I got a crack in my windshield which is equipped with night vision and rain sensors. Does an aftermarket windshield provide these features or am I better off looking for a windshield from a salvage yard?

 

I recently had my windshield replaced with an aftermarket part and it came with the requisite parts needed to support the night vision and rain sensor.

BTW, I asked to have the Mercedes glass installed and was told that I could pay the difference if I wanted, just $700. The difference was $700. The aftermarket glass is $1,200 here in Phoenix, the factory part is $1,900.

The cool thing is, the replacement glass came with a reflective coating and looks pretty zesty.

 

Can you further describe how "zesty" looks to us who only know the term in the context of food?


-MB

 

Aftermarket glass should have night vision n rain sensor i was quoted 900 at the time but didnt take it cus i didnt have night vision

 

This windshield here ... is zesty. Note the areas at the top center and bottom center where the radiation BLAST SHIELD is cut away for things such a Night Vision, Rain Sensors, traffic cameras and radar detectors.

 

That actually looks stock!! Didn't expect it. I was quote half the price of an OEM and they said that it would have all the features as an aftermarket.

Do you feel any difference VS. your OEM glass?

 

Nothing functional that I can tell. I'm sure there's a difference, truly. We get loads of stones on the road around here and the stock windshields seem to last 10yrs longer than the replacements. Time will tell with this one.

 

Good job on the windshield , no one would tell it from OEM at all
Hopefully, this one would last as long as you own the car

 

You can request your insurance company to provide an OEM windshield, and it can be ordered from the Mercedes-Benz parts-counter. The insurance company would get a discount from retail, and yes, there is a difference in quality in the glass. There are several different versions of the glass based on level of equipment in your car. If your W221 has the "Heated Wipers and washer" package, it is probably equipped with a heated windshield, which has heating elements in the black part of the windshield where the VIN number shows through and the wipers park at rest. The heated windshield itself is not listed individually in the vehicles data card, so this would be something to check and ensure the replacement glass has it. It will be obvious when you start disassembling the parts needed to remove the windshield as there are two wires that connect to the bottom of the windshield to supply voltage to the heating elements. I can't say if an aftermarket windshield would have this or not, but I would request OEM glass. That is what the car came with, and that is what you should be entitled to.

I also had a rock chip incident with mine, and had no issue getting OEM glass from the dealer, and there was no additional costs involved.

 

You can request your insurance company to provide an OEM windshield, and it can be ordered from the Mercedes-Benz parts-counter. The insurance company would get a discount from retail, and yes, there is a difference in quality in the glass. There are several different versions of the glass based on level of equipment in your car. If your W221 has the "Heated Wipers and washer" package, it is probably equipped with a heated windshield, which has heating elements in the black part of the windshield where the VIN number shows through and the wipers park at rest. The heated windshield itself is not listed individually in the vehicles data card, so this would be something to check and ensure the replacement glass has it. It will be obvious when you start disassembling the parts needed to remove the windshield as there are two wires that connect to the bottom of the windshield to supply voltage to the heating elements. I can't say if an aftermarket windshield would have this or not, but I would request OEM glass. That is what the car came with, and that is what you should be entitled to.

I also had a rock chip incident with mine, and had no issue getting OEM glass from the dealer, and there was no additional costs involved.

Also, if you want the proper "Mercedes-Benz product" sticker, which is on a white background and is discontinued with the replacement part number referencing the clear one in your photo, they are available on eBay for around $7.00. It really depends on how close to original you want the vehicle. Some people remove the stickers entirely as they find them annoying.

 

You can request your insurance company to provide an OEM windshield, and it can be ordered from the Mercedes-Benz parts-counter. The insurance company would get a discount from retail, and yes, there is a difference in quality in the glass. There are several different versions of the glass based on level of equipment in your car. If your W221 has the "Heated Wipers and washer" package, it is probably equipped with a heated windshield, which has heating elements in the black part of the windshield where the VIN number shows through and the wipers park at rest. The heated windshield itself is not listed individually in the vehicles data card, so this would be something to check and ensure the replacement glass has it. It will be obvious when you start disassembling the parts needed to remove the windshield as there are two wires that connect to the bottom of the windshield to supply voltage to the heating elements. I can't say if an aftermarket windshield would have this or not, but I would request OEM glass. That is what the car came with, and that is what you should be entitled to.

I also had a rock chip incident with mine, and had no issue getting OEM glass from the dealer, and there was no additional costs involved.

Also, if you want the proper "Mercedes-Benz product" sticker, which is on a white background and is discontinued with the replacement part number referencing the clear one in your photo, they are available on eBay for around $7.00. It really depends on how close to original you want the vehicle. Some people remove the stickers entirely as they find them annoying.

Edit - I noticed the year of your vehicle was a newer model than a W221, so you probably do have the proper sticker.

Also, it was mentioned that the signature indicates OEM glass and other glass does not have the signature. The truth is the OEM glass does not have the signature - it must be ordered over the counter at the parts department and applied, even to OEM glass. The easy way to tell OEM glass is the three pointed star on the glass, rather than Safelite, etc.

 

For my former E-class, i ordered a aftermarket winshield, but it was the same one as the OEM, but it did not come with the MB sticker. My local dealer told me that once I got it installed, i should bring it by and then their parts people can verify that it is the same part number as the OEM, then they would install the sticker on my lower right windshield and no one would know the difference. I would imagine, if your installer were to source the same vendors as MB uses, you may be able to save the money and get the same manufacturer's part number as the OEM from the same manufacturer and qualify to get the sticker. The Glass installer, should know how to do this.