Home | Broken Car Window Repair »
Why You Want OEM Auto Glass Parts
By gguild | September 13, 2007
Did you know that your car’s windshield acts as a major component of a highly engineered crash management system?
“How does this impact me,” you may ask? Well, without proper installation of OEM auto glass windshields and adhesives by certified technicians, it could be a rather serious or even fatal impact. OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer parts, means your vehicle’s windshield or other auto glass is produced from original equipment-style tooling and meets the manufacturer specifications for safety and quality to protect you in case of an accident.
Your windshield can contribute as much as 60 percent to the support of the roof during roof crush and rollover accidents! In front end collisions, the windshield is the backboard for the passenger side airbag. The windshield actually absorbs the force of the airbag upon deployment of speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Thus, the use of OEM auto glass parts is essential.
Why Only OEM Auto Glass Parts?
Stringent standards. OEM auto glass standards and specifications are more stringent than Department of Transportation (DOT) standards. OEM auto glass standards require 100 percent windshield retention in frontal barrier crash tests, while DOT only requires 80 percent! Would you want to chance your life, and your family’s life, to that other 20 percent? Furthermore, the higher standards of OEM auto glass parts ensure that a vehicle can be brought back to pre-accident condition. Some aftermarket parts do not match the tolerance, thickness, and shape of OEM auto glass parts; therefore, they can have a higher rate of leakage, wind noise, imperfect fit, solar performance, and optical distortion. In other words, your safety could be at risk.
Protect your warranty. Installation of OEM auto glass parts will ensure your vehicle manufacturers’ auto glass warranties will not be in jeopardy as it would be aftermarket auto glass parts.
The following are just some of the OEM auto glass manufacturers that certain quality auto glass shops work with:
- Pittsburg Plate Glass (PPG)
- Carlite
- Ford
- Safeguard/Mopar
- Pilkington
- Asahi
- AP Tech
- Triplex
- Sekurit
- Sicursiv
- Scanex
- Crinamex
- Guardian
Be sure to ask the following questions of any auto glass shop that you are considering for auto glass repair and replacement:
- Do you use OEM auto glass parts, adhesives and glass?
- Do you use certified auto glass technicians?
- Do you have a written adhesive usage policy and what is the safe drive away time? (There is only ONE urethane manufacturer whose adhesive has been endorsed and approved for use by all major call manufacturers – Essex Urethane Autoglass Adhesives!)
- What is the auto glass company response time?
- Is ample time allowed for a proper and safe installation?
- Are the manufacturer’s auto glass specifications followed?
- Do you offer a transferable lifetime warranty on auto glass parts and workmanship?
Check with your insurance carrier to see if they include auto glass shops that provide only OEM auto glass parts and adhesives. Many of the major insurance companies will have a list of auto glass shops for you to choose from; however, it is possible that only some of these them will have the quality OEM auto glass parts you desire. You could be improperly steered to a facility of their choice for “cost saving reasons.”
December 1st, 2007 at 12:38 pm
If you know your local insurance agent pretty well, then I would suggest calling your agent as he/she may know a reputable auto glass company that perhaps would put the safety of you and your family first. For those of you that don’t particuraly know your insurance agent that well. I would recommend checking with the Better Business Bureau or with (Agrss) Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards council or you can go with my favorite bestautoglassrepair.com. Or you can almost always find what you want With a little research and due diligence.