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Hiya, on Friday I noticed a crack in my windscreen so called my insurance company's 24hr windscreen hotline, which is in fact the switchboard for a well known windscreen replacement company. I mentioned to the operator that I had a heating element at the bottom of the windscreen that defrosts the wipers to stop them getting stuck to the glass and she said that this feature was already noted on their database for my model of car. This is a feature of all new shape Lexus IS's. The mobile replacement guy came and replaced the windscreen but then noticed that there were quite a lot of scratches on the glass that he had thought were just grime when he fitted it. This was a fair mistake because they really do look like little blobs of dirt but in fact are probably from where the pane has been laid face down on a concrete floor or similar. Anyway the fitter was a bit gutted and said that another pane would have to be fitted in a week's time. I then noticed that the new scratched pane didn't have the heater element anyway. I am obviously going to speak to them before they come out again and mention that I need a screen with the heating element because even though it's a useless feature in my opinion I don't really want to explain to whoever I sell it on to that the switch on the dash does nothing because my insurance company paid for a cheapo patent part to be fitted. I don't want to be a misery but it seems that at least 50% of anything that I pay to have done is wrong in some way either because of damaged parts of incorrect fitting. Surely my experience is not unique and if so how do these companies make money and why does everything seem to be bodged these days?
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at least 50% of anything that I pay to have done is wrong in some way
Thought it was just me :-(
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You're not alone with the replacement window saga's.
Had a similar problem on my merc coupe, very large rear screen with probably 100 or so very fine heating wires, ended up with 3 fitted by the main insurance approved windscreen company, and still not working properly. Patches not clearing properly (which of course they tried to blame on the vehicle wiring)
Several other chaps on my merc forum had similar experiences.
If you insist on a genuine lexus screen, they must find one and fit it, contact the insurance company and let them know whats going on as well.
I know its too late for you now, but in the end i got a recommendation for a very small local windscreen company that my merc indy uses, and sure enough very long serving and experienced (thats the difference) chap turns up, fit and forget.
Alternatively you could have put the car into lexus (having got the go ahead from insurance) and let them do it and pay for screen and then insurance reimburse you.
Could you take the car into lexus for the day so they can supervise the replacement replacement screen?
Youre last sentence about bodged shoddy work may well open a pandoras box here.
Edited by gordonbennet on 24/03/2008 at 12:21
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know its too late for you now, but in the end i got a recommendation for a very small local windscreen company that my merc indy uses, and sure enough very long serving and experienced (thats the difference) chap turns up, fit and forget.
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IIRC many insurance compamies will only pay out a small proportion of the claim if you do not use their contractors.
Not a problem if you are paying.
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IIRC many insurance compamies will only pay out a small proportion of the claim if you do not use their contractors.
Your right Henry, but i won't use the cheaper online companies anyway, its always been my experience with insurance that when you need them is when you find out just how cheap that quote really was.
No problem who you use with NFU and its only £25 excess, if my memory serves me right.
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You can insist ona genuine Lexus part to be fitted.
I had a similar problem a few months back - the OEM part did not have the correct colour/shading so I had to wait a week for the Mazda windscreen to come.
Turns out it was made in the same factory as the el cheapo according to Autoglass
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Thanks for the replies guys, I will insist on an OEM replacement when I speak to them. I have just found out by googling around that not only does the OEM screen have the heater elements at the bottom but it is a special acoustic glass that reduces noise from the rattly old diesel. I will moan and whinge and complain until I get what I want :-)
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One of Mrs P's cars had a new screen after spreading crack, a well known national company installed the replacement on behalf of the insurance company. Roll on a couple of weeks and we couldn't understand why the clunk of the car door closing was somewhat amplified, turns out that the windscreen had not been bonded properly by the ham fisted drone that fitted it. Consequently each time the door slammed the windscreen flapped in sympathy. I took the car to their depot and after few well chosen words it was re-fitted there and then despite their "workload" .
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this is true all windscreens are usually bought in from the manufaturer who supply the screens to all the brands.
because we are not owned by bmw, merc, lexus, audi or who ever you have bought the vehicle from we are not allowed to fit them without autherisation from the make, and 9 times out 10 if you look above the makers of the glass they have polised out the manufature ie bmw
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All you are asking for, is what was there before - hardly demanding.
I had one done recently and took it to the glass workshop. It meant I had to kill about 2 1/2 hours, but I do think under controlled workshop conditions you get a better job done, than one in the street.
Edited by MW on 24/03/2008 at 12:30
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I had one done recently and took it to the glass workshop. It meant I had to kill about 2 1/2 hours but I do think under controlled workshop conditions you get a better job done than one in the street.
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If the weather is poor then I too would take my car to a depot.
On a sunny day, I had my Mondeo Quick clear electric screen fitted when the car was in my drive. The fitter from Autoglass was very very good.
IIRC I had to sign to say I would wait an hour berfore using the car.
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Insist on it being done at a Lexus dealer - and leave it at the dealers overnight so the bonding agent goes off properly before you drive it (another reason not to use a mobile fitter).
Edited by boxsterboy on 24/03/2008 at 23:10
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Insist on it being done at a Lexus dealer
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IIRC No need to insist. It is your choice where you get work done.
Maintaining any warranty may be an issue.
My T&C say something like " if you do not use our approved companies then we will only pay out £125 "
so if you want it done at a Lexus glass palace then fine so long as you are prepared to open your wallet.
(I suspect that a mobile unit might be called in to do the job.)
>>....and leave it at the dealers overnight so the bonding agent goes off properly before you drive it (another reason not to use a mobile fitter).
What is so different leaving a car overnight in my drive vs a Lexus yard ?
Do they have better air? ;-) :-)
I monitored my mobile guy doing my windscreen and he really was fantastic.
Can you monitor the process at Lexus?
I KNOW my car was not moved while the bonding agent went off properly.
(another reason TO use a mobile fitter at home).
>>Markoose
>>Surely my experience is not unique and if so how do these companies make money and why does everything seem to be bodged these days?
Some you win some you loose. I know how you feel.
I am just now writing a stinking letter to a well known house window company.
Overall I am delighted with the end product but getting there was real aggro.
Installers were good but IMO, the company, its management, its legal department and organisation are a shambles.
I believe "Management, at its risk, ignores the guy doing the job"
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>>....and leave it at the dealers overnight so the bonding agent goes off properly before you drive it (another reason not to use a mobile fitter). >> What is so different leaving a car overnight in my drive vs a Lexus yard ? Do they have better air? ;-) :-)
Fine, if you had the screen replaced at home you know the car hasn't been moved. But my point is that often mobile fitters replace screens at work for convenience, and the car is driven before the bonding has set.
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all windscreen fitting adhesives now adays take at least an hour to go off before it is safe to drive but it can take just over a week to go complety off.
we would prefer them all to be in the branch as on some vehicles ie mercedes c class with 8 different screens for this one car and therefore it is easier to have the customer there as 9 out of 10 don't know what screen is in there car.
by the way even some dealers don't know what is in your car
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insurance companies tend not to pay dealership prices and leaving it at a dealer means taking up there car park whilst they get there mobile fitting service sometimes can be worse to fit them with just the oe glass which they can then turn round to the customer and charge stupid prices ie and average bmw 320 with no rain sensor or heating elements £460 plus vat and they make a huge profit.
but you sound like you know alot about windscreens and have a very large wallet, so i'm not going to argue with you.
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. I then noticed that the new scratched pane didn't have the heater element anyway. I am obviously going to speak to them before they come out again and mention that I need a screen with the heating element because even though it's a useless feature in my opinion
That's strange as the only screens available for the IS (2006-on) all have heater elements, with acoustic glass, it's standard on UK cars. It's most likely it's just not visible on the replacement as different manufacturers construct the screens in slightly different ways. Some will place the heater elements infront of the ceramic frit (black edging) and other will place it behind. You'll know for sure when the screen is removed to fit the un-scratched one as there will be a cable on the bottom edge that connects to the wiring loom.
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I'm going through a similar thing at the moment with the passenger side glass on my Volvo S60.
Replacement has four definate waves in it like the window was made from a roll of glass. This creates a magnifying effect as well as odd reflections. The original glass was also water repellant which the replacement is not even though I told them this before the replacement glass was fitted.
I am still waiting for a response from the company. I'll give them until Friday then escalate through my insurance company.
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That's strange as the only screens available for the IS (2006-on) all have heater elements with acoustic glass it's standard on UK cars. It's most likely it's just not visible on the replacement as different manufacturers construct the screens in slightly different ways.
Sounds like you are in the know, it might well be that the heater element is hidden behind that black edging then. I have asked the fitters to make sure that it definitely has one when the new pane is fitted this Friday. At this stage I'm not raging and have been polite and respectful as the job isn't complete yet and from what you say whatever glass supplier is used it will be the correct spec so I'm hopeful. Just dismayed that there's always "something" :-)
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Sounds like you are in the know it might well be that the heater element is hidden behind that black edging then.
Easiest way to check is to switch it on and see if that area gets warm to the touch.
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not sticking up for any windscreen fitter or company,
a> the screen should have been checked when the fitter got to the job
b> the screen you'll probably find is wiper heated and therefore the obscuration mark(black band) is slighty different therefore the elements would be covered
c> not all insurance companies will pay for oem glass and therefore the customer would have whats known as a oe charge costing from an additional 50 pounds through to 1000 plus your excess
Best way to see if you have a heated screen is to turn the engine on and see where the revs are and then turn the heating elements on and see if the rev needle fluctuates alternatively place your hand at the bottom of the screen towards the centre with the heating elements on..
Hope this can clear some things up for you
by the way windscreen companies don't just rely on excesses we also get money out of the insurance companies too. Plus if there is faults with the glass ie distortion, faulty elements we can get money from warranty of the glass manufacturer
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IME, RAC Windscreens (formerly Auto Windscreens) manufacture their own glass and it is (now) RAC branded.
Autoglass use branded glass eg Pilkington, Sekurit, Saint Gobain etc.
Out of interest I have asked both a fitter and an insurance rep why they don't supply glass with the manufacturer's logo on it eg GM, Volvo etc. They both said you could have this but you would have to pay a premium for it (possibly running into hundreds) + the standard excess.
From a fitting point of view I've had good service from both of these companies.
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I had a replacement screen on my Mazda fitted a couple of years ago by RAC. They, at my request, fitted a geniune Mazda screen which they had to order in from Mazda in Japan. It took a few weeks but quite happy.
My car at the time was about 4 months old and of the new shape.
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