Ls400 Windscreen Replacement Not By Lexus

[Malc]

Hi guys, just had to have a new windscreen for the MOT ............. an 8" crack just appeared overnight.

The old Lexus imprinted screen which I thought might have been the original just wasn't.

I asked the company doing the work to make sure they got the new silver trim piece at the top coz i remember from times past this was a real issue in refitting my Mk2 Lexus screen.............................lucky they did so.

The old screen had the silver strip ok but it had been bodged being put in, presumably by Lexus as it was an original Lexus stamped screen !

The strip had been cut horizontally and glued up so it looked like a complete piece.

I didn't go for replacement metal black strips at the sides ( the insurers wouldn't pay ) and wonder why ............ .. at £150 + VAT EACH strip !

So I now have an amazingly clean new windscreen and amazingly the wind noise I had for the past year or so has just disappeared.

Reckon it was the ill fitting with the old silver trim strip being bodged that probably caused the noise.

Now for the MOT

Malc

[Titch LS]

Malc, I had my windscreen replaced 3 years ago on my (then) Adrian Flux insurance (roughly £70 excess, I believe). Included in the fitting price was replacement of those black aluminium strips that go down the side of the windscreen. My insurance had no qualms about paying for those, so long as I took it to their recommended place. I insisted on an original screen which they were happy to supply. Some very experienced middle aged bloke did a great job of fitting, (I didn't want a spotty apprentice fitting an expensive Lexus screen), and all has been good since.

[Malc]

Problem I had was that the insurers nominated national company couldn't replace my screen for 3 sodding weeks !!! too busy they said.

So they agreed to me getting two quotes and I went with the local company, went to their Sittingbourne premises and waited, had coffees, read my book, while the engineer did the work and he gave me the running commentary.

The MOT was imminent ( see my other post today ) and their national nominated company is just " pants ".

The black side strips were quite ok and refitted well........ after drilling out the steel screws from the corroded aluminium threads that held them in ! But all is well now and as I say, the wind noise has miraculously vanished.

and my £80 excess to pay from the total bill of £215+vat including the new top silver strip at £45 + vat.

Malc

[Bluesman]

I know from previous threads on this subject is that Lexus don't manufacture screens, this is an item that is bought in from a manufacturer that makes screens for loads of different cars. Mike.

[Malc]

yes I see that BUT my old screen actually had Lexus stamped on it !

The new one is just generic, times have changed

Malc

[Bluesman]

yes I see that BUT my old screen actually had Lexus stamped on it !

The new one is just generic, times have changed

Malc

The Lexus names is something that the manufacturer of the screens would put in for you. Brand names, marques, Logos or anything you want included can easily be done. Making windscreens is a very specialised item and the equipment needed to make glass screens is enormously expensive and once acquired and set up would need to be producing screens 24/7 and that's just too many screens for Lexus needs. Its the same with tyres. Mike.

[matt-c]

Mike's right - the glass is bought in, and made by one of the major manufactures, such as Pilkington, Saint Gobain, etc. The dealer logo is added, often in place of the actual manufacturers logo, for screens that are ear-marked for dealer stock. The remaining glass is etched with the manufacturers logo.

Just because the glass in your car has Lexus logos, doesn't mean it's the original glass - in some cases, dealer sourced glass will be used by replacement companies, for various reasons (replacements early in a vehicles production life, dealer implied restrictions on glass sourcing, insurance/account stipulations, customer request, lack of non dealer stamped stock, etc). So it's entirely possibly that a replacement company replaced a screen on a car using dealer glass and it all looks factory - after removing the rear seats from my car recently, I found remnants of broken glass from the back screen. I checked the back screen and it's a dealer glass. Not surprising as my car spent the first few years of it's life as a Lexus employee company car.

In regards to the trim, the factory wouldn't have let the car leave with a cut and glue-joined trim, so this is simply another clue that the windscreen had previously been replaced by a replacement company at some point using a dealer glass, as is the wind noise.