Windscreen Fitting

burns · 3 Sep 2006 at 08:45

Work on the Manta is getting to an MOT passable point, but one of the jobs still left to do is to get the windscreen replaced. I've got a new screen so that's not a problem, but autoglass want £95 just to come out and fit it. Obviously the car isn't insured fully comp ATM not having been on the road for ten years.

I was wondering if anyone on here had tried fitting a windscreen themselves before. I'd need to keep the rubber seal which makes life more difficult, but it sounds like it should be do-able. I'm just trying to acertain how do-able it's likely to be or if I'll just end up covered in broken glass

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dale1uk · 3 Sep 2006 at 09:41

Id try and find a small independant company who replace screens and get a quote from them. The two windcreens I've had replaced, corsa + mk4 astra, cost me less than that inc the screen. Thats a silly price for a 20min or so job.

burns · 3 Sep 2006 at 09:45

I thought it was a bit stupid, not many people will give you a quote at 8am on a Sunday morning though

. I'll have a ring around tomorrow and see if the garage I'm taking it to for the MOT will fit it. I'd still rather do it myself as I could get the tools for less than I'd probably be charged to get it done. Depends how hard it'd be really.

Hmm, I've a feeling ci_newman did it on his mini actually, so it can't be that hard

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Foghorn Leghorn · 3 Sep 2006 at 10:00

My brother and I fitted one in his Capri years ago, caused much swearing but we did manage it. I would think you Manta uses a rubber seal around the screen the same as a Capri rather than the newer method of bonding them in.

You' have to going some to actually break the screen.

If I remember correctly we just fitted the rubber seal to the screen, wrapped wire around inside the groove on the seal, slotted the seal and window onto the lower metal lip and then slowly pulled the wire whilst feeding the rubber over the metal lip. (I think my bro was inside the car pulling the wire). Its very difficult to expalin but was quite simple to do (in theory

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Fog

nutcase · 3 Sep 2006 at 10:09

My local screen palce (i.e. not a national chain one) took £20 + VAT of my money to change the screen over for one I had. It took them over half an hour though cos it's huuge and very curved. Think they regretted taking it on

They do my metro screen in 10 mins in comparison.

burns · 3 Sep 2006 at 10:16

Hmm, thanks for the opinions. It doesn't sound too difficult, so I might give it a go. I'll wait until after I've had a chance to ring around a few places tomorrow in case I mess it up for the sake of £20.

Lopéz · 3 Sep 2006 at 17:50

Feed a piece of twine in the groove of the rubber, get a mate inside and you outside and work it along like a zip on a suitcase, starting in a bottom corner is easiest.

Did the one on the 205 and it isn't THAT hard, you just need to be patient and slow and press down on the screen all the way as you go round.

Foghorn Leghorn · 3 Sep 2006 at 18:45

Lopéz said:
Feed a piece of twine in the groove of the rubber, get a mate inside and you outside and work it along like a zip on a suitcase, starting in a bottom corner is easiest.

Did the one on the 205 and it isn't THAT hard, you just need to be patient and slow and press down on the screen all the way as you go round.

Thats what we did, you explain it far better

We ended up using wire though, string we had kept snapping :mad:

Fog