For over 2 years my windshield on my 2008 Scion XB had a circular crack that looked like a baseball, and surprisingly I was never pulled over. One day I was getting some tire work done across the street at Richmond Tire, who are great people by the way. While I waited for my tire to be changed, I crossed the street and got a quote for my windshield and was surprised at the reasonable cost. Even so it still took me 2 years to get it replaced for several reasons, beginning with cost.
My mechanic quoted me $220, Duran's quoted $189, a nearby competitor, literally down the street quoted me an unbelievable $140, and lastly my dealer quoted me $885 just for the glass. I was moments away from replacing my windshield at $140, but moved the appointment to the next day. As I left, I took a look at the glass they were going to install and it was a brand called XYG. As I left, I began Googling XYG and to my surprise it's just about the worst piece of glass you can get. I decided to stop at Duran's and ask what kind of glass they were going to use with my $189 quote and they said Pilkington and assured me its a high-quality piece and the closest thing to dealer. I asked if they could special order such brands like PPG, which is very reputable but they were unable, but assured me on Pilkington.
I went home and began to research auto glass. It's safe to say I know more about auto glass than a normal person. There are three different types of auto glass: dealer, OEM, and aftermarket. Dealer glass is directly from your car manufacturer, with your make engraved on to the glass, but expect to pay close to $1000 just for glass. OEM is the next best thing. OEM companies such as Pilkington and PPG have approved contracts with car makers and are precise in every way and are affordable. Aftermarket is your worse option as they are 3rd party vendors, who have no license or approval from car makers to manufacture glass, such as XYG, but is priced significantly lower.
If you're like myself and have a fine appreciation for automobiles, you'll find yourself getting dealer glass if possible. However, if you do not have comprehensive insurance, you're more than likely going to have to settle for OEM. Sure, it doesn't say your car make on the glass, but your saving hundreds, and hundreds of dollars. I would strongly advise staying away from aftermarket glass. The price difference from aftermarket to OEM is very, very minimal.
As for the quality of work by Duran's; simply excellent. The majority of the installers are young, Hispanic men, who know exactly what they're doing and have years of experience under their belt. One of the installers is who recommended Pilkington glass and was right on the money. The finished product looks identical to the factory. The installation took less than 45 minutes and were thoroughly professional, with no corners being cut, and taking their time to clean the opening and new glass before installing. I was hesitant of breaking the factory seal but the finished product looks amazing and have subsided my worries. I know I can count on the fine folks at Duran's, especially with their warranty. There's tons of options for auto glass in San Pablo and Richmond, but I'm confident in saying I've found the best of them all.
Note: Safelite does not necessarily mean quality, as they are known to use aftermarket glass, such as XYG, depending on what your insurance company instructs. I recommend Duran's, period. read more