A6 stress fracture?

[geedle]

Hi,

My A6 windscreen cracked from a stone chip. Insurance replaced and used Autoglass. The other day I took it out in the cold for the first time since it was fitted and it cracked from the bottom OS corner up the way. Autoglass came out and say that it is a stone impact. I didn't hear any stone impacts since it was fitted.

I have had plenty of chips before and they always star a little. The guy points out a tiny white spot, about the size of a pin head and says it is a stone chip. Looks more to me like the place where the crack surfaced. If you look closely in the reflection on the glass, it is clear that the bit below the crack is forced up the way as the reflection has a step in it, if you see what I mean.

Seems odd to me that the original windscreen managed 200,000 miles through cold, hot and many stone impacts and the new one failed after about 3000 miles on the first cold day!

Any thoughts on this? Could it be impact damage?

Thanks, Geedle.

[Storm Chaser]

Hi there, Yes they are quite right with what they are saying, It is very frustrating but as said with even the smallest fracture that close to the edge of the glass it is very easy to stress from that point. You windscreen forms 30% of the over all rigid strength of the vehicle so as you can appreciate it is under a lot of torsional stress. If the chip was closer to the centre then more than likely would have been repairable and would not have caued the issues

[geedle]

In the end I had it replaced. The insurer agreed to do it again. Before I had it done, I went to a local guy and asked him to price it up. For exactly the same screen as Autoglass were fitting, it was about £150 or £160. At that price, it is worth not paying for windscreen cover and just shelling out when it happens. Autoglass tried to tell me they would charge between £500 and £600 had my insurance not covered it. The local guy said he even supplied the windscreens to Autoglass...

[Storm Chaser]

In the end I had it replaced. The insurer agreed to do it again. Before I had it done, I went to a local guy and asked him to price it up. For exactly the same screen as Autoglass were fitting, it was about £150 or £160. At that price, it is worth not paying for windscreen cover and just shelling out when it happens. Autoglass tried to tell me they would charge between £500 and £600 had my insurance not covered it. The local guy said he even supplied the windscreens to Autoglass...

The price that Autoglass quoted would be an unadjusted price, they would be able to give a certain discount but with supplying various insurance companies they will not disclose what kind of discount they will give to them for obvious reasons which is why the prices they quote are what they are. You get better warranties with Autoglass than other glass companies too.prices reflect the level of workmanship you should expect to receive, Autoglass banned the use of certain tools for example that have been know to cause damage to cars which nearly all other glass companies still use. Unfortunately for you this would be like going to Audi to have a set of springs fitted then hitting a pothole and snapping a spring again.

[Nigella]

Had the same thing in my A4...

Original Audi screen lasted 8 years then a branch from a tree came through and that was that... The next three years I had no less than 5 screens fitted until I told Autowhoever to stop buggering about and putting cheap 2nd rate windscreens in and fit an Audi marked original.

This windscreen has been in three years without an issue until a Police car came hurtling through the central reserve on the A21 and showered the front of the car with stones and debris on bonfire night!!


Am waiting for them to fit another Audi unit in a week or two.


Morale? Go for Original Equipment and insist its marked Audi etc etc.





Delay in fitting due to cancellations because of poor weather conditions and the fact the fitter has to travel 55 miles to come and fit!

[THFC]

Nigella, you'll find that just because it has and Audi logo on the screen does not make a difference to be honest. As when they are made (for instance by Pilkington) the ones that are due for the Dealers are imprinted with the silk screen logo. Most people think they are better quality just for the fact it has the logo. Autoglass even supply some dealers with glass if they are having trouble getting hold of it themselves.
Autoglass will guarantee their workmanship/glass for as long as you own the vehicle.

[Nigella]

So if there is no difference, why does the Audi marked ones withstand more abuse from stone chips than other screens?

And why do they last so much longer?


Autoglass damaged the a pillar trim on the first refit and refused to pay to repair it... Some Guarantee...



I stand by what I said, if you fit OEM they will, in my experience, last a lot longer than the cheapo after market ones usually fitted.


The windscreen is an intrinsic part of the bodies rigidity. Why would you want to reduce this by fitting a lesser quality screen??

[THFC]

So if there is no difference, why does the Audi marked ones withstand more abuse from stone chips than other screens?

And why do they last so much longer?
Not necessarily. It all depends on who actually manufactured the screen for Audi in the first place. There are some makes of glass on the market that are made substandard and they have manufacturers logo's stamped into them. My wifes Range Rover had to have 2 screens replaced in a matter of weeks. First one had a stress crack from the bottom and then the new one had heating elements missing and they were all logo'd up and fitted by Land Rover. Went back in for it to be changed again and had a Pilkington screen fitted and and it has been in there for 18 months now with no problems.


Autoglass damaged the a pillar trim on the first refit and refused to pay to repair it... Some Guarantee...
Can't comment on that to be honest apart from if they had done their vehicle check properly then they should of replaced that for you at their cost...