bum windshield replacement - is XYG glass part of PPG?
09-06-2013, 01:48 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-25-2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 8
bum windshield replacement - is XYG glass part of PPG?
I have a 2008 LT. The windshield was replaced today at Belle Tire. When I picked up the car I noticed that the top of the glass didn't look like it fit correctly. I asked them if it was PPG glass like I had specified and they said it was; although it has a logo that says "XYG laminated safety glass."
The Chevy dealer that had told me to take it to Belle Tire is just down the road so I stopped in and had the body shop personnel take a look. They agreed that it's messed up - either wrong part or faulty manufacturing. Flush at top center but not at top corners. Not aligned correctly with VIN tag. Cowl not sitting flush. They recommended that I take photos and send them to my insurance company, Auto Owners, and have another windshield installed. So that's what I'm doing. I will see what they have to say. Not sure, but the chat on the web is indicating that the PPG subsiduary "Pittsburgh Glass Works" may be importing these replacement windshields from China.
My first time trying to attach photos, so hopefully this works…
The Chevy dealer that had told me to take it to Belle Tire is just down the road so I stopped in and had the body shop personnel take a look. They agreed that it's messed up - either wrong part or faulty manufacturing. Flush at top center but not at top corners. Not aligned correctly with VIN tag. Cowl not sitting flush. They recommended that I take photos and send them to my insurance company, Auto Owners, and have another windshield installed. So that's what I'm doing. I will see what they have to say. Not sure, but the chat on the web is indicating that the PPG subsiduary "Pittsburgh Glass Works" may be importing these replacement windshields from China.
My first time trying to attach photos, so hopefully this works…
Last edited by 843de; 09-06-2013 at 10:11 PM. Reason: Resized images.....
09-06-2013, 01:59 PM
#2
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,698
Bummer, whatever happened to pride in your work, and not just there you go, now pay the bill ? seeing as the windshield is an important safety feature and proper install is a must for the airbags should they be required. I'd be hounding Belle Tire on this one.
09-06-2013, 03:25 PM
#3
Platinum Member
Join Date: 04-09-2006
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 7,037
XYG - http://www.xinyiglass.com/en/about5.html is located in the orient. It definitely is not associated with PPG. Yeah, Oldblue's suggestion about going back to Belle Tire on this one is right on. They ripped you off, not the insurance company, and they did a sloppy job on top of it all.
09-06-2013, 04:37 PM
#4
Deceased
Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
That's pretty ugly, and something else to nail them with, HHR windshields are bonded in so that they contrbute to the vehicle's structural integrity when the adhesive is cured.
Resized your images, and incompetent doesn't do it justice, that's that job is plain crappy.
Resized your images, and incompetent doesn't do it justice, that's that job is plain crappy.
Last edited by 843de; 09-06-2013 at 10:15 PM. Reason: Edited OP's image sizes.
09-06-2013, 05:56 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-11-2007
Location: Palm Bay, Florida
Posts: 1,379
I have had the windshield twice (one time a huge crack, the second a stone chip) in my 06, one my Safelite, the other was a PPG replacement. Both times the windshied was done correctly, your was either the wrong glass or installed incorrectly. Another "fine: replacement part from China 
:
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09-06-2013, 06:06 PM
#6
Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
Posts: 25,326
They may have omitted the plastic "wings". They are purely cosmetic, maybe some noise reduction. I had one installer ask ME how to put them on. I get new windshields basically yearly. The cowl does not need to be flush, once again cosmetic.
But, that is definitely "installer error"!!!!!! Really bad job. The glass is not to blame. I personally do not care where or by whom the windshield is made, they all pass the same tests before they get certified.
But, that is definitely "installer error"!!!!!! Really bad job. The glass is not to blame. I personally do not care where or by whom the windshield is made, they all pass the same tests before they get certified.
09-06-2013, 11:27 PM
#7
Platinum Member
Join Date: 01-09-2007
Location: SE USA
Posts: 15,976
Bummer...........Years ago I replaced mine with a PGW Solor green with frosted tint on top.. & is labeled as a PGW...
Not sure, believe PGW (Pittsburgh Glass Works) was from PPG.. Either way, it's been fine
http://www.pgwglass.com/products/Pag...Products.aspx#
Not sure, believe PGW (Pittsburgh Glass Works) was from PPG.. Either way, it's been fine
http://www.pgwglass.com/products/Pag...Products.aspx#
09-07-2013, 11:08 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-19-2007
Location: Amherstburg, On Can.
Posts: 134
Windshield replacement
I had a windshield replaced by Speedy Auto Glass thru my local Chevy dealer on my wife's Lumina Van (accidental damage)...I had an issue with Speedy when they messed up the metal windshield wiper arm nut covers (scratched and chewed) and the wiper arm sweep action.
One call from the dealer and another from my Insurer and they fixed it post haste the next day.
Clare
One call from the dealer and another from my Insurer and they fixed it post haste the next day.
Clare
09-07-2013, 04:18 PM
#9
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,698
Let us know how you make out with dealing with the glass company, and are those scratches in the paint from their crappy work? I couldn't see the images first time I looked, but man that is all down to the clod who installed it, very sloppy very poor workmanship absolutely no pride in his or her work.
09-14-2013, 11:44 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-25-2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 8
bum windshield replacement by Belle Tire - XYG glass
Yes, the damage is from the crappy windshield replacement at Belle Tire. That was the original glass that they removed.
I stopped in at a couple body/glass shops this week to get some info and advice. They confirmed my suspicion that “XYG” is 2nd rate aftermarket glass made overseas. PPG sold their auto glass division a few years ago. The new company is called PGW (Pittsburg Glass Works). PGW still manufactures quality glass similar to what PPG did, some domestic and some overseas, but they also supply their customers such as Belle Tire with the cheap XYG glass that was installed in my car. That is why the assistant manager at Belle Tire quickly flashed a PGW shipping invoice in my face but then refused to make a photo copy of it for me. He tried to pull the wool over my eyes by saying that it was indeed the PGW glass I had ordered and that “XYG” only refers to the solar tinting.
When I stopped in at Safelite they happened to have a PGW windshield in their company car, which also happened to be a Chevy HHR! It looked good… had a “PGW” logo at the bottom of windshield. They gave me the PGW part number. They also recommended glass made by Crimanex, which is the original manufacturer of the glass for the HHR.
IT DEFINITELY DOES MATTER WHO MAKES THE GLASS. Not only does the XYG brand windshield not look and fit good, the black XYG logo is directly over the light sensor for auto headlights, which means the lights are going to be on more.
I took some additional photos this morning (can a moderator please resize them for me, thanks)…
On advice from the Chevy dealer body shop, when I got home later that day after the crappy installation, I sent that 1st batch of photos to my Auto Owners agent. 4 days later, after the agent made no reply to the email (plus a previous email and a voice mail message that I had left requesting that she contact me), I decided to contact Auto Owners corporate office directly. That turned out just as bad, as they have no customer support… they put you on hold when the message “we will be with you shortly, if you would like to leave a message press 1.” After holding for 34 minutes, I left a message stating that my agent was not replying to my messages and that I needed a company representative, not my agent, to call me. They never returned my message even though I very clearly left my policy number, name, and phone # twice. Instead of calling me, they called the agent and within an hour I get a message from the agent stating that she sent the photos to Auto Owners and that Auto Owners should contact me the next day. Well they didn’t. It’s obvious that Auto Owners wanted me to either give up or to settle with Belle Tire without sending out an adjuster to look at the damage and opening up a claim.
At the end of the business day Friday, one week after reporting the damage, I got a message from a representative of Belle Tire stating that they would like to install a PGW windshield (formerly PPG glass) like I had originally specified and rectify the situation. She left her name and number and said that she would be back in on Monday.
I think I will email the Belle Tire representative a link to this forum thread. What do you guys think Belle Tire should do to “rectify” the situation? I definitely will not be taking my vehicle back to the Belle Tire shop. I think Belle Tire should pay to have the Chevy dealership repair the damage and then install the PGW windshield there at the dealership. And as compensation for the headache & trying to screw me over, have the dealer mount and balance 4 new tires. What do you guys think, sound reasonable?
I stopped in at a couple body/glass shops this week to get some info and advice. They confirmed my suspicion that “XYG” is 2nd rate aftermarket glass made overseas. PPG sold their auto glass division a few years ago. The new company is called PGW (Pittsburg Glass Works). PGW still manufactures quality glass similar to what PPG did, some domestic and some overseas, but they also supply their customers such as Belle Tire with the cheap XYG glass that was installed in my car. That is why the assistant manager at Belle Tire quickly flashed a PGW shipping invoice in my face but then refused to make a photo copy of it for me. He tried to pull the wool over my eyes by saying that it was indeed the PGW glass I had ordered and that “XYG” only refers to the solar tinting.
When I stopped in at Safelite they happened to have a PGW windshield in their company car, which also happened to be a Chevy HHR! It looked good… had a “PGW” logo at the bottom of windshield. They gave me the PGW part number. They also recommended glass made by Crimanex, which is the original manufacturer of the glass for the HHR.
IT DEFINITELY DOES MATTER WHO MAKES THE GLASS. Not only does the XYG brand windshield not look and fit good, the black XYG logo is directly over the light sensor for auto headlights, which means the lights are going to be on more.
I took some additional photos this morning (can a moderator please resize them for me, thanks)…
On advice from the Chevy dealer body shop, when I got home later that day after the crappy installation, I sent that 1st batch of photos to my Auto Owners agent. 4 days later, after the agent made no reply to the email (plus a previous email and a voice mail message that I had left requesting that she contact me), I decided to contact Auto Owners corporate office directly. That turned out just as bad, as they have no customer support… they put you on hold when the message “we will be with you shortly, if you would like to leave a message press 1.” After holding for 34 minutes, I left a message stating that my agent was not replying to my messages and that I needed a company representative, not my agent, to call me. They never returned my message even though I very clearly left my policy number, name, and phone # twice. Instead of calling me, they called the agent and within an hour I get a message from the agent stating that she sent the photos to Auto Owners and that Auto Owners should contact me the next day. Well they didn’t. It’s obvious that Auto Owners wanted me to either give up or to settle with Belle Tire without sending out an adjuster to look at the damage and opening up a claim.
At the end of the business day Friday, one week after reporting the damage, I got a message from a representative of Belle Tire stating that they would like to install a PGW windshield (formerly PPG glass) like I had originally specified and rectify the situation. She left her name and number and said that she would be back in on Monday.
I think I will email the Belle Tire representative a link to this forum thread. What do you guys think Belle Tire should do to “rectify” the situation? I definitely will not be taking my vehicle back to the Belle Tire shop. I think Belle Tire should pay to have the Chevy dealership repair the damage and then install the PGW windshield there at the dealership. And as compensation for the headache & trying to screw me over, have the dealer mount and balance 4 new tires. What do you guys think, sound reasonable?
Last edited by 843de; 09-14-2013 at 01:07 PM. Reason: Resized images.....