New Windscreen Fitting.....

[JamesT5]

I went to have a new windscreen fitted today because the old one had cracked good and proper.

Being an insurance job, I took my car to Autoglass (the designated supplier) and the bloke gets to work on it removing the rubber seal etc. But then, he drops a bomb shell.....

"Are you aware you're car has had a replacement windscreen fitted before?"

I stated "I wouldn't be surprised if it had" (knowing what the car has been through), and then he called me through to the workshop to show me something rather disturbing....

There was some rust that I thought might just be on the surface on the edge of the roof that was actually sitting under the adhesive! Apparently he said that when the car had had the windscreen fitted before, they didn't 'primer' the surround which meant that the water had got to the metal and caused the rust.

He said that if it was too bad then they would not fit a new window on 'health and safety grounds' a comment I thought was a bit odd considering he then told me I could drive away legally without any windscreen at all and it would still pass an MOT. I politely informed him that regarding the last part of his statement, I thought he was talking a load of bull $$$$ (well not quite as harsh as that), and I then went to inspect the area myself, feeling under the headlining and it all seemed like solid metal. "Surface rust" I told him and explained that if I was to drive down the road with no front window then the resulting air pressure in the car could in fact blow the back windows out.

I explained to the guy that this car was actually my daily runner and I can't be without it, he then said there was only one way to tell if it was too bad and that was to remove the old window and go from there but he was just about convinced it was going to be a show stopper.

Off I went back to the waiting room and watched some cookery show on the TV whilst he removed the window before he called me back in to the workshop about 10 minutes later. I took one look at the window surround and noted that it was 'substantial surface rust' but my instincts were basically spot on (as they almost always are), and told him to get on with removing the old bonding adhesive and to rub the rust down and stick the new window in.

Back to the waiting area for another dose of Mary Berry.......

I heard nothing from the guy after that until about 2.15pm (an hour and half or so later)..... "You're car's ready". Looks like I was right and the technician with his cocky attitude and 7 years in the business was in fact wrong...... W R O N G - wrong.

So the car now has a new windscreen but I will monitor that rust around the window surround because one day it become just a little more than surface rust. Anyway, one less dodgy item on the T5 for now at least.....

[stephenevans99]

Shame you didn't use your 'Spidey Senses' when buying that oil....pmsl.

Seriously though.....always nice when you're right and they're wrong

[JamesT5]

Shame you didn't use your 'Spidey Senses' when buying that oil....pmsl.

Seriously though.....always nice when you're right and they're wrong

Driving away from the Autoglass branch was like having High Definition viewing, no scratches or chips of any kind.

[jdavis]

Driving away from the Autoglass branch was like having High Definition viewing, no scratches or chips of any kind.

Good opportunity to try and keep it like that.
It's suprising how much difference there is when having a new screen fitted. Had mine done a couple of months ago.

[claymore]

Shame you didn't use your 'Spidey Senses' when buying that oil....pmsl.

Seriously though.....always nice when you're right and they're wrong

Or the car itself.

[JamesT5]

Or the car itself.

Well it had 12 months MOT and a recent service with a full Volvo service history to about 200,000 miles. There was no way anyone could have foreseen such a large list of expenses and look what I have learned in the process, I'm far more willing to fix my own car now than I've ever been.

We all had to start somewhere, including Frankie....

[silverhorse]

Well it had 12 months MOT and a recent service with a full Volvo service history to about 200,000 miles. There was no way anyone could have foreseen such a large list of expenses and look what I have learned in the process, I'm far more willing to fix my own car now than I've ever been.

That's true mate.

I had my windscreen replaced on insurance about 6 months ago and 2 days later got a stone fly up and chip it. Gutted. Luckily not an MOT failure and I got it jolloped up, but a pi55er none the less.

[LeeT5]

Need to have my screen replaced very soon. It's glazed and pitted to death!

James, does your car have rain sensing wipers? Only mine does and I am concerned about them breaking something or not refitting correctly. Also, what about working from inside the car? Do they need to to get the glass out? I am bloody nervous because the front seats are new - and Atacama leather marks very easily. did they use seat covers on yours?

[silverhorse]

Hi Lee,
mine has rain sensing wipers and when you get the screen replaced you need to specify it. This screen has an aperture in the sun visor strip where the rear view mirror sticks into the screen. The sensor is behind the mirror mounting (that is what it looks like anyway) and this aperture allows the car to 'see' if there is any rain. I think that is where the light sensor is as well.
If you are having it done at home you can supply blankets to put over your seats or take them with you when you go to their place. That is what I did as they are in and out of both seats during the process. My biggest concern was removal of the old screen as they really have to dig it out with some cutting tools to get the mastic out.

[JamesT5]

Need to have my screen replaced very soon. It's glazed and pitted to death!

James, does your car have rain sensing wipers? Only mine does and I am concerned about them breaking something or not refitting correctly. Also, what about working from inside the car? Do they need to to get the glass out? I am bloody nervous because the front seats are new - and Atacama leather marks very easily. did they use seat covers on yours?

Autoglass managed to put tiny brush scratches in my roof (couldn't see then until after I washed the car which has to be 48 hours after fitting!) and the fitter was too short so he stood on my plastic door surround trim and left dirty boot marks all over it. Still, I didn't complain seeing they nearly refused to fit the window due to rust and the whole car needs a flatten off and respray anyway.

If your window isn't broken, I wouldn't bother changing it. I had to change mine because it was cracked good and proper.

[graemewelch]

mines getting changed in the new year. its got deep scratches off the windscreen wipers.

[Harvey]

Need to have my screen replaced very soon. It's glazed and pitted to death!

James, does your car have rain sensing wipers? Only mine does and I am concerned about them breaking something or not refitting correctly. Also, what about working from inside the car? Do they need to to get the glass out? I am bloody nervous because the front seats are new - and Atacama leather marks very easily. did they use seat covers on yours?

The clips that hold the side trims (the painted one's) break very easy might be wise to get some from volvo they are about 2 pound each.
also the plastic trim screen to roof can get marked very easy and might not sit back down 100%.
I am sure you have broken and renewed the plastic rivets that hold the scuttle panel as well.

[JamesT5]

The clips that hold the side trims (the painted one's) break very easy might be wise to get some from volvo they are about 2 pound each.
also the plastic trim screen to roof can get marked very easy and might not sit back down 100%.
I am sure you have broken and renewed the plastic rivets that hold the scuttle panel as well.

When they showed me my car before the glass came out, the side trim was off and most of the plastic clips were missing! This might explain why those bits of trim were loose from the day I had the car. It looks more like the original owner of my T5 used the cheap cowboys to do everything other than routine servicing and only replaced the absolute minimum (i.e. one shock absorber etc...). The cowboys that fitted the windscreen for owner 1 had obviously scratched the paint when taking the bonding off and not bothered to rust treat it like Autoglass do, not only that they obviously broke the trim clips getting it off.

The more I do to my car the more I'm uncovering the cavalier approach to maintenance by the original owner, it was a company car but that's no excuse for the shoddy labour used for repairs. The respray on the body work says it all as well and all of this bad maintenance attitude is something I'm now paying for and having to put right.