Windscreen Replacements - Oh what fun

[Marty V6]

Dear all,

I thought you may be amused at my recent dealings with Autoglass after I thought I would get a cracked windscreen replaced in my MkIII Sumo.

I rang Autoglass and got through to a call centre. The very helpful lady on the other end of the phone had no idea of what the car was but promised faithfully that they had a screen in stock and the Autoglass boys would be able to come to my house that weekend and replace the glass in the Sumo.
I thought I would just ckeck with the local Autoglass centre to see if they would be able to change the screen in the same weekend, as I was somewhat sceptical. I was informed that they would have to order it and they'd get back to me.

Two and a half weeks later I got a call from Autoglass to say the screen was in. I had previously offered to take the screen out of the car to make their life easier, and so I dropped the screen and frame down to them. I got it back the next night, reglazed. Unfortunately, it wasnt until I got home with it that I realised that they had put the frame vertical rails/supports on the wrong sides. I wasnt aware that this could actually be done - Pilgrim were quite surprise that this was possible as well.

I contacted the idiots and one of their fitters came out and took the supports off at my house. He managed to get one side back on the correct side, but then the screen cracked - oh joy.

Autoglass then ordered another screen, which took 20 days to arrive in their depot. I yet again took the screen down for them to have another go. I got it back home the next night, and as I was carrying it through the house, one of the end supports fell off - cos the lunatics hadnt sealed the frame together. I rang them up to get it taken away, which they did. I also spoke to the manager and suggested he talk to Pilgrim to make sure they knew how to put the frame together.

The next day I rang up to be told that they put a new windscreen rubber in it that they had ordered from Pilgrim the previous night, had sealed it up and wanted to keep it in overnight to make sure the sealant had gone off.

The next day I got it delivered. When I had a closer look at it, the sealer they had used wasnt setting, but instead just forming a surface skin. I left it alone for the rest of the day just in case the sealer hadnt hardened properly.

The next day it took me about an hour to get the worst of the sealer off the screen, and the underside of the frame so I could get the weather strip in - even though the sealer was still very pliable, and only forming a skin on the surface. The screen and frame had been delivered with sealer all over it the previous afternoon - not a good advert for customer care. The rubber strip they had used had some sort of plstic strip on it every couple of inches along its length, and this was visible when you looked at the screen. Not very satisfactory. However at this point all I wanted was a screen I could use.

I picked it up to put it in the car and was slightly disapointed to find that as I did so, the damn thing started to crack from the top drivers corner. I presume this happened due to the side side supports moving about and stressing the glass. This movement could be due to a number of things, not least possible slackening of the frame on account of the number of times that Autoglass have had it apart. I was also able to move the glass within the rubber seal, which suggested to me that the seal was the wrong one, and last but not least, the sealer still hadnt set and was giving no support to the frame to keep it together.

So after six weeks and an insurance excess payment of £60, and numerous phone calls and lots of journeys to and from Autoglass, I had ended up with a cracked windscreen - super.

At this point I had a mild sense of humour failure and contacted the insurance company who directed me to Autoglass Customer services. I explained what had happened, and that I had lost faith in Autoglass, and was not happy about re-using the frame, as I now didnt have any faith in it staying together at any sort of speed. He contacted the Autoglass branch and reported back that the manager of the branch was adamant that they had put it together correctly. They offered to replace the screen again and use a new screen rubber. I could see this taking another three weeks, and still not be right so I declined their kind offer.

Eventually we agreed that I would order a new screen and frame from Pilgrim and Autoglass would go halves on the cost. A less that satisfactory result but it was all I was going to get from them.

Funny how I can get a screen from Pilgrim by return of post, but it takes Autoglass three weeks to arrange delivery. The other frightening thought is - what if I had let them fit it in the car......

Sorry its a bit long - anyone else had similar fun whith Autoglass??

Cheers

Marty

[tonym]

when my screen cracked i called autoglass (as advised by my insurance) and they had a screen in stock, they collected that afternoon (yes i took it out for obvious reasons) and it was returned the next day. all has been well except now (20 months later) it has started to let water in at the bottom at speed in the rain, a bit of clear silicone and it's sorted. Hope you get yours sorted soon

[Neil O]

Autoglass........Autofarse!

They had 4 goes at my Honda screen: no rain sensor in the first one, second one had a rain sensor, but it was for a left hand drive car. The third one had everything in the right place, but the guy didn't know he needed new seals from Honda to fit it correctly DOH!
Fourth time lucky.

What a bunch of Muppets.

For Cobra screens, go to Autobrass, Dave will sort it out for you. Get ok from the insurance Co. first though. I think Backford Bloor have sorted this route before.

[CeeJay]

I've not had any problems myself with Autoglass but I thought I'd mention that you don’t have to go to your insurers preferred Glass Fitter.

Most independent Auto Glass Repair Centres will do the job, charge you your Glass Excess amount and then contact your insurer for the outstanding balance.

Your Insurer may make indignant noises but they have to pay - else it’s all too easy to be reported to the monopolies commission. The only reason I know this is that a friend of mine runs his own Auto Glass Repair Centre and he does this all the time.

I always try to use the small companies for this kind of work - they always do a good job as they just cant afford to get a bad name.

CeeJay

[David Large]

When I had my 17 year old glass replaced earlier this year i just told my insurer I would be using a specialist (Dave Shrubsole) , they agreed and paid up promptly, no problem.
Cheers,

[fcukruss]

all the major companies are utter shite,i deal with them on a daily basis and the amount of cars they scratch is unbelieveable.they are absolute crap and i wouldnt let them work on my wheelbarrow!



rant over!

russ

[Neil O]

Originally Posted by fcukruss

all the major companies are utter shite,i deal with them on a daily basis and the amount of cars they scratch is unbelieveable.they are absolute crap and i wouldnt let them work on my wheelbarrow!



rant over!

russ

Russ, that must be some wheelbarrow you've got mate!?
Never seen a wheelbarrow with a windscreen before..................

[westborne]

He must push it very fast !!

[Marty V6]

As an update:

I ordered a new Pilgrim windscreen and frame on Tuesday afternoon, and it was delivered on Wednesday morning - couldnt get much quicker than that if i had driven down to Small Dole and back myself.

Spend a frought Wednesday afternoon cacking myself whilst putting in the screen - all the problems with Autoglass have made me paranoid about touching it. However all is now well. The sealer in the redundant autoglass screen still hasnt set yet, and the side supports are still loose as a consequence. Nice one boys.....windscreen experts my ar$e.

I was out in it this evening and got a stone flicked up at it by a Saab going in the opposite direction. I nearly screamed. On closer inspection, it has just marked the screen. That would have rounded off a perfect week if it had cracked.

Now the screen is in its given me the opportunity to try out the LT77 manual conversion I carried out to it over the easter bank holiday. All seems well so far, and the fifth gear ratio is a lovely one for cruising. The speedo reads 2200rpm at 70mph, which is nearly 32mph/1000rpm. The old RV8 is just snoring gently at that speed. This means if it magically reaches max rpm in fifth (unlikely) it'll be doing 175mph - ho ho ho.

Roll on summer

Cheers for the responses

Marty

[Grease Monkey]

Touch wood the glass in the GD's just fine.

However many years ago i had a Spitfire where the previous (female) owner must have had more diamond rings than a footballers wife. The drivers side was a mass of circular scratches where i presume it had been cleared by hand.

Having rung autoglass to check they had one in stock i accidentally dropped a hammer repeatedly on the screen.

I rung them back to be told the one they had in stock was actually broken and a new one would have to come from another depot. When it did arrive it was broken in the van and i had to wait ages for another one.

Probably serves me right.