Are all windscreens the same?

[manga_blue]

What's the story with getting a good windscreen? I need a replacement. This car lives on country roads and the thousands of little hits are turning the surface into sandpaper.

I've got no idea about whether some brands or suppliers are better than others in terms of hardness, toughness, weight, distortion or whatever.

[93_Clubman]

Phil, I've brief experience with two of the $200 or so replacement windscreens, which were fine for city & suburban driving, but I don't know how they compare to others. But I suspect, as I think you do, that probably paying a bit more for the right windscreen for your country conditions is the way to go. The original factory windscreens on the three NAs I've had have all pitted, but this of course was over a long period of time.

[Mr Morlock]

windscreens are not all the same. Just like lenses for specs the standards are not all equal. I would think the OE screen is the best but not sure if that is readily buyable. Ford at one stage dumped the local maker ( Pilkington) and went to China and my understanding was that there were problems to follow- not sure what Fords solution was. Best bet is to check some of the MX5 specialists ( MX5 factory have a preference) and see if they can suggest a preferred maker and source.

[manga_blue]

Thanks, I guess I'll just have to try the ringaround then. The trouble is that all the usual suppliers just advertise low price and speed, not quality.

When I think about it I should be more concerned about toughness than anything. I've had a whole Alfasud layshaft with a couple of cogs on it go over the windscreen once and a Datto piston and rod just miss the passenger A pillar.

[Mr nanotech]

The glass should be fine, just be weary of who's putting it in. I know on my old car I assumed that the cheapest option will be just as good as forking out a hundred more.
Instead I ended up with a half ass job with visible silicon from the interior of the car oozing out of the pillars and the rubbers for the windshield not replaced properly.

The glass itself was very good though and was a lot better than the old windscreen I had in before. So in my experience, the answer to your question is yes but just make sure you don't skimp out or you might regret it.

[Guran]

Might be worth asking about the magic word ... WARRANTY. I'd expect that the budget windscreens are a take-it-or-leave-it concern. A quality product is usually backed up with a warranty as evidence of the manufacturer/installer's confidence in the product. No idea if any windscreens are actually offered with a warranty though.

[TieNN89]

A genuine windscreen are usually the best but they are expensive and are usually not off the shelf not to mention our cars aren't exactly current model cars so they may not stock or make them any more

O'Briens seems to be the name in windscreens but I have heard they can be very expensive

A good windscreen is only as good as the fitter fitting it

When the windscreen is fitted make sure you a look inside and out to see if there is something you don't like for example someone mentioned window sikaflex oozing out of the pillars
Once this stuff dries its dried and too late (trust me I've had it on my work cloths)

[Guran]

O'Briens seems to be the name in windscreens but I have heard they can be very expensive

O'Briens also guarantee their workmanship for however long you own your vehicle.

http://www.obrienglass.com.au/O-Brien-q ... 173.0.html

[pcmx5]

My LE screen is about in the same condition as Manga Blues and will certainly need a new one for a RWC.

Walked past a National windscreens outlet locally so asked for a quote;$215 for band tinted fitted.

Can't comment on quality of the screen but the price was pretty amazing.

Peter.

[fattima]

No idea Phil, but I think this needs more explaining!

When I think about it I should be more concerned about toughness than anything. I've had a whole Alfasud layshaft with a couple of cogs on it go over the windscreen once and a Datto piston and rod just miss the passenger A pillar.

[manga_blue]

They weren't mine! Maybe now you understand why I'm so committed to full face helmets. Sometimes I look at what else is on the grid and contemplate whether flak jackets might also have a place in sprints.

[hks_kansei]

The installation is way, way, way more important than the windscreen brand.

about the only difference is that some have the blue strip at the top and some dont, my original screen didnt have it, but my new one (some chinese one) has the blue strip.


Glass is glass, they all have the pass the same tests or whatever.

if a rock hits it, it'll break. Simple as that.

[Mr Morlock]

glass is not just glass- the product is in fact like many things taken for granted an item which requires skill knowledge and expertise to make. Ford had problems with tolerances ( China sourced) and clarity in windscreens is not a given.

There was a gent on the forum who worked for Pilkington before the plug was pulled and he had some observations to make about poor quality windscreen glass- goes back about 2.5 yrs. I was recently given a download by an optometrist on spectacle lenses and the truth is that the cheap lenses made in China are just that- cheap. As consumers most of us have no idea where items are sourced and often little knowledge of the processes.

Insofar as fitting is concerned I was in fact warned to leave WO'B well alone though I have no idea if that was justified. There are very good and careful fitters around some of them specialising in difficult applications. I reckon it is probably a good idea to check automotive professionals eg MX5 repairers - paint shops for recommendations.

[hks_kansei]

I agree Morlock, but Windscreens would need to meet standards to be sold, correct?

While it is possible that a company could make a blurry, awful windscreen, I doubt that it would be sellable in Australia.

While I am not certain that there is a standard, I find it highly unlikely that the quality and safety of windscreens is a completely unregulated industry here. If anybody can shed some light on this I would love to hear it.


perhaps I should have qualified my original statement by mentioning that any windscreen bought from a REPUTABLE retailer should be suitable.

[Col]

It's usually the view on the outside of the glass that the eye/brain focuses on, however people trained in glass quality inspection see what most of you don't. The glass and polyvinylbutacite interlayer, along with exacting manufacturing and QA standards must all be absolutely perfect to produce the best glass for automotive applications. The good news however is, providing you are satisfied with your windscreen, it doesn't matter what I or anyone else really thinks. I have seen good OEM winscreens fail a roadworthy due a tiny chip or two, only to be replaced by dodgy glass just to get a tick in the box on the roadworthy certificate.

Good luck with your projects,
Col