Had Windshield Replaced Today -- Is Pilkington glass OK?
 

This past weekend I was reminded that cold water and hot glass do not mix. Small hairline cracks, even if repaired, can instantly turn into long ones.

I was expecting PPG, but the shop replaced my windshield with one by Pilkington. Is that a quality brand?

I think Pilkington makes glass for a lot of Benz models that PPG and others do not. I seem to have heard that it was good quality, but have no personal experience with it.

The thing I look for most when I get a new windshield is distortion artifact.

I once got some off brand glass (the installer said that they would use PPG, but they didn't) and there was a visible distortion about 2/3 the way up the windshield. I took it back and reminded them that they promised me PPG and two hours later I had it. That was Pilsen auto glass in Chicago.....

I would examine it from different angles and make sure that there aren't any spots with image distortion........ To me, that's the most irritating aspects of some off brand glass. BTW, I've never heard of that brand before, but that doesn't mean anything since auto glass really isn't my specialty.


Good luck!

OK, that makes sense.

I'll need to do that.

One thing I immediately noticed is the green tint at the top. My previous windshield (not original) did not have that.

Tis OE on my V90 Volvo.

I have that glass in my SDL and 300sel too.

I choose Pilkington. I've had more than a few windshields replaced, but it seems like the Pilkingtons didn't crack as easily as the one that came out.

That's important. Sandblasting and chips are inevitable, but cracks I can do without.

I was just checking the windshield for distortions and found none. The real tests will occur in bright sunlight, and rainy nights. Right now, it looks like good glass. But there is something different that I can't quite put my finger on. It could be the tinting at the top, or maybe the overall clarity of the glass in comparison to the one that was replaced. But something is different.

My 210 had one when I got it, and it was (and still is) perfect.

What about those neat little MB stickers on the windshield? Any plans to replace them? I actually have a crack on my windshield right now too and have been mulling getting it replaced. I wonder where/how I will get a hand on those stickers.

glass
 

Any dealer has the stickers, about $2

Not MB related, but all the factory glass on my E90 BMW is from Pilkington and seems OK. Windshield seems soft though and finally got a crack in it on the track. I had it replaced with Saint Gobain Sekurit glass which some BMW owners have reported is better, and the latest 09 BMWs seem to come with that brand instead of the Pilkington. Just FWIW, but I would think that Pilkington isn't a bad brand per se...

from the research I have done in the past I think Pilkington and PPG are the big manufacturers. I wouldnt use anybody but them. I'm sure they both make glass for mercedes.

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