Replacement Glass ? Giant Glass: Opinions On ?

Hello:

Have a 2006 Accord that looks like it will need a replacement front
windshield due to a lot of rocks impacting it over the year.

Would Giant Glass be O.K. to use ?

I guess I'm wondering if they use "real" Honda approved glass, or an
after-market type ?

Should I have it done by a Honda dealership ?

Any thoughts on would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

 

Don't know about Giant Glass but I've seen aftermarket windshields get
pitted easily by rocks, where an OEM windshield still looks clear.
Unfortunately I couldn't tell you how to look for good glass.

-Dave

 

See my reply to this identical message in rec.autos.makers.honda.

Learn how to properly crosspost.

 

I worked for an auto glass distributor for three years. Aftermarket
glass is perfectly fine and definitely cheaper. If this is a 2006
Accord and has been pitted bad enough that the windshield needs
replacing and not just repaired, chances are the OE Honda glass is no
better or worse than Aftermarket. Truth be told, it is often
manufactured in the same plant. Most Honda dealerships have contracts
set up with auto glass shop like Speedy Glass or Apple Auto Glass and
most of the time they prefer the Aftermarket because of the price.
Personally, I'm familiar with Giant Glass, but as long as they are
qualified professionals who use the right equipment, you are in good
hands. If you are still a little nervous about going to one of these
shops, just stop in and ask them some questions. I'll give you some
pointers. While you are asking questions, casually watch the
technicians at work. They should be wearing surgical type gloves when
handling windshields that are being installed. Oils from hands and
fingers can cause the urethane to not adhere to the glass. Plus,
urethane contains chemicals that can irritate the skin. Ask how long
it will take before you can drive your vehicle. Windshield urethanes
require a "cure time" to harden. Newer types of urethanes will set in
an hour two, longer in winter. A good technician will explain this to
you
Take a look around the shop. Is the work area fairly clean and free of
contaminants?
If all else fails, ask your insurance company or Honda service manager
who they recommend.
One more comment on OE vs. Aftermarket, If you have a peek at
manufacturer's stamp on any 03-05 Cavalier, Sunfire, it is made by a
company called Crinimex out of Mexico. GM found that is was more cost
effective to install at their factories then PPG glass. Oh, and PPG
also supplies aftermarket glass. The only time I have found that OE is
better than Aftermarket is when the factory glass has a solar
reflective coating, i.e. Chevy Venture, and the windshield with solar
coating is about 3 times the price as the Chinese version without it.

 

What you said makes perfect sense considering all the windshields replaced
out there. It was years ago, and could have been my father's car that I
noticed the nicks much easier on the windshield with an aftermarket
windshield. Maybe it was a crappy glass shop who's no longer in business.
Who knows!

 

have you tried having them polished out?

 

Polishing may work, but if the scratches and dings are too deep,
excessive polishing can cause distortions in the glass. You may be able
to have the chips repaired though. I've had quite a few filled over the
years.

 

good informative post. honda do indeed buy in their glass from outside,
and do their own q.c., so there's no reason aftermarket won't be just as
good if it comes from the right source. as usual, it's the cheap stuff
to be careful about.

in the old days, glass from pilkington was /the/ best, but i don't know
if they still do auto glass. is ppg a subsidiary of pilkington perhaps?

 

good if it comes from the right source. as usual, it's the cheap stuff to

Bingo! How do you tell it's the cheap stuff?

 

price?

as mentioned by others, inspection for small blemishes and optical
flatness are dead giveaways. it's surprising the difference in q.c.
between manufacturers.

 

Duh. Ask an obvious question, and get an obvious answer! lol
Plenty of auto glass shops around but the most common I see/hear about
around here is Safelite.