Windscreen

Hi all,

I'm curious what solutions you all have used for new windscreens or perhaps if they are more available in your markets? I'm in the United States and have had no luck sourcing replacements. I have gone to jp-parts but it is listed over $1000. I'd be grateful for any help and thanks in advance.

I recall someone getting one for a lesser model, and adding a tinted strip to it, but I don't know about the US market, are these Hiace's import only to the US?

If so, it may be that only a wrecker can source one.
I'm assuming you have tried Toyota and general windscreen companies.
If you can find a screen company that operates in moth the US and somewhere they have a lot of Hiaces, they may be able to internally ship for less.

Take a look at Buyee.com, which is a proxy service for ordering from the Yahoo! Japan auction site. There are a ton of windscreens listed that you could get shipped to the US for less than half this price you mentioned. JP-CarParts can help you figure out the exact windscreen part no that you need, and you should be able to find it on Buyee at the link below. Dig a little further and you should also be able to find the dam/trim that might need to be replaced while the glass is out.


Here's a search for your model in the Windows category:
https://buyee.jp/item/search/query/lh119/category/2084196976?searchHis=1

Whatever you do, buy the shipping insurance!!

Thanks, DPW and djathens!

DPW, There are just hardly any Hiaces on the road, let alone the scap yard. I'm not sure who would scrap such a great design.

djathens, this link is exactly what I have been looking for. I really appreciate this a lot!

Cheers

studiodaybreak wrote:

Hi all,

I'm curious what solutions you all have used for new windscreens or perhaps if they are more available in your markets? I'm in the United States and have had no luck sourcing replacements. I have gone to jp-parts but it is listed over $1000. I'd be grateful for any help and thanks in advance.

Was just checking up with you to see if you found a windshield for your rig, studiodaybreak. I used djathens suggestion to search Buyee and I did find my windshield, but I can't exactly figure out the shipping costs, even with Google translate. At this point I just want to find a backup windshield in case of emergency. Did you have any luck getting yours?

Also, what has been your experience here in the US with parts?

Hi Lynn, sorry for the delay. Yes, I found a windscreen on Buyee and I'll share what I learned with you. Since Buyee is an auction site, you're not going to see shipping costs until you've successfully won the item. This is the part of the site I really dislike. I ended up just paying the buyout price for the windscreen I found (about $180 USD). After that, the system will tell you when you've 'Won" the bid via email with a link to the shipping page. The shipping ended up increasing the cost of the product by 300%, or cost me double what the product itself cost. I am in Colorado, so I'm not sure it will be quite as much for you since you're closer to Japan. The next part is super important and I learned it the hard way: pay for the extra bells and whistles. There is an option to get photos taken of the product and sent to your email, plus an inspection. This is about $10 more. This verifies the product is in good shape. Then there is another option for protective packaging, which is a must have with a big piece of glass. They filled the box to the brim with packing materials. After that, DHL takes over and sends really consistent communications. I didn't do these extra steps the first time around and received a broken windscreen. I didn't open it right away to inspect it, and by the time I did, the window for dispute had closed. So, I did the process again and properly the second time. The site is a bit confusing and poorly designed, but all these functions are there. I'd be happy to help talk/walk you through it, if you like. I hope my delayed response didn't delay you, and best of luck!

Also, for parts: there are some (like a windscreen) that are unique to the vehicle and must be shipped from Japan. I have personally opted to put an engine and transmission from a Tacoma into my Hiace, and switch out other parts (suspension, wheels, etc.) with other products that are not OEM to the Hiace. I am trying ot make it as workable as possible with more common elements while I'm on the road. This is a big problem in the US, and less so in Canada. Some parts are available from Canada and some are available from Australia (where aces are common). Just depends on what you find online and what the cost/shipping is. Ebay is a good place to start, of course. Good luck!

Thanks, studiodaybreak, I appreciate the information about Buyee.

Those of us in the US should have our own little sub-section on purchasing/ OEM/ repair resources in the region. I found a great resource for lifts/ shocks at Roamer, based out of Seattle. They are username Roamer here on this site now, or RoamerNW.com