D4 windscreen need advice on original or aftermarket

[Discorow]

Hi All,
Just broke the windscreen. Not one a repair could fix.
I am After advice on anyone who has replaced with genuine or after market, which is best or are there any problems
Quote gen $1750 & after market at $850 both have rain sensor and heating so seem identical.

Thanks in advance

[Meccles]

Check if your original is solar attenuating. There is glass and glass if you know what I mean. Not all the same. There were some threads on here earlier about this from memory (which is of course flawed:))

[Plane Fixer]

Be aware that the genuine is a Pilkington Opticool, whereas the aftermarket is a Chinese and they vary in quality.
Some are good and there have been some which have questionable optics.
Insurers will not pay out for the genuine unless the car is new; if they do it will be one only.
Be aware they are very weak at and below the wipers and will readily crack from there, yet I have had a bulls-eye in front of the driver and no cracks from there.

[BMKal]

I had my screen replaced by "Instant Windscreens" in Kalgoorlie. They sourced the glass from Barbagallo (Landrover distributor) in Perth - I was never offered an after market option.

Only issue that I had was that they did not replace the clips in the two side dress strips with genuine Landrover clips - they used the cheap white ones from Supercrap Auto or similar. Both dress strips popped off shortly after the windscreen was replaced. I have since obtained the genuine clips from Barbagallo and replaced them all myself - no more problems.

(It gets bloody noisy in the cab driving at highway speed when one of these dress strips lifts off - but at least they do not come right off and disappear into the wild blue yonder - the bonnet holds the bottom of them so that they stay with the vehicle).

[101RRS]

I had mine replaced a year ago - I was never asked about an after market screen and genuine was provided with clips.

Garry

[allanboston]

I had to replace the screen in my MY10 D4 last year, hadn't realised the whole issue about non-original screens. The big national windscreen company did it and used aftermarket screen. Optics were different, solar shielding not as good, but most importantly overall thickness reduced causing wind noise around all the trim pieces. No-one interested in my complaints.

Fortunately have updated vehicle to MY13 since.

Talking to windscreen supplier, the pressure comes from insurers who will only pay for the non-Pilkington glass due to price. I have a real issue with this around safety, as I cannot believe this does not impact on the structural integrity of the vehicle.

One solution is to pay the difference in price between OE and aftermarket yourself, at least that way your insurance is contributing to the cost.

[discotwinturbo]

I had mine replaced recently.

Told my insurer I wanted factory glass, and explained the reasons. Was put on hold for about 15 secs. They approved it.

Glass is perfect.

Brett.....

[AnD3rew]

So who can supply factory glass, is it only a stealer? Or will the big replacement companies source them for you?

[discotwinturbo]

So who can supply factory glass, is it only a stealer? Or will the big replacement companies source them for you?

Instant windscreens purchased mine from Southerns land rover.

Southerns can organise it and do it, but it comes down to the insurer. My insurer wanted instants to install it.

Brett...

[irondoc]

I got mine done at a dealer. Insurer said they would only pay approx $750 which was for an aftermarket one. I said fine I will pay the difference.

Dealer did it for approx $1,100. I sent the bill to the insurance company and they paid the whole lot.

[ADMIRAL]

I had my screen replaced by "Instant Windscreens" in Kalgoorlie. They sourced the glass from Barbagallo (Landrover distributor) in Perth - I was never offered an after market option.

Only issue that I had was that they did not replace the clips in the two side dress strips with genuine Landrover clips - they used the cheap white ones from Supercrap Auto or similar. Both dress strips popped off shortly after the windscreen was replaced. I have since obtained the genuine clips from Barbagallo and replaced them all myself - no more problems.

(It gets bloody noisy in the cab driving at highway speed when one of these dress strips lifts off - but at least they do not come right off and disappear into the wild blue yonder - the bonnet holds the bottom of them so that they stay with the vehicle).

Had one of our Roadtrains half tear off one of these dress strips up North a year or so ago. Had to tape it down until I could get new clips.

[tiddy]

I cracked a windscreen in our 3 week old MY14 going to Brisbane last week, contacted the insurer, we have unlimited windscreen & glass replacement with no excess, they approved the replacement through O'Briens, which would have been generic.

I asked the insurer for genuine LR/Pilkington glass & after a discussion they approved genuine glass which gets put in on Monday.

O'Briens quoted supply & fit genuine LR windscreen @ $1402.67, genuine LR heated screen & $1725.72 and O'Briens/generic @ $558.00.

Very happy to be getting genuine glass, I assume it will come with new clips?

[LandyAndy]

I have had 2 non genuine screens fitted to my D2,both had to be re-sealed by the installer.
Into the future I will now be demanding my insurer uses genuine glass on ANY vehicle I insure with them.
Andrew

[bbyer]

A few months back, I replaced the Genuine Heated windscreen on my LR3.

Here there were three choices of heated screen available: a), something from China; b), a Pilkington Optikool with the Land Rover name in the bottom left corner, and c), a Pilkington Optikool with the Pilkington cross logo in the bottom left corner per the jpg attached.

I installed C as it was about a thousand dollars and the B, the heated windscreen with the Land Rover logo, about double. The comment was that both B and C were the same glass, just following differing distribution paths.

I also installed new genuine left and right A pillar covers and the cowl strip.

[LGM]

Without going into the long, long story (on another thread) I am on Windscreen 4 or is it 5, I forget, on my MY11 D4.

Oh the joys of living in the country.

The insurer was not involved at this stage as I had well and truly exceeded any 'free' allocation. Also by this time I was not convinced that the genuine article was up to the job. It only had to see a stone coming at it and it cracked. Usually at the centre base of the screen. Hence I and my bank account gladly installed a generic (read cheaper) windscreen.

The truth of the matter is that in practice I can't tell the difference from a heating or cooling perspective and since the 'el-cheapo' was installed I have had a number of stone hits and guess what? It has not broken!

So give me the generic but seemingly stronger screen and I am happy!:)

Good things come in glass! Go China!

[Basil135]

I had my front screen replaced last month.

Driving to Sydney, and copped a stone from a passing truck. Heard it, but thought we had survived unscathed. Next day, after driving about 400 kms, we got back in the car after a rest, and as I pulled my door shut, the screen cracked. :mad:

Drove on to Sydney & around there for a few days, then back home. Rang the insurance, and had it replaced as part of some other work that was being done, at the crash repairers. (Not my fault)

When I asked the insurance if it would be genuine glass, they replied that that was all they used on cars under 3 years old. There was never any question.

[Cleasc]

What insurers are people with that have been happy to replace with original glass???

[bob2s]

Just got off the phone to NRMA re windscreen replacement ,was told to tell the repairer that orig. parts to be used.I would hope that this was the case as the D4 is less than a year old.

[discotwinturbo]

What insurers are people with that have been happy to replace with original glass???

GIO for Disco.

Also genuine for my Touareg....at 6 years of age. Vw is with Qbe.

Brett....

[NavyDiver]

I was offered gen or non genuine when getting a road worthy. I am certain the rain sensor worked much better before I saved a few $$$ with the non genuine. It is not a big issue but was clearly not as good and needing much more manual wiper adjustment.

[Ferret]

No argument from Allianz when Instant Windows replaced mine with genuine glass.