can anyone recommend a reputable shop in northern NJ who can replace the windshield on my 2021 G63?

It was a good run. Over 25k miles before I heard the dreaded sound of stone on glass.

 

Check with your insurance company to see if they have preferred installers. One advantage is your insurer will guarantee your satisfaction with the work.

 

I always went to the dealer for this because the part was impossible to find. Insurance paid twice, Mercedes paid the third time.

 

I went to an independent shop recommended by my insurer. They ordered the glass from an MB dealer -- still took 6 weeks.

 

I found an independent auto glass shop near me who can replace the windshield. The dealership says they have the glass in stock but I'm concerned they wont do a good job. Am I wrong?

 

Ask your dealer if they do the glass replacement or if they send it out to a specialty glass shop. Unless a dealer is doing many windshields every day, it's not profitable to purchase the calibration equipment, train staff and dedicate floor space. I had my glass replaced about 6 months ago by an independent shop, and they did a great job in 3 hours. Many dealers will want your car for a day or two, and fit it in at their convenience.

 

I would never go by the insurance company's recommendation!! They usually try to shop within the network that accepts their pricing agreement which doesn't guarantee they will do a good job !!
Your car will need to be recalibrated after replacing the windshield, the dealer will be more trustworthy because they don't need you to come back with an issue.
From Prev Experinace !!

 

Safelite in Bayonne actually did a great job. Mercedes didn’t have any S-Class windshields in stock anytime soon. It cost me $50 for OEM glass which can also be collected if you have the wheel/tire/windshield insurance.

 

All insurance companies negotiate with suppliers of products they cover, whether auto glass in auto coverage or pharmaceuticals in healthcare. Auto insurers spend billions on advertising to entice customers, and most aren't going to risk losing a customer over a windshield replacement. My insurance company guaranteed my satisfaction with its preferred replacement company, meaning I could go elsewhere and have the replacement done again if the job wasn't done to my satisfaction. Nevertheless, having the job done right is still specific shop dependent, whether an indy shop or a dealership, and it all depends on the experience and skill of the crew doing the work.

 

My only gripe with the shops the insurers want you to use is that they like to use aftermarket parts and I prefer to have OEM parts on my MB.

When I replaced a cracked windshield last year via State Farm they wrote me a check for the replacement cost and said I could take it anywhere I wanted. So, I took it to my local MB dealer, which is owned by Autonation. They ordered the OEM windshield from the factory and then had their windshield team do the installation.

 

As I said in an earlier post, my replacement glass was OEM (complete with Gottlieb Daimler's autograph!), acquired through a MB dealer. I too prefer OEM parts.
An earlier thread on windshield glass discussed the availability of aftermarket glass, and at the time with the W463A's recent introduction, there was no alternative to OEM.
Does anyone know if there is an aftermarket supplier now?

 

Yeah I don’t think there is an aftermarket windshield yet. Probably not enough demand although these windshields are for sure rock magnets! lol