Chipped Windscreen - Replace?

[BringTheRain]

I have two "really big" (according to the Autoglass people.. about 6-8mm) chips in my windscreen behind the mirror (i.e. out of my line of vision). I've had them for over a year now and I'm not sure if they were there when I bought the car or if I got them shortly after.

Anyway I spoke to Autoglass yesterday and the lady said that because they are less than 4 inches apart the windscreen would need to be replaced. Also because it's been there for over a year, a repair wouldn't be as effective. Took it into my local branch today and after looking at it they said a replace would be more appropriate.

Now that's a big step from a £10 repair to a £70 replace. But by the sounds of it, maybe it would be £70 well spent - if I had that to spare.

But it passed an MOT a few months ago and it's only really visible to the passenger or from the outside (which I don't really care about anyway). So unless the crack expands during the winter period - should I even bother? As far as I'm concerned it's only cosmetic at the moment.

A It would probably crack from chip to chip, because we have to put pressure on the screen

B It wont fail an mot, because each chip is less than 40mm

C Me personally i would wait for it to crack, if it does. 6/8mm chip is tiny. When you get a £2 chip then your talking

 

[Biohazard]

4cm chip? that'd be a hole then...

 

[Sukh]

What is the difference between OEM glass and other replacements?

Just to add to the conversation the old e39 we had from 2000 till 2008 had a chip in, we didn't bother doing anything about it and it never got any worse. BMW build quality clearly..

 

[Burned_Alive]

So if Autoglass have a lifetime warranty on their repairs, does that mean if you have your screen repaired and it cracks further they will replace the screen for free?

 

[Amoeba]

What is the difference between OEM glass and other replacements?

Just to add to the conversation the old e39 we had from 2000 till 2008 had a chip in, we didn't bother doing anything about it and it never got any worse. BMW build quality clearly..

* Pilkington build quality

 

[Sukh]

Also we put 100k miles on it in the time, and I believe my brother isn't the most sympathetic of drivers, was also in at least 3 major accidents in that period.

Pilkington are obviously very good at what they do.

 

[BringTheRain]

So if Autoglass have a lifetime warranty on their repairs, does that mean if you have your screen repaired and it cracks further they will replace the screen for free?

If we repair a chip and it cracks say a week later or 10 years later then yes. As long as no-one has tampered with the chip or you have sold the car.

4cm chip? that'd be a hole then...

Nope we can repair upto and including 4CM round chip in Zone D

BMW build quality clearly..

BMW do not make glass

Can you find out for me how long it would take you to get hold of a 1993 LNA31 Nissan Cefiro windscreen? My current garage are taking bloody ages.

Still waiting on this

 

[Matthew.M]

I'm going to go against the grain and say my Autoglass chip repair was amazing.

Picked up a chip that was borderline big enough to need the windscreen replacing. The Autoglass guy that came out offered to try a repair first to save me the £70 excess, but would still stay and replace the screen if I wasn't happy with it.

It was previously very easy to see with a few mm chip and a couple of cracks coming away from it, but after the repair it's almost invisible. I can just barely see it if I look for it closely.

I had it repaired within 10days of it happening though, not sure if that contributed to it being more successful.

If you don't have a repair excess and they offer it first, give it a go, got nothing to lose and might work out fine.

 

[Puzzled]

Is it the same price to have a heated screen replaced?

My mondeo windscreen is covered in loads of tiny chips and one bigger chip on the side, makes driving at night quite difficult at times.

If I have the choice between repair or replace then I'd rather get a new one.

 

[BringTheRain]

Is it the same price to have a heated screen replaced?

My mondeo windscreen is covered in loads of tiny chips and one bigger chip on the side, makes driving at night quite difficult at times.

If I have the choice between repair or replace then I'd rather get a new one.

Well you get like for like, so depending on year of mondeo. It will either been green/blue tint glass, heated like you say and maybe a rain sensor

 

[megakid]

Haven't read the rest of the thread but in my dad's younger years he took his car with a chipped windscreen to a repair shop and given he was expecting them "we can't replace them under insurance unless it's broken or cracked", he asked them if it would be easier for them to replace it in one piece or should he return in 5 minutes time with a crack to get it replaced.

Needless to say the guy agreed to remove the windscreen intact and put a new one in.

This was 15 years ago mind you, things may have changed...