New Windshield (Safelite) bad experience

[Ronzi]

Let me confess at the outset that I don't know squat about installing a windshield, but I'll tell you what an installer did installing a new windshield on my Honda Odyssey, and maybe that will (partially) explain why one guy charges practically nothing to put it in, while another will charge hundreds of dollars.

When the guy took the old windshield out, he pulls out a big linoleum knife thing
and cuts the gasket off the windshield. He then pulls the glass out, lays the new glass in the hole, and GLUES the old gasket back onto the windshield. At least he glues the top half of the gasket, the part that he cut off, onto the glass. The bottom half of the gasket is still laying in the windshield hole, so he doesn't have to do anything with it. All this takes less time to do than it takes me to describe it.
Gone in 60 Seconds, practically.

Maybe I'm nuts and that's the way it's supposed to be done, but it seems to me that the gasket probably is actually one piece of extruded rubber with a channel in it that fits snugly around the edge on both the top and the bottom of the glass. And it's probably a blue ******************** to fit to the glass. Which is why the guys that do it in your driveway don't do it that way.

Nevertheless, the new windshield hasn't leaked a drop, but I have had to re-glue it in both of the upper corners.

[Tool Pants]

Terms like OE or OEM have no set meaning.

I have had 3 windshields on the Box in the 7 plus years that I have owned it.

Thank god the windshield is not a mirror.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=10360

I have watched several other 996/986 windshield replacements. There is no magic. It is just like any other glued-in windshield.

Ronzi's story is funny, and true. The older guys use a long handled tool thing with a blade on the end to cut the glue at the bottom. I have seen it done this way. This makes owners nervous, more so when you have an expensive leather dash like I do.

I told the installer this story when I saw him reach for a modern version of this tool thing, so he switched to a piano wire thing that cuts the glue without a blade. This ended up taking forever so I told him to use the blade. All went well.

I had never used this shop before. All I can tell you for sure is that they had done at least 1 Boxster - mine.

Picture is cutting the glue at the top and sides with yet another tool, but it will not do the bottom or bottom corners.

[Tool Pants]

Four guys to replce a windshield? Must be all those tips....

One guy is enough. And 3 others to supervise.

[z12358]

There are two, barely noticable, circular marks (shadows) on my windshield that, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where they had come from, and they wouldn't just wash away. Now I saw Tool Pant's photo above and -- BINGO: they must have come from those gadgets during the windshield installation. Two questions:
1.Does Porsche use those in the factory or this means the windshield has been replaced at some point before I bought it (brand new)? The marks are on two symetrical spots on each side of he windsheld, so perhaps they DO use them in the factory.
2. How can I get rid of those marks?

[Tool Pants]

Installers use suction cups to move the glass around. No clue how it is done at the factory.

I do not see how a suction cup could leave a permanent mark.

[Perfectlap]

p.s.
I heard back from Safelite regarding my repairs. A vinyl repairman is going to do the dash fix or at least take a look at it. And the chip on my fender is going to get an estimate from the bodyshop my local dealer uses. Oh boy I'm sure those guys are expensive and I'm not taking any chances with mismatched silver by giving it to a 2nd rate shop. Neither am I just going to be ok with a chip in my paint.
I'm guessing these guys are going to charge at least $600 to reshoot the fender.


We'll see what Safelit have to say about that.
By the way those of you in NJ Ray Catena Porsche uses Quality Auto Body in Rahway, NJ. 1st rate work from what I hear from Rennlist 911 owners.

[z12358]

"Installers use suction cups to move the glass around. No clue how it is done at the factory."

Yep, that's exactly where the shadows are.

Perfectlap, good luck with the repairs. What a mess that could have been avoided simply with a little more attention during installation.