Is My New Windscreen Faulty?

[ringway]

Evenin' All.

I had a new windscreen on my W210 last week installed by Autoglass.

The screen was not a genuine MB screen but (I'm assured) was manufactured at the same plant as the MB units.

I would have liked the OEM screen but this would have cost me another £150.00 and my insurance company another £380.00 so I decided to go for the Autoglass recommended replacement.

I'm happy with the job - they even knew about the rain sensor issues and covered the front wings whilst working (at my request).


However, when I look at just the bottom section of the screen (90mm) there is visual distortion resulting in my beautiful MB star becoming oval in shape.

Is this normal, or should I go and have the screen replaced?

TIA.

Paul.

 

[camerafodder]

Doesn't sound right to me mate. Have you mentioned it to Autoglass?

 

[corned]

Certainly worth a call to Autoglass.

Mind you, my S211 rear screen distorts the view through it if you catch it right (or perhaps wrong), and it elongates the cars behind if your view of them is just about right in the middle of the screen. As far as I know, it is the original MB glass...

That is not to say that I think you should put up with it if the previous screen wasn't like that!

 

[bennesspipers]

Seeing as they assured you it would be as good as a genuine screen i certainly think you've grounds for complaint, also, if this is in line of forward vision,would it pass an mot test ? Get back there mate.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Take a picture so other W210 owners can compare to theirs?

 

[jaymanek]

nah not right... are you sure its not some of their sticky stuff on the screen?

 

[ringway]

nah not right... are you sure its not some of their sticky stuff on the screen?

No, the screen is clean.

It is as though the glass changes in thickness from about 4" up from the bottom of the screen and the point at which the change occurs is the point where the visual difference is.

 

[jaymanek]

thats faulty then.. no doubt.

 

[Sp!ke]

Sounds faulty to me too. This is enough grounds to insist on a genuine screen to be fitted in the first place.

No extra charge should be levied for fitting a genuine screen either as the replacement should be like for like should you choose so.

 

[ringway]

Sounds faulty to me too. This is enough grounds to insist on a genuine screen to be fitted in the first place.

No extra charge should be levied for fitting a genuine screen either as the replacement should be like for like should you choose so.

I would have paid the extra for the oem screen, I was more concerned about the insurance company coughing up the additional £380.00 on top of what they were already paying for the Autoglass screen.

I called Autoglass and the workshop that fitted the screen asked if I could tell them the make of the screen they had fitted.

I told them I now wanted the oem screen because I couldn't afford to keep going back and forth if the replacement wasn't up to scratch. That didn't go down too well and I was told that my insurance company never pay for oem stuff - a change in story from my original phone calls and visit to the workshop.

Autoglass have said it will take a couple of days to find out the price of an original MB screen.

Hmmmph!

 

[Smiley]

I suggest you get a price from MB for the screen + labour to fit. I bet the difference between their price for a genuine "job" and an Autoglass job is less than £530 - which I think is the difference that you are being given. Once you have the MB price call your insurers and tell them Autoglass have messed it up so you want MB to do it.

 

[ringway]

I suggest you get a price from MB for the screen + labour to fit. I bet the difference between their price for a genuine "job" and an Autoglass job is less than £530 - which I think is the difference that you are being given. Once you have the MB price call your insurers and tell them Autoglass have messed it up so you want MB to do it.

Thanks Steve,

I did get a price from MB at Macclesfield and it was very expensive.

A big factor in the more expensive MB dealer price was the labour time of (IIRC) 4, hours. The job was to be subcontracted to a specialist windscreen company. The whole time at Autoglass was 1.5 - 2.0 hours including waiting for the sealant to cure..
That said, I've no complaints with the Autoglass workmanship, just the screen.

Wings covered.

Rust.

More Rust.

The Autoglass guy's informed me about the rust and treated it free of charge as part of the service. Fair enough I'd say.

 

[Sp!ke]

An original screen is only around £350 direct from MB.

Autoglass will source at better prices than that because of volumes so I dont think the price will be much (if any) different. Autoglass probably just wanted to use (cheap) existing stock.

 

[corned]

As far as I can tell from this thread, there is no need necessarily to insist on an OEM 'screen.

Am I right in taking the assumption that you would have been perfectly happy with the non-OEN 'screen - if it had been flat (Well, you know what I mean!)?

If so, then they only need to find a flat replacement for the duff one they recently fitted. A thorough visual check - by them and you (if that would make you feel happier) - prior to installation would surely fix the problem?

Take the car back to show them, so they can see for themselves what the problem is, and compare it with another one if they can get one in stock.

Edited to add: If Autoglass have done everything else right, which certainly seems to have been the case, then why not let them do it this way to avoid things getting any messier than necessary?

 

[Smiley]

An original screen is only around £350 direct from MB.

Autoglass will source at better prices than that because of volumes so I dont think the price will be much (if any) different. Autoglass probably just wanted to use (cheap) existing stock.

Thats the point - Autoglass recommendation is based on how much profit they can make!

 

[ringway]

Surprise Surprise!

Thats the point - Autoglass recommendation is based on how much profit they can make!

Spoke with MB Stockport today about a part I was waiting for and out of interest asked how much a new MB screen would be for my car.

After confirming the chasis number I got a price of £174.00 + Vat (£200.10) for the original screen.

Quite how this stacks up with the figures given to me by Autoglass (bearing in mind they will buy these screens at less than I can) suggests someone isn't playing fairly.

I now have to get a reference from my insurance company to enable Autoglass to fit a MB screen.

 

[ringway]

As far as I can tell from this thread, there is no need necessarily to insist on an OEM 'screen.

Am I right in taking the assumption that you would have been perfectly happy with the non-OEN 'screen - if it had been flat (Well, you know what I mean!)?

If so, then they only need to find a flat replacement for the duff one they recently fitted. A thorough visual check - by them and you (if that would make you feel happier) - prior to installation would surely fix the problem?

Take the car back to show them, so they can see for themselves what the problem is, and compare it with another one if they can get one in stock.

Edited to add: If Autoglass have done everything else right, which certainly seems to have been the case, then why not let them do it this way to avoid things getting any messier than necessary?

Agreed, the workmanship at Autoglass has been okay although I wish they had done a visual check before installing the screen.

 

[bennesspipers]

Its a well known fact that as a cash deal, Autoglass are usually TWICE the price of a local company to fit a screen, they take advantage of the insurance companies who in turn pass it back to you & me

 

[Deadhead]

Yes... but in reality the insurance companies will be expecting discounts and to be paying a lot less than the quoted cash price.

 

[proser]

Got mine done recently as a cash job from National Windscreens for £145

BUT when the fitters were cleaning everything up around the frame, after taking out the old screen, they wiped over the VIN number and it disappeared . So they fitted the screen after covering the window for VIN with sealant and didn't tell the manager and therefore didn't tell me I only found out the following day when washing it.

Now they are having to fit another screen and have had to order a new VIN plaque as well. This is being done next week at my home address, so that I can keep a close eye on them

Other than that the screen is good and the wiper sensor is good.