Yesterday, the lower glass section of the rear hatch just shattered in the heat. I went to get a quote to repair it, and they quoted me about $500.00. I went home and decided I could repair it myself. I spent almost 2 hours in 95 degrees temperature, removing all the shattered glass. Not a good move as I almost passed out in the heat. Today I bought an OEM glass that will be here on Tuesday for $265.00. I need to buy glass sealant about $30.00 and a special caulk gun, as your everyday caulk gun will not work. Cost around $35.00 After all the work I did, I’m now thinking I should just go to a glass shop and let them install the glass. I did all the hard work for them. Should I try to install the glass myself, or just pay a shop probably around $100.00 to do it for me? How hard of a job do you think it will be? PS - I could not find any video showing how to remove and install the lower glass on a 2006 Prius. PS - Today with the air condition blasting I was getting 50 MPG on a 120 mile trip. Not bad for a car that has 192000 miles, and will be getting front brakes next week. The mechanic thinks the rear drums will be fine.
You're almost done... It's gonna be an easy install now that you've done all the prep work and you're saving almost $200.
Imho, have a shop install the glass. Imho, it would've been better to have them do everything. If you give a shop a rear window, and that small window or the main window crack, that's your problem. No shop can guarantee that some part that some customer gave them wasn't somehow damaged, or met 100% of the OEM requirements. Back when Mammoths roamed the Earth, I removed/installed a few front windshields and back glass. Mainly because of body work, and rust repair. Last I checked, no more Mammoths to have as cute pets, and cuddle up with at night. Just as we no longer have cute Mammoths to cuddle up with at night, from ~~2000+ installing front and rear glass is not the same. For a few decades, the front windshield and rear glass have been integral in the design, strength, reduced twisting, reduced flex, and so on, for the main passenger capsule, and for the whole car body. In other words, the passenger capsule flexes much more, when there isn't any glass installed. If the glass is not installed correctly, or well enough, the the passenger capsule will flex, and hence break the glass. The passenger capsule flex also wouldn't be as strong in a crash. Imho, given real life accidents and rates, imho, it would make very little difference. Imho, that's even more critical for any hatch. Imho, every hatch barely has more structural integrity than a wet noodle. The sealant needs to be applied when it's the correct temperature range, the correct amount, and the window has to be pressed in the correct amount. Again, for any pre '90's car, there's a wide range to do all of the above. If it wasn't done correctly, gaps would form when the metal and windshield expanded and contracted at different rates. Then, leaks would happen. Now, not only would leaks happen, but the there would be added flex, and that could cause a crack. Fwiw, over the years, there have been a few car models that have had poor designs, that had too much flex, or difference in expansion/contraction. The Cooper Mini is infamous for it's rear windows just blasting apart. Imho, just one of many design issues with that car. Google: cooper mini rear window Shattered Good Luck!
Now that you have done the hard part. I would have a glass shop install. There are many tricks of the trade that they will know to make sure the job is done right. Call around and make sure they will install the glass that you already purchased.
