Windscreen not covered by insurance

Nearly_Old

Premier wrote: »

Autoglass usually source their glass from the same supplier as makes the OEM glass (if for no other reason than they already have the tool to produce it) - although be aware that large OEMs may have more than one supplier worldwide.

Of course, you pays your money and takes your choice.

There is an interesting report that was prepared in the US for the The Center for Auto Safety which includes the following:

OEM & ARG Windshields: The OEM windshield is the best and safest windshield that will ever be installed in a vehicle. ARG (auto replacement glass) or after-market windshields are most often improperly installed and are not OEM quality. (my emphasis)
Car manufacturers would not accept the windshields sold in the after-market because the stress is much higher and they crack even easier. When a windshield is manufactured, a polariscope is used to read the amount of stress at the perimeter. General Motors and Toyota, for example, will not accept windshields with stress greater than their contracted amount. These OEM windshields are annealed slowly to limit the residual stress, which increases the cost per windshield. PPG for instance, has separate factories for making OEM and ARG windshields. ARG windshields are made faster (the faster they make them the less they cost) and have higher levels of residual stress. These windshields crack easier so once you replace you may continue to replace.

The report can be found by following the link from the OEM vs Aftermarket paragraph in this overview:http://www.carwindshields.info/

Looking at some US car forums most of the owners are aware of this and a number of US insurers have been forced to supply real OEM replacements as their policies require "like for like" repairs. To be fair Pilkington's websites do differentiate that they effectively supply two different products; OEM and ARG.

So yes you pay your money and you take your choice - branded OEM or a lesser quality ARG one even though it is made by the OEM manufacturer.