My last two were aftermarket, one made in Singapore and the latest that's been on the car for a couple of years is from South Africa. The glass shop was recommended by both my local Volvo indy AND the indy garage where I take my "normal" cars.

The Singaporian glass only lasted a couple of months before it, too, was hit by a hunk of World Trade Center which fell off a truck on the Interstate on it's way out to Pennsylvania for reprocessing. So I'm happy that I didn't buy the $500 glass. I sure can't tell any difference between the Pilkington and the African glass. South Africans build US market BMW 325s after all, so I think they can make a hunk of glass. Less crap on the highway since they've finished cleaning up the site, but I still get hit by flying debris all the time.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 158k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, V-1, Mobil-1 since new

Tell your windshield shop that you want a Pilkington, who make the windshield for Volvo as well as BMW and Mercedes and the other top European car manufacturers. Yes, despite US standards, there is a difference between bottom line and top. There are one or two manufacurers out there who offer a bottom end windshield that tends to get stress cracks in it more frequently than the more spendy models. Since your installer isn't going to give you any warranty worth the paper it's written on, specify a Pilkington, and don't let him tell you it isn't available or that it will take too long to order or will cost extra. They know the game. You don't. Play it safe on this one. Dick

All windshields sold legally in the US meet the same federal construction and quality standards. The question to ask is whether the installer does good work. May be good to go with a shop that has been recommended by someone who used it.

I got a windshield for $130 installed. It does not leak but the installer did not put all the trims back neatly.