will 2005 windshield fit 2003?

[david lovering]

Just bought a 2003 vibe with only 9000km.Brought it home on Wed. and took it up north on the weekend.Sat. afternoon I caught a stone right in the middle of the windshield.Now I have a starburst pattern with 7 traveling spurs.I think I need a new windshield.The Matrix dealer told me the 2005 windshield was different.Does anyone know what the difference is, and if I am replacing the windshield anyway as if I could replace it with the 05 model?It might be a new design or it could be a different tint.If it is tinted along the top, then I might tint the other windows to match.I am assuming the windshield on the Matrix is the same as on the Vibe.

[Mavrik]

you asking about the 03 vs 05 Vibe or Matrix?Cause I believe... the 05 window on the Vibe is the same as the 03... but I could be wrong since I never compared them before.

[joatmon]

tough luck on your new car, but welcome to genvibe.A matrix windshield might fir a vibe, but I wouldn't guarantee that it will. Maybe you can call an automotive glass repair shop and see what they think. Seems like both Toyota and Pontiac dealers are not always the most knowledgeable people on these cars, unfortunately.I've had some good luck in the past getting replacement windshields from junkyards, might be an option if you are looking to save a few bucks.That's low mileage for a 2003, did you get a good deal?

[david lovering]

Thanks for the welcome.I hope I got a good deal, still under warranty and all.Started looking at a Matrix, and one of the selling features for the 2005 was a better windshield, although I can't remember why.When I saw the 2003 Vibe with the low mileage I thought that was a better deal.Have you ever noticed how much flex there is on the windshield? Place your finger in the center of the windshield an push. You can actually see the glass bend.Are other cars like that?I know that some cars have better quality glass in their windshields, and I am wondering what kind of quality the Vibe has.One glass place wanted $500 to replace it.Do other Vibe owners have windshield chips, or was I just unlucky.

[AKLGT]

ha ha ha! 2 wks after i bot my NEW vibe, i had a huge crack on the passenger side. i have over 7 rock chips and pits in mine... until it's where i can't see to drive, i won't replace it. it's the alaskan beauty mark up here.

[ragingfish]

I had my windshield replaced...and it was different than an 03 because it was tinted down from the top...not sure what glass they used, but i'm happy!As to flex, mine seemed VERY sturdy from the factory...I pushed very hard on it to get adhesive to stick for my xm mount and that baby didn't go anywhere...

[ColonelPanic]

Quote, originally posted by david lovering »Do other Vibe owners have windshield chips, or was I just unlucky.My windshield looks horrible when I'm driving toward the sun, pitted quite bad. No major damage other than that. I did see a Matirx out in the parking lot of the grocery store the other day with a crack almost all the way across.Raging, that's awesome that your windshield has the tint at the top - not having it has been a big annoyance for me from the beginning. If I ever need to get the windshield replaced, I'll see if I can find one with the tint. Right now, I just have a strip of 15% up there, man that made quite a difference.

[ragingfish]

Yeah, I didn't even ask for it -- it was just there when I picked the car up at the dealer!

[david lovering]

Well, I couldn't get an answer about the 05 windshield, but I probably couldn't afford it anyway. The dealer wanted $600 just for the glass never mind the moulding or the labour. Another place wanted $500 for the job. I finally went to Ziebart, (or Apple Auto Glass, they seem to share the same garage) on Laird and had it changed for $294 plus $40 for the moulding. It pays to shop around. I partley chose them because another member had written about them in a previous post.They asked if I wanted the upper part tinted, as it was an option for the glass. Is it possible that the manufacturer specifies the glass for the factories, but that the specs can change for the after market? Thus the tint.It rained hard last night, a real downpour and thunderstorm. This morning the inside of the car was soaking wet. The water was pouring in from the top corners of the windshield.I took it back in and left it with them for another day. They were very good about it and said they would extract the water from the seats and clean it up.I guess I can only wait and see. I have only owned the car for a week and have spent 3 days on this windshield. I wonder what kind of cosmic purpose is at play here.

[MadBill]

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »ha ha ha! ... it's the alaskan beauty mark up here.That's for sure! I was in Alaska for 2 weeks a few years back, and the rental car agreement had some disclaimer about damge when used on unpaved roads. I put on over 2,000 miles, a ton of it on gravel/dirt, e.g. the Top of World Highway to Dawson City Yukon, and was sweating bullets the whole time as I met an endless string of trucks driving 75 MPH and flinging those softball-size boulders you natives call "gravel"...

[ebslopp]

You might want to check with your insurance company. A lot of them have a seperate clause for windshield cracks. It would cost me $50 to have a windshield replaced if it was struck by a rock even though I have a $500 deductable.