alright, i have a 88 Turbo II coupe and im researching on what i need to replace the windshield. mine has 2 cracks on it, and one of then has grown to a 2ft crack while i had the interior out of the car. i went to a glass shop and got the price for a windshield w/o an antenna, but i believe mine dose.

so the question is, if i get a windshield w/o an antenna, would it make any real difference to the radio?

also as a heads up, in order to replace the windshield, you need the moldings around it, part number :FB01-50-860B, FB01-50-870B, FB01-50-601A. and even with some price reductions from my local dealership, the molds are 275 bucks.

here's some pictures of my windshield

this is the start of the 2ft crack

and here's the other one


and here's the antenna

 

nvm guys. the factory radio has a male and female antenna input, so default you have to use the male antenna end that is in the car into your aftermarket radio unit. it'll just make the antenna on the windshield useless. so i guess replacing the windshield with one w/o an antenna is just a sure way to not get confused about this. sorry for posting a topic on something i could of figured out myself if i worked a little.

 

you dont HAVE to buy the moldings, who told you that?

 

Yeah you don't have to buy the side moldings. Although it would look very nice, it is not necessary..as they are about $115 each. I will say that you will need the top molding though. It is about $38.

PS. You can install the windshield w/o the antenna.

 

Dude a NEW windshield costs about $400 around here I know because my car has a new windshield..

 

I have had 3 windshields put in FCs, I have never paid more then $200.

 

i didnt know you can put in a windshield w/o the side trimmings. never replaced one before. if you guys or any one has a picture of a windshield w/o the side moldings, can ya post it? i want to see how it looks, if its worth saving the 225 or so. thanks for the info guys.

 

The side moldings are removable. They are held on by like 4 screws underneath the rubber. On the other hand the top molding strip will need to be replaced, your best bet is going to the Mazda dealership as they aren't available aftermarket.

I installed my windshield a few months ago, cost me $47...only because I do autoglass.

 

my windshield guy replaced the top molding, no need for mazda.

 

Ditto on the pic request. I've been putting off replacing the WS in my coupe due to the sticker shock on the moldings. mine are pretty chipped up, so if removing them still looks fairly clean, then I'd like to see it.

Thanks

 

you dont remove them and leave them off, you remove them and re-install

 

That makes more sense. Hopefully they're not as brittle as every other piece of plastic on these things

 

the antenna sytem on the fc is a Type that will use "either/or".(so to speak).
if the windshield antenna is not there then the radio will use the Rear antenna.
if your old retractable doesn't work,just go to Walmart and get a Rubber one.Install it and you are good to go.

 

Is the antenna the 2 copper wires running through the windshield?

Weird to have a windshield antenna AND a rear antenna. I wonder what the purpose of that is? Maybe the car has a coincidental EM radiation bending shape like a stealth bomber?

 

yup. i always thought that the 2 wires were for some kinda front defrost or somethin, but its for an antenna. so far i think Misterstyx69 has explained it the best. either way, im just going use the rear power antenna.

so as for the molding you can re-use them, except the top one, you need to but that from a dealership, right? too bad my side moldings are chipped a little.

 

you dont need the top one from the dealer, windshield guys can get it for you no problem, it comes on a roll and is universal

 

The top moulding is about $40 from Mazdaspeed and the sides are about $80 each.

 

The universal stuff will be garbage with our cars. As the OEM top molding is designed to lip into the side moldings on the ends. Trust me. I have tons of the universal.. the side moldings and top molding are made to fit each other. The top strip has ears on the side that slide into the sides... I mean if you'd like yours to look OEM. I will take pictures of mine tomorrow

 

The side moldings are indeed removable and replaceable. They do tend to look like someone's been chewing on them along the long edge near the windshield because of age. Eight to ten years ago I paid at the dealer around $50 CAN for one, maybe less. The top one is nothing special. It does slide in to the side moldings at the top, but it's not something you see unless you're looking for it(standard 2 foot rule - if someone gets any closer to look, you kick them in the ***). A glass shop should be able to use one close enough if you want to save some dough on more important things (spark plugs, oil, pulsation damper).

 

Well tried looking for. Something to replace the oem one with but I couldn't. Oem was the best

 

Here's the explanation for the two antennas; it's in the training manual. It looks like it only works with the stock radio, so in most of our cars the window antenna does nothing.

 

Well tried looking for. Something to replace the oem one with but I couldn't. Oem was the best

 

your windsheild place does not know how to trim the molding if its sticking out, they are probably just cutting it straight and giving it back to you like that.

Do whatever you want with the information you have in this tread.

 

I do auto glass for a living....

 

It is probably me being me..since Im an auto glass tech. My attention to glass installation detail gets the best of me. I have tried to short cut using the cheaper method, IE; universal and I don't like the outcome. While the OEM is a plain jane molding, it's dimensions are exact for original fitment. All my trim is in perfect condition so I wanted a new look.