1996 Acty SDX

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So far it looks like the actual repair/metal work is done, and it might be close to paint prep. I haven't gotten a delivery date or any communication yet... so maybe they haven't done anything? No idea...

My wife and daughter drive past the body shop twice daily and have been relaying status information, like "we saw it in the parking lot" or "we saw it in a shop bay" or "we didn't see it."

According to Caliber Collision:

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So, yesterday I got some bad news. The glass shop that the body shop contracted to remove and reinstall the windshield broke the glass.


Fun times.
 
Well, shit.


How long is it gonna take for that glass to get here?
No idea. But I doubt they have even ordered it yet.

The Japanese parts supplier says it'll take 7 days for them to get it. Then... Shipping might take a couple weeks.
 
shipping from japan/china is backlogged so much right now. i wouldn't count on it for months, honestly.

 
4-6 months if coming by boat.
 
Wow, that's really unfortunate.
I know how tricky pulling glass is, and usually there is no guarantee to the customer on removing an old windshield.
I would be kind of surprised if they covered the glass, but hopefully they hold the contractor responsible?
 
Wow, that's really unfortunate.
I know how tricky pulling glass is, and usually there is no guarantee to the customer on removing an old windshield.
I would be kind of surprised if they covered the glass, but hopefully they hold the contractor responsible?


All I know is that I brought them a truck with an intact, unbroken, OEM windshield. When they called me to tell me that the glass company broke the glass, the body shop representative informed me that the glass company would be replacing it, once a replacement piece of glass arrives.

All that being said, I want it back with an intact, unbroken, OEM windshield. Unfortunately it's not legal for me to drive it with a broken windshield, so that's going to suck. Per the contract, I can leave it there for 10 days before they charge me for storage.

The contract doesn't say "if we break something, we're not going to replace it" in plain language, so it's going to be up to whoever interprets it. In fact, it says they must tell me in writing or electronic messaging if additional repairs are required, and while they contacted me to get a supplier for the windshield, they didn't respond in writing telling me I was going to pay for it.

I've asked a few people for their thoughts on the situation. I have some solid advice, and it's going to take a while to get this mess taken care of.
 
Any particular reason you are wanting an OEM windshield, besides that's what it had so that's what you want it replaced with?

More a matter of curiosity.
I have removed quite a few windshields in my time, and a decent percentage of them broke but I always got whatever glass the company had quick and cheap.
 
yeah, same. i had one bad glass. made everything seem cartoon house. they replaced it again free.


i think the availability is the issue.
 
yeah, same. i had one bad glass. made everything seem cartoon house. they replaced it again free.


i think the availability is the issue.
The secret nobody tells you is that an "original quality" windshield means that it means DOT, not an optically correct windshield.

I too have had "original quality" windshields made by a few suppliers, and they all have optical correctness issues, pit and crack quickly, and the surface hardness is never up to the original quality. I also don't trust that it's as structurally sound as OEM glass. A company that makes money replacing broken windshields has an economic incentive to keep replacing windshields, just like how apple has an incentive to keep iPhones un-repairable.

Any particular reason you are wanting an OEM windshield, besides that's what it had so that's what you want it replaced with?

More a matter of curiosity.
I have removed quite a few windshields in my time, and a decent percentage of them broke but I always got whatever glass the company had quick and cheap.
When you look at a car to buy, do you check the glass manufacturer? Do you gently peel back weatherstripping to look for rust? Do you shake the wheel to check for play? If I saw a non-oem windshield, I'd be suspicious and I'd spend more time looking at everything.

With this particular car, I'm in an interesting predicament with the windshield, since it's a JDM Import, if it doesn't all match with JDM parts and stuff the importation status could be called into question. Also, who's to say that a potential buyer wouldn't pass on one with a non-OEM windshield? I sure would consider it.

All this, and there's really no way to get a non-oem windshield that meets the DOT standards, so it's a moot point anyway. The best route is to order from Honda, have it crated, and have it shipped airmail.
 
I called the body shop again today.

I got a different person, who is now the General Manager. He revealed to me that the entire administrative staff of this place quit on the same day, didn't leave much if any documentation, made a lot of promises in both writing and verbally, and didn't do a lot of the things they agreed to do for customers. He told me that he'd research it and get back to me. He called me back about 10 minutes later and told me that they didn't order the windshield like they'd told me on the 8th, and he will take care of it.

I decided to stop by the shop today after work, and had a good talk with the new GM, who was more than happy to put everything into writing, showed me the truck, and assured me that he will get the glass purchased and will have it installed the same day it arrives.

So, I requested another quote from the Japanese supplier, this time with their shipping address, and he'll buy it as soon as we get the quote back. He said he doesn't care what it costs, because that's the price and he needs to get it taken care of. So... It's getting shipped via air.

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The truck looks great, except for the lack of windshield glass. Lol.
 
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