I live in CA and have $500 Comprehensive deductible. Deductible too high so I will pay the windshield without insurance coverage. I need to replace my front windshield on my Mini Cooper S 2009. My front windshield has the Saint Gobain label and not the PPG or Pilkington that I have read here.

I have a standard windshield , no rainsensor.

Do I need to replace it with Saint Gorbain or should I go with Pilkington or PPG?

Anyone heard of Coast Auto Glass in Huntington Beach, CA? (excellent reviews from yelp.com) Or should I go with someone else?

I had a choice of PPG or Pilkington and I chose Pilkington.

Did I choose the correct brand? Quote is $289.


Thanks very much.

 

I have used Safelite several times with nothing but good luck. I used theirs and have no issues. You can use them and ask for OEM glass and they will get it for you. Just shop prices is my advise and then decide which one you want.

 

We have "no deductible" on windshield replacement in Kentucky (one of the many reasons insurance is expensive here) and I had my windshield replaced by Autoglass Plus as I recall. Anyway the put on a PPG brand windshield and I am pleased with it.

 

Glass tends to kinda like tires...
just get a quality, defect free one that is the right one, and you will be happy.
both brands you list are decent (as opposed to some companies that use cheap made in Mexico or china windshields that can look wavey)....
as long as they get the right one for YOUR options, i think you will be fine. No need to speend extra $$ to get "oem" imo.

 

I called another company today. At first, he told me it would be $250 for Pilkington Glass. Then he called back and said he could offer it for $185.

Sounds too cheap to me and worry that it would mean a bad job.

Is it very involved replacing a windshield?

How can the guy offer $185, much cheaper than the $289 for the same material?

 

When I had a NON-MINI windshield done, the shop told me they often have 2 differnt $$ of glass for each car....a "good one", basically an OEM equivalent, and a "downmarket" one for customers not willing/able to pay $$...in that case a Mexican piece of glass.....and it was a safelite I was taking to in this case...
call and ask....it might just be them tightening up their bid to get the buissiness, or they might be quoting a different piece of glass....

 

Just make sure it's not some Chinese garbage or other sketchy import. I had a really bad replacement from Safelite that broke around the perimeter after only one day since it was so badly shaped. They eventually paid up for Saint Gobain on their dime and all is well now.

 

Mine was replaced through my insurance and the replacement St-Gobain was around $600. Keep in mind this is in Canada and we overpay for almost everything.

 

A quality company can do the job in less than an hour.

 

I am going to bump this up as a reference as so many people are talking about "PPG" glass that no longer exists. It is now called PGW.

From most people's experience the OEM glass appears to be weak and gets pitted. Our MINI has 50K miles on it on the original windshield and it looks like someone sandblasted it.

So for those who keep talking about PPG..... it is now PGW.

http://raysands.wordpress.com/2010/1...rks-still-oem/