Windscreen replacement

Autoglass sorted my Petrol A2 screen out, cost me £75 insurance excess, was fitted at my place of work, nice clean job, I can't tell it was ever replaced (except that there are no fine scratches in it any more so driving in the dark is much better)
 
I need to get mine done quite soon too...a little word of warning...

I had just finished washing my A2 last weekend and was going over with the chamois when I thought it would be a good idea to shake off all the drips from the wiper arm by dropping it back on to the glass and lifting again... only thing was that the sprung arm has a little force to it so the metal wiper carrier actually poked the glass as the wiper rubber squished and started a very small crack from the bottom. That crack is now over a foot long!!

so yeah, don't do that ^ :eek:

My screen has a spattering of scratches and stone chips anyway so I've just speeded up the need to replace!

I assume the insurance company will recommend Autoglass when I give them a call.

Kennedy
 
Just made a call on mine through Admiral insurance - £75 excess and doesn't affect NCB. AutoGlass will come out and do it at my workplace.

I imagine that's the most painless method of sorting it although one of my neighbors owns a windsreen company so might ask him.
 
Insist on an Audi replacement screen, if you can.

The replacement screens sometimes look a little 'off' to my eye, with the top two corners sticking up ever so slightly higher than original. It's not something critical to its function, but worth thinking about. :p

Regards,

Matt. :)
 
From experience with other cars, the sticking up corners may mean the screen hasn't been seated properly. The detrimental effect can be increased wind noise in the cabin, which can be annoying to say the least! Often autoglass people will simply fit the screen using their experience, but manufacturer might stipulate certain things, like a smaller bead of glue at the top so it is more easily quished into place. The top edge of the screen should be - I think - lower than the roof line,by a gnats whisker.
 
OEM glass generally fits better. Cheaper glass can be a bit hit or miss with things like shape, curvature, distortion etc.
 
I feel like I'm hijacking this thread a little so apologies to Mike.M first off ;)

I'm not sure if insurers are tightening up on things but I'm having a bit of a fight with regards to getting an OEM replacement screen as the car is 'more than 3 years old' they say. I'm waiting on a call back from Admiral who have quite clearly and abruptly said they will not arrange for an Audi replacemnet screen but might be willing to offer it if I am happy to pay the difference as well as the excess. I've called Audi and I know the cost of a screen direct to me is £214 ex vat but I'm sure AutoGlass get a much more preferential rate... I'm sort of willing to pay the difference but I'll hold out if I can. Anyone know a rough book price on a likely non-OEM screen so I can work out if there is a massive price difference??

In my favour I am still in the cooling off period for the renewed multicar policy for both our A2's so I could think about leaving and going to an insurer with a more accomodating glass policy but all the insurers I believe are taking the same stance if you read their online documentation. Apparently Aviva are more receptive to requests for OEM glass so I could try them and then get the screen done anytime in the next 6 months before MOT... anyone got glass replaced with them in recent months??

Kennedy
 
Hi Kennedy

Have you already put a claim into Admiral for the screen or is it just a hypothetical question on screen suppliers?

If the screen has already cracked and the claim put in then I wouldn't have thought a new Insurer would honour a claim as the incident date was prior to inception of their policy.

Just a thought....

Cheers
Ruggie
 
Most insurers will only let you claim for an OEM glass if the car is less than 3 years old. Some may give you an exception if you have been a loyal customer for a number of years
 
i found you can claim for a genuine screen last year , but found they would only cover up to £250.00 which the genuine screen and fitting just came under £197 for the screen from TPS and £40 for fitting , although they did state that was the maximum claim amount for one year so if the screen went again they wouldnt be liable to pay out again ...
 
I am in the process of getting Autoglass to replace my screen following a stone chip on monday that became a crack across the drivers side of the screen today. So I am now waiting to see if my insurer will cover for an OEM screen. This thread has covered the issue over recent years so I thought you all might be interested to know if the Insurers are taking a firmer line on this.

Interestingly I can identify the lorry that was shedding stones as it passed me and caused the damage (caught on dashcam but no sound) but I do not believe there is any way you can prove liability!

Will let you know if I have a battle for an OEM screen.

If their response is no, do we have any substantial evidence to say that none OEM screens are really a problem?d
 
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I am in the process of getting Autoglass to replace my screen following a stone chip on monday, becoming a crack across the drivers side if the screen. So I am now waiting to see if my insurer will cover for an OEM screen. This thread has covered the issue over recent years so I thought you all might be interested to know if the Insurers are taking a firmer line on this....

Will let you know if I have a battle for an OEM screen.

If their response is no, do we have any substantial evidence to say that none OEM screens are really a problem?


I never actually followed up with the outcome of my windscreen experience at the end of last year, but now seems like a good time!...

So to recap from earlier in the thread, I was in the same position asking for an OEM screen on the basis that the car is really nice and original and I wanted the original glass for it, not least as fitment and distortion in the glass had both been mentioned a number of times even though as many people had said non-OEM glass was almost identical.

The initial response from insurance was a flat no and that I would need to pay the FULL screen cost if I wanted Audi glass, however there was a lot of waiting on what that cost would actually be. After sensing that I was going to be waiting sometime I just put more pressure on and kept asking for the same advisor. My approach after a couple more knock backs was to ask what the price difference was between the aftermarket glass and the OEM glass so I could meet them in the middle and only pay the difference rather than the entire cost of the Audi glass which seemed unfair. As I waited for trade price information it became clear that they still couldn't tell me (or didnt want to share with me) any price information of non-OEM glass, so I waited for another follow up call which never came. Then I got in touch again etc etc...

After a week of back and forth calls I spoke finally again to the same advisor and she agreed that as it had taken so long to resolve (and she still had no price inforation for me!) that the insurance company would now cover the cost of the OEM glass... GREAT! - so then my insurance company sent me out a cheque for £282.40 :), I arranged for the windsreen to be replaced by Autoglass at my workplace, they did a really spot on job and the installer was a car enthusiast so was really careful


...and now its been like driving in High Defintion ever since!!


So it can be a fight but it worked for me and my car is still all factory glass.


Kennedy.
 
Good to hear. This is one of my 'to do' jobs.

Ive had an OEM windscreen done on my insurance a couple of years ago on my 1.4 petrol, was a bit of a milarky though ... As i stood my ground when on the phone to them and said i did not want a non genuine screen fitted they gave the go ahead with a maximum amount they would pay of £250 .. i purchased a new screen from TPS which was just under £200 and paid the local windscreen company £30 i think to replace it, then sent the invoices to my insurer for reimbursement.

Ive recently well couple months ago had the screen replaced on my daily driver which i got a stone chip that one evening , next morning when i put the screen demister on it cracked from the chip to the bottom edge of the screen, this time i just paid the £70 excess and had a non oem one fitted, the difference i noticed was the seal around the screen being slightly different and couldnt justify the extra money for oem as she was a cat d i purchased and even though fully loaded she will never be worth her true value
 
As expected the insurance comany say they will not pay out for an OEM screen. Rather than fight them I have agreed to go ahead with fitting of whatever they provide as standard. I will however be watching the fitting and will push them if it looks as though the fit is in any way suspect.
Thanks for the comments

Geoff
 
Auto glass have just replaced our screen again. With a fy screen and it, bar the stupid position of the manufacturers logo, fits perfectly. No issues.
 
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