Windscreen replacement

beachBOYken · 31 Aug 2018 at 07:49

Hi

I have an appointment booked with Autoglass for a replacement windscreen, there is an option to pay now or pay later, I went with the pay later option, it seems I can pay the excess at any time online. Does anyone know if you can pay the Autoglass technician on the day of appointment?

Don't fancy paying £95 before hand, in case they fail to turn up. Just after some advice from anyone who has used Autoglass.

Thanks

Scania · 31 Aug 2018 at 07:56

I used them a while back, always pay later - it gives far more of a bargaining point in the event of any issues.

beachBOYken · 31 Aug 2018 at 08:43

Scania said:
I used them a while back, always pay later - it gives far more of a bargaining point in the event of any issues.

Thanks, I just chatted to someone and I can pay the technician on the day of appointment. Do you also mean I can pay at an even later date after the windscreen is replaced?

I have used them before but I have always gone to an Autoglass garage, this is my 3rd windscreen on this car, I must be unlucky!

jpaul · 31 Aug 2018 at 08:57

they will just have a card reader with them.

Do they actually reveal the brand of windscreen they will install ? ... are there chinese ingravings on any screens now

last time I searched & payed 'only' ~£120 to smaller company for a genuine pilkington oem part, broke it myself when arm clicked back changing blade -
but I guess some screens athermic/heated are much more expensive

beachBOYken · 31 Aug 2018 at 11:04

jpaul said:
they will just have a card reader with them.

Do they actually reveal the brand of windscreen they will install ? ... are there chinese ingravings on any screens now

last time I searched & payed 'only' ~£120 to smaller company for a genuine pilkington oem part, broke it myself when arm clicked back changing blade -
but I guess some screens athermic/heated are much more expensive

Not sure, but I have always found the windscreens to be of high quality.

Has windscreen excess cover gone up recently, I to seem remember it being £75, now its £95, maybe just my car insurer.

Scania · 31 Aug 2018 at 11:45

beachBOYken said:
Thanks, I just chatted to someone and I can pay the technician on the day of appointment. Do you also mean I can pay at an even later date after the windscreen is replaced?

I have used them before but I have always gone to an Autoglass garage, this is my 3rd windscreen on this car, I must be unlucky!

Fairly sure I was billed after the replacement - they did it at work whilst I was away in the truck - when I got back the rain sensor no longer worked so I phoned them and they came back the following day and replaced the screen and sensor (which surprised me as the sensor is not part of the screen as such)

All I had to do was forward the invoice to my insurance company - for whatever reason I had to arrange the replacement screen myself rather than just do it through them.

Might be different without insurance involved tbh.

ivrytwr3 · 31 Aug 2018 at 11:52

We had autoglass come to our home and replace the windscreen - 45 min job and at the end he produced a card reader, £50 through insurance (i think i have to put it down as a claim too).

Resident · 31 Aug 2018 at 12:41

jpaul said:
they will just have a card reader with them.

Do they actually reveal the brand of windscreen they will install ? ... are there chinese ingravings on any screens now

last time I searched & payed 'only' ~£120 to smaller company for a genuine pilkington oem part, broke it myself when arm clicked back changing blade -
but I guess some screens athermic/heated are much more expensive

I've got a heated screen and I think I'll be going through insurance.

Looked into replacing mine privately as there's the tiniest chip. £264 not including fitting.

Psycho Sonny · 31 Aug 2018 at 15:34

beachBOYken said:
Not sure, but I have always found the windscreens to be of high quality.

Has windscreen excess cover gone up recently, I to seem remember it being £75, now its £95, maybe just my car insurer.

mine was £50 and i demanded an original BMW screen. they said it's rarely given but my isurer was fine about it. can't remember the insurer now as i've switched.

robj20 · 31 Aug 2018 at 18:39

Psycho Sonny said:
mine was £50 and i demanded an original BMW screen. they said it's rarely given but my isurer was fine about it. can't remember the insurer now as i've switched.

They generally agree if the car is still in warranty. But really there is no point, no difference other than the odd cosmetic difference.

Firestar_3x · 31 Aug 2018 at 21:29

robj20 said:
They generally agree if the car is still in warranty. But really there is no point, no difference other than the odd cosmetic difference.

It has been noted that cheap replacement screens appear to chip easier than proper OEM units.

Psycho Sonny · 1 Sep 2018 at 12:24

robj20 said:
They generally agree if the car is still in warranty. But really there is no point, no difference other than the odd cosmetic difference.

may depend on the car. but mine was 15 years old and they replaced the screen with OEM BMW.

the rain sensor on it is 100 times better. no idea about the glass.

robj20 · 1 Sep 2018 at 17:27

Psycho Sonny said:
may depend on the car. but mine was 15 years old and they replaced the screen with OEM BMW.

the rain sensor on it is 100 times better. no idea about the glass.

Pretty sure the rain sensor isn't in the glass.

Frozennova · 1 Sep 2018 at 20:37

robj20 said:
Pretty sure the rain sensor isn't in the glass.

The sensor itself isn't but there's a plastic "block" for lack of a better word on the E46 and earlier BMWs that the sensor is clipped to and is required for the rain sensor to function.

Jamauk · 2 Sep 2018 at 09:30

I've used AutoGlass with both my cars, did a decent job on both. The guy that did it had a card reader to take the £75 & £95 I think payments. I questioned the lady I spoke to on the phone about windscreen availability for the Monaro as it is a relatively unknown/rare car she confirmed she had found the car in the database and they had the screens in stock. The guy that did it said he had never seen one before, which didn't fill me with much confidence but it didn't take him long to fit and when I forgot and left it out in the rain it didn't leak.

Psycho Sonny · 2 Sep 2018 at 15:18

robj20 said:
Pretty sure the rain sensor isn't in the glass.

no but it's attached to the windscreen. third party ones come loose and stop working and cannot be re-attached properly so you always end up with issued unless you get lucky.