Autoglass v. ML55

[Simon_M]

Glad its sorted, but it is freakin donkey fitters that fek these things up!!

 

[Rory]

I could really do with having the screen changed on my car - it's got several nasty chips - but stories like this terrify me. In my experience these things are quite never the same again.

 

[timk]

I've got a chip in the windscreen on my C43 - was thinking of giving Autoglass a call to fix it, but this thread is making me think twice!!

 

[jonnyboy]

2 recent issues with autoglass. Had a stone popped up off a lorry (more like a rock) and it got the Q7 screen just above the resting wiper. Chip out, daughter passenger nearly **** herself. Rang A/g turned up 4 hrs late with no call. Mrs rang to say they'd been for the repair but hadnt done it citing it was an old previously repaired chip I could see therefore no action. The chip is really noticeable and unless the vendor of the car had some magic invisible potion on there which wore off the second the rock hit it is a load of twaddle. I am a bit OCD ish about rattles/squeaks/faults on a long journey and we went ot italy the week after we bought it so there is no way in hell it was there, no way. The wiper had started to catch on it just after the incident as well. Mrs JB reckons she saw him leaning over the screen with some sort of scraper in his hand. Wiper doesnt streak no. I went mental with them, have confirmation that when it cracks from there they pay my excess. Why didn't they just repair it? Bonkers. Got to say if it is a prev. repair its the worst I've ever seen!

Cracked a back screen on a car recently, not sure how. It was recently re-insured after a few months on my fleet policy. Rang broker - rang autoglass. As I know how the industry works I was prepared for questions relating to the validity of the claim. I've got the documentation relating to it. Told the silly little girl in the call centre all the policy details, all the car details, when it happened. She asked if I had an insurance certificate to which I replied not yet as was a recent substitution. She then transferred me to an arrogant t**t who accused me of fraud which I questioned - seemingly the girl thought I had said its not insured, not that I had no certificate. He had a serious attitude problem and was obviously used to proper fraudsters slinking off into the shadows and had no skills to deal with mismanaging telephone operators. I am still awaiting the official apology but had three inbound calls from them to book the job. Issue was a 500 limit on the policy. They reckon its a 900+vat screen so I told them to sling it as a s/h one is 150 plus fifty to fit (easy one to do). Then got another 2/3 inbound calls from them begging for the job and guaranteeing I would have no contribution other than the excess. I agreed to go ahead on this basis of course, but the weather and my operation halted things. Rang to book it this week, problem obtaining the screen, now they are saying insurers records still not up to date. Spoke to broker who asked me to pay for it and claim back. No problem. You know what's coming though don't you? Yep, if its not done direct-billed I have to pay £850+vat and claim back £440 from the insurer. I pointed out the price agreed by their head office but at this stage the local branch manager isn't interested.

T*ssers, total t*ssers. I suspect that even if the broker/insurer get their paperwork up to date for direct billing, I will later on be hit with a contribution bill from A/Glass, so have insisted on a written/emailed conf. about the discounted price. They need to spend less money on Gavin the radio guys wages and more on training and service.

 

[brucemillar]

Sorry to hear about your problems but not surprised (sadly).

I believe that the major insurance glass companies default to non OEM glass unless requested to use OEM glass. This causes big issues if y ou are unaware of the implications of heat reflective glass and rain/light sensors etc.

My BMW X5 had a heat reflective screen replaced with a non OEM screen without the glass company telling me. BMW noticed it when the car was in for a service as the incorrect glass was causing the aircon to go mad.

My recently purchased C55 had an issue with the rain/light sensor not working. This was found (by me) to be due to the control module missing from the housing behind the screen. I bought a new module to find that it would not fit onto the glass sensors. Mercedes confirmed that the car had been fitted with the incorrect glass by the previous owner. Presumably at this point the controller got tossed out. MB stated that the car must have Heat Reflective Glass. Windscreen company say that "MB would say that wouldn't they". However as windscreen company did not have the glas they were forced to order from Mercedes who in turn ensured the correct glass/sensor etc were delivered.

This is a long way of stating that you should first find out what glass you should have from the VIN/MB dealer. Then insist on the glass company using only the correct glass.

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Rory]

I believe that the major insurance glass companies default to non OEM glass unless requested to use OEM glass.

I tried that with my daugher's SEAT as all the window glass has a very distictive colour and the insurance company basically said I can have any glass I want - if I pay for it. If they pay for it they fit whatever they want.

They did say if I was unhappy they'd change it, and Autoglass said chances are it will come from the same factory but with the maker's name rather than SEAT on it.

I have to say it looked perfect from a colour match and appearance across the screen (no distortion) view so I think it may well have been from the same source as the SEAT one.

 

[Alex]

Sorry to hear about your problems but not surprised (sadly).

I believe that the major insurance glass companies default to non OEM glass unless requested to use OEM glass. This causes big issues if y ou are unaware of the implications of heat reflective glass and rain/light sensors etc.

My BMW X5 had a heat reflective screen replaced with a non OEM screen without the glass company telling me. BMW noticed it when the car was in for a service as the incorrect glass was causing the aircon to go mad.

My recently purchased C55 had an issue with the rain/light sensor not working. This was found (by me) to be due to the control module missing from the housing behind the screen. I bought a new module to find that it would not fit onto the glass sensors. Mercedes confirmed that the car had been fitted with the incorrect glass by the previous owner. Presumably at this point the controller got tossed out. MB stated that the car must have Heat Reflective Glass. Windscreen company say that "MB would say that wouldn't they". However as windscreen company did not have the glas they were forced to order from Mercedes who in turn ensured the correct glass/sensor etc were delivered.

This is a long way of stating that you should first find out what glass you should have from the VIN/MB dealer. Then insist on the glass company using only the correct glass.

Cheers

Bruce

Hi Bruce. It seems like our stories are very similar, in fact almost identical. Luckily my rain sensor wasn't tossed out. I understand that windscreen company eventually fitted the correct glass to your C55. Was it the same company that fitted the wrong part?

 

[brucemillar]

Alx

I do not know if it was the same company, sorry. However I did speak with a large National Windscreen Company who told me that they will normally use their own glass for insurance claims unless requsted not to do so, or their glass does not match the car.

 

[Colin_b]

Autoglass, Hmmm. One of my neighbours has an oldish Kia. 3 Weeks ago the rear screen broke for no apparent reason, probably cold. The insurance co. told her to use autoglass, who turned up pretty promptly.

Started the job, but jammed the tailgate by letting bits of broken glass into the lock mechanism. They fiddled about for a couple of hours, but failed to open the tailgate, and ended up taking it away to get it fixed.

This took a week. They delivered the car, having forgotten to refit the rear wiper (whole thing, including motor, etc.), and jammed the power lead to an earth, so the main wipers promptly fused.

Took the car away again, and discovered they had lost the wiper assembly. Another two weeks to fix this, the car arrived back yesterday. With the heated rear window not working, the terminal having been pulled off the screen, which now needs replacing!

At least the car is back for the time being...

 

[Alex]

Thought I'd give an update on what was eventually borked and replaced by AG:

1. Pattern Glass installation and removal @ unknown cost / labour rate
2. OEM Merc Glass @ £750+VAT (fitted by AG)
3. Interior Mirror @ £425+VAT (fitted by AG)
4. New loom to replace chopped one @ £250+VAT (fitted by MB in 10 hours @ £100/h rate)
5. Ripped out grille covering wiper arms mechanism @ £112+VAT
6. Investigation carried by the dealer re rain sensor (chopped loom) @ £56+VAT

Totally paid out by AG: £3,044.40 inc VAT

As they paid for everything without many questions asked, I am ready to forgive and forget. No hard feelings, that is. Also learned that management of AG Milton Keynes has changed after the incident. Could be purely coincidental though.

 

[dokalj]

WOW, a very expensive repair!!!

 

[mbenz76]

I used them once and once only - about 15 years ago on a Ford Sierra for a new front and rear screen after vandalism/attempted theft.

I was much the same as the OP - asked a lot of questions and wanted to make sure they did a "good" job.

Went to collect car after work and there was sealant smeared over the inside and outside - as if it were on someones hands or clothes while they were working. They cleaned what they could there and then and promised to valet it for me at a time to be arranged.

On the way home the rear view mirror fell off! The next morning I went to go to work and found a wet dashboard! It had rained over night and revealed some poor sealant work.

Took it back and after a full day they re-fitted everything and put right the problems.

It was on insurance, so makes you wonder how much they billed the insurance company for - do they/can they bill for revisits?

I have never needed a screen since (thankfully) and would never go there again if I did.

I do worry about the glass on my E350 - there are so many sensors on the front screen it must be a nightmare even for MB staff to get it 100% right first time.