Anyone replaced windscreen?

[JayB5UK]

Hi all, my 'screen isn't cracked but is absolutely covered in small stone marks - all over it!
It makes driving in Sunlight or even in the dark bloody difficult. My eyes get tired in the dark as the oncoming lights are reflected all over the screen and into the Sun it's the same.
It's not damaged enough to need me to call a Windscreen company through my insurance yet, so how much would a screen cost if I went direct?
Maybe I should just follow as many tractors and trucks as poss hoping something gets flicked up at me...

[passat 130 tdi]

considering autoglass wanted £185 for a ford fiesta passenger side window , i'd think a vw passat screen will be expensive , you'd be better off smashing the screen and pay your insurance excess.

[euroslap]

Hi there, where abouts are you? I know a couple of guys that own a Windscreen company in the Midlands I pretty sure without asking that it'd be cheaper than £185 for a screen, would have a thought it'd be in that sort of area for an oe. screen. ;)

[Frank.A]

If you have your screen changed,make sure it is a VW screen and not a Pilkington or other brand.They are thinner than the OEM and the car is much noisier.Also as the screen is an integral part of the structure,the stiffness of the whole is probably reduced.
Best,
Frank

[snapdragon]

The cost of the screen will be about £30-50 to the glass company, but as said, the markup is truly obscene. I had the same problem as you as though someone sprinkled sugar all over the screen. I made an appointment on http://www.autoglassDOTco.uk/ where you can check with your reg. no. to see if they can claim directly from your insurer without you needing to contact them.
Went Autoglass and they said where are the chips? so I said all over and they said oh we can't repair these and replaced it for £60 excess. :Blush: They did mess up the rain sensor by losing the dark filter over it so had to order one and they came to my work place another day and replaced it in 10 mins.
The new one is Pilkington and better quality than the original VW Sekurit one which was slightly distorted.
At the end of the day, a chip's a chip and if they cause a danger to you, they should replace the screen regardless of chip dimensions.

[Frank.A]

The original screen on our Passat was cracked by a flying stone.I had a new screen fitted by RAC windscreens which is owned by my insurers, Norwich Union.The car was much noisier,engine,road and wind noise.
I read on a US forum of a UK owners similar experience with a Pilkington screen.I went back to RAC who finally admitted that the Pilkington screnns were thinner and cheaper than OEM,and changed the screen for a VW Sekurit one:problem solved.
A couple years later exactly the same thing happened again and the RAC had to fit a Pilkington screen as an OEM item was not available.Same increase in noise levels.They fitted an OEM item a couple of weeks later.
Best,
Frank

[bigplum]

ring around your local independant windscreen fitters , ask them to quote for a cash job , I had a screen fitted to a rover for £90 , autoglass got all snotty when asked for cash price , they said it was same for a insurance job as a cash sale funny they wanted over £300 for the same Rover :confused:

you could aways have a accident wilst juggling a brick near the screen

[Col]

On my 3rd screen in the Passat and soon to be the 4th.

Bought the car, all ok for a while but did have those micro-chips (pun intended) in the surface of the glass.

Bought some timber, all ok.

Put timber in the car despite it being an estate and having roofbars. Timber going the length of car and one end resting on dashboard.

Proceded to drive home, slammed the brakes on, timber carried on and CRACK. D'oh. Few weeks later when the cracks grew to scary proportions, new screen, lovely smooth wiper action.

Few months later I did exactly the same thing, so 3rd screen went in, d'oh !

Been happily driving the car for over 18 months now all ok but have got a proper chip now with a crack growing out if it. Waiting for the 4th screen soon.

An expensive hobby at £100 a go via the insurance, would hate to pay top whack for one though.