Ok I finally installed my laminated glass today!
Since someone broke one side, I decided to change out both sides with the laminated glass on my 2020 model 3.
A few things I learned.
1. Most importantly: it's a direct fit. Two bolts on the bottom, same as the old one. The new ones have the bracket attached to the glass rather than a separate bracket on the older ones (on the old ones they use painters blue tape to keep the bracket in place before installing so it doesn't fall out...crazy!). The glass sits flush when the window is closed. Looks just like the new ones.
2. You don't have to remove the second inner plastic panel to change out the glass. If your glass isn't broken, you just remove the the interior panel (3 bolts and some clips). Then you move the window up to a point where you can access the 2 bolts thru 2 holes which you will see after you remove the interior panel (covered by black rubber tabs). While the old glass is still on, use a sharpie to mark where the old glass sits near the tab. When you put the new one in, you want to line it back with those sharpie marks for alignment purposes.
3. Took the glass guy 10 minutes to do the non broken side. Seemed pretty easy to do. On the broken window side, it took longer since he had to remove the 2nd panel to vaccum out the broken glass pieces.
4. Now that I've seen it done, it seems to be a fairly straightforward job. If it takes you longer than 30 minutes to do, then you are doing something wrong.
5. Does it make a difference? If you go below 40 mph, and there isn't much road noise or wind noise, it does seem a bit more insulated. If a car drives by, etc. However at 60 or 70 mph, there is just so much noise coming from everywhere, it doesn't seem to make a difference at all.
6. Another thing to keep in mind....Tesla doesn't have a lot of these. It took me 3 weeks to get mine and the guy claimed they had to pull it from the production line. Not sure if that was really the case...but just know it takes a long time to get.
Hope this settles the glass retrofit question!
Since someone broke one side, I decided to change out both sides with the laminated glass on my 2020 model 3.
A few things I learned.
1. Most importantly: it's a direct fit. Two bolts on the bottom, same as the old one. The new ones have the bracket attached to the glass rather than a separate bracket on the older ones (on the old ones they use painters blue tape to keep the bracket in place before installing so it doesn't fall out...crazy!). The glass sits flush when the window is closed. Looks just like the new ones.
2. You don't have to remove the second inner plastic panel to change out the glass. If your glass isn't broken, you just remove the the interior panel (3 bolts and some clips). Then you move the window up to a point where you can access the 2 bolts thru 2 holes which you will see after you remove the interior panel (covered by black rubber tabs). While the old glass is still on, use a sharpie to mark where the old glass sits near the tab. When you put the new one in, you want to line it back with those sharpie marks for alignment purposes.
3. Took the glass guy 10 minutes to do the non broken side. Seemed pretty easy to do. On the broken window side, it took longer since he had to remove the 2nd panel to vaccum out the broken glass pieces.
4. Now that I've seen it done, it seems to be a fairly straightforward job. If it takes you longer than 30 minutes to do, then you are doing something wrong.
5. Does it make a difference? If you go below 40 mph, and there isn't much road noise or wind noise, it does seem a bit more insulated. If a car drives by, etc. However at 60 or 70 mph, there is just so much noise coming from everywhere, it doesn't seem to make a difference at all.
6. Another thing to keep in mind....Tesla doesn't have a lot of these. It took me 3 weeks to get mine and the guy claimed they had to pull it from the production line. Not sure if that was really the case...but just know it takes a long time to get.
Hope this settles the glass retrofit question!
