[alzieboy]

Just had my windscreen chipped in two places, phoned my insurance (Admiral ) they insist i use Autowindscreens to carry out repairs or replace screen, never heard of this Co. so went on Google to find out more, anybody used them ?

thanks for any help rendered

[LexS]

I'm with admiral and used this company to get a chip fixed last week. No issues but cost £25 when I thought it would be free, guessing my choice to have a massive excess may be the reason.

[Boyd1963]

I used them on my previous car and they did an excellent job. Much better than when BMW refitted the screen.

[Glassman]

After cash flow problems (February 2011) Auto Windscreens entered administration and then closed, leading to the loss of over 1,000 jobs. The rights to use Auto Windscreens as a brand name and trading style were bought by the present company Trifords Ltd (part of Marker Study Insurance Group).

[alzieboy]

Originally Posted by Glassman

After cash flow problems (February 2011) Auto Windscreens entered administration and then closed, leading to the loss of over 1,000 jobs. The rights to use Auto Windscreens as a brand name and trading style were bought by the present company Trifords Ltd (part of Marker Study Insurance Group).

Thanks for the reply, after spending best part of the morning backward and forward with Admiral insurance, they have agreed for me to have a genuine BMW screen fitted by National windscreens, if the screen cannot be repaired which from past experience I doubt it can.

Thanks guys

[Glassman]

Originally Posted by alzieboy

Thanks for the reply, after spending best part of the morning backward and forward with Admiral insurance, they have agreed for me to have a genuine BMW screen fitted by National windscreens, if the screen cannot be repaired which from past experience I doubt it can.

Thanks guys

If a new (OEM) screen is what you were after, this is good news for you. Is the car less than three years-old?

Plus, I'm curious about the repair; any chance you could post an image of it? Not saying this is the case here, but there's an accepted view on repairs (or what can be repaired) which I'm curious to see if this falls into that category. There's almost a misconception on what a good repair is, or what can (or cannot) be repaired.

I have seen many cases of perfectly repairable screens which have been replaced when the damage could (and should) have been repaired.

People who have had a repair have been surprised at what a good repair really looks like in comparison.

[chris_s1]

From my own experience of windscreen repairs, if the chip is anywhere near your line of sight when driving, I'd give it a bloody good tap with a centre punch and hammer before the guy arrives, just to make sure they can't attempt to repair it...

I've had 3 repairs previously and everytime I could still see it afterwards and it kept catching my eye when driving. And your insurance company won't replace a repaired screen because you don't like the repair!

[chris_s1]

Originally Posted by Glassman

If a new (OEM) screen is what you were after, this is good news for you. Is the car less than three years-old?

Plus, I'm curious about the repair; any chance you could post an image of it? Not saying this is the case here, but there's an accepted view on repairs (or what can be repaired) which I'm curious to see if this falls into that category. There's almost a misconception on what a good repair is, or what can (or cannot) be repaired.

I have seen many cases of perfectly repairable screens which have been replaced when the damage could (and should) have been repaired.

People who have had a repair have been surprised at what a good repair really looks like in comparison.

Sorry to go OT, but Glassman - do you think BMW screens are tougher than others?

The reason I ask is prior to owning BMWs I had a Citroen and then 2 VWs (all company cars). In those 6 years combined, I drove about 200k miles and I had 4 windscreen replacements and several repairs.

Since moving to BMW, I've done getting on for 100k in 3 and a bit years and never had a single chip that required repair or replacement despite a few nasty sounding impacts......

Just wondering......

[fulcrum]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

Sorry to go OT, but Glassman - do you think BMW screens are tougher than others?

The reason I ask is prior to owning BMWs I had a Citroen and then 2 VWs (all company cars). In those 6 years combined, I drove about 200k miles and I had 4 windscreen replacements and several repairs.

Since moving to BMW, I've done getting on for 100k in 3 and a bit years and never had a single chip that required repair or replacement despite a few nasty sounding impacts......

Just wondering......

Mine has only seen 9k miles and is terrible.

[Sir_Pigley]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

From my own experience of windscreen repairs, if the chip is anywhere near your line of sight when driving, I'd give it a bloody good tap with a centre punch and hammer before the guy arrives, just to make sure they can't attempt to repair it...

I've had 3 repairs previously and everytime I could still see it afterwards and it kept catching my eye when driving. And your insurance company won't replace a repaired screen because you don't like the repair!

If it's anywhere near your line of sight then Auto Windscreens won't repair, they will only replace.

I have had no problems with Auto Windscreens apart from the small issue below. My wife's Touran has needed a new screen on about 3 occasions over the last 6 years.

When they repair a screen they guarantee the repair. So when the last repair they did continued to crack they then replaced the whole screen F.O.C.

Unfortunately the new screen also got a stonechip within a week. This one is on the drivers side, but so low on the screen that it is nowhere near line of sight. It's the size of a 5p piece (18mm) and bizarrely they won't attempt to repair it if it is more than 15mm and on the driver's side, although they would if it was on the passenger's side.

When asked why this was the case they said that it was because it compromised the structural strength of the car. Quite why a chip on the driver's side is more structurally compromising than the passenger side they couldn't explain!!

[alzieboy]

Autowindscreens/National windscreens/ ADMIRAL insurance, I think they all fell off the awkward bastard tree.

[RichJ]

my windscren seems quite soft and is peppered with very small specks

[alzieboy]

how do i find the right windscreen fitted to my car, it has rain sensor wipers, Auto climatic control, Auto lights. the windscreen Company appear to be putting all on me to find out, got no faith in this bunch

[rsmallwo]

I had a chip that was just outside the mot fail portion and my markerstudy insurance policy said they only replaced widscreens in that area. Had to use Auto Windscreens and the guy said I can have it repaired but it will still be visable. He said if i wanted it replacing that it was fine and it was upto me...even though not in mot fail area. Anyway, had it swapped out and they where really good. I've had national windscreens do one for me before and it took them 5 attempts, including putting the rear view mirror on the wrong way round meaning they had to do it all again!!! Well, its been done right first time buy these guys and was worth the excess. It isnt n orginal screen but is a pilkington screen with sensors buolt into it. I'd say the rain sensor is even better on this one

[Glassman]

Originally Posted by rsmallwo

I'd say the rain sensor is even better on this one

The rain sensor is part of the car. A new windscreen will only have a mounting bracket for it.

[Glassman]

Originally Posted by alzieboy

how do i find the right windscreen fitted to my car, it has rain sensor wipers, Auto climatic control, Auto lights. the windscreen Company appear to be putting all on me to find out, got no faith in this bunch

What's the problem?

The only confusion will come on changeover years where the sensor would have been modified, or a different silk print around the mirror area.

Worst case scenario is that they can narrow it down to two - an either/or - and bring both.

Besides, if you go for OEM glass, it's ordered from the VIN and you'll have an exact match to the windscreen fitted at source.