16FujiDisco
Full Access Member
Is there a way to tell the difference on an original Pilkington vs replacement? Mine has a Pilkington but I’m not sure if it is a replacement or the original.
Best windshield replacement option?
- Thread starter Parker Freeland
- Start date
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gsxr
Full Access Member
Original will show both Land Rover and Pilkington logos:
16FujiDisco
Full Access Member
Good to know! I’m still on a factory one
BigBriDogGuy
Full Access Member
I'm getting the Pilkington non-branded glass. Glass shop says the warehouse / distributor is in California and it takes 7-10 day to ship to Washington State.
Essentially all the glass is the same, I have had them all. Within a year or two if they aren't cracked they start to get obscured due to the grit blast. Install is the important part here; Fresh OEM clips, good clean connections for the heating elements and a good clean of any old adhesive.
BigBriDogGuy
Full Access Member
Just drove home from the glass shop with the fresh Pilkington windshield installed. Wow, just wow. Never realized how much of a difference the little things can make. It was like there was no glass in the windshield at all. Plus, the glass shop did an excellent job on the installation. They are the second oldest family-owned glass business in the United States, and it shows. With the old glass, the installation was so poor that I would get a buffeting noise near the top passengers side of the windshield. Now it is on straight and tight and everything is totally silent. I had low expectations because the old glass was functional enough. A line crack along the bottom but out of sight, so who cares? Also, there was the sand pitting. That was annoying. Still, it wasn't as if I couldn't see out of it perfectly fine. I could. But this new glass, night and day. I guess it's true that sometimes the little things can make a big difference.
LB Bill
Full Access Member
Going to have to do that soon. The 'sand pitting' from desert driving is becoming 'annoying'. Cost? Ins. claim, or out of pocket?
BigBriDogGuy
Full Access Member
I was lucky, I caught a rock and it created a 18" crack along the bottom of the old windshield. I had previously put in a claim for sand pitting and my insurance company (which will remain nameless) denied it calling it "normal wear and tear".
Oh your paying one way or another, insurance companies don't exist to to lose money.. Up here most windshields are not insured due to the amount of gravel flying around. As soon as insurance is not involved the price for windshields drop dramatically. I can get a decent heated screen for the LR4 for about $450 Cdn ($325 US). Funny how that happens...
With a 14-inch crack, I’d replace the windshield rather than attempt a repair. Since your original windshield is heated, I’d make sure the replacement has the same heating feature and is the correct specification for your vehicle. I’d get quotes from the dealer, Safelite, and a reputable local glass shop, but I’d focus more on the quality of the glass and the installer’s experience than the company name. If the vehicle has any cameras or sensors mounted around the windshield, make sure proper recalibration is included. Having the new cowl and A-pillar clips ready is smart. I’d have the installer replace those during the windshield installation while everything is already apart.
