FAQ > Auto Glass Differences

OEE aftermarket windshields and other types of auto glass like a Door, vent, quarter and back glasses are manufactured by ( OEE Original Equipment Equivalent manufacturers ) that   do   not   contract   with   any   of   the   worlds   automobile   or   truck   manufacturers . In some cases they may not have the legal right to manufacture the auto glass to the exact same specifications as OEM distributors due to licensing and copyright laws. An OEE aftermarket windshield is significantly cheaper to buy than an OEM windshield produced by an OEM manufacture. OEE windshield and other types of auto glass suppliers are companies that participate solely in after market products, where the tight quality control requirements of auto manufacturers may be possibly bypassed. It is said that they typically produce the part by reverse engineering an OEM part to get dimensions as they may not be privy to original equipment specifications for fit, finish and performance.

OEM windshields and other types of OEM auto glass like door, vent, quarter and back glasses are made to the same specifications as dealer glass but not necessarily by the same manufacturer. For example, OEM aftermarket Ford windshields are the same color, durability, thickness, size, and shape as the original windshield specs from Ford. Why? Automobile companies change auto glass contracts from year to year, so the company that made your 1972 Chevrolet windshield may not be the same company that manufactured your 2008 Chevrolet windshield. A good example of this is on or around May of 2009 PPG Industries sold out and changed their name to Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC who entered into a partnership with Daimler AG to supply automotive glass to the German vehicle manufacturer. Under the new, multi-year contract, Pittsburgh Glass Works will be the primary windshield, door and rear windows' supplier for Mercedes-Benz cars and sport utility vehicles all of which use to use Sekurit brand glass as original equipment. Let's say you need a new Honda windshield for your Honda Civic. Your Honda windshield may have originally been produced by APTech, a US subsidiary of Asahi Glass of Japan, so that's the brand you'd receive if you went to your local car or truck dealer. If you went to a local auto glass shop here in Knoxville, TN, you'd typically receive a Honda windshield produced by a reputable OEM distributor, like Pilkington or PPG/PGW, who make the exact same windshield to the exact same specifications. Just because your windshield wasn't originally made by APTech and it was made by OEM manufacturers, like Pilkington or PPG/PGW, it wouldn’t qualify as dealer auto glass but it's still produced by a reputable OEM manufacturer and it should be just as equal in quality. All OEM distributors contract with one or more of the various car manufacturers, and that's what qualifies them as ( Original Equipment Manufacturers) . A glass from just about any OEM manufacturer is a good choice for your Honda Civic unless you absolutely have to have the Honda logo on your windshield.

An OEM Dealer Windshield or other OEM auto glass parts like a door, vent, quarter or back glass is a part that you can purchase from an automobile dealership authorized by the vehicle manufacturer to service your car. This OEM glass is sourced from the same OEM aftermarket windshield manufacturer that originally manufactured the windshield that came in your car or truck when it was manufactured. In this example we will use the Pilkington Brand. An OEM Dealer windshield may or may not have the vehicle's make stamped on it like the Volvo part pictured to the your left. If you own a Volvo and absolutely feel you have to have the Volvo logo on your replacement windshield in most if not all cases your going to have to go to your local auto dealer. The down side to choosing this route is that due to the usual extreme price difference between your dealer and your local auto glass replacement center, your insurance company may or may not pay the entire amount of the glass and installation. In most cases most insurance companies are only obligated to pay for like, kind, and quality (something they do to help you keep your insurance rates to a minimum) and they are only obligated to pay what's called a fair market value and may ask you to pay the difference. Beware though that a lot of times the glass you get from the dealer is no different than or may be the exact same OEM aftermarket windshield that we sell. Some Automobile manufacturers will not allow the release of the exact same OEM windshield that was installed at the factory. Phoenix Glass wholesales glass and does work for several automotive dealerships in the Knoxville, TN, area and for liability as well as warranty reasons it is only in rare cases that a dealer will provide their own glass. Once again referring to the photo to your left you can see that the original OEM windshield that was factory installed in this particular Volvo was a Pilkington Brand windshield. The Pilkington brand windshield you can purchase from Phoenix Glass may come directly from Pilkington but may or may not have the Volvo name embossed in it. Sometimes if you look very closely at the windshield logo you can see a distorted area where the Volvo name has actually been buffed out of the glass by Pilkington prior to being distributed for OEM aftermarket sales.

It can be a bit confusing as there are three different types of auto glass you can choose from.

What is the difference between OEM Dealer, OEM Aftermarket, and OEE Aftermarket Auto Glass?

At Phoenix Glass we primarily use what is known as an OEM aftermarket windshield, door, vent, quarter and back glasses and occasionally if an OEM part is not available we will use an “OEE” aftermarket windshield or tempered part. This still means that your new glass is made to the same specifications that were originally installed by the factory.

What brands of glass does Phoenix Glass use?