Question C5 Windshield Recommendations

[Jayman]

Hey Canada! Just wondering what I can expect to pay for a windshield for a non HUD C5.
If you have recommendations or a great experience in the Edmonton area, please feel free to share that too. We had a fantastic road trip in the 99 throughout northern Washington State and BC accumulating about 4000 km. Unfortunately the glass did it's job all too well...
Thanks all!
Jay

 

[YFCvii]

HI Jay,
I have a good friend who owns/operates/installs at Easy Auto Glass here in YYC.
Where ever you end up getting your windshield, he recommends to ask
"What windshield do I get for that price?"
Be wary of very low pricing in comparison to other quotes you get without asking why.
Cheers

 

[Jayman]

HI Jay,
I have a good friend who owns/operates/installs at Easy Auto Glass here in YYC.
Where ever you end up getting your windshield, he recommends to ask
"What windshield do I get for that price?"
Be wary of very low pricing in comparison to other quotes you get without asking why.
Cheers

Thanks, but can you elaborate on what I should be wary about, other than a low price?
Appreciate it!
Oh and any idea on pricing?

 

[YFCvii]

Some make/model cars have windshields available that I have heard referred to as “Chinese Glass”. Lesser expensive and easy cheap quick fix and rather useless defending a pebble strike. I’m not an trade-insider on this though. It came to light when I was shopping a 98 Grand Prix HUD and getting competitive quotes, disclosing my best price to a couple is places who were rather high priced and getting a reply “it must be Chinese Glass”. So I’ve been asking/looking for 3rd party OEM (same manufacturer - just no GM logo on it - like a black square w/o GM written in it). You can google the dot number on your glass to know where it is made and compare to your GM logo dot number on your other glass pieces (if the same). We might be safe not having real cheap corvette windshields out there as they are “structural” as in the C7 (doesn’t have “cheap” glass out there .... yet).
Arguments against this have been ... same quality glass but very low labour rates in the manufacturing process ... and there’s also arguments of the more costly slow tempering “softer glass” vs the outsource making of “hard glass” glass that even sand impacts might mark/scratch up.
Here’s my two c7 windshields that you can see the GM logo which is usually just a solid black square on some aftermarket “same manufacturer” OEM windshields ...

Good windshield replacement people are pretty up-and-up about this stuff.

 

[Jayman]

Some make/model cars have windshields available that I have heard referred to as “Chinese Glass”. Lesser expensive and easy cheap quick fix and rather useless defending a pebble strike. I’m not an trade-insider on this though. It came to light when I was shopping a 98 Grand Prix HUD and getting competitive quotes, disclosing my best price to a couple is places who were rather high priced and getting a reply “it must be Chinese Glass”. So I’ve been asking/looking for 3rd party OEM (same manufacturer - just no GM logo on it - like a black square w/o GM written in it). You can google the dot number on your glass to know where it is made and compare to your GM logo dot number on your other glass pieces (if the same). We might be safe not having real cheap corvette windshields out there as they are “structural” as in the C7 (doesn’t have “cheap” glass out there .... yet).
Arguments against this have been ... same quality glass but very low labour rates in the manufacturing process ... and there’s also arguments of the more costly slow tempering “softer glass” vs the outsource making of “hard glass” glass that even sand impacts might mark/scratch up.
Here’s my two c7 windshields that you can see the GM logo which is usually just a solid black square on some aftermarket “same manufacturer” OEM windshields ...
View attachment 31479View attachment 31480
Good windshield replacement people are pretty up-and-up about this stuff.

I see, great post.
Thanks

 

[Jayman]

First quote in from Crystal Glass this morning for a non HUD car is $957.49+GST!
I'm surprised and kinda shocked. Didn't expect that...

 

[Jayman]

Looks like C5 windshields are no longer carried in Canada unless a dealer already has one on the shelf. Have to be ordered in from US and customer pays shipping too

 

[ariker]

I noticed a chip in mine the other week. Turns out it was repaired years ago, it was pretty small. Anyway, I took it to one shop and he said 1300 without even looking. The point is, that guy was an idiot. Mine is a 99, and when I spoke to the shop at my job, 2 hours away, he mentioned, and I'm doing my best, but may have to ask again. It all comes down to weather stripping. If it's salvageable, the cost is 300, if not, 900.

 

[Jayman]

Okay so I found a dealer willing do it in the US very close to the border in Montana. That price was US $326, and certainly worth the drive.
Then I heard back from a local shop in Edmonton that has ordered it and with tax will cost me CAD $588. I accepted that as I don't have to drive 14 hours, and hotel and fuel etc. It took him a while to find one that wasn't in the US.
I'll post back when done and let you know how it goes...

 

[Jayman]

So after a week I reached out to the guy who said he found one here, and was told there wasn't actually one available anymore. He said he has a line on another and that he'd let me know in a few days. Its been 2 weeks and I've lost faith, so likely I'll go stateside come spring.