safelite windshields for spiders?

2108 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Art Vandelay, Oct 18, 2007

WopJob

Discussion Starter · Sep 25, 2007

My car just failed NJ inspection for cracked windshield. I was searching the Safelite web site for a ball park cost of a bronze tinted one. they have a $425 price with a 47% discount or $200 installed. Caveat any extra labor is, well, extra.
I would suspect about $100 tacked even If I remove the chrome, which I intend to do anyway.

I Used safelite for my other mundane cars, and they did a good job. I hesitate to have the spider done there annd was wondering if any of you BBers have used them.

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aldo

· #2 · Sep 25, 2007

Tony,
They don't stock the rubber gasket, so if you think you'll need a new one have it in hand before you make your appointment.

Zunige

· #3 · Sep 25, 2007

If you want to check out alternatives, take a look at this thread. There is contact info on post #18, but the whole thread is informative... If you want an Alfa shop (may or may not be more expensive) to handle this for you, I would recommend Col-Gen. (PM me if you would like their number - don't like to post phones openly since shop could inundated with calls...)

Best regards,

Reactions: 1

Elio Comello

· #4 · Sep 26, 2007

You will get a better job and save $$ if you remove the windshield yourself and clean up. It will give you a chance to prime/paint any rust etc.,

Just insert a sharp knife under the window gasket flat on the glass and make a cut at the gasket edge. The Old rubber will then just peel off from the outside face of the glass. After that you can simply push out the old windshield and remove the gasket from the window metal frame.

You will need to note and replace the clips at the bottom of the windshield (under the gasket) these need to be positioned so as to receive the lip of the metal air intake vallance (8 I think). If these are rusted or "gone" they are unobtanium. I have a few...

That's what I did..

Best regards, Elio

rgsspider

· #5 · Sep 26, 2007

Good experience with Safelite

I used Safelite to replace my windshield last spring and was very happy with the job and price. The guy came to my house on a Saturday morning and actually had quite a bit of experience with Spiders. I am sure that it would not have gone quite as smoothly if he hadn't done some Spiders previously though. But for $200 bucks, I was a very happy camper and the new windshield looks so much better than the delaminated, chipped one it replaced.

I would ask if they have any installers that have had experience with Alfas and if they do, then go for it.

WopJob

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 26, 2007

did you have to provide that gasket? I guess you had the "Autumn special" did they remove the Chrome?
Normally I would takle thsi job myself, mainly for the reason suggested bythe other members. But $200 is cheaper than buying the glass alone.

did you have to pay any extra?

Tony

lowmileage

· #7 · Sep 26, 2007

You might also want to check a PPG recommended installer. Go to the PPG site.

Elio Comello

· #8 · Sep 26, 2007

Just a thought: not replacing the windshield gasket is false economy unless your existing gasket is very, very new.

Elio

rgsspider

· #9 · Sep 27, 2007

The gasket on my car was in decent shape and did not need to be replaced. I was chatting the whole time with the guy that changed the windshield and saw everything that was done. All the chrome was removed and then replaced during the installation.

The only thing he suggested was to replace the putty which he reused when I get the car repainted (hopefully in the next year or two). This guy definitely knew his stuff and had obviously done a bunch of Spider windshields previously.

Spider 79

· #10 · Sep 28, 2007

For NJ, that sounds like a very reasonable price. I will need mine done in the near future, so if you are satisified with the work, let me know.

maxwedge

· #11 · Sep 29, 2007 (Edited)

Originally tried novus but they gave me the run around for a week. So I just called the Safelite 800# out of the phonebook. I have to say they did a fantastic job, It did take them an extra day to get all the parts they needed, but since three different local places told me the windsheild was NLA, and would have to be bought used, I was impressed when the girl said they had 4 windsheilds in stock at a Chicago warehouse and could have them here in and installed (120mi away) in 48hrs.

Guy came to my house while I was at work, I left a check for $200 in the glovebox. Done deal. Wow! He must have polished all the chrome because it looked brand new when he was done. I was honstly looking at the previously dirty and scratched trim and thinking "Did they replace all the trim?" I was very stunned how good of a job they did since I wasn't home at the time and he could have half -assed it if he wanted to, but he didn't. Doesn't leak and it looks way better without a bullet hole in it. I actually called back to thank the guy that put it in.

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WopJob

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 16, 2007

Safelite was too good to be true. they could not locate a windshield for me.

jjb

· #13 · Oct 17, 2007

Safelite was too good to be true. they could not locate a windshield for me.

Same for me with my Series 1. The Chinese ones that Prosource and Centerline sell turned out to be the only new ones I could find after a long search. I tried everybody. (Gave up on ReOriginals here in Houston after waiting nearly 7 months, then being told it would be another 3 months.)

Andrew

· #14 · Oct 17, 2007

I just had Safelite's San Francisco shop put a new windshield in my 89 Graduate and it went off without a hitch. They had only green, not bronze (what my car had) in stock, which was too bad, but so it goes. $209 installed. They reused the old gasket and it sealed and went it fine. I removed and reinstalled all the trim myself.

They managed to ding hell out of my pass door somehow, so after they paid off on that I made money on the deal.

Andrew

Art Vandelay

· #15 · Oct 17, 2007

A few moths ago I looked at an absolutely beautiful (one-owner, low-miles, all original paint/wheels/leather) '87 BMW M6, and noticed it had a Safelite windshield. The owner said a rock hauler on the interstate caused a small bullseye with an expanding crack, and the glass had been replaced about 6 years ago. Being a cautious buyer, I gently peeled up the rubber trim at several points around the glass with a fingernail, and that was the deal-breaker. There was serious, perforating rust everywhere, and a proper repair would have been prohibitively pricey. The owner was genuinely shocked, couldn't have been more apologetic (I drove 3 hours to see it), offered to take $1,500 off the deal, but I had to walk away. The BMW windshield is probably a bit more complex than a Spider's, but I'd want to watch anyone putting one in a Spider, and I'd have a new gasket and sealer on hand for the job.

WopJob

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 17, 2007

I already got a gasket and clips from IAP in preparation for this. I will try to find a used one in a few months or so, then try to do it myself. Still puzlled by the cris crosses rope trick. the ALfa manual shows 2 ropes, I assume when only one rope is used it must be criss crossed fro some reason can anybody explain? I saw the other thread on this board with the pictures but I still don't understand what the rope is for, to keep the gasket in place during installation??

Art Vandelay

· #17 · Oct 18, 2007

The rope (just one) is positioned in the groove of the gasket, and as you pull each end the rope pulls out the lip of the gasket so the glass can pop into place.

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