My 05 JCW needs a new windshield. My experience in the past each glass place has different manufactures and some are good replacements others not so much. I had one put on my Mercedes last year that didn't fit so well and I had to RTV it up before trading it off. Any recommendation or stay away from brands? I'm outside of Chattanooga TN.

 

I just recently replaced mine. I took the advice found on the forum and specified that I want an OEM as I have the light ans wiper sensor. I had to wait a couple of weeks for the windshield to come from the dealer. I am not sure of the brand but can check when I get home.
The windshield I replaced was not OEM and I had my lights on all the times and the wipers almost never worked on auto. With the new windshield, the light seems to be functioning as they should and I have not yet had a need for the wipers. I had the windshield replace through my insurance, so no idea of cost.

 

I've used SAFELITE on many different vehicles over the last 30 plus years on many different vehicles including most recently our R59 (with auto h/l and wipers) .... they have a 'no questions asked guaranty'

ONE TIME I had an issue with the job - not a MINI but a 'wind whistle' on a Honda Element that appeared at 50 MPH. One phone call and they were total apology and back the next day with new EVERYTHING and re-did the job ... nothing but "sorry, sorry, sorry"

It is a franchise, so of course performance can vary from place to place but my experience as a military member hit locations in many different states.

(p.s. my insurance is USAA and they send glass claims direct to Safelite ... I'm free to go elsewhere but they would appear to endorse the place)


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My experience in the past each glass place has different manufactures

Interesting statement .... Have you ever done any research? Ever wondered just how many places make auto glass? Or does one factory make Ford glass one day, Toyota glass the next and print markings per the contract for a particular product? If you ask for glass from MINI, did they go back to the actual company they bought for on your car as built? Or a local US provider that makes replacements but puts the MINI logo on it . . . I don't have familiarity with glass supply but I do know a lil bit about auto paint and I suspect there are similarities. MINI clearly does not make their own paint, they buy paint based on a set of specifications and buy 'batches' ..... BIG batches. You don't know who manufactured the paint ..... if you buy "MINI paint" (talking touchup) you have no idea if the same company made the t/up as made the paint on the car. If you get into buying paint beyond t/up you'll see this when within a model year the 'formula' for a color may change. I've been working on a car and gone to buy paint and found FOUR different formula for the same color in the same model year!!!! The official way to deal with this is to get a color chip of each and compare to the vehicle paint in full sun!!!!

I checked the replacement glass on the 59 ...it is branded PILKINGTON .... so I looked up the company

Operating as a single global organisation serving the Original Equipment (OE) and Local Automotive Glass Replacement (AGR) Aftermarket sectors


THE NSG GROUP IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF GLASS AND GLAZING PRODUCTS FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL, AUTOMOTIVE AND TECHNICAL GLASS SECTORS.


With around 27,000 employees, we have principal operations around the world and sales in over 100 countries, and we operate in three main sectors


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They are also a source of replacement glass for classic cars ..... where I find an interesting footnote


We've been manufacturing glass for today’s classic cars since the 1950’s. Every glass Pilkington Classics manufacture is handmade to a customer’s specific order. In some cases we craft the glass on the original tooling so it’s identical to the original windscreen and we can still supply it with the original trademark including Triplex & Sigla.



Ni

 

Safelite here many times, just make sure you get a guy that has done multiple MINIs, watch the A-pillars. Some people prefer the OEM glass from MINI or PPG glass.
Safelite backs up their stuff, ever a problem way down the road and they will fix or replace it.

 

Some years ago when I had to have my Boxster windshield replaced I called various dealers in the general area and those few that would talk about this told me they just farmed the work out to SAFELITE.

So I called the SAFELITE offce in the area and arranged to have the guy who did the Porsche glass (and Mercedes, and other similar brands) do my Boxster glass. He showed up at my work with OE glass and we confirmed it matched the original glass in terms of the tinting, where the rear view mirror attachment point was, the in glass radio antenna leads, etc. He put the new glass in and I drove the car probably 5 to 7 years with no issues other than the replacement glass was getting pitted from normal use. But that's normal.

Later when a Porsche dealer relocated to my town this dealer used some private glass guy who drove up from the LA area about every week and stayed at a nearby hotel for a couple of nights and did glass repair or replacement at this Porsche dealer and at other dealers in the area. (Lexus, Honda, Audio, etc.)

I used this guy to repair a chip in my Mini windshield the Mini dealer refused to touch -- because the chip was on the driver's side -- and in my Hellcat.

 

Looks like I'll be giving SAFELITE a call this afternoon then. Dealer can still get the windshield but it's a 480 part with 320 labor to install that seems a little crazy. I never gave much thought over the years as I never had a problem with any other car but after the body shop couldn't get a Mercedes windshield in the right size.

 

I have replaced three of mine so far, I had all of them done at the Dealer. One thing I do not regret having them do. OE glass.

I paid about $450.00 total for each one.

Sad part is I need to do two of them again, chips and scratches.

Best of luck.

Motor On!

 

In Fairfax Virginia I used Windshield City in Chantilly. They do the glass work for all the high end dealers. They have done windows for my Mini, Lexus, and a Subaru. The Mini, with rain sensing, cost me about $300.

 

I have used Safelite before. Excellent work, small fee (like $35) they come to your house or office. Job takes about 1.5 hours.

You have the option of their recommended glass company or OE. Usually their supplier is also a well known company, just not OE. Determine if the price difference is worth it. My last car (MB), I determined the price difference WAS worth it and went with OE glass. When I did my prior Mini, I used recommended glass and never had an issue.

Regards,
Jerry