w211 Windscreens

[timskemp]

Are they particularly fragile? In my many years of driving I've never had a stonechip damage a screen, so far in 4 mths of W211 driving I've had two replacements! Both similar, small stone, big crack!

 

[gl boy]

hi i have a 07 gl 320 and 10 minutes out of the showroom the car in front threw up a tiny stone and now i have 3 chips in the screen which autowindscreen say are not chips but scratches and cannot be fixed so the windscreen must be weaker than they used to be(most likely for saftey of pedestrians in case you hit them)

 

[Fandango]

Don't use RAC Autowindscreens, they use their own manufacture screens of low quality.
Autoglass will fit OEM quality screens made by the same manufacturer that produces Merc screens, you can even specify original equipment, then they will fit one with the Merc star and part number for the same price (£50 - £60 through your insurer)

Regards
Karl

 

[Dieselman]

I don't see how the quality of glass could be any different, but it could be thinner which might make it more prone to chipping.

 

[glojo]

Is the glass of a 211 different to that of any other Mercedes?

Please don't think I am being sarcastic, as soon as I read your post this question sprung to mind.

I wonder why you are both so unlucky, could it also be down to our roads not being cleaned as regularly?

Regards
John

 

[timskemp]

Don't use RAC Autowindscreens, they use their own manufacture screens of low quality.
Autoglass will fit OEM quality screens made by the same manufacturer that produces Merc screens, you can even specify original equipment, then they will fit one with the Merc star and part number for the same price (£50 - £60 through your insurer)
l

Autoglass is my insurers preferred supplier and the replacements are both Pilkington. My glass excess is 0 (Volvo Owners Insurance, very handy when you live and park in areas where scrotes will break a window just to check there's nothing in your glove box).

 

[bigtruth]

I've had two W211 and 5 windsrcreens, it does not matter what make the windscreen is, I think it is the design, I am now fedup of changing the windscreen, my wife is driving the E240 with chipped windscreen, I will change it when I get round to it.

 

[timskemp]

It looks like it is a product of the aerodynamics and the screen rake angle - looking at the shape of bug splatter...

 

[saorbust]

RAC Autowindscreens will also fit OEM glass if you ask them. My local does it happily. I've had 3 windscreens in 3 years of ownership, and never been worried about the fitter.

 

[GizmoB73]

It looks like it is a product of the aerodynamics and the screen rake angle - looking at the shape of bug splatter...

I think you may have a good pint here. Also, I think I read somewhere that advanced drivers tend to get more windscreen damage. This is because they don't drive so close to the car in front. The result is stones that get thrown up by the car in front tend to hit the car behind rather than passing over them. I have certainly noticed this myself on a number of cars now that I leave plenty of distance.

So I recommend you do a lot more tailgating to avoid further windscreen damage...

 

[timskemp]

I think you may have a good pint here.

I could do with a good pint...

 

[GizmoB73]

I could do with a good pint...

Hmmm me too. Think my mind must have been on other things...

Thank goodness its Friday. :bannana:

 

[mjbarnard]

I've not had a windscreen replaced in 27 years of driving - mostly SAAB and Mercedes.

Have had a new W211 for around 3 months. About to get my first windscreen replacement - as a result of a single small impact.

Bad luck I guess. Will be watching this carefully though given the comments of others above.

 

[rf065]

I've not had a windscreen replaced in 27 years of driving - mostly SAAB and Mercedes.

Have had a new W211 for around 3 months. About to get my first windscreen replacement - as a result of a single small impact.

Bad luck I guess. Will be watching this carefully though given the comments of others above.

I have driven for almost 30 years and never needed a new windscreen. That only happened in my last car a couple of years ago. I now have a stone chip in the MB. I think someone made a good point about the roads not being cleaned as often, although I would say the fact they are not maintained as well as they could be results in more debris from potholes and broken surfaces which ends up flying at your windscreen.

Russ

 

[Brian WH]

I agree that the aerodynamics of the windscreen are involved in this problem. I had two windscreens on my W211/W210s

However driving over 70mph increases the speed of the missile and will contribute to more cracks. So slow down you W211 racers.

 

[marcos]

I think it's a combination of aerodynamics, the glass placed under more stress as it almost strengthens the bodyshell and the fact cars go an awfull lot faster nowadays.

 

[GeorgeA]

This is not only the W211. I have had 3 repairs and a new windscreen over a 3 year period on a W203. Previously only one replacement windscreen in over 20 years of driving. Fitter told me he thought it was the angle of the windscreen. Don't think there is much that can be done about it

 

[timskemp]

Even worse, my insurer has now stopped the 0 excess on glass...