The dots are there to hide the urethane adhesive that bonds the windshield to the body. They are cosmetic only. The facelift cars went to urethane glass to meet US FMVSS regulation regarding occupant ejection in collisions. Glass is not the same dimensions between pre and post facelift, and most likely different between coupe and convertible.
Robin,
Thanks for the great link describing the reason and function of the windshield “Frit”.
So you’re saying since mine is a 93 convertible it might still have supposed to come with a rubber seal window, not adhesive?
Thanks for that! Never gave it much thought, though it makes perfect sense.
iirc, I once was trying to source a windshield for my facelift coupe, and noticed different part numbers between coupe and convert. I could be remembering wrong.
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btw, on Superblue, they are very noticeable around the perimeter of the side (back) windows.
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Ok so just thought I’d make an update. I decided to look to see if my insurance would cover replacement of my windshield due to light pitting all over it including in my line of sight. When driving towards the sun it is horrible to say the least! I found out that, yes, it would be covered under my comprehensive coverage! Yay! Best part is I have a zero deductible! Yay! So I called to set up an appointment to have it done and they said they would like to look at it to see if there was anything special that would need done. I took it out and they looked and pulled back the rubber surround a little and said “oh ok so it’s just a bonded windscreen with a rubber surround!” I said " Really?!? I thought it just had a rubber seal due to the fact of it being on the outside and inside." He said " nope, look here", and he showed me. It absolutely looks like a bonded windshield under the rubber. I guess we’ll find out when the windshield comes in!
Just picked up my car and woohoo it so nice to have a new windshield! Lol! They also had some “universal” rubber surround which they said would be close, so I said why not, as my old rubber was getting that dusty feel and wouldn’t clean up. Best part, total bill would have been $403.92 (which is actually cheaper than my wife’s 2006 jetta’s was) but I have a zero deductible so it was “free”!
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Very nice, Timer … 
Be sure and keep Rain-X on it … And maybe use that Jaguar windscreen paste, if it is still available, from time to time … btw, have you taken it through a carwash yet to make sure it is watertight? 
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No I haven’t. They say not to take it through a high pressure carwash for at least 4 days. Not to mention being a convertible, I don’t use the car wash anyway. I’ve always heard it’s not a good idea for the top
So did the shop tell you where they got the windshield - is it new, or a grade A from a “recycling” yard. A lot of us would like to know cause a lot of us would like to replace our windshields that are pitted like yours.
Thanks!!
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I have opined on here before that I wish the body shops in the U.S. could come up with a windshield “polishing” (or “refurbishing”) method to remove those mileage-related “micropits” like they have at shops in the Middle East (i.e. due to damage from dust storms) … 
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Reminds me - SafeFlite (sp. ?) finally reopened a location for biz in our locality recently . (they had earlier closed all their DFW shops except for a few) … I thought maybe they had finally come down and are more reasonable on their prices (assuming you don’t have ins. to cover the replacement) but sounds like NOT … My tech bud took his 2000 Yukon by them last week … he had the driver’s side window and rear passenger-side window of it get busted out recently … SF quoted him over $600.00 to do the job … 
GEEZ! 
They just said that the closest one was in new jersey and it had to be shipped in. It is not an oem xxx, but it is a brand new windshield. I’d have to go look to see who the manufacturer is, but I was more concerned with just getting a clear windshield. I’m perfectly happy with it so far. Also with the cost before insurance being just over $400, and with having insurance that covered it completely with no deductible, that made it that much better 
Jason,
I think most of us would prefer a new windshield rather than take a chance on an insurance grade A from a recycling yard - which could start delaminating at any time. For a 1996 coupe (I think there were two made) the windshield would be 24 years old at best. I have found some grade A windshields at some yards, but they are not local (Miami) and are some distance away - like north Central US or West Coast. Even if a windshield is grade A at some yard, I would still like to see it first before buying, I think that’s why most of us would like to buy one new from a reputable manufacturer even if it is not OEM.
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That’s the way I looked at it too. Mine did have a little delamination starting in the lower right corner which was something else that I thinking about too. I know some guys are “it HAS to be OEM to be any good”, I’m not necessarily one of those guys. Well, at least for some stuff
If you are located in Florida why not give Paul’s Jag a call. He shipped me a used like new condition windshield a few years ago. I purchased it for possible future use just in case. Unlike others that don’t have a preference one way or the other, I wanted an OEM windshield.
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So, no tint along the top edge. Was that available?
No tint, however my old one didn’t have tint either, which is fine since I have to look through that area anyway lol. I didn’t even think to ask about it. I was kinda surprised that this one doesn’t have the black checkerboard outline either! I will also say that when I had my xk8s windshield replaced, I mentioned about the tint strip because my old one had a blueish tint from the factory and he looked at all the options that were shown and he said there were only 3 or 4 options and none of them had a tinted strip. Oh well, I use that part of the windshield in that one too smh