Need New Windshield: OEM vs off-market?

I had fun off-roading in Joshua Tree and even saw a coyote and (somewhat) regret not going for it when there was about 3 ft of water on the road for a football field length. Next time!

I cracked my windshield and now it's more than half-way across and I need to replace it for my '16 TRD 4x4 short-cab 4-door.

Toyota dealership can do it for $894 ($567 for glass and $297 for labor) including calibration. An after-market place that has good Yelp! reviews can do it for $300.

My goals are safety, get-it done right and doing the best work, plus budget conscious... there's tons of opinions out there and curious which way to go?

Thanks!

 

There’s no sensors to calibrate in a 2016

I’d go anywhere that isn’t safelite.

i has mine done by a local glass shop and they used OEM glass

 

Personally, I'd go aftermarket, but insist on Pilkington brand. Pilkington makes the factory windshields and windows.

 

Thanks @Shellshock, I have an option w/ the aftermarket to go OEM, so will supply them the VIN so they can research the price. Curious, I may turn in my '16 TRD for the Pro this summer, tho I love my truck...I am concerned about the lease-to-buy trade in value?

I was last in Iowa two summers ago for a reunion at Grinnell, and drove from ND down I94 for 500+ miles and it was the straightest, longest highway I had ever been on! LOL I got pulled over for doing 90 on a 75....

 

If you plan on trading in your lease soon don’t waste the $$ on a new windshield. I have leased and turned in 7 vehicles and 2 of them had cracked windshields. I did this because I actually fixed one once and was told after by the dealership I wasted my $. Keep in mind tho I did drive off with a brand new vehicle after I turned my lease in from that dealership. They told me they preferred to fix it their self. And no I made sure I was not dinged for the price on the new lease.

 

Curious what they are going to calibrate on a 2016?

 

If you are spending much time around 29 Palms, JT or Yucca get an aftermarket one because it will be beat to shit by the sand in two years anyway and you will need a new one.

 

I had my OEM windshield replaced a few weeks ago by Safelite and they used Pilkington glass. The install was perfect so no complaints here. My insurance covered it 100%.

 

About to join the ‘replaced it’ gang myself. Going with OEM. $500 deductible.

 

a dealership is just going to contract it out to safelite soooo ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I went aftermarket... twice. Both were caused by highway driving in Atlanta. The first time scared the piss out of me. Had a baseball sized impact. The second was just a crack. Pain in the butt. $500 each time over two years.

 

Why would you goto the dealership? Unless you like throwing away money

 

My comprehensive is super cheap and have an OEM rider on my insurance. I've always used OEM glass on my replacement windshields. The windshield on my old Subaru was over $1000 since it was heated. When this windshield goes I will go to Safelite, and tell them to use OEM glass.

 

I went with OEM by a local mobile glass here in LA. Glass plus install was around $700

 

The heated glass in my Outback was $300 through my local glass shop.

 

I’m not sure what the hang up is about Safelite, they swapped out my windshield in about an hour with an aftermarket brand for $280.00. Quality work and the windshield looks like all other windshields.

 

Did you have to ask for Pilkington?

 

No, they just brought and installed it.

 

This ^

 

I’m on my third windshield in a 2018. Reason being is that the newer glass is made cheaper to reduce vehicle production cost, with that said once you get a tiny chip ur fucked cuz it will spider within days. That being said, do not use safelite. My brother had to bring his truck back 3 different times to them and on the 3rd time had to bitch them out to have his headliner replaced because his glass seal leaked and ruined his headliner. Dealership will cost a lot and may or may not use safelite. I used a guy who’s been doing it for many years and was very knowledgeable on the subject and was recommended by my uncle who is a fleet mechanic who uses him. He did great work and was around the same price range everyone else was talking about. (I believe 700-800) but he also highly suggested to stick with oem. After replacing it a second time I had a product applied called clearplex. Look it up, haven’t had chips since