread.
My CP dealer gives me a 10% discount for PCA + another 5-10% because I got to know the part manager(Since retired) but the new guys still give it to me.
When I order my windshield they said it was the only one available. They delivered it free of charge to my glass guy-20 miles away.
Fits perfectly!!!!!

Could I have saved a couple hundred bucks with Safelite, maybe. Remember, it fits!
If you want to cheap out on parts maybe a very limited edition 30 year old car is not for you??

-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice

PS the antenia is not noticeable AT ALL.

pointofdeparture

Haha, I was just wondering why you got the antenna glass when you didn’t need it!

Honestly I am not fond of the “if you’re considerate of your spending you’re not a purist” angle. The Safelite rep assured me that they use Pilkington and Sekurit (OEM) glass for Porsches.

Forgive me for asking a reasonable question. I am not trying to win any awards by having a Porsche logo on my windshield, I simply want glass that fits because I drive my cars heavily. If that makes me an inferior person, I wish you the best at your white glove events while I’m out driving!

Yogii

My grandmother taught me not to be Penny Wise and Pound Foolish.
With rare exception, OEM 968 parts are better made and will last longer than aftermarket parts.
Your money, do what you want...

-Y

pointofdeparture

Look, I’m just asking questions, no need to be so judgmental! The car has high miles and is a “driver” as they say, after restoring a Euro-spec BMW E28 a couple years ago I’m not looking to go down a perfection rabbit hole again. I put a lot of miles on my cars and have lost enough windshields over the years that I am more concerned with the quality of installation than where the glass comes from, as long as the fit is correct.

If Porsche glass is the only good option so be it, but Porsche doesn’t have its own glass factory (Sekurit makes them), so if I can get Sekurit glass without the Porsche logo installed for half the price I don’t know why I wouldn’t just do that.

Out of curiosity who is your glass guy? If I end up going the dealer or third party glass route it would be nice to work with someone who has done one of these cars semi-recently.

DSMblue

Understand both points of view, and have used both OE and OEM parts as needed on my car. I would recommend using something like Ceramic Pro clear windshield protectant on your new glass to reduce/prevent chips or scratches since you use the car as intended. Cheap insurance vs. cost of replacing glass in the future.

touareg

From a mass production perspective the less parts you have stock or make, the less cost.

I thought I read a long time ago the windshield with the antenna was the only one available new and it is probably because of what I stated above. Works on all the cars vs the non antenna one won't.

Anyways try the Safelite, I assume it comes with a warranty. Worst case you replace it again down the road with something else.

Yogii

TLC Auto Glass
1174 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103

-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice

JimmyB

I thought the aftermarket ones had been discontinued, so if Satellite now have them that's a bonus. Last time I investigated, it was buy new from Porsche or nothing. So I got a used one, which I finally got around to having fitted last week.

jsheiry

I cringed reading this actually as people seem to be saying the same things and tripping over the realities and details and then being oddly offensive.

I think the Poster was correct that there is effectively two coupe windshields out in the marketplace and then OEM suppliers and knockoffs. One with the antenna for 944/924 owners who want/need this and one without the antenna for 968's or 944/924 people who dont need or care about the antenna. I myself am happy to hear that you can get Sekurit or Pilkington glass at Safelite. As stated, both companies are OEM suppliers to all manufacturers and make high quality glass vs the Chinese et al knockoffs who do not in my opinion. Have Safelite order one up and when you go there and confirm no antenna and the fact its Sekurit or Pilkington please report back. The only other thing you could do to help yourself out is to order from P the trim that goes around the glass after the install because if you dont have it they will use a universal fit one that goes from looks fine all the way to looks unusually thin and different. In the end, most of the devil is in the detail of installation and NOT tearing up your dash while cutting the old one out.

i see this as no different than buying Conti or Gates belts and not Porsche belts etc... There are some things you have to buy from P, there are some things you want to buy from P because theirs is the best (motor mount for example) even though there are others in the aftermarket, but there are many, many things like Sekurit or Pilkington glass from OEM quality suppliers you can get much cheaper than P and its nuts not too....furthermore has nothing to do with "pennywise & pound foolish" and everything to do with good common sense. By the way as far as I know the Sekurit glass from P does not have the P logo on it and only says "Sekurit" AND does not even have the fancy P parts logo on it. (Colin correct me if Im wrong ! )

Hope you get lucky and they can get you Sekurit glass without antenna. As the responder stated, its not very noticeable, but one of those things you cant "un-see" once you know better (one came in my wifes coupe) and realize there is a choice and that they did not come in 968's except cabs.

potent951turbo

OEM Porsche Sekurit glass with Porsche Trademark logo.

potent951turbo

To further throw this thread down the rabbit hole…… having had a couple of 944/968s in my time . The problem that many aftermarket windshields for these cars have is the fact that they do not have the original style rubber/plastic frame that is bonded to the perimeter of the glass at the factory. Most of you have no idea about this because you drop the car off and pick it up with a fresh piece of glass and you go on with life. Most of these aftermarket pieces of glass are just that, glass. The installer then puts on a universal piece of rubber that acts as the original frame and usually has a exterior rubber piece molded into it that also covers the edge of the glass and perimeter of the body and mimics the original look to varying degrees of what is acceptable from an original look perspective. The way the original glass goes in, the plastic frame that is bonded on the windshield has a channel that the T shaped outer OEM trim then gets roped in to after the glass is glued in and that is what covers glass/body edges.

I’ve bought both OEM glass and Sekurit glass that have always had the original plastic/rubber frame on it as Porsche intended. All of the Pilkington windshields and other off brands I’ve seen have not.

pointofdeparture

Appreciate all the excellent information in this thread. It does sound like some of the aftermarket glass might come with some form of the rubber/plastic frame, ironically enough the China glass, based on this thread: https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...xperience.html

I still don't have the car in my own hands yet (seller is rectifying a CEL that popped up just as we moved towards closing a deal) but am continuing to research and learn more. If it makes y'all feel any better, this is basically a problem now for almost any interesting European car made before 2000 or so. I had similar problems sourcing glass for my BMW E28 (the corners are not shaped correctly on the majority of the aftermarket glass, Pilkington stopped making their glass that was known to fit, etc)...I'll do mechanical work all day long but this kind of stuff makes my head spin, sure is a headache sometimes to own interesting vehicles as the 21st century rolls on!