after market vs. oem

[ChampionCHIP,wsr]

ok i get it by why is after market so much less expensive. if there is no difference in the glass why the price difference?
paul

[Frank EU]

This also applies to the question why non-brand products in your grocery or diy store are cheaper. The answer is that you pay higher prices for so called A brands. It is marketing and got everything to do with the so called brand experience. But paying extra does not mean that you are getting a better product -or experience.

[Glasseye]

If you want to know where a windshield was made, every laminated windshield carries a " DOT" code as part of the information on the glass. If you input this number into the DOT search function on the Glassbytes sight it will tell you which factory and manufacturer made the windshield.

[ChampionCHIP,wsr]

ok so being a repair only guy, you all would suggest that your customer who has a non-repairable w/s get a after market replacement?
i understand the marketing aspect of it, but there are many products out there that are said to be made by a certain manufactuer ie: tennis or golf balls that are inferer that the other product they make, it is the end of the run so they get reduced. machines start the loose accurancy. is that what w/s manuf. do?
paul

[Frank EU]

ChampionCHIP wsr, I understand your thoughts, but it usualy is the same production line (ie ''machines''). It wouldn't make sense having two different production lines under the same roof right? Like I mentioned in an earlier post; they change the screen print (the specs and other data like name etc. are screen printed on the glass panel), as far as I remember ''everything'' else remains the same (but things may have changed although, again, it wouldn't make sence).

[Glasseye]

There are 2 issues regarding windshield manufacture.

1) Glass Quality- all glass manufacturers work to a universal standard of quality, there is very little variation.

2) Glass shape- only a glass manufacturer contracted to make a windshield for a car companies new model will have full access to data to allow them to make a windshield that will fit that car exactly. This will then have the car companies logo stamped on it, eg GM, BMW, FORD. it is classed as OE( Original Equipment).
Other windshield manufacturers can still make windshields for that car, but because they do not have full access to data, there may be some variation in shape.
So if you want to recommend a windshield to a customer, advise them to have a windshield with the manufacturers logo on it, but there will usually be a premium to pay because it will normally have to be sourced via a main dealership, rather than a wholesale glass supplier.

[Brent Deines]

For the most part I agree with Frank and Glasseye, but not all new cars will have the manufacturer name screen printed on it, as was the case with my 2001 Chevy Silverado. Of course it is always possible that the glass has been replaced on a brand new vehicle as they are sometimes damaged in transit or vandalized while still on the dealer's lot. I once replaced 5 Lincoln windshields for the same dealer in one day because of vandalism. The people who purchased those cars never knew the windshields had been replaced. However, being an installer, I have a pretty good eye for windshields that have been replaced, and I can see no indication that the windshield on my Silverado has ever been replaced. It came from the factory with no GM logo on it. Depending on the make of the vehicle I think you could walk the lot and pick out a lot of vehicles with no vehicle manufacturer logo, but only the logo of the glass manufacturer.

As far as how thick the glass is, I believe most automotive glass made today is about 2.5mm thick per layer, and most large trucks and buses use 3mm glass for each layer. Older glass used to sometimes be thicker, but for the most part I think the new glass is relatively uniform. I could be wrong about this as I did not get it in writing, but I just spoke to a manufacturer this week and that was what I was told.

Windshields do all have to meet "minimum" DOT requirements for manufacturing standards, but I do believe there is a difference in glass quality, especially as Glasseye said in the proper fit. I won't name the brand but there was a very well known OE manufacturer that did not supply the OE glass for the Chevy S-10 but did make ARG windshields for the Chevy S-10 pickups and blazers, and the glass did not fit well at all. That was one of the vehicles that I always demanded a particular brand so I did not have to grind the corner of the glass or cut down the molding to make it fit the opening correctly. I didn't care if I had OE glass, but I did want the same brand of ARG.

I don't think it is fair to say that all OE glass is better than all aftermarket glass or that it repairs any differently. As T4K said that is only my opinion and others are welcome to have differing opinions until we have proof one way or another.