Windscreen stone chip - cheapest (best) fix?

[SamDude]

The front windscreen has a small chip in the direct line of sight of the passenger.

I've checked the Autoglass requirements for a repair rather than a replace - it is just smaller than a £1 coin, is not on the drivers side of the windscreen and is not too close to the edge.

My insurance with Elephant gives allows me to pay £70 and get it repaired/replaced.

How much would it cost (and where from) to get it sealed/repaired directly? I would rather not pay the £70, unless it is the cheaper option...

 

[cliveywolves]

Hi, sounds to big for a repair if it is £1 coin size... Maybe need a replace.

But try National Windscreens 0500 300 684 they do free repairs....

 

[h5djr]

Most insurers will pay for a repair and only charge the excess if the screen has to be replaced.

 

[Boydie]

if you get your screen replaced through insurance they usually charge £50 and get Autoglass to come out and fit the new one

 

[SamDude]

After re-reading the policy schedule and the policy document (both say different things), I've booked a visit from the Insurance windscreen repairer - RAC Auto Windscreens.

If it's a repair (which it is), it'll be free, but if its a replace (nooo!) it'll cost me £70.

I'll find out on Wednesday...

Thanks all.

 

[Caesium]

The repairs are never very good, what they do is clean the area out, then vacuum the chip then inject resin which gets sucked into the void. Then its cleaned off flush with the screen.
I had it done on my old Passat and it looke worse than before.
They won't replace the screen unless it is beyond repair.

I have had mine done twice now on My A4, both times I have specified an OE part only and it cost me £50 each time.

My advice is get it repaired and if you are not happy with it, crack it around the repair with a hammer and then claim for a new one, or something like that so I've heard....

 

[SamDude]

The repairs are never very good, what they do is clean the area out, then vacuum the chip then inject resin which gets sucked into the void. Then its cleaned off flush with the screen.
I had it done on my old Passat and it looke worse than before.

Can you describe why it wasn't as good?
Was there a distortion? Colouring? Crack reappearing?

My advice is get it repaired and if you are not happy with it, crack it around the repair with a hammer and then claim for a new one, or something like that so I've heard....

 

[Caesium]

Can you describe why it wasn't as good?
Was there a distortion? Colouring? Crack reappearing?

It was a lot more visible than before the repair, it looked like glue had been poured over the damage. At the end of the day its not something I'd be prepared to put up with on a 28 grand car.

 

[SamDude]

It was a lot more visible than before the repair, it looked like glue had been poured over the damage. At the end of the day its not something I'd be prepared to put up with on a 28 grand car.

Who was it that did the job?
If I'm not satisfied, I'll be kicking up a fuss (with RAC Auto Windscreens, not my car....)

I have had mine done twice now on My A4, both times I have specified an OE part only and it cost me £50 each time.

OE part? for what - the repair or the windscreen itself?

 

[HeliChris]

If you don't specify OE part you will get a patern windscreen fitted. Its upto you if you want a patern windscreen or the Audi part

Chris,

 

[Caesium]

Who was it that did the job?
If I'm not satisfied, I'll be kicking up a fuss (with RAC Auto Windscreens, not my car....)




OE part? for what - the repair or the windscreen itself?

RAC Auto Windscreens did it (orange van)

and although they say the windscreens are made in the same factory, I wanted the 4 rings on mine.

 

[steve184]

this is always a worry of mine that if i needed a new windscreen they would fit a non-audi piece of glass which may or may not match in colour - have the correct black border etc etc. when buying a car i always check to make sure all the glass matches - so i'm sure if it doesn't it affects resale somewhat

 

[newbiecrg]

I had a chip in my Alfa windscreen repaired... costed me 10 pounds and I cannot tell where it was now... Very happy with it! It was done one year ago, no problems or cracks reappeared.

I would probably want the 4 rings as well but I know they are made in the same factory... It's is sad being like this, isn't it?

Pedro

 

[Caesium]

If it aint genuine it don't go on, simple. The insurance company insured an Audi and if it needs a new part i don't expect it to be from a pattern part company and fitted by a Ford garage. Demand OE!!

 

[HeliChris]

I have always had the main dealer fit new glass. The insurance company will pay upto what it would have cost them for Autoglass / RAC to do the job, but every time the main dealer has been cheaper. I have now done this three times with my A4 windscreen, MINI windscreen and BMW X3 rear screen, in all instances I saved the insurance company by using the main dealer.

I never put up with pattern glass, it's part of the structure of the car, and who is going to cover the warranty claims if the technology built into the glass goes wrong, rain sensors, atennas and alarm sensors.

Chris.

 

[steve184]

apparently its about £300 for audi to replace an A3 windscreen - don't know what the equivalent would be for RAC or autoglass to do the same job - as obviously you never end up knowing the bill - just paying the excess

 

[HeliChris]

apparently its about £300 for audi to replace an A3 windscreen - don't know what the equivalent would be for RAC or autoglass to do the same job - as obviously you never end up knowing the bill - just paying the excess

check first, my X3 rear screen was £730 by the dealer and Autoglass wanted £750 plus they could not tell me when and wanted to leave the car without a rear screen until they found the part. The dealer took the car that day, keep it in the workshop and replaced it the next day.

Chris.

 

[SamDude]

Well, RAC Auto Windscreens (Orange van) came round and did their work.

I'm not happy at all, but its down to the chip being there for a long while (it was already there when I bought the car approx 8 weeks ago...).

This is what it looked like before the repair:

...and this is how it looks after the work was completed:

So, its gone from a small chip to a 'blur' which as A4Quattro said stands out even more than before...

 

[Caesium]

 

[HeliChris]

Take it to a MOT station and ask if it would fail an MOT. If it would then the repair is unsafe. Then Complain.

 

[Caesium]

Chips or cracks in the windscreen directly in front of the driver, in the area swept by the wiper blades, are acceptable if they are less than 10mm in diameter. In the rest of the swept area, up to 40mm diameter damage is acceptable.

 

[DanZ]

Hi guys.
It happened to my a3 too (actually it was my wife driving the vehicle). She was driving along a single c/way rd when a rain of stones fell behind a ****** lorry. She could not see what company it was or anything(not that you could claim something even if you did).
The thing is that the windscreen has now at least 10!! small chips, barely noticeable like 1mm in diameter, not in danger to crack I think but surely they will damage the wipers causing smudges. There is also a larger chip on the passenger FOW which needs fixing 2-3 mm in size.
Do you know if I claim on insurance they will have to fix them all of they will fix only one chip/excess paid?
Also to add to my sorrow there are at least 10 chips on the paintwork and 2 on the offside headlight which I'm sure there were not there before. The car was kept in mint condition by the fmr owner and I've managed to stuff it in just 3 weeks. So annoying. Damn lorry drivers which don't secure their load.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
Dan