Replacement front windscreen's - glass the same from everywhere?

stoofa

stoofa

stoofa

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I need a new front windscreen and unfortunately this one is coming out of my own pocket.
For some inexplicable reaason I've had 3 screens in the past 3 years (2 front and 1 rear) and now, only 8 months after my last front screen replacement I've got a crack that is getting bigger by the day and is beyond repair.
Insurance say if they pick up the tab for this one they start messing about with my NCB :)

This is for an Octy vRS, factory tints and rain sensors. I'm aware that VW/Audi don't make their own glass - past glass has been "an OEM" and will have then been stamped with the various logo's.
Shopping around I've so far got 3 widely different quotes:

Budget Windscreens - £150 fitted
Silvershield - £222 fitted
Autoglass - £385 fitted

All of them tell me it will be a glass of "equal quality" to the original - but that is about it.
Is there going to be any difference with the glass that costs me £150 and the one that costs me £385?
Is the fitter more important than the glass itself?

Cheers.
 
I had a screen fitted in the summer, and it didn't fit so had to get the fitter to source a different brand (Pilkington) which was fine.

I was the chatting to the guy about it, and he said sometimes they get cheaper screens that don't fit properly which they have to source a more expensive one to replace with. Might be worth checking somewhere like briskoda to see if people have had any experience with screens not fitting properly.
 
All the glass is manufactured on the same lines bit depending on who's buying it depends on how rigorous the quality control is.

Even the Chinese glass (Fy) is usually pretty good these days. I tend to see as many from the likes of Pilkington that don't fit quite right compared to the cheaper less known brands.

The difference is price tends to be in workmanship rather than cost of the glass
 
The glass fitter I use has mentioned to me before when he's seen an RAC badged windscreen and the fact it was scratched to hell and back by the arc of the wipers, that it was because of "cheap glass"

I mentioned this in a thread not so long ago but someone disagreed with me.

Personally I detest having a poor view because of scratches or stone chips in the window, so if this means paying over the odds in hope of a better product, I'll take it!
 
Fuzz said:
The glass fitter I use has mentioned to me before when he's seen an RAC badged windscreen and the fact it was scratched to hell and back by the arc of the wipers, that it was because of "cheap glass"

I mentioned this in a thread not so long ago but someone disagreed with me.

Personally I detest having a poor view because of scratches or stone chips in the window, so if this means paying over the odds in hope of a better product, I'll take it!
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RAC glass is abysmal.

It's no longer used though. RAC Windscreens technically no longer exists, changed name and possibly ownership and because Auto Windscreens
 
Wholly recommend AutoGlass, did a fantastic job of fitting a replacement Pilkington windscreen on a Sunday afternoon but then insurance company was paying.
 
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The last two replacements have been Autoglass and I cannot fault their work - although the second time they did manage to snp my "ticket clip" which is located against the front windscreen.
It's just those two occasions I was paying £50. If I want that service again I'll have to pay £385 and it's deciding if it's worth it over £150 where I can get the work done elsewhere.
 
Ive recently had my windscreen changed by autoglass because it got cracked by a rock, was done on the insurance. Don't think it was an OEM screen but tint is good, they fitted the rain sensor and went to the effort of rehiding my wires for the handsfree mic and dashcam. Basically couldn't ask for better tbh.

Only previous experience was also with autoglass and again no problems.

I would question how someone can undercut them by such a massive margin without either the product or the workmanship being compromised?

Hawker
 
In my experience replacement glass has never quite lived up to the same standard as the original manufacturer windscreen.

They say it is of equal quality but I've noticed more small ripples in replacement glass.
Having said that I'd have to live with whatever the insurers approved company offered.
 
spoffle said:
Making less profit.
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The market is skewed beyond any rhyme or reason. It's a trade populated mostly by idiots. Even the larger companies have damaged the industry with silly pricing which goes from one extreme to the other. Don't get me started on some of the independent firms and one man bands.
 
Not sure about Skoda but Audi use glass from AGC and Pilkington so it's likely this is the same across all VAG brands. Ideally I'd be looking to get a replacement screen from one of these manufacturers.
 
In the end I took the "Budget Windscreens" route - cost was the main factor and then I read from three people who had good experiences with them.
Glass fitted this afternoon and all seems well - he managed to fit the glass without destroying my front screen "ticket holder", something the Autoglass man failed to do last time.
I'll be going for a drive tomorrow so that should confirm that everything was fitted OK - I'm hoping to hear no sounds of rushing air :)
I'll also see if I can confirm the make of the glass - it might be a little more difficuly on a front screen due to position and where the makers mark is likely to be.
£162 fitted as opposed to the £385 Autoglass wanted - fingers crossed I haven't just done a "buy cheap, buy twice".
 
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stoofa said:
£162 fitted as opposed to the £385 Autoglass wanted - fingers crossed I haven't just done a "buy cheap, buy twice".
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Thing with AutoGlass is they offer a lifetime guarantee on the workmanship. Not to be alarmist but the installer on mine said the cheaper ones tend to take less care removing and can damage the paintwork where the screen sits causing it to rust later on. I doubt very much you'll have any trouble though.
 
Glassman said:
The market is skewed beyond any rhyme or reason. It's a trade populated mostly by idiots. Even the larger companies have damaged the industry with silly pricing which goes from one extreme to the other. Don't get me started on some of the independent firms and one man bands.
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If I want a good quality replacement screen what are the options other than OEM on e.g. BMW E60?
 
PMKeates said:
If I want a good quality replacement screen what are the options other than OEM on e.g. BMW E60?
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Most of the BMWs we replace with Pilkington,if not all. Won't mention publicly who I work for though as I'm posting my own opinion rather than the companies and
 
The makers mark on my glass is "Nordglass". No, I'd never heard of them either.
Polish company by the looks who are a "leading European producer of windscreens for the automotive sector, railway and shipping industry".

So far no problems. No wind noise at all, so correctly located. I've been around and cleane dinside and out the screen, cannot see any marks etc. that might worry me.
I guess only time will tell.
 
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