I am starting this post to see if we can get someones attention at Pilkington and to get the feed back from other shop owners. I have repeatedly spoken to my Pilkington rep about quality control issues, like molding's being wavy, or bottom moldings falling off, or it appears that the edges have been ground by hand because they are also wavy. I have been told that only 1 in 5 people complain about it. I find that hard to believe.Seems like it is always DOT177
Since in most cases i have to either remove the molding or re-align it, I have suggested they just start leaving them off of the glass and letting us install them.
I would rather they do that with the windshields that have a bottom retainer. Most times i re-use the original bottom retainer so that i know the cowl panel will snap in to it. I did however see a glass returned to pilkington, because they shipped the lower molding separate. I would have been happy to see that.
I replaced the windshield on a new Honda Fit for the dealer, all moldings are sold seperatly. You must put them on.
It is my hope that someone higher up will see this and at least take a look or ask questions.... Oh well, one can always dream

Bill

It's been my observation that over the last several years, quality has slipped dramatically from all of the major suppliers. PGW with their mirrors falling off and all that (Yuck!) DOT 563 stuff, to Pilkington's wavy moldings, and lack of stock. It's become a crap shoot for callbacks. It's gotten to the point that I dread installing a windshield anymore. They've obviously made cuts on the manufacturing end that are effecting us in the field. It's total crap for us. The industry isn't what it was when I first got into it 20 years ago.

Yep, that's one of their favorite lines... "you're the only one complaining"

Well I can not comment on PGW stuff. I bought so little from them that they took away my web access. My Pilkington branch is only a mile away so i pick up all of my parts.
So how would you feel if they were to start sending the moldings separate?? I would think it would cut down on returns.I have seen perfectly good windshields tossed in the dumpster because moldings were no longer attached.

Do you think we really care? Do you think the industry really cares? Look at price erosion in the Auto Glass business. We are just going to cut cost and produce a part as cheap as we can for the after market business. If you have been in the business for 30 years you would truly understand this. Something has to give and quality is usually the first to go.

I have heard that Pilk has in stock at the branches or can get bottom moldings for the glasses that you are referring to. So when the molding comes off, they should be able to get a new one so you can apply it.
Ooops.....

there are various type of materials for making mouldings, such PVC, TPE and EPDM. PVC is cheapest and when weather get colder, it becomes very hard, wavy section is not possible to restore original shape. mouldings from original or good ARG are EPDM made, keep shape even when temperature goes down to minus 30.

you bought cheap, you got crap.

OOOPS....... As far as I know, the warehouse foreman has to request these moldings. They do not stock them. Which tales me back to...... send them with the moldings separate so we can put them on. We are already having to take the time to repair them. It would take less time to just install a new molding , rather than mess around with trying to repair the one that is there , or re attach the original molding from the old windshield .

Many many defects with there products. How about them yellow spots in the lamination

Yellow spot in the lamination indicates the windshield you installed is most likely made by recycled PVB, which 80% cheaper than regular qualified PVB.

You would be hold huge liability if is cost safety problem.

I stopped buying from pilk for all these reasons. I wish oh do I wish I could install only oem glass.

Pilkington is OEM on many windshields, just as PGW is. Why can't we, the aftermarket guys, get the same quality and service that Pilkington, PGW, etc seem to be able to provide to the vehicle manufacturer?

They get the good stuff, we get the crap!

The only negative I see to the moldings being separated until delivery to the shop is that they will get forgotten or mixed up with something else and it wouldn't be the right one for that windshield. They also will be damaged in shipping and handling process before it makes it to you the end user/installer. The underside molding issue is the other problem you mention and we also have to unstick them and straighten them out repeatedly. Makes us wonder if someone with crossed eyes is putting them on sometimes!
Quality control has gone out the window is a real fact and hopefully with these comments someone will pay attention. I do see like in most areas where we have bottom feeders installing for cheep and so the customer doesn't care when they got such a good deal. This makes quality shops get overlooked when it cones to quality windshields because we are few and far between. Pilkington needs to close its doors to the operate out of the back of the beat up van wholesale business mentality which in my opinion wouldn't lead to less sales because those same customers would have to go to quality shops but Pilkington would have to go back to quality and they probably wont do that now that they have a client list that will accept this crap day in and day out. They also have a way of selling damaged goods in a sense because low ballers that install at the used car lots don't look at the small details of a windshield like the Ins. customer does either. We all have seen the picky customer that mother hens our quality work after we have straightened out the moldings and rejected the imperfect windshields just trying to find something that's not right when they haven't looked that close to their vehicles in the last 4 years they owned it but if they find one thing out of place they want it done right because they paid $50 for that deductible to ensure their vehicle looks like it did pre and post work done. Is that to much to ask for Pilkington? OEM manufacturer! Lets swabs the decks and make this ship shape!