Windscreen Replacement Question ?

[travelininstyle]

Hello all - I was travelling down to devon,on Holiday today - and the windscreen was struck by a stone.It has left a bullseye type crack,rather than a star type crack and due to the size,it will certainly want replacing,its beyond repairing.My question is,does it matter if its not a genuine MB windsreen - as the car has to be handed back after three years.Secondly - I have 11 years no protected no claims and wonder if it might be a better option paying for the windscreen myself,rather than have to answer the inevitable insurance question - have you made any claims recently -and incurr higher insurance premiums - that said -its a CLK and I guess the windsreen will be astronomic - any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

As far as I'm aware it shouldn't affect your no claims.

With regards the actual windscreen, there has been a few rather heated threads about this before, so I'd tread carefully.

 

[grober]

If its a lease car they may stipulate its windscreen has to be a bona fide MB part? Might be best to check the lease terms. As has been said windscreen claims should not count against your claim record but check you policy details. Most folks advocate getting the MB part as its of guaranteed quality However what's more important is the quality of the fitting operation performed. These laminated screens are bonded in and form an integral part of the cars structure. If badly fitted they can leak, provide a source of corrosion and this can lead to a world of pain in the future . Your MB dealer should be able to recommend a specific windscreen outlet they themselves use which may also be acceptable to your insurer. Get the right tech/fitter and you should be fine.

 

[rascalmaster]

i asked mb colchester and ipswich about this two days ago.

they said;
1. we use auto glass to do them anyways.
2. as long its the right manufacturer (example pilkington) you will be fine. doesnt have to have the mb stamp on it.
3. we usually change the sensors at the same time (rain etc) but auto glass may or may not

i asked because i have read the many threads on here and was getting quite worried at the thought.
i shared a que at the supermarket with an autoglass fella on a sarnie break and he told me its a big conn and they have to pay over the top just for the logo on the screen, and so they go direct to the manufacturer.
he also pointed out that their work is fully guaranteed.

so unless someone advises me differently,
i intend to use autoglass and will take comprehensive pics to ensure trim etc are returned to their proper fitting etc
i will also query mb recommendations recommending sensors be changed at the same time as the windscreen....

 

[goldenii68]

If you have comprehensive cover, you will have windscreen cover and only pay an excess (normally £60-£100) and it wont affect your NCB, as per the previous reply, there are some heated threads concerning windscreen replacements.

 

[rascalmaster]

£70 for me...

 

[travelininstyle]

£70 for me...

Thanks for the great responses- I feel slightly more at ease,however,I am with Hastings and when I rang autoglass earlier,they said they do not deal with Hastings - basically the insurer will recommmend their preferred provider for replacement - that said,I am a little concerned now that they may not replace the sensors as someone has stated,but I will ask the question the car is an 09 plate,so sensors not that old,however,if I do ring MB - as its on Agility,Hastings in my view will want to do the job at minimal cost anyway.

 

[goldenii68]

Speak to Hastings, they may agree to letting MB deal with the replacement, just checked my policy and my excess is £60.00:bannana:

 

[rascalmaster]

i think the actual fitter who comes out to you makes all the difference...
get someone good and they'll do a super job.

 

[zebmapara]

had the same issue some time in feb 2011 but its my personal car, requested an MB glass and thats what i got, coz of the auto wipers and the auto lights, so it had to be MB. paid 70 quid and it didnt affect my NCB, pliz note NCB ONLY goes up to 5yrs, after that they stop counting

 

[rf065]

I had mine done, Pilkington on the screen, no mention of MB, no sensors changed to my knowledge and no problems either.

Russ

 

[FITTER]

I have the answers

Hi there, just nosing round the net about windscreens and want to give you some answers.

MB's are correct, the glass doesn't really matter. It's only the merc badge missing that they put on and charge £££'s for it. Pilkington make it, not MB.

SENSORS.....
All auto lights and auto wipers veiwing windows are fitted to the windscreen, the sensor housing is fitted to the car and unclips from the windscreen (doesn't need changing.... it's plastic, nothing complicated here guys and girls) it hangs buy the wiring -1 thing- unfortunately merc's are the only manufacturer that once unclipping the sensor unit, it may need the main dealer to reset/calibrate again, you can't hold this against the fitter or any company replacing your windscreen, it's only merc's that do this!!! but not all!

A class sensors will req the sensor gel replacing.

If your using autoglass, you can be assured that the job will be done by an experienced tech

NEVER EVER LET YOUR CAR BE DONE IN THE FROST OR WET! THE WINDSCREEN IS DOUBLE SHEETED LAMINATED SAFTEY GLASS AND IS BONDED TO THE CAR, IS NOT LEAVING THERE UNTIL IT'S CUT OUT!! TRUST ME, I'M THE WINDSCREEN.......... FITTER

Any questions, worries or help just ask

 

[FITTER]

Yep definately right! should get an experienced tech on most mercs as there's few bits to remove..

 

[LTD]

We had a screen recently replaced on one of our Golfs by a National chain approved by Admiral.

Absolutely brilliant job done by the technician. His attention to detail on the car was great and it was very re-assuring that he was a young lad too.

I agree that it's all about the fitter.

 

[John]

If your using autoglass, you can be assured that the job will be done by an experienced tech

Not always the case - I once had a 325 windscreen replaced before which duly dropped probably 3/8" on one side.

I had to take it to HQ in Aylesbury to have it replaced by another more experienced tech, who to be fair did an excellent job!

 

[FITTER]

There's an argument here i'm afraid,

We use our suckers/lifters to hold the glass up, as masking tape MAY damge the paintwork .... (only on old laquer peeling cars, and if left for more than 4 hours or in wet conditions) so we're told not to use it! So.... not leaving our £75 each suckers on your car and not leaving tape to hold the glass into position while the hours up has resulted in your glass moving out of position, and dropping!

Me personally, i would de-tack the tape on my trousers and use that, then not resulting in the glass dropping and me not getting a bad rep! i'm the professional, not the pen pushers i'd inform you to remove it from the car in 1 hour, or it will stick... sooner if it rains. Never been a problem in the last 7 years

 

[donubenz]

I had a windscreen change done by Autoglass on my S class 140. They were just about to remove the screen when I noticed that it was for a LHD car as they are shaped differently at the bottom and the colour band at he top was much deeper in colour. They had to reorder and glass came 3 days later so I would have been without car if it had been removed!
They found some corrosion and put some sealer product on it to allow fitting, they would not then guarantee the work as a result. Fair enough the screen was fine and no issues for the 2 years after till it was sold.

 

[FITTER]

Ah ok, this is understandable, autoglass can't and neither will anyone guarentee when it comes to corrossion.... had the job been done correctly all those years ago on it's first replacement then it wouldn't be corroded now i'm sorry to say. A body shop will be able to this work for you, and we can remove and fit the glas, for the cost of your excess..... if you wanted to do that. All tech's these days have the best primers to stop corrosion before it can start but once it's there..... game over

 

[ss201]

I agree that it's all about having an experienced fitter do the job, with the emphasis on experienced. I had to have a new screen fitted on my 190E, under my insurance policy. (Free windscreen replacement with my Peter Best Classic Insurance). The work to be done at home on my drive by a national organisation. After an hour, the young fitter knocked on my door saying he couldn't do it, as he couldn't remove the windscreen wiper mechanism. As I've previously removed wiper mechs myself, I showed him how to do it and he got on with it. I made sure I watched him very carefully from then on to make sure he did the job properly.

Fair play, he did a good job, but admitted he'd never worked on this model of car before. We all have to learn sometime, but it did make me wonder what he'd have done if I hadn't been there, or what unseen damage he might have done if I hadn't stood over him while he worked. At least it gave me the reassurance that there was no corrosion anywhere around the screen surround or the A-pillar and it gave me the chance to clean out 20 years of accumulated crud from under the roof strips.

 

[FITTER]

Quote:
Fair play, he did a good job, but admitted he'd never worked on this model of car before. We all have to learn sometime, but it did make me wonder what he'd have done if I hadn't been there

Hi there,
i think the tech done the right thing, he stopped and was honest with you - probably couldn't find one of the 10mm's?

He probably wouldn't have even bothered trying if you weren't there in all fairness, but there's always 1.....