Auto Windscreens. Grrrrr.

[Chris]

Got a big crack in the screen and needed it fixing before the big trip. Went to my local place, Spire Windscreens and spoke to them. Sure. 80, Blue top tint, can get one day after tomorrow, we'll come and fit it on your drive. See you then, oh just give us your insurance details.

Ooops sorry can't do it, they will only deal with AW as they own them. Shame.

So I ring my insurers who put me through to AW. No I said, I want to speak to the insurer to clarify the glass cover. Two calls later I'm not really much wiser but they have confirmed that it has to be AW.

So they take my details, policy, make, model and year yadda yadda and tell me it will be the best part of three weeks, but I have to pay now. Hmm. So I waited in yesterday finally ringing them after lunch to see if they were still coming. Yes they said, around five ish.

16.30 I get a call from the fitter, he knows where I am as he only live half a mile away. Sorted.

So he comes up the drive shaking his head. Sorry mate, there's no way that they've sent the right screen, this is an 80 right?

I just knew this wasn't going to go right. You get hat feeling sometimes

He tells me that it'll only take him 20 mins as it's not bonded (I know) and it's all in good repair all he needs is a screen.

So now I have to start all over again, but I have told them that I'm away from next week and out all of this week. They'd better not f*** this up.

Shall I bother crossing my fingers?

 

[StarCruiser]

Well, at least it's not Autoglass Chris. I would definitely cross your fingers and do anything else you consider lucky, as much that they get it sealed as have a screen and new rubber. If I were you I would insist on having it put in with that butyl screen sealer I'm often going on about. And I would give him a kindly hand fitting it too.

 

[froggy Steve]

You try the French version! 10 x worse - I hope it gets sorted

 

[clivehorridge]

Best of luck with the screen Chris. What's all this 3 weeks malarkey, anyway?

These guys are supposed to be your savior when you're stuck on the hard-shoulder in a torrential downpour with the remains of a pheasant on the passenger seat and the cab knee deep in glass, no?

 

[chapel gate]

Naa, he wont f it up. Itll just leak, when he comes back to sort it it'll still leak. It will stop leaking when you do it yourself properly. ..

other than that there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[frank rabbets]

Your insurers have failed you. You're entitled to get it done and send them the bill. That should be straight forward enough............

 

[flint]

Quite agree with watching whoever does it and make sure that they make good any paint damage around the screen openiing if necessary. I had a screen replaced , 6 months later bubbles began and when I tried to get them to cough up for repairs, I was told that they’d gone bust and were under new ownership so no go. It’s a right pain having to take the screen out to remedy shoddy work.

 

[Lund]

I'm having my windscreen changed on insurance this afternoon, through Autoglass direct (Direct Line insured).... is this something I should keep a close eye on when it's being installed? I was told I get a new rubber, should I ask for butyl sealer as well?

 

[Bob]

I had a screen replaced on my 95 a couple of years back through insurance. It was an Autoglass affiliate company. Everything looked good, but 3 weeks later I noticed the inside misting up overnight. Water getting in. Passenger footwell was damp. Eventually found the bead of bonding sealant in the top corner was incomplete by about a millimetre..

So yes it always pays to check. As much as I hate someone watching me when doing a job, at least I know that I'm doing it right.

 

[Towpack]

Chris, good luck with the finger crossing. My recent experience wit AW was not a good one. Starting with the wrong (rear screen) being delivered, then a catalogue of missed and cancelled appointments, appointments being made without my knowledge and turning up when I wasn't in, numerous calls into their call centres and head office in Leeds with the promise of call backs which often never came, the glass being fitted without sealer because the fitter didn't have any and water pissing in all over the place. They eventually refitted the screen with sealer but it still leaked in one corner so I just thought f**k it and removed/refitted/sealed it myself. The only plus point from the whole experience is that they originally quoted me the wrong price, which I paid after the initial fit, as they found out to their cost when I queried a a demand for a further £211. After they listened to the recording of my initial call into their call centre to order the screen they confirmed I had beed quoted incorrectly and I never heard from them again so eventually I did 'win' something out of the whole unfortunate experience.
This was not an insurance claim as I decided to have the rear screen replaced as most of the HRW elements where beyond repair. I guess if you're stranded at the roadside in bad weather with a broken screen you'd be more appreciative of the service they offer.
I used the butyl sealer that Starcruiser posted a link up for a while back and it worked first time and been fine since.

 

[stumog]

I got a screen from Karl f9r nothing and helped a friend fit I think all in was £40 not leaked at all. Certainly the way forward in my book.

 

[Chris]

They're coming Monday. Deff got the right screen they say. Fitter, local lad, said no to sealer. I have a brand new OEM seal on hand, but the current one is totally sealer free and doesn't leak a single drop. I put two rear screens in recently with no Sealer and even the jet wash can't make them leak. I have sealer too in the garage, but I'd much rather make it fit without first. It's hateful stuff.

 

[StarCruiser]

It's hateful when your screen leaks Chris. I know, I know, it shouldn't but when the outer part of the rubber is higher than the inner along the bottom, it does just that. Guy on 4x4 response had AG fit his screen and the headlining was soaked through within a week. Mine just leaked from the bottom corner, top, and from the stitching down the A pillars. They'll tell you it's your sun roof, I even had a guy from AG run a hose down into the rear door to try and tell me my car was filling up with water through there.

I really hope you can come on here Chris and thumb your nose at me telling me you don't need sealant and everything is leak free for the next 5 years but I'll put a Stowford on it that you'll have some sort of problem. Two that it's a leak. Oh, and don't expect a genuine rubber unless you hassle them.

 

[StarCruiser]

I'm having my windscreen changed on insurance this afternoon, through Autoglass direct (Direct Line insured).... is this something I should keep a close eye on when it's being installed? I was told I get a new rubber, should I ask for butyl sealer as well?

I am so very sorry…

They will only put arbomast all over the place which is useless as it sets hard(ish) if it has leaked. You will get a new generic rubber, which may well be too big. Keep the old one if they don't marmalise it on the way out and it's free of cracks. AG fitted mine 4 times. Broke the first (WTF?) the next 3 leaked, 3rd time I had to travel to Portsmouth to have it rectified, which they did and smothered everything including my head lining in Arbomast which cracked and let the water in for the last 3 years until I removed and refitted it last year with butyl screen sealer from EBay and not a drop has passed since.
I therefore favour self fit, it's not difficult and you can deal with any rust while it's out (I did anyway while the fitter prepared the first screen). They openly told me they don't have fitters that know how to fit the old style glasses as the new ones are bonded in. Their guarantee means they will refit it until it's right but at what cost of your time and diesel getting it to their workshop as that's the only place they do a refit.

If you have the fitter do it, I would be around, friendly and helpful (the screen is heavy and tricky to lift up the 8 feet or more over Sassy's bonnet after all. Tea helps, be his friend if he'll let you and quietly keep an eye, see how he does it for when you need to do it, and if they do offer sealant, get it all round the glass into the rubber and between the lip and the paintwork round the frame. The very outer edge around sides and top only. Make sure any drains (there are two moulded into the body) are kept clear.

 

[Chris]

Hmm, there hasn't been any discussion about changing the rubber. I said that I have a genuine Toyota rubber on the shelf not that they were providing one. The current screen is not bonded anywhere at all. This I know. It does not leak at all, not a drop. This I know. So, why would it leak? The only reason that I can think of is that the new screen isn't the right shape or size. This is entirely possible. If I bought a genuine old screen from Triggers would that be better? Well maybe, but there's nothing like a new screen. I shall be playing it by ear on Monday. I never said never, but using sealer in my view is a bodge. It should not need that. I shall be having the hosepipe on it before they leave I can assure you. But I really do not want it sealed in. I want it au naturale and not leaking. Why wouldn't I?

The fitter seemed to know exactly what he was talking about and was, let's say, very helpful in getting this sorted. He lives about 4 streets away in the village and seemed very keen that he did a good job.

I shall be there when it's fitted.

 

[chapel gate]

Hope it works for you. The fsm shows a sealer. Air bag models have a sealer and are bonded.

 

[Chris]

Yes the lad said that some were sealed lightly from the factory, but that mine had been swapped out at some point in its history and cleaned up with a new seal too. Interestingly the chap at Spire screens said precisely the same thing when I went there originally. Clearly either two total idiots or two people who know their stuff.

We'll see. Either way, AW will be doing it properly. I can assure you. After having messed me around once, I won't be letting them do it again.

 

[Lund]

well my screen was indtalled today, very nice chap that are also into MR2's so we got along well..,tea provided, i helped him out, used the old rubber, sealant both glass and frame side, did a water test, small leak on the passenger side, more sealant, job done.. time will tell... and he left me the generic rubber. Autoglass.

 

[StarCruiser]

As mentioned, mine had a small amount of sealant on it from factory too. I consider it insurance and if it's good enough for Mr T then it's good enough for me. It comes out and cleans off if need be. Personally I think the new screens are smaller and possibly thinner but I've never had a genuine screen to compare mine to.
Good luck Chris, you're a brave man going au naturelle in the screen department.

 

[StarCruiser]

well my screen was indtalled today, very nice chap that are also into MR2's so we got along well..,tea provided, i helped him out, used the old rubber, sealant both glass and frame side, did a water test, small leak on the passenger side, more sealant, job done.. time will tell... and he left me the generic rubber. Autoglass.

Nice one. Was it Arbomast he used? Depending on where it was used, sounds like you may well be OK with that Chris. At least you had a fitter you could work with. All mine bar 1 were the 'leave it to me Sir this is highly technical stuff' types that wouldn't really listen.