W124 Windsceen fitting vid, stunning stuff!

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That's what prompted my search. A crack appeared in my '91 Coupe screen. Autoglass arrived with the wrong screen - despite my telling them it was the rarer type - and then said we can't fit it anyway as there will be some rust on the frame which means they can't offer a guarantee and they don't do any work which can't be guaranteed.
They said that I should remove the screen myself, remove the rust and then call them!
 
That's what prompted my search. A crack appeared in my '91 Coupe screen. Autoglass arrived with the wrong screen - despite my telling them it was the rarer type - and then said we can't fit it anyway as there will be some rust on the frame which means they can't offer a guarantee and they don't do any work which can't be guaranteed.
They said that I should remove the screen myself, remove the rust and then call them!

I had exactly that, plus water ingress that we'd decided must be due to screen leak. My son told me that local (we're deep in the country) Citroen concessionaire is expensive but good.

The car went to them with a full description of the problem. They replaced the screen having also addressed the rust issue and repainted up as far as the sunroof. €750 for the screen installation, covered by insurance. €400 for the rust/repaint and all seems well. Paint job not exactly concourse but that is not my aim at the moment.

I also replaced the seals at the side of the screen, under the roof rails that continue down to bonnet level. All in all, a costly venture but it seems that the problems are solved.

Oh, and the screen was not an MB original or Pilkington part. It is, however, the correct green tinted version.

RayH
 
No wonder so many of these MB W124 end up in the scrap yard . Half the car as to be removed before they evan start on the window .And with the cutter in use i can see how rust starts on the lip . So if the paint is not repaired after this operation,then rust will follow
 
Hi Ray,

My broker says that if the screen cracks whilst abroad I can have the work done and be reimbursed - I could consider nipping to Germany, it's only an hour away - but whereabouts is your man? I speak better French than German and don't mind a trip.
Cheers,
Paul
 
Hi Ray,

My broker says that if the screen cracks whilst abroad I can have the work done and be reimbursed - I could consider nipping to Germany, it's only an hour away - but whereabouts is your man? I speak better French than German and don't mind a trip.
Cheers,
Paul

My man is in Nontron in the Dordogne. It's rather a long way from Germany!!

R
 
That guy with the yellow safety glasses reminds me of Les Dawson.

Autoglass replaced both front and rear screens in my 124 estate. The chap they sent, was one of their "specialist" team who mainly work on older or more intricate vehicles.

He was absolutely first class in his workmanship and approach. He knew the 124 and did not hang about stripping the car down. He did NOT remove the bonnet, but used a robotic arm/clamp to lift out the old screen and drop in the new one(s). A great bit of kit. He also dry fitted the glass before using any bonding. He said it is a one shot fit as it makes a hell of a mess if they have to lift it off the bonding agent.

I had heard mixed reviews about Autoglass, so was somewhat worried (my car is a full bare metal respray). I need not have been concerned. I did call them first and advised that I was worried due to the nature and value of the car. They responded by telling me it would be their top guy who came out and I could watch the entire process (I did).

His Goo Gun was a 'real mans toy' that made real man's noises. The robotic arm was just brilliant. It's sole purpose is to allow one person to lift and fit glass onto wet bonding goo, without making a massive mess (like what I would do).

On my rear glass he spent time making sure NOT to damage the 30 year old hardboard, or studs and also pointed out that the rear wiper cover trim was incorrectly fitted, which he corrected.

They called me after the work was done to check if I was happy and asked to be updated on how we got on at Benz on the Green (which I had mentioned to their fitter).

My faith in the industry is complete, or my trust Autoglass is.

It is worth the friendly call to them, ahead of any work to voice any concerns. In my case that drove the brilliant service I received.
 
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The screen cracked last year on our 124 whilst in Italy. It began at the edge where there was a tiny bit of corrosion. The body shop guy that dealt with the corrosion thought this was almost certainly due to careless screen replacement in the past resulting in a chip in the paintwork. The corrosion was along the top of the screen surround rather than the more common lower surround which was pristine. Insurance covered the glass. Corrosion repair was around 250 euros I think
 
The screen cracked last year on our 124 whilst in Italy. It began at the edge where there was a tiny bit of corrosion. The body shop guy that dealt with the corrosion thought this was almost certainly due to careless screen replacement in the past resulting in a chip in the paintwork. The corrosion was along the top of the screen surround rather than the more common lower surround which was pristine. Insurance covered the glass. Corrosion repair was around 250 euros I think

Poor attention to thoroughly cleaning the old mastic and any dirt, then prepping the body thoroughly for the new mastic, is a guarantee of problems at a later stage.

That screen recess is a water trap, dying to get going on the rust. It is the killer of many a fine car, when it allows water into the bulkhead/firewall.

If you have a rubber trim or a plastic/chrome surround strip? It is worth the effort of lifting it carefully off once a year to clean under it and remove as much muck as you can. A good home compressor with an air line is a great tool for blasting out any water traps during your normal car clean routine.
 
Hi,

Thanks for all those helpful comments. Good to know there're good technicians out there, but I can't use Autoglass on the strength of their policy on the rust.

I've just spoken to my Insurers and they've told me to go ahead with a fitter of my choice and invoice them.

Has anyone had a non-autoglass repair done that they're pleased with?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Paul
 
Numerous. Depends where you are though as I have an excellent fitter locally in Iver and one near Bicester.
 
Thanks Charles,

I'm in Lancashire, but could drop and collect if needs-be.

Cheers
 
Probably best to find one locally, it turns a small task into a massive one but if you need details I can happily supply. One has done both my BMW M535i and Alfa screens with an insane amount of care and is very reasonably priced, the other did my W114 screen and does all the work for my restorers, Project Shop, there, and is again reasonable and very efficient.
 
Hi,

Thanks for all those helpful comments. Good to know there're good technicians out there, but I can't use Autoglass on the strength of their policy on the rust.

I've just spoken to my Insurers and they've told me to go ahead with a fitter of my choice and invoice them.

Has anyone had a non-autoglass repair done that they're pleased with?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,



Paul

Paul. What was the Autoglass issue with rust?

On all my cars they have treated any rust and the entire channel with rust preventative which I have never (to date) had issue with. On one car they gave me time and help to get a flap wheel onto the recess before they treated it. They had cleaned it but I wanted to be really scrupulous.
 
Hi Charles,

Insane amount of care sounds good to me! I'll use that expression as the level of attention required to commit to before I let anyone have a go up here. I am tempted to bring it back to Belgium and nip over to Germany.
Cheers,
Paul
 
Paul. What was the Autoglass issue with rust?

On all my cars they have treated any rust and the entire channel with rust preventative which I have never (to date) had issue with. On one car they gave me time and help to get a flap wheel onto the recess before they treated it. They had cleaned it but I wanted to be really scrupulous.

The tech said that if there was rust that they wouldn't do the job as they couldn't give a guarantee and that all there work was guaranteed. I don't think he fancied it, frankly.
Cheers
 
Old school windscreens near Chertsey are brilliant with old cars. They really know their stuff and have a good onsite cafe for whilst you wait
 
I loved the way in the video Fritz (or was it Hans. Stereotyping here) battered the rivets off with his hammer and chisel, took some guts as one small slip could have given the paint a nasty ding.

One question. I wonder where the compressed ends of the rivets end up ? Rattling around in the body voids no doubt. :eek:
 
The tech said that if there was rust that they wouldn't do the job as they couldn't give a guarantee and that all there work was guaranteed. I don't think he fancied it, frankly.
Cheers

I would not use a national service for an old car screen, the skills are different from fitting a bonded replacement. There is however a non trivial risk of corrosion on older cars generally, and ones with the old style rubber seals even more so. When my 1984 BMW M535i needed a new screen no experienced local bodyshop would guarantee their quote on the paint required as they know that the probability of meeting rust is too great. In the BMW's case there were actually 5 areas of rust that needed cutting out and welding. No fitter, wherever based and however experienced can reasonably predict that and if found, will recommend a bodyshop do the repair prior to replacement.

My advice, find a decent local bodyshop, ask them to organise removal, repair if necessary and replacement. They will all have tame windscreen fitters, just ask about their experience.
 

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