I am considering the windscreen replacement on my A4. It has 14 years of scratches which make driving in bright sunshine or with oncoming headlights more difficult than it should be.
Have made an attempt at polishing them out but I think it would take many hours and still not be perfect.
Any views as to which company I should use?
Please don't suggest I put a brick through it and claim on insurance. Not my style.
I now realise that the problem is caused when using the windscreen washers as the blades traverse, with their overnight accumulated dust and grit, before the water hits the screen. HJs advice is to wipe the crut off before getting in the car, but I didn't learn this early enough.
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No need for any dishonesty, just phone them up and say it needs replacing and they will come and do it for £75 or so. If you pay full price it will be nearer £500....
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I rather doubt any firm replacing a windscreen at an insurance companies cost will not check the existing screen for legality first. Contract with the insurance company is worth a lot to them, so they are not going to go outside its terms.
As for polishing, if you saw the size of scratches I got out of my aeroscreen glass, I very much doubt yours are worse. Jewellers Rouge, and a dremel (or suchlike) with a mop bit and an hour would work wonders. It would take ages by hand agreed, but you will find plenty of other things a dremel will do.
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>> Any views as to which company I should use?
I don't think that there are that many left now. All seem to have been bought up or amalgamated.
National Windscreens & Autoglass are about the only 2 main players, IIRC.
I "think" that most insurers tend to use Autoglass.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 8 Mar 16 at 13:16
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>> I "think" that most insurers tend to use Autoglass.
mine does.
brick is the way to go
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Mine has a b***** great crack at the moment, that won't pass the MoT in April. I've been putting off the replacement, the last one I had a few years ago was a seriously hamfisted job from a pair of Autoglass youths in a hurry.
I had left them to it and didn't realise until I next opened the bonnet. Loose plastic and rubbers, clips missing etc that I had to go and buy.
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>> I now realise that the problem is caused when using the windscreen washers as the
>> blades traverse, with their overnight accumulated dust and grit, before the water hits the screen.
>
Classic modern convenience solution solving one problem (need to operate two separate switches) but creating another (can't squirt the water on first).
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>> Classic modern convenience solution solving one problem (need to operate two separate switches)
>> but creating another (can't squirt the water on first).
>>
My X type Jaguar ( first model produced 15 years ago ) does wash and then wipe with one movement of the stalk. Keep the stalk actioned and the squirt keeps going until you release it.
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I used a one-man band last time around. The chap used to be the local autoglass manager.
MUCH cheaper than going to any of the big firms.
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A brick might bounce off and damage the paint anyway. Well, it would if I tried it. I suppose you'd have to practice throwing it at a glancing angle, even then it'd almost certainly carry on to hit next door's cat and then they'd get all unnecessary about it.
Probably best just to pay.
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Ball pein brick with a stout handle?
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>> A brick might bounce off and damage the paint anyway. Well, it would if I
>> tried it. I suppose you'd have to practice throwing it at a glancing angle, even
>> then it'd almost certainly carry on to hit next door's cat and then they'd get
>> all unnecessary about it.
>>
>> Probably best just to pay.
>>
A brick? Everyone knows that you can break any glass window (even toughened glass) by smashing the porcelain end of a spark plug and chucking one of the chips at it. I have no idea why this works, but it does.
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>>A brick? Everyone knows that you can break any glass window (even toughened glass)
>> by smashing the porcelain end of a spark plug and chucking one of the chips at it.
>> I have no idea why this works, but it does.
IIRC scroats use a simple workshop tool, what we used to call a "center pop"
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>> Any views as to which company I should use?
>>
Whereabouts are you? There's an independant guy on Pistoheads who is well recommended on that forum: www.glasstecauto.co.uk/
Unless I'm being dumb, their website doesn't say where they are (I think they're N London area) so perhaps they cover a wide area?
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Mornington Crescent! I win!
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There are still small firms about-if you mention an area,I am sure one could be recommended.
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Autoglass have quoted £303.
I live in Bury St Edmunds. I will see if Streetlife users have any local experience.
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Is it worth it 300 sheets to spend on a 14+ year old car which will no effect on its running or extra life?
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>> Is it worth it 300 sheets to spend on a 14+ year old car which
>> will
stop you from killing yourself or somebody else?
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Ok fair point, just saying. I don't know how bad OP is claiming it is affecting his view.
I've had 15 year old cars and never had an issue with an old screen.
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By the time it got to 160k the (original) screen in my Xantia was peppered with little chips. It really could have done with being replaced as driving up sun was not easy - but despite the large bulls eye in the passenger side that was there for nearly 4 years, it refused to crack! Had it passed another MOT, it would have been getting a new one.
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>> Is it worth it 300 sheets to spend on a 14+ year old car which
>> will no effect on its running or extra life?
>>
If you plan to keep the car, then yes as it's a safety issue. If you're trading it in tomorrow, then no.
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I was impressed by the work of the specialist who polished out the long scratch in the windscreen of the TDS. Setting up his kit and covering the bonnet and roof in blankets took almost as long as the polishing, and there's now no sign of where the scratch was.
I'd expect the same treatment to be effective for wiper scratches; perhaps less so for the multiple tiny chips old screens accumulate, which are generally deeper, having been caused by impact rather than abrasion. Worth a try all the same.
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I'd agree that it should be covered by your insurance anyway.
I had a new 'screen aeons ago in a Toyota Carina; the silicone holding the rubber seal around it had dried out and was letting water in along the top. The windscreen people (Bedford Windscreens, a small one-site company) couldn't guarantee to remove the glass without breaking it so a new 'screen was sourced and fitted for the cost of my excess.
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>> Autoglass have quoted £303.
It'll be something like £75 if you go through your insurer. And it won't affect your no claims.
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But it could affect your renewal premium.
How about trying these people:
www.glaswelduk.com/scratch-repair
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>> But it could affect your renewal premium.
Very unlikely. I've always declared it when shopping around for car insurance come renewal time and it's made no difference whatsoever.
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Scrappie and slip a fitter 20 quid ?
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>> Scrappie and slip a fitter 20 quid ?
The whole point is that OP wants a new one...
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>> Scrappie and slip a fitter 20 quid ?
If it's bonded in, I doubt very much if the fitter would be able to remove it intact once he starts sawing away with his cheese wire and other tools.
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Windscreen replacement - RichardW
