Windshield Help

The technician is here and was about to lay in the new windshield when he noticed some distortion in the glass due to rubbing on styrofoam blocks during shipping.

The company says it can't locate another one in the west.

Anyone know where I can get a line on a new windshield?

Thanks,

S.

Since there is only one supplier (manufacturer) -namely Pilkington - the autoglass outfit you are using should be able order one without much difficulty. Lead time may be a bit depending on where Pilkington warehouses these (may be only one location for all I know) but they are available.

I confess I do not know how these are distributed; if Pilkington sells and fullfils orders directly from their stock or if there is a second layer of wholesale distributors who sell to auto glass installer companies on their behalf.

I imagine larger companies like Safelite may well keep a few strategically located around the country to reduce lead times for their own retail installation operations but smaller regional and independent outfits are probably stuck going direct to Pilkington or their regional reps if there is such an arrangement in place.

KDirk

Try this:

Pilkington Glass (Windshields)

"We can supply you with the OEM quality auto replacement glass you need. Plus, you can order it complete with the original LOF sandblasted logo and date coding. Please call us toll-free at: 1-800-848-1351."

Safelite recently told me they would have no problem getting one. But it wasn't going to be inexpensive!

Here is the shop that I was at...

[TABLE=width: 100%]

<tbody>[TR]

[TD]SAFELITE AUTOGLASS®[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]5119 NE 158TH AVE[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]PORTLAND, OR 97230[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD](503) 258-6505[/TD]

[/TR]

</tbody>[/TABLE]

Thank you all. I will follow up on these leads. The windshield that almost got installed was $900.

Well as chance would have it, I need a new windshield too. The outfit that is going to replace it said they had two available here in Oregon last week, but by time I got the insurance company going on it a week later, they were gone. Now I have to wait about 8 weeks for one to come from Ohio. And the car is going to be judged this weekend in Portland at the BCA meet. GRRRRR!!!!

I probably got the two your glass co mentioned. You should be glad. I've tracked down three Pilkington windshields in Oregon; all three have distortions/etching in the glass due to rubbing from styrofoam blocks. The distributor is trying to "clean" the distortion out. They've tried on one windshield and it didn't work. They're going to try to fix another one tomorrow. I'm not optimistic. At least you can drive your Reatta. I don't have a windshield.

I'm curious to know if anyone who has ever had a windshield replaced has encountered this problem?

None of the fixes worked. The glass company is ordering one from Pilkington Classics (the number Ronnie mentioned) in Ohio; shipping is 7-10 days, cost over $1000. I'll let you know what happens.

None of the fixes worked. The glass company is ordering one from Pilkington Classics (the number Ronnie mentioned) in Ohio; shipping is 7-10 days, cost over $1000. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks for the update.

John F.

Ouch. Seems like Pilkington needs to rethink the packaging on these, if they are getting blemished that badly in storage. A rather substantial loss to have 3 of these unsaleable (at least as "A" stock) given the retail cost.

Question is, what happens to these now? Are they sold at a discount as B-stock units to someone willing to settle for a flawed glass, or do they get destroyed and written off?

Curious to know how these are handled.

KDirk

Owning a body shop I would estimate I install maybe 100 windshields a year. Every so often we get a little mark or scratch in glass. If it's not something that can be polished out we just toss em. I knew a few college kids that worked at the main warehouse for auto glass as a after school job and they said windshields get broke all the time in handling and boxing them up to ship out they acted like is was no big deal just grab another one and go

So this is beginning to get a bit annoying. I get a call from the glass company yesterday telling me that the new windshield has arrived but it also has a distortion in the glass due to shipping; they would not accept it. They said they would call Pilkington about it and also try to find out if Safelite makes a Reatta windshield.

Not only did I miss the BCA meet in my own backyard, now I'm missing enjoying summer driving. Somewhere along the line I must have pissed off the Reatta gods. Anyone know of a sacrifice I can make to appease them?

Someone is paying the manufacturing and shipping costs of these windshields, how can they afford to keep throwing them away?

By the way, the first windshield had these stickers on it (photo by Barney).

Isn't there a line from a song something like," the music goes on and on...". I spoke with the glass guy today (I'm getting to be a regular on the phone, everyone at the company knows my voice), they have ordered yet another windshield and have been assured from Pilkington Classics that this is a good one and they sent it expedited shipping; should be here in six days. Pilkington also told my glass co that they have plenty of these windshields in stock. I asked what the retail price is and I was told (sit down for this); $1725. plus $125. shipping! My $100. comprehensive deductible is looking better all the time.

Isn't there a line from a song something like' date='" the music goes on and on...". I spoke with the glass guy today (I'm getting to be a regular on the phone, everyone at the company knows my voice), they have ordered yet another windshield and have been assured from Pilkington Classics that this is a good one and they sent it expedited shipping; should be here in six days. Pilkington also told my glass co that they have plenty of these windshields in stock. I asked what the retail price is and I was told (sit down for this); $1725. plus $125. shipping! My $100. comprehensive deductible is looking better all the time.[/quote']

That is a cheap price. My last one I had installed on a customers car we had here cost us around $2500 installed.

That is a cheap price. My last one I had installed on a customers car we had here cost us around $2500 installed.

That's a $500 windshield, plus 4 defective $500 windshields. $2500!

Sounds about right. SMH...

I hope they trash those defective ones so someone else doesn't have to endure what you went through!

I would hope so too, although the co I'm dealing with, Cascade Auto Glass, said they returned all the windshields to Pilkingkton in Ohio.

I found it interesting that the stickers on the first windshield said Made in Mexico covered by a sticker saying Made in US.

Did you happen to photograph the defect?

Was it a physical defect that would affect the mounting/sealing of the window or just cosmetic?

I tried to take a photo of the defect but it doesn't show. When you look at it all you notice is a slight wavy pattern, kind of like the glass is bent.

It is not a physical defect that would affect the mounting/sealing of the glass. It is a few inches above and to the right of my line of sight.

Brian-Why is your Reatta your only Buick w/o a name?

It's actually my son's daily driver for now. I don't think he's named it, although I've thrown around a few ideas PITA would be one...

Yesterday [14 Aug '14] I drove the 92 miles to Safelite Glass in Grand Junction, Colorado. Top down, big smile on my face,----I thought I'd come home with a clear windshield!! Silly Me!! Safelite told me they didn't have the tools to change a Reatta windshield! They had the windshield but were INCOMPETENT to change it!!! I tried to tell the kid how to remove the trim but, he tied to baffle me with bull ****! I'll be talken' with my insurance man today!!!

The technician just left. One day short of five weeks and after refusing four windshields I finally got a good one.

I have to wait two hours before I can wash or drive it. I can't wait to get on the road again.

Your patience is admirable. If my car was wide open (without front glass) for 5 weeks, I'd have long since gone ballistic. Glad you got it done and with good glass no less.

KDirk

Sorry to have misled anyone. My car was not wide open for five weeks. That would have drove me ballistic too. The technician broke my original windshield taking it out. When he realized the replacement was no good, he was going to take it back to the shop when I convinced him I did not want a big gaping hole in the front of my car. We all thought it would only be for a few days so he duct-taped the windshield in place.

I couldn't drive anywhere so I got a few jobs done I've been thinking of for a while; like scraping off the rust and repainting the battery shelf, painting the windshield wiper arms and giving the engine compartment a good cleaning.

Lately I've learned to make lemonade instead of sucking on sour lemons.

Take the Reatta out for a ride and smile.

I did!

I have a smile on my face!! B&B Glass in Delta, Colorado did a fine job installing the new windshield in my convertible.

It's actually my son's daily driver for now. I don't think he's named it, although I've thrown around a few ideas PITA would be one...

After the wind shield episode you could call it Flo.

I have a smile on my face!! B&B Glass in Delta, Colorado did a fine job installing the new windshield in my convertible.

Glad to hear you got a good one. Is it a Pilkington or a Safelite?

Both windshields were from Pilkington. Safelite shop in Grand Junction, Colorado did not know how to install a Reatta windshield!! I found B&B Glass in Delta, Colorado. The stickers on the Grand Junction Windshield said Made in Mexico and looked to have been on the shelf for a long. The windshield B&B installed in my convertible was stickered "MADE IN THE USA. The Total cost was $1,639.61

Several years ago my State Farm agent noticed a crack on the drivers side, it was low and didn't really bother me. None the less the agent had Safelite at my home the next day and a new Pilkington installed. When I signed the invoice I almost fell over, total was over $1,800 which was close to what I paid for the car. That was before the mew paint job, tires, fluid replacement etc. Could an insurance company decide that the cracked windshield replacement is worth more than the car and total it? Or is there a law (at least in Florida) that makes replacement glass mandatory?

There is a law Florida statute 627.7288 that says "Comprehensive coverage; deductible not to apply to motor vehicle glass.—The deductible provisions of any policy of motor vehicle insurance, delivered or issued in this state by an authorized insurer, providing comprehensive coverage or combined additional coverage shall not be applicable to damage to the windshield of any motor vehicle covered under such policy." so you must have Comprehensive (different from Collision) but then replacement is no-deductible and you can be ticketed for driving with a cracked windshield ("impaired vision").

I was just in a local Binswanger shop for some residential glass work and noticed their push for automotive glass. Had them check for Reatta windshields and they were able to locate one at the Pilkington store here in Dallas. Strangely, they had three part numbers - 1 for '88, one for '89 and one for '90/'91 all of which were shown as interchangeable. Only comment was that there could have been some almost imperceptible tweaks from year to year.

Only one in stock and price quote was $1700 not including installation.

I found the initial post or two on this thread interesting when a store blamed the distortion on the styrofoam packing. At one time Honda corporate was touting their newly developed packaging for windshields and the only material used, outside of the traditional outer cardboard packaging, was strategically placed styrofoam.

Kingsley Baker

Reatta Specialty Parts

Kingsley,

The blackout mask along the bottom edge is different for 88/89 versus 90/91 as GM added a barcode above the VIN number in 1990. This necessitated a larger viewing "cutout" in the mask where the barcode would be visible. The earlier two years had only an embossed number plate and thus a smaller rectangular opening in the mask.

Fitment wise they are all identical though I wouldn't recommend using an 88/89 windshield in a 90/91 as it will obstruct the barcode and look odd. Substitution the other way presents no issue other than clearly not being the factory original glass.

KDirk