Enoytsur Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hello, a truck without flaps threw a rick through my windshield therefore I need a replacement. I checked the forum but there was no current information so I wanted to get some thoughts from others who have had this issue. The best local Glass Company here in Sarasota wants nearly $700.00 more for a new windshield than my insurance company will cover. It is my understanding that it is an actual new GM windshield. My insurance company uses Safelite® and will cover 100% of the cost if I agree to use them and a Safelite windshield. I was emphatic with the gentleman at the Insurance Company that I want a windshield that matches exactly; he claims the Safelite windshield will match our Reatta's 100%. If that is accurate I have no problem using them. Does anyone have experience with Safelite and if so does the windshield match the original exactly? Thank you John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I replaced the windshield on my 91 Reatta 3 years ago using a local (to me) Safelite Glass shop with no problems. Fit was perfect and looks just like an original. In my neck of the woods, it ran just under $1200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Unless something has changed recently there is no Safelite windshield made for the Reatta. Pilkington (successor to LOF) is the sole manufacturer of windshileds for the Reatta. Safelite can obtain and install a Pilkington windshield but to my knowledge they do not offer one of their own as the cost to tool up for these is too great versus the sales volume of windshields sold.Retail for the Pilkington glass has been reported at nearly $1500 but on an insurance claim that price seems to come down somewhat.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dship Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Kev, No change...Safelite in fact installed a Pilkington on my '91. I didn't mean to imply that Safelite manufactured/installed their own brand of Reatta windshield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoytsur Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 Thank you, Dave & Kev for replying ... helpful information ... sounds like the Safelite windshield will be fine. I made an appointment for Wednesday but just in case they have changed I will go there rather than make them come to me. That way I can inspect the replacement windshield first. Again, thank you. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Richard D Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 About 5 years ago I had the same problem we a rock. State Farm had Safelite at my home the next day and installed a PiLkington for $1,800.00 and have had no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrentS Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Do they re-use the rubber trim, or does Pilkington manufacture the trim, also? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I believe the trim is bonded to the glass at the factory. I don't think it can be purchased separately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Yes, that was the point I was making. Pilkington makes the windshield, but Safelite can order one and install it. The confusion occurs in the fact that Safelite is also a manufacturer of auto glass. They make their own for many common applications (where the demand justifies it) which lowers their cost to supply and install versus going to an outside vendor like Piklington. In the case of the Reatta, Safelite does not make a compatible windshield as the sales volume is so low they can't possibly justify making up the tooling to manufacture the glass and the encapsulation rubber. Since Piklington is the only manufacturer, that is where Safelite (or any other installer) will get a Reatta windshield from. My Deville and my Ford work van both have Safelite manufactured windshields in them. Both are common vehicles with high demand for replacement windshields and thus they chose to make compatible glass rather than use OEM glass (which would have been LOF/Pilkington in both cases) when I had them replaced. Visually, they are indistinguishable from the OEM except for the mark in the corner that identifies the manufacturer of the glass.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Last year during the Portland Meet, Stanley showed me his car that was waiting on a windshield.One was installed but it had distortion, they got another and it also was distorted, the third one also... they finally got a good one.Wherever you get one make sure there is no distortion.....you might be getting one of Stanley's rejects.As far as we know LOF was the only company that made any of the glass for Reattas, the name may have changed but the actual source is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoytsur Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 I went to Safelite this morning to inspect the Safelite windshield replacement and to have it installed if it met my scrutiny. The good news is that the Safelite windshield is an identical replica of the original. The bad news is that the rubber adheres to the windshield and is in two parts. The windshield experts said that the entire rubber around the windshield and door on both sides [continuous piece] must be replaced first to do the install properly. They are certain if they try to reuse the original rubber that it will be an install that may leak or at the very least come apart at some point. Not good. Soooo, now I need to find the rubber for both sides before they do the windshield. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 This is the first time I recall that anyone has been given this story..........The factory windshield came with a plastic trim that wrapped the outside of the windshield. The windshield is bonded to the body and it does not make sense that the door seal needs to be replaced when the windshield is replaced. If the windshield they are trying to install does not have the black plastic trim, then it is not an exact copy/placement. They may be saying that your door seal is bad but that has nothing to do with the windshield, also the door molding is not readily available....there is probably some NOS out there but it is not being reproduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoytsur Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Thank you, Barney ... I will go back to them with this information, I appreciate it. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDirk Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 If Safelite now has a windshield of their own that fits the Reatta, that is news. I wonder if they made it like the windshield on my Deville, which employs a seperate rubber T profile molding along the top edge and reusable rigid plastic trims along the A pillers. That would be an interesting work around to glass with an integral encapsulation molding. I question if they are trying to use a windshield from a different vehicle that they have judged to be a "good enough" fit. If possible get more information on the windshield they are supplying, I'd like to know the story on this.All this is a seperate issue from the A piller weather stripping that seals against the leading edge of the vent window. Those are easily damaged by cut through when removing a windshield so be aware of that. These weather strips attach with VHB so can usually he removed and reinstalled with new adhesive tape.KDirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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