Had my windshield replaced...

[cb1111]

They ALL do. I've never heard of any dealership who has a "glass guy" in house who does windshield or other glass work - it's always gonna be an outside company.

I had my 2nd windshield replacement done at my dealer because their service department had already proven to be surprisingly competent, and I figured that their contracted glass company probably had plenty of VW experience and since they'd be doing the work right there at the dealership, with OEM glass, would *probably* do a good job. They did not disappoint, the workmanship was perfect. After the previous debacle with Safelite it was a huge relief.

Many dealers contract out to glass companies. On my 2016 golf I took it to the dealer because it had embedded defects from the factory.
The company they used caused paint damage to the outside of my a-pillar, didn’t even install the glass straight, cracked the plastic cowling below the windshield, somehow managed to slice through one of my windshield wipers and damaged both of the rubber strips on either side of the windshield. The car was given back to me in that condition. I was fucking FURIOUS.

There is another reason for going through the dealership and that is to reduce the finger pointing when things go bad. At the dealership, THEY are responsible and you can always escalate to vWoA. Try doing that with the local glass guy.

 

[ReadTheBook]

They ALL do. I've never heard of any dealership who has a "glass guy" in house who does windshield or other glass work - it's always gonna be an outside company.

I had my 2nd windshield replacement done at my dealer because their service department had already proven to be surprisingly competent, and I figured that their contracted glass company probably had plenty of VW experience and since they'd be doing the work right there at the dealership, with OEM glass, would *probably* do a good job. They did not disappoint, the workmanship was perfect. After the previous debacle with Safelite it was a huge relief.

Not all. My buddy who works at BMW as a Senior Master Tech has actually done many windshields, front and rear.

 

[KevinC]

Not all. My buddy who works at BMW as a Senior Master Tech has actually done many windshields, front and rear.

VERY rare.

 

[jaystonewee]

Correct, most dealers provide parts with labor from an outside vendor. Like anything else, call around and ask if the dealership has a trusted/quality glass tech. Emich VW in Denver has a good glass tech on call.

 

[ecsta]

There is another reason for going through the dealership and that is to reduce the finger pointing when things go bad. At the dealership, THEY are responsible and you can always escalate to vWoA. Try doing that with the local glass guy.

Yep, or when the glass guy messes up the cameras and then you end up with them just pointing fingers at each other. It's worth the $ premium just to have one person to blame for any problems.

 

[cb1111]

Yep, or when the glass guy messes up the cameras and then you end up with them just pointing fingers at each other. It's worth the $ premium just to have one person to blame for any problems.

Exactly. If you go through insurance then you pay your deductible.

 

[mk7_bk]

got my windshield replaced from ghetto man in the city, now whenever its cold (all winter) it makes pop noises

 

[AndrewHunter]

That ghetto man can do rv glass repair also?

 

[joeblonewjersey]

Just putting this info out there...

After getting many pits and surface chips in just 15 months of ownership here in the Bay Area, I took a rock to the windshield during a mountain drive last weekend that was almost dead center in my vision. I also had some mysterious staining I could not remove on the windshield no matter what I tried, it'd been there since I got the car. Decided I was done with this shitty Vitro Mexico glass VW uses.

Called around and found a guy who could source Saint-Gobain Sekurit glass, which is what every other window on these cars is. Had it installed today. Most other installers could source PGW (PPG) or Pilkington. Having seen a Pilkington replacement in person recently, I wasn't overly impressed.

It's DOT618 which is European build: SEKURIT SAINT‐GOBAIN HANGLAS POLSKA - Zary, Poland. It seems to be better than the original in terms of clarity. It also came with a small rubber gasket/flange along the top of the glass, which may be standard on cars that have sunroofs based on a search. I don't have a sunroof so I don't know if that's a thing, but I do know my old windshield did not have this, but this fits the car fine.

It also features of their "dBControl" tech which claims to reduce noise by 10dB over "other windshields", and their "Thermo Control" tech which "strongly decreases the direct transmission of the sun's energy into your vehicle." according to the site I was taken to when I scanned the QR code on the glass. I was surprised it had a QR code, and the installer said he'd never seen that on any windshield before, but it turns out it has info all about the windshield, which was cool to see.

The Saint-Gobain part is 8503951102, which is a match for VW 5G0-845-011-M-NVB and 5GM-845-011-C-NVB based on Google searching. It fit my car perfectly. I do not have any sensors other than my self-installed auto-dimming rear view mirror, so this would not be the correct windshield for people who have sensors for wipers and auto-headlights, or DAP.

I found the following document while searching outlining some Saint-Gobain parts for MK7 it seems. http://saint-gobain-autover.com/sites/default/files/VW Golf VII 2013 Product Announcement.pdf

I paid under $400 installed. Here's to hoping the gamble on "non-factory" glass without a VW logo, but from a VW OEM, pays off.

Edit: If you're in the Bay Area, the installer was JVS Glass Services. It's owned and operated by a guy named Jose. He was very good at responding to messages in a timely manner, and showed up 10 minutes early to the job. He was very careful and me called to come out to the car when he had a question. He was also interested in some of my mods and just generally seemed like a cool guy.

I also forgot to mention that I had a brief conversation with my Service Advisor about the glass, just for shits and giggles to see what VW charges to replace. During our conversation, He literally said to me 3 times, "Yeah, I'd try something else." when asked how often they're seeing this, or talking about quality of the glass. He wouldn't really say more, but he was definitely heavily implying that they're well aware that this factory glass SUCKS.

Edit 2: It's raining today, and my wipers even seem to like this windshield better. Not really streaking the way the factory one did...

Edit 3 by request:

My 2 door GTI-S (2016) needs a new windshield, it got cracked on Saturday
Allstate will pay for OEM glass.
Safelite won't do it, no understanding why.
So I pay, Allstate reimburses me.
So, I call a dealer, he can't get OEM for less than $750, Safelite wats 700+.
Regardless, they'll get paid, I'll get reimbursed, but who do I call to get the Saint-Gobain glass?
Identical setup, no sunroof, I installed an auto-dimming rearview mirror
I'm in Central New Jersey....any ideas as to find an installer that can source this glass?

 

[jimlloyd40]

My 2 door GTI-S (2016) needs a new windshield, it got cracked on Saturday
Allstate will pay for OEM glass.
Safelite won't do it, no understanding why.
So I pay, Allstate reimburses me.
So, I call a dealer, he can't get OEM for less than $750, Safelite wats 700+.
Regardless, they'll get paid, I'll get reimbursed, but who do I call to get the Saint-Gobain glass?
Identical setup, no sunroof, I installed an auto-dimming rearview mirror
I'm in Central New Jersey....any ideas as to find an installer that can source this glass?

If your insurance is going to pay I would have the dealer do it. I've read too many horror stories in the forum about aftermarket companies installing windshields on GTI 's.

 

[ReadTheBook]

My 2 door GTI-S (2016) needs a new windshield, it got cracked on Saturday
Allstate will pay for OEM glass.
Safelite won't do it, no understanding why.
So I pay, Allstate reimburses me.
So, I call a dealer, he can't get OEM for less than $750, Safelite wats 700+.
Regardless, they'll get paid, I'll get reimbursed, but who do I call to get the Saint-Gobain glass?
Identical setup, no sunroof, I installed an auto-dimming rearview mirror
I'm in Central New Jersey....any ideas as to find an installer that can source this glass?

I called around to small local companies.

The one man show guy I had was great. He sliced a wire he didn’t know was there and that I had personally installed so I don’t blame him.

 

[joeblonewjersey]

Thanks....I spent 1/2 day yesterday and 2-1/2 hours this morning here in NJ/NY Metro area calling around. Seems like the "small guy" all kind of routes back to a "central" company, at least here anyway. So I called and called and called, nobody ever heard of Saint-Gobain.
Given that, it's not a matter of life and death, just want to see if I can get it (preferred OEM/Saint-Gobain).
I even searched for Saint-Gobain auto glass, and their US/North America location has a disconnected phone number and a Google search shows that the address is for lease.

Saint-Gobain Autover USA, Inc
3351 Southwest Blvd
Grove City, OH 43123
Phone: 614-801-2290 or 800-279-3870
https://www.saint-gobain-autover.us/glass-functionalities-available-for-automotive-glazing

ALL I WANT is to have THEM tell me who is an authorized dealer for their windshields or recommendation of what installers can get their product.
Additionally, my research shows that IF, for whatever reason, the VW rust warranty is VOID if the non-OEM glass is used.
Up to 2017, it was an 11-year warranty, afterwards, it is now a 7 year.

Look, I am planning on keeping the car. I drive it maybe 3,000 miles a year tops. It is as pristine as the day I got it with minimal mods (appearance) and the very last thing I want to do is decrease the value by using the wrong glass.

Does anyone have any pointers or direction to assist in solving this dilemma or do I just keep calling around?

 

[ReadTheBook]

Thanks....I spent 1/2 day yesterday and 2-1/2 hours this morning here in NJ/NY Metro area calling around. Seems like the "small guy" all kind of routes back to a "central" company, at least here anyway. So I called and called and called, nobody ever heard of Saint-Gobain.
Given that, it's not a matter of life and death, just want to see if I can get it (preferred OEM/Saint-Gobain).
I even searched for Saint-Gobain auto glass, and their US/North America location has a disconnected phone number and a Google search shows that the address is for lease.

Saint-Gobain Autover USA, Inc
3351 Southwest Blvd
Grove City, OH 43123
Phone: 614-801-2290 or 800-279-3870
https://www.saint-gobain-autover.us/glass-functionalities-available-for-automotive-glazing

ALL I WANT is to have THEM tell me who is an authorized dealer for their windshields or recommendation of what installers can get their product.
Additionally, my research shows that IF, for whatever reason, the VW rust warranty is VOID if the non-OEM glass is used.
Up to 2017, it was an 11-year warranty, afterwards, it is now a 7 year.

Look, I am planning on keeping the car. I drive it maybe 3,000 miles a year tops. It is as pristine as the day I got it with minimal mods (appearance) and the very last thing I want to do is decrease the value by using the wrong glass.

Does anyone have any pointers or direction to assist in solving this dilemma or do I just keep calling around?

I’m totally unsure how these companies haven’t heard of Saint Gobain... They are one of the oldest and most well-known glass manufacturers in the world for automotive glass. The side Windows and hatch of my GTI had Saint Gobain in them... Our Alltrack has Saint Gobain in the front doors and hatch, Vitro on the rear doors and windshield and Fuyao on the smaller rear side windows he Alltrack has, weirdly.

in short millions and millions of vehicles use that glass in the world.

Not sure how Volkswagen could possibly void a rust warranty based on glass, I would think that having rust occur depends on the quality of install not the physical glass. I would also think that Volkswagen would have to prove that it was the class itself that caused rust to form. Furthermore the dealerships themselves are not the ones installing glass, typically. They will usually contact a local company that they contract with to do the job. That has been my experience at least.

That being said my friend who is a senior master tech at BMW has told me several times that he has done windshield replacements himself at the dealer so it may vary by company but I know that when I initially had my windshield replaced on another Volkswagen it was done through someone that the dealer contracts with.

I would be shocked if SG shuttered US operations...

 

[dunkelweizen]

Thanks....I spent 1/2 day yesterday and 2-1/2 hours this morning here in NJ/NY Metro area calling around. Seems like the "small guy" all kind of routes back to a "central" company, at least here anyway. So I called and called and called, nobody ever heard of Saint-Gobain.
Given that, it's not a matter of life and death, just want to see if I can get it (preferred OEM/Saint-Gobain).
I even searched for Saint-Gobain auto glass, and their US/North America location has a disconnected phone number and a Google search shows that the address is for lease.

Saint-Gobain Autover USA, Inc
3351 Southwest Blvd
Grove City, OH 43123
Phone: 614-801-2290 or 800-279-3870
https://www.saint-gobain-autover.us/glass-functionalities-available-for-automotive-glazing

ALL I WANT is to have THEM tell me who is an authorized dealer for their windshields or recommendation of what installers can get their product.
Additionally, my research shows that IF, for whatever reason, the VW rust warranty is VOID if the non-OEM glass is used.
Up to 2017, it was an 11-year warranty, afterwards, it is now a 7 year.

Look, I am planning on keeping the car. I drive it maybe 3,000 miles a year tops. It is as pristine as the day I got it with minimal mods (appearance) and the very last thing I want to do is decrease the value by using the wrong glass.

Does anyone have any pointers or direction to assist in solving this dilemma or do I just keep calling around?

I don't have time right now to dig, but try:

https://www.saint-gobain-sekurit.com/contact-us

And their corporate office is at:
Saint-Gobain Sekurit
35807 Mound Road
Sterling Heights, MI
48310
586.532.9500

If you find any information about SGS windshields, you'd be a hero to many on the forums. Oh, and if you do happen to get a hold of someone, would you mind please asking about availability in Canada also

Cheers.

 

[ReadTheBook]

I don't have time right now to dig, but try:

https://www.saint-gobain-sekurit.com/contact-us

And their corporate office is at:
Saint-Gobain Sekurit
35807 Mound Road
Sterling Heights, MI
48310
586.532.9500

If you find any information about SGS windshields, you'd be a hero to many on the forums. Oh, and if you do happen to get a hold of someone, would you mind please asking about availability in Canada also

Cheers.

Yeah I think he looked at the wrong branch of the company. VW has been using these guys forever. The glass on our 90 Cabby is Sekurit.