Mismatching Glass Brands?

Anwar1995 · 09-11-2023, 11:16 AM

Hello everyone,

I am planning to change my windshield since it got so many small rock chips that make everything blurry at night and also debating to change the rear one since the rubber seal around it started to crack and melt from the heat but when I was doing my research about the brands that I could get, I noticed something weird.

The front glass brand is Pilkington.
Doors glass are AGC except the quartor windows of the rear doors they are Pilkington.
The rear glass is Guardian.
All of the glass has the BMW logo on it.

I this normal? can someone verify this with their own F10? or this means that its likely that one or more pieces of glass were replaced on the car before?

Qsilver7 · 09-12-2023, 07:50 AM

Yes, this is normal. The good news is...all of them have the BMW Roundel or logo on them from what you write...which means they are probably the original glass.

The type of glass used for the front windshield is different from the side and rear glass. The windshield is LAMINATED glass...where as the side and rear are TEMPERED GLASS.

This is probably why they have different manufacturers. Laminated glass has a sheet of PVB (polyvinyl butyral) between two layers of glass...and it is all fused together. Laminated glass will break during a collision but it will not fly into shards. The glass is designed not to shatter even after taking heavy impact. This eliminates the possibility of passengers in a vehicle being injured by flying glass. In case the occupant in the vehicle is thrown into the window, the laminated glass acts somewhat like a cushion.

Tempered glass (which is used on the side & rear windows) will break into small pebble-like pieces of glass when it breaks. These pieces are not sharp and will not cause bodily harm if they fall into a person’s body. Due to their design...if this type of glass gets chipped or cracked...it can't be repaired like the front windshield...and usually requires replacement.

Hopefully other f10/f11 owners will chime in with what they have to help ease your concerns.

Anwar1995 · 09-13-2023, 05:07 PM

Qsilver7 Wow, thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. Indeed I was happy to see the BMW logo on all of the glass pieces but I was curious if any other F10 owners have also more than 1 glass brand on their cars. I got the point of the types of glass being different but does it actually leave the factory with more than one brand? or do they leave the factory with the same brand but different types (laminated for front and tempered everywhere else but same brand)?

StradaRedlands · 09-13-2023, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anwar1995

Qsilver7 Wow, thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. Indeed I was happy to see the BMW logo on all of the glass pieces but I was curious if any other F10 owners have also more than 1 glass brand on their cars. I got the point of the types of glass being different but does it actually leave the factory with more than one brand? or do they leave the factory with the same brand but different types (laminated for front and tempered everywhere else but same brand)?

Data point from our '11: It is the same as your car with the sides all BMW branded AGC, quarters are BMW branded Pilkington, rear is BMW branded Guardian. Front is a Fuyao that we installed after previous one cracked.

Hoa · 09-15-2023, 10:00 AM

If you are replacing front windshield, go for Pilkington or BMW (Pilkington makes BMW windshield). I've had 3 windshield replaced on my car in the past 10 years and will not use Fuyao ever again. Original was damaged due to road debris so Safelite installed a Pilkington one and its almost like BMW. You just won't get the BMW logo or connected drive words where the KAFAS camera is at. I think it's as good as BMW. It can handle tiny rocks hitting it on the highway well. After 5 years, the top edge started to delaminate a little and I got a lot of tiny chips from being sandblasted on the highway for almost 200K miles. One day it finally have a small crack where there is a line. Safelite installed a Fuyao and assured me it's as good as Pilkington. I noticed light ghosting issue right away but it's not terrible unless I look at oncoming cars with bright drl so I didn't make Safelite replace it. I then notice it get rock chips so easily. My schedule is busy so I took it back to Safelite a year later and luckily they approved the lifetime warranty and I got OEM BMW windshield. It have been perfect since then.

Everyone's experience with Fuyao and other brands may be different but that is mines and I do see a lot of others with similar issues when not using Pilkington or BMW glass for the front. Hope it helps you decide what to get.

09-11-2023, 11:16 AM	#1
Anwar1995 Private 44 Rep 102 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW 535i Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Oman, Muscat iTrader: (0)	Mismatching Glass Brands? Hello everyone, I am planning to change my windshield since it got so many small rock chips that make everything blurry at night and also debating to change the rear one since the rubber seal around it started to crack and melt from the heat but when I was doing my research about the brands that I could get, I noticed something weird. The front glass brand is Pilkington. Doors glass are AGC except the quartor windows of the rear doors they are Pilkington. The rear glass is Guardian. All of the glass has the BMW logo on it. I this normal? can someone verify this with their own F10? or this means that its likely that one or more pieces of glass were replaced on the car before?
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09-12-2023, 07:50 AM	#2
Qsilver7 Major General 4916 Rep 8,108 Posts Drives: F06 650ix GC / F15 X5 50i Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Indiana, USA iTrader: (0)	Yes, this is normal. The good news is...all of them have the BMW Roundel or logo on them from what you write...which means they are probably the original glass. The type of glass used for the front windshield is different from the side and rear glass. The windshield is LAMINATED glass...where as the side and rear are TEMPERED GLASS. This is probably why they have different manufacturers. Laminated glass has a sheet of PVB (polyvinyl butyral) between two layers of glass...and it is all fused together. Laminated glass will break during a collision but it will not fly into shards. The glass is designed not to shatter even after taking heavy impact. This eliminates the possibility of passengers in a vehicle being injured by flying glass. In case the occupant in the vehicle is thrown into the window, the laminated glass acts somewhat like a cushion. Tempered glass (which is used on the side & rear windows) will break into small pebble-like pieces of glass when it breaks. These pieces are not sharp and will not cause bodily harm if they fall into a person’s body. Due to their design...if this type of glass gets chipped or cracked...it can't be repaired like the front windshield...and usually requires replacement. Hopefully other f10/f11 owners will chime in with what they have to help ease your concerns. __________________ 2015 F06 650ix Gran Coupe`(Moonstone/Cohiba Brown)\| 2014 F15 X5 50i MSport (Space Gray/Mocha) Become a BMW CCA member! Click HERE to join and feel free to use my BMW CCA member #191509 as a referral. Last edited by Qsilver7; 09-14-2023 at 07:34 AM..
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09-13-2023, 05:07 PM	#3
Anwar1995 Private 44 Rep 102 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW 535i Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Oman, Muscat iTrader: (0)	Qsilver7 Wow, thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. Indeed I was happy to see the BMW logo on all of the glass pieces but I was curious if any other F10 owners have also more than 1 glass brand on their cars. I got the point of the types of glass being different but does it actually leave the factory with more than one brand? or do they leave the factory with the same brand but different types (laminated for front and tempered everywhere else but same brand)?
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09-15-2023, 10:00 AM	#5
Hoa Major 672 Rep 1,508 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: May 2010 Location: GA iTrader: (10)	If you are replacing front windshield, go for Pilkington or BMW (Pilkington makes BMW windshield). I've had 3 windshield replaced on my car in the past 10 years and will not use Fuyao ever again. Original was damaged due to road debris so Safelite installed a Pilkington one and its almost like BMW. You just won't get the BMW logo or connected drive words where the KAFAS camera is at. I think it's as good as BMW. It can handle tiny rocks hitting it on the highway well. After 5 years, the top edge started to delaminate a little and I got a lot of tiny chips from being sandblasted on the highway for almost 200K miles. One day it finally have a small crack where there is a line. Safelite installed a Fuyao and assured me it's as good as Pilkington. I noticed light ghosting issue right away but it's not terrible unless I look at oncoming cars with bright drl so I didn't make Safelite replace it. I then notice it get rock chips so easily. My schedule is busy so I took it back to Safelite a year later and luckily they approved the lifetime warranty and I got OEM BMW windshield. It have been perfect since then. Everyone's experience with Fuyao and other brands may be different but that is mines and I do see a lot of others with similar issues when not using Pilkington or BMW glass for the front. Hope it helps you decide what to get.
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