Hi everbody I've decided to replace my windshield while OEM is still available. My question is besides the glass do I really need all the moldings, seals, etc., that Honda sells separately from the glass itself? Or can I do without (my 02 has 21K miles, zero rain/snow/dirt driving and has spent 95% of its nights garaged since new.) One independent installer told me I don't need the "extra" stuff while another recommends it. The dealer, of course, says buy it all. FYI, phone quotes here from independents are $285 installed for non-OEM glass, period. Best price I've found for OEM is $651 taxed & shipped - plus labor - for windshield and "extras." Comments, advice?

 

i just had my glass replaced with after market. I did insist on the honda molding to be replaced with oem part. In my opinion, if you are going to drive it often, it is better to have the glass replaced twice then to pay double for OEM. After all they all chip at the same rate.

NOTE: aftermarket rear view mirror mount is higher than stock (I am dealing with it right now).

 

Having had my windshield replaced, I'd recommend you replace the molding. Mine was never the same afterwards and after a few years it has started to raise up a bit when its hot out, and it catches the wind on the highway and buzzes.

 

Just had the windshield replaced and did not use Honda glass. The installer found the seal too short after the first attempt. He said the seal was OEM, but then they ordered another and this time it was the correct length. I'm skeptical that the first seal was OEM, but underscores the need to use OEM seals.

The old seal was beginning to lift along parts of the top edge. I would not have wanted to reuse it. Not sure you need to buy a seal now though - seems likely those will be available for some time to come.

FYI, I did not have an issue with the rear view mirror being too low that others have reported.

The non-OEM glass has all the same shadings/black trim as the OEM so I'm happy with it. But my car might not be in the same condition (mint) as yours sounds like. Still, I live in Colorado where sand/gravel is used instead of salt to clear winter roads. While I don't drive the S2000 in bad weather, there's enough sand left over that windshields just don't last that long out here vs. California where I used to live. Given the excellent fit of the non-OEM windshield, I'm doing as Kasher_khan suggests and spending less on the windshield and expecting to change it more often.

 

Its all about install, had new aftermarket glass and seal installed and it looked like garbage. Two months later massive crack again and I had the same done and it looks 100% perfect. I promise its more about who installs than what is installed. I would have been so pissed if I did OEM glass just for a rock to come up and crack it again 2 months later.

 

almost everyone will recommend using the Honda moulding, I did with my windshield replacement and glad I did. I have seen pictures of aftermarket mouldings being slightly different in size. I am not aware of other Honda parts to use but the moulding is important IMO. There is a difference in quality.

 

OEM molding + aftermarket glass here as well. I don't regret this decision in the slightest.

 

When you have aftermarket glass installed at an aftermarket/3rd-party service... do you provide your own OEM Honda moldings? Or, can/do they provide it for you?

I'd assume an aftermarket/3rd-party windshield installer would automatically default to ordering an aftermarket moulding too for you (since they are using aftermarket glass/parts after all).

I doubt they'd go through the hassle of ordering OEM moldings/parts; especially since they will have to deal with countless different car brands/dealers.. instead of just ordering from one single aftermarket moulding brand (much less hassle for them).

 

I suspect that's what happened to me (see the link in my post above) even though they claimed it was OEM. The second attempt to install did use OEM and all was good. So I think it would be a good idea to call that out when choosing the installer.

 

I think the OP is asking if he can RE-USE the molding/trim.
That rubber is 15 years old. It will need to be replaced with either OEM molding or aftermarket.
I had aftermarket molding used when mine was replaced this summer and it looks great. As mentioned above it does depend on installer. Some are sloppy.
The aftermarket molding does look different to the OEM molding. It's a matt black rubber (vs OEN shiny) and not as wide.