Windscreen replacement

GhostWKD · 20 Jun 2017 at 10:50

Why oh why can they never do a proper job with good quality parts.

I appreciate at this point some may call me pendantic but I've just had my fourth or fifth windscreen replaced in an S2000 (across 3 cars and about 6 years, >100k miles to be fair).

My last S2000 which had the windscreen replaced I had first badly fitting glass put in which was then taken out/replaced and then a badly fitting seal which I then had to really argue to get a genuine honda replacement for the third attempt at fixing it.

I tried telling various people along the way this piece of information and they just kept telling me if I wanted genuine honda parts I would have to buy them myself out of my own pocket as the parts they provide are the same quality and fit perfectly etc.

Going to phone autowindscreens shortly but imagine I'll have an equally tough time as last time they created this exact scenario!

The following pictures are at the edges of the windscreen, one goes down below the scuttle and the second stops short of it.

Not really after advice per-se but just wanted to rant about having the exact same issue I experienced 2-3 years ago, and even warned the company about giving them my previous job ref numbers etc

GhostWKD · 20 Jun 2017 at 14:05

Nasher said:
They will rarely use manufacturer branded glass. But the stuff they do use is the same spec. Manufacturers don't make their own glass, they only use the same suppliers we do and have it re-labelled.

Wasn't too fussed about the glass being genuine honda, more worried about the seal giving a good finish etc.

Interesting to hear it from the fitters side though @Frozennova - never knew if the bunching in the top corner was a byproduct of bad fitting or poor quality seal etc, annoyingly this chap did really well on the corners where it meets the surround (and normally bunches up when they get done) but just let down by the side being shorter

Although sounds like its a fitting issue rather than a seal quality issue which I always assumed was the case

GhostWKD · 21 Jun 2017 at 11:45

So I've just had contact with them and they're placing the blame entirely at Honda's door. According to the chap I spoke to there's a design flaw with them and whilst they'll try again their supplier uses the same seals as Honda and will most likely get the same problem with a genuine Honda seal (which they've now ordered). Is there any advice I can give them at all @Frozennova to try and help them get a decent finish on the car this time round?

He also admitted that the other S2000 they did recently had this exact same issue, despite me being assured it'd be fine by the person I spoke to beforehand who said they'd done another S2000 recently without issue.

GhostWKD · 21 Jun 2017 at 15:10

Fair enough we shall see what happens next I guess - thanks for replying

Heat should've made it easier if anything I think, certainly was still high 20's when spotted the issue. Just realized at lunch actually that all along the top the seal doesn't sit flat on the window frame either

GhostWKD · 30 Jun 2017 at 09:15

So i'm now gutted that I even bothered getting them to redo the windscreen.

The new windscreen seal/trim has the exact same problem as the first, except the second guy has;
Taken notches out of the side of the trim where it meets the glass presumably where it wasn't flexible enough
Chipped the top edge of my front wing and scratched the leading edge of the bonnet

He also pre-filled in the survey on my behalf (all extremely satisfied no doubt) - literally clicking the response to the question before he'd finished asking it

I know my cars not new (it's a 2004/5) but it angers me that it's now got this damage caused by someone else's incompetence - wouldn't mind so much if it was at least my doing

GhostWKD · 30 Jun 2017 at 10:13

Penning an email at the moment - unfortunately I'm running lots of code today so can't get away from my desk and don't want to be complaining around colleagues.

Few photos of the bits in question

Window trim is the same all the way up the drivers side and a couple of places on passenger side

Still not fitting right, the fitter told me it would most likely stretch to fit over the next few weeks - a complete and utter lie!

Damage to the top of the wing/bonnet;

Scuttle panel also isn't fitted properly (sits proud) so i'm guessing there's broken clips under there too

GhostWKD · 30 Jun 2017 at 15:17

Glad it's not just me that would expect a little better than that

Ironically took a pair of wheels from my sisters cars to have new tyres and they've done this damage all around the inside of both wheels. Haven't even looked at the faces yet.

I hate dealing with other people. It is exactly this sort of stuff that makes me do most work on my cars myself.

GhostWKD · 30 Jun 2017 at 15:59

DXP55 said:
I took my alloys to have new tyres fitted and each rim had four sets of three holes like those - I ask now if they use those type of wheel holders as they went out years ago according to the place I use now.

Bang on the money - on both wheels there were 4 very deep sets of 3 holes with scrapes coming out of them and around the inside of the wheel.

GhostWKD · 4 Jul 2017 at 15:03

Latest update on the windscreen saga;

They want me to take my vehicle to their depot 'for our base technician xxxxx yyyyyy to go over the trims and scuttle problems you have concerns with' which to me sounds like they want me to go out of my way to travel to them for them to try and explain why I'm being unreasonable.

Damage wise; 'regards the paintwork damage, please see attached image of a pre-inspection external damage and your signature to confirm the damage to your vehicle. S = scratch P = paint damage'

The 'pre-inspection' was supposedly signed by me to confirm yet I didn't even meet the guy until after he'd finished due to meetings. It also doesn't flag up any scratch or paint damage relating to the area I'm complaining about.

Would my insurance company care if I tried to complain to them also or is it purely down to me and autowindscreens now?

Edit: Also kicked off the complaint to Halfords as I meant to over the weekend. Not really bothered about the resolution there though, on that one it's more the principle. The windscreen it's my car which I was about to spend a chunk of money on making pristine so I'm a lot more precious about that not being left in the state they found it.

GhostWKD · 4 Jul 2017 at 15:41

robj20 said:
Does your car insurance included legal cover, get them on it.

One of my policies does but I can't remember which, will dig out the paperwork.

To be fair I'm overdue a complaint to my insurance co anyway as they charged me £60 excess for the windscreen instead of the £50 my policy documents quoted.

Btw I feel the need to state I'm not as much of a complainer as I probably come across right now

GhostWKD · 28 Jul 2017 at 11:35

So, went to their depot this morning to try drop my car off and despite reassuring me they were ordering a new genuine trim I got there to find a pattern part they intended to fit. Had a bit of a moan and they then agreed to order another Honda trim so left once more and will again in the future have to go to their depot to get it done. Supposedly the pattern parts are exactly the same as genuine but I wanted peace of mind that the fit will be as good as it can be.

When they were inspecting the quality of the second fitting they levered the trim out on the passenger side and it now keeps popping out every now and then after a long drive.

Really is a joke that I'm having to be inconvinienced by their mess up. Also waiting on customer care to come back with proposal for repairing my bonnet - not heard from them in 2 weeks now.

Halfords autocentres on the other hand have been great and have paid for 2 wheels to be refurbished by Pristine in MK following them damaging the inner barrels of 2 wheels, total cost £225 odd.