Just had to take my van in for a new offside headlight assembly today due to a smashed lens, nothing much out of the ordinary except that I've not had even so much as a cracked headlight in 28 years on the road, but now I've had two in four weeks. Both offside, both hit in exactly the same place. Our garage reckon they replace about three a year across a fleet of about 200 vehicles.
Is a smashed light that rare and should I dash out and buy a lottery ticket on the basis that odds are swinging my way?
Cockle
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One headlight, one windscreen, and no punctures in 21 years and approximately 400,000 miles of motoring.
The headlight was in 1986, and the windscreen in 1983, so I'm probably well overdue now! (touches wood that he's not!)
Until purchasing the V70 last year, all cars have had full size spare wheels that have never been used, but I guess the first time I DO have a puncture will be on a Sunday, on the autobahn, half way between Blighty and SWMBO's home town in the Czech Republic. I will then curse that I've got to hobble along at 50MPH, and get the puncture sorted pronto!
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"one headlight, one windscreen, and no punctures in 21 years"
Well I can't talk about the other two but I do have stats for glass replacement.
Our figures show that the average driver requires a piece of glass replacing every 6 to 7 years, so yes you are well overdue.
Very boring me when I get going.
(Glass-Tech)
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Two windscreens, one headlamp and 3 headlight protectors in 20 years
The windscreens were replaced under insurance so no problems, headlight was cracked and a small hole punched through so the lamp housing filled with water. Lamp replacment cost almost 100 pounds, since then I always use headlamp protectors. I have replaced 3 headlight protectors which are usually much cheaper than a new lamp unit. All have been destroyed to the point where they simply fall apart, I dont replace them for a crack. So I reckon they are worth the money.
regards
Ian L.
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Some years ago I collected a half-brick from (I assume) paired rear lorry tyres. It smashed the glass of my Citroen XM offside headlamp and stayed there until I pulled over to investigate. No body damage and headlamp still serviceable with new glass fitted.
More jam than Hartleys ...
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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"Until purchasing the V70 last year, all cars have had full size spare wheels"
I've never understood this. How can Volvo be so safety-focused and not provide a proper spare?
Incidentally, Lexus provide not just a full size spare, but an alloy!
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Simple, peterb. Volvo say that up to 50MPH (the design limit), safety is not unduly compromised by fitting a space saving wheel, and the eco and other benefits of not lugging a much heavier full sized wheel around out weigh having one.
Another unspoken reason is of course cost, and I think this is the real reason. I could have specified a full size (alloy) wheel for very little extra, but didn't because of the fact that I have never used one to date, and that if I did have one, I couldn't order the wheel well mounted subwoofer that compliments the awesome Dolby Surround stereo! I will of course be cross (per original post) when I end up wishing I did have a full size spare, when the puncture eventually happens!
BTW - returning to the cost issue, my father's S80 does have a full size spare, his car having been made just before Ford took over Volvo Cars. Although I am delighted with my V70, find it very well made, and fabulous to drive, comparing his pre-Ford S80 with my post-Ford V70, there is much evidence of penny pinching cost cutting.
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SjB, when you do get the puncture and your car is fully loaded, where will you put the (dirty) wheel which will not fit in the wheel well?
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Now that is an excellent point Geoff !!
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Surely the only cost factor when talking about space saving wheels is that they cost more than normal ones. They will need to make less than a quarter the number of rims and the tyres will be produced in tiny quantities compared to normal ones so they must cost a fair bit more than a steel wheel and probably more than an alloy.
Not really a valid comparison, but this weeks MN quoted a reduction in per-wheel cost from £750 to £52 when the BTCC standardised on one rim for all cars.
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>>Another unspoken reason is of course cost, and I think this is the real reason. I could have specified a full size (alloy) wheel for very little extra, but didn't because of the fact that I have never used one to date, and that if I did have one, I couldn't order the wheel well mounted subwoofer that compliments the awesome Dolby Surround stereo! I will of course be cross (per original post) when I end up wishing I did have a full size spare, when the puncture eventually happens!<<
I think you will find a 225x17" alloy will not fit in the spare wheel well anyway, the floor won't go down flat.
VD5D.
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Cockle you're not getting your fair share of broken windscreens. I'm averaging about 1 a year, and no I don't tailgate other vehicles. I reckon the problem is caused by the highways authority not sweeping up debris from the side of the roads plus we have two ports in our area and a lot of HGV traffic. Plus I do most of my motoring on 70 mph dual carriageways.
I've already had a screen replaced this year and I'm worried whether I will be penalised by the insurance company if I have to claim for another one. I reckon I'm getting your share Cockle
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A couple of years ago the offside lens was broken on my 306 by a stone thrown up on a motorway.
When I was at the dealers buying a replacement lens, the guy on the desk tried to sell me headlight protectors which I declined, while commenting "What's the chances of the headlight being broken again ?"
His response to that was "You would be surprised".
The following week, while giving SWMBO a driving lesson, a pheasant flew out in front of us, shattering the replacement lens.
16 years of driving and the same lens gets broken twice within a week..
I wonder what the odds are on that ?
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No punctures, no windscreens and no headlights in a little over 6 years... watch me get all three tomorrow on my way to hand in this semester's assignments!
(One bonnet, two rear bumpers, a front wing, a rear panel and 3 alloys wheels in a little over 2 years though... I know I know!! Thought I'd get it in before anyone else did.)
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In 30 years, 4 windscreens (2 shattered, 2 chipped and cracked) and 1 headlamp.
Hit a pigeon in the Fiat 131, the force broke the mountings for the headlamp and it fell out and hit the road when I braked to see if anything was damaged...............
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RF - I'm surprised you got off so lightly in a Fiat. Was there any damage to the pigeon? :-)
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I've mentioned this on the forum before - I collected a half brick on the M40 in similar fashion to Hawkeye but was in a Polo and it hit the windscreen which luckily held (although badly damaged ) or I would have been dead. It mangled the wipers and left a big mark on the bonnet.
I've never - touch wood - had a headlamp breakage but I've lost count of punctures over 37 years motoring.
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Remember the song "My boomerang won't come back"? Well mine did -that was the only time in 25 years that I've broken a headlamp glass! Made the wife and kids wet themselves though :-)
One screen and a couple of punctures in that time as well.
RM
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