Does Glass Really Cost This Much?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Nick1994

$100 site donor 2024
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
16,645
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Yikes. Just had a new windshield put in the Sonata. Insurance covered it. $665!? It's even a base model!

This is a 5 star glass company that's replaced a lot of my family's windshields, they've always done a good job.

I always see advertisements where shops will give you $200 in cash to have your windshield replaced (not this place), do they use cheaper glass? I've also heard the insurance companies actually come up with some of these prices.


80010922-B75B-4EC0-9767-32CD0CD8065B.png
 
Somehow, it doesn't sound right to have "chip" in the name of a glass company. ...œ
 
Last edited:
A quick look is showing an OEM windshield for our van is $386.64, list price is $597. So yours doesn't seem that far from reality assuming OEM.
 
Originally Posted by Nick1994
Yikes. Just had a new windshield put in the Sonata. Insurance covered it. $665!? It's even a base model!

This is a 5 star glass company that's replaced a lot of my family's windshields, they've always done a good job.

I always see advertisements where shops will give you $200 in cash to have your windshield replaced (not this place), do they use cheaper glass? I've also heard the insurance companies actually come up with some of these prices.


that might be just what they bill them, but not what they really pay. its like the 25K hospital bill that get knock down to 10k after the insurance neg is done
 
I recently had to put a windshield in my 97 f150 plow truck because a tree branch went through the windshield during a storm.


I priced one out through safelite and it was gonna cost 380 to almost 400 dollars.



I ended up cutting it out myself and getting a new windshield from a local glass dealer for 120 bucks and putting it in myself.


they sure seem to mark them up, but i suppose they figure in the labor depending on the vehicle and anything kind of trim or alignment pieces they might have to replace etc.


I did have to take a few things off in order to replace it, so it was a little labor intensive.
 
Putting in a new windshield mean also gluing it into the opening with the black urethane. It has to be glued in place not using soft ribbon sealer on a roll as the window is structurally important.
 
I last worked for Lexus almost 10 years ago and windshields were easily $1,000, and that didn't include the rubber moulding or clips.
 
windshieldstogo.com says $293.99 for a windshield for a 2015 Sonata in zip code 85043
smile.gif


That site is just a broker that uses a local installer. They may even use the same installer Blue Chip for your area.

I also heard that the glass shops like to pad the bill and cheat insurance companies
45.gif
16.gif
 
I dunno, I recall my VW having soft glass, I might have waited 3 years to replace, don't remember now why it was replaced the first time. But I do know that I settled into a pattern of replacing every 2 years as the pitting was so bad that I was willing to replace for the $200 or so that it cost every time. Looking back I wonder if I was just getting substandard glass, it was whatever Safelite was selling and installing (I didn't think to ask what kind I was getting). Maybe OEM glass is harder and stands up better.
 
Had the windshield replaced on a Civic I had a few years ago, it was about $175. Although I only had it on for a few years (no longer have the car), there was nothing shabby about the glass or the installation.
 
I had the windshield replaced on the cx5 a year ago and the cost was just a shade under $1000.

That was Mazda glass which was recommended due to the cameras and sensors plus electric heating wires for the wipers. The car also has a HUD but I don't know if that requires anything special.
 
Safelite's mobile service charged $540 for a 'basic' windshield for my Mustang. $60 premium to get the "Ford" dot matrix logo at the top, like the original. I sprung for OEM looks.

Nowhere did I find a $250 windshield for this car, and would be scared of the quality if I had. Some cars are just pricey when it comes to glass, although I didn't expect the Mustang to be.
 
Originally Posted by WhyMe
Originally Posted by Nick1994
Yikes. Just had a new windshield put in the Sonata. Insurance covered it. $665!? It's even a base model!

This is a 5 star glass company that's replaced a lot of my family's windshields, they've always done a good job.

I always see advertisements where shops will give you $200 in cash to have your windshield replaced (not this place), do they use cheaper glass? I've also heard the insurance companies actually come up with some of these prices.


that might be just what they bill them, but not what they really pay. its like the 25K hospital bill that get knock down to 10k after the insurance neg is done


I had my simple Patriot windshield replaced 2 years ago for about $230 total, including an extra 2 yr. free replacement warranty ($20). When I used that free replacement warranty for another stone crack incident, the invoice showed a total "charge" of over $500 dollars ($0 from me).

So yes, there must be something going on between the insurance companies, glass suppliers, and glass installers regarding an inflated MSRP vs. actual cost vs. the final bill, all depending on the circumstance.
 
If you got OEM glass, that sounds nearly right. Otherwise, that's list/invoice price for an OOP install that doesn't involve insurance. Safelite's invoice for a recent job under insurance was $216.24 for a Pilk FW2602(I opted for one with the sun shade band and I was expecting FYG or XYG), $68 for the molding kit, $40 for urethane and primer and $115 for labor. NAGS list was $450 for the glass.

Almost all new cars are coming with acoustic glass(surprisingly, Toyota and Ford rolled it out first on the Prius and F-150 before Mercedes did). If you have ADAS, it will be more - especially on some cars that have the sensor/camera pod bonded on the glass. If you have automatic wipers, that too will cost you if the sensor has to be replaced. There are no guarantees with some ADAS or automatic wiper systems working as intended with aftermarket glass, caveat emptor.
 
Originally Posted by WylieCoyote
Safelite's mobile service charged $540 for a 'basic' windshield for my Mustang. $60 premium to get the "Ford" dot matrix logo at the top, like the original. I sprung for OEM looks.

Nowhere did I find a $250 windshield for this car, and would be scared of the quality if I had. Some cars are just pricey when it comes to glass, although I didn't expect the Mustang to be.


What price does this site give you?
smile.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top