DOH! Cracked windscreen
tegwin - 20/3/12 at 11:42 AM
Well I feel a bit stupid now..
Took my wipers off to replace them, whilst they were off I figured I should check the washer fluid... Opened the bonnet and BANG, the wiper arms both
dropped and smashed into the screen....
Now have a pair of nice cracks from each wiper arm.. What a bloody stupid thing to do... seriously... GRRRRRRRRR
There is a small chip where each arm hit plus radiating cracks up to about 7" long. Cant feel them with a fingernail on either the outside or
inside....
Obviously I need a new screen, but do we think it will be safe/legal to drive as it is for a bit? I am suposed to be driving up to Gatwick tonight to
go off on Holiday.. Hopefully the screen wont explode at motorway speeds...
Trying to decide if I should get insurance to fix it, Find a local indi and pay them to do it, or try and get a screen from a scrap yard... dont have
time to sort it out for a few weeks though!
I guess if I go through insurance I have to pay my excess (£70) but would loose my NCB!?
[Edited on 20/3/12 by tegwin]
McLannahan - 20/3/12 at 11:53 AM
Windscreen and glass claims very rarely affect your NCB.
My policy (Swiftcover) allows three such claims a year I believe?
loggyboy - 20/3/12 at 11:55 AM
quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Windscreen and glass claims very rarely affect your NCB.
My policy (Swiftcover) allows three such claims a year I believe?
Agreed, not only does it not (rarely?) effect NCB, but you can even still ge a refund on the policy if you dont use it all (where as usually, if you
make a claim, and then want to cancel you wont get any money back.)
mookaloid - 20/3/12 at 12:27 PM
Been there - got the T-shirt previous thread at least you have insurance - I
didn't 
tegwin - 20/3/12 at 12:30 PM
Cant get it fixed today so do we think it will be ok driving a 600 mile round trip? I can kinda see where the cracks will go, not in my direct line
ov vision but the left hand corner could snap off...
If I get stopped by plod, presumably its not an issue?
loggyboy - 20/3/12 at 12:35 PM
Technically it is an issue if its more than 4cm within the swept area, but if you explain to the cuntstable that its just happened and the insurance
company have it booked in (if you havent I suggest you do) for next week or whenever then I think they would have to be in a real shitty mood to stop
you from driving it.
snakebelly - 20/3/12 at 12:35 PM
if the damage is in the viewable area i think it will be a problem if you get stopped? see here for the limits:
http://www.ukmot.com/6-1.asp#Text_top
Surely you can get the screen changed today? just tell the insurance company you need it doing today of find a locaql approved fitter who can do it
aqnd talk to the insurance company direct?
BTW did you get the paypal for the cad drawings?
tegwin - 20/3/12 at 01:05 PM
Hi Mac. Yes, I did, thankyou kindly :-)
I have spoken to the usual suspects and they cant help me until tomorow which is too late.
It doesnt obstruct my view, and provided they dont grow when subjected to bumps etc, It will have to be ok! :s
I guess if I do get stopped I will be a notice to go get an MOT?
[Edited on 20/3/12 by tegwin]
tul214 - 20/3/12 at 01:24 PM
i've been driving around with two cracks in my screen for about the last 3-4000 miles. Never grew any longer and never stopped by the police etc.
I am sure you will be fine.
Arranged with insurance to get the screen replaced this week due to the MOT being due.
On a side note, I have had a debate with Direct Line about the possibility of replacing the screen with a genuine Merc screen and not just a pattern
screen as provided by Autoglass. It seems that my insurance policy (read all?) states in the small print that they have the right to replace parts on
my car with non genuine parts.
Not THAT bothered about the screen but my argument with them was that if I had an accident they could insist that pattern(non OEM) parts could/should
be used to repare it.......is that right???
loggyboy - 20/3/12 at 01:34 PM
quote:
Originally posted by tul214
On a side note, I have had a debate with Direct Line about the possibility of replacing the screen with a genuine Merc screen and not just a pattern
screen as provided by Autoglass. It seems that my insurance policy (read all?) states in the small print that they have the right to replace parts on
my car with non genuine parts.
Not THAT bothered about the screen but my argument with them was that if I had an accident they could insist that pattern(non OEM) parts could/should
be used to repare it.......is that right???
I had simiar issues when my Lexus - had a replacement screen fitted and started to get issues with my lights and alarm. Owners club info pointed to a
leaky screen. Turned out to be common fault for pilkinton units to do with the cable to the heated element beneath each wiper. After going back
several times with them trying to find a leak (which they couldnt) eventually they replaced it with a genuine screen and the problem miraculously went
away. That particular time it was autoglass who had to get the geunine screem, but a year or so later the screen went again, that time I demanded a
genuine screen from the outset and Direct line had no qualms about sorting it.
Ninehigh - 20/3/12 at 01:40 PM
I wonder where I'd stand with the heated front screen?
tul214 - 20/3/12 at 01:43 PM
Mmmm , well I was on the phone with them for about an hour yesterday but they would not budge......so I have made a complaint to their customer
services.
My issue was that if I need a new wheel/ wing/ bonnet etc they could replace with a pattern part and the quality fit and finish will not be the same.
tul214 - 20/3/12 at 01:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
I wonder where I'd stand with the heated front screen?
Mine has the rain sensor and auto light sensor. They say that it will be a Pilkington screen...as per the genuine MB screen but without the 3 pointed
star. We'll see???
tegwin - 20/3/12 at 01:51 PM
Oddly when I spoke to the main VW dealer here they told me they could not sell/fit a screen for me.... I had to go to autoglass/autwindscreens to get
it done...
So seems there is no OEM option in this case...
Have spoken to insurance and got it booked in... They tell me its totally safe to drive and legal (which is an interesting statement given they have
not seen it!)
hey ho...
Now £70 lighter for my stupidity...lets hope today gets better!
tul214 - 20/3/12 at 01:55 PM
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Oddly when I spoke to the main VW dealer here they told me they could not sell/fit a screen for me.... I had to go to autoglass/autwindscreens to get
it done...
So seems there is no OEM option in this case...
Have spoken to insurance and got it booked in... They tell me its totally safe to drive and legal (which is an interesting statement given they have
not seen it!)
hey ho...
Now £70 lighter for my stupidity...lets hope today gets better!
Yep, whilst arguing with Autoglass, they told me that they do the fitting for all the car dealers and the glass is the same. Just that the OEM stuff
is etched at the Pilkington factory and the autoglass supplied stuff is not
MikeRJ - 20/3/12 at 04:40 PM
I had a new windscreen fitted to my tintop a couple of months back, and today a car threw up a large stone that put a big chip in the glass which
developed into a crack by the time I reached work
Macbeast - 20/3/12 at 04:42 PM
I did something similar with my GTS screen ( supplied by Mango ) Obviously it's not a pattern part so can I just go to Autoglass or somewhere
similar and they will cut me a new piece of glass using the old one as a pattern ? At least the screen is flat.
[Edited on 20/3/12 by Macbeast]
PSpirine - 20/3/12 at 07:05 PM
Given that there are only a couple of manufacturers of windscreens in the world for most OEMs, you'd have to be very unlucky to get a pattern
part that didn't come out of one of their factories..