Windscreen replaced but not happy.

[Herminator]

I had one quite annoying chip in my windscreen, along with several tiny little chips, with two of the tiny ones appearing to have a tiny crack running between them. So instead of having the larger chip repaired, I went for a complete replacement, not bad for £70 I thought.... (chip repair would have been free)

It was done whilst I was at work, took about an hour. I went to get my keys back and check the work and the first thing I noticed was the plastic cover at the bottom of the screen wasn't sitting flat on the drivers side. The guy has put some of the gunk they have, to stick that side down (but the gunk is actualy causing the gap) I saw it before I even got to speak to him, so he saw me looking at it and explained what he'd done before I got the chance to ask any questions. He says some clips were missing that are meant to hold the plastic bit on, I should get them replaced next time I go for a service.

The problem I have with this is, the gunk looks like it will leave a right mess under there and be a pain in the butt the remove. I would of rather he had done nothing to hold that bit down and let me get the clips from the dealer (which is only a few miles away from where I work) I'm worried water will get down the gap before I get the chance to fix it, is this going to be a problem?

I'm not sure he'd have even of mentioned it if he hadn't seen me examining it closely. It even seemed like he scribbled it down on his report after he saw me looking, just so I've got less comeback.

Does anyone have a clue what the clips are called? I looked on the parts finder thing but couldn't find them.

I also noticed the rear view mirror is 1-2mm off center, am I being too picky about this?
The window itself doesn't seem totaly centered either, it's very tight up to the frame on one bottom corner, less so on the opposite bottom corner, enough for the black border to be noticably a couple of mm thicker when viewed from the inside. The gap at the top of the screen from the outside is 5-6mm, rather than completely tight at the bottom, but I guess this has to be normal. :?

On the whole, it just seems a bit of a lazy job's been done. The guy was working for Autoglass (big in the UK) so I expected high standards but the guy himself seemed a bit rough. I think he may have even caused a little scratch on the driver side wing and then noted it on the diagram as one that was already there, there were a few but I don't remember this one in my last few washes, I just can't be sure though.

Has anyone else had a windscreen replaced?
Any advice?

I think I'll take it to the dealership tomorrow and try and get someone from the service deparement to have a look at it.

 

[ianreeves]

Not on the z4 but I am on my 3rd on my 1 series. I've had a big battle with Autoglass, the first shattered about an hour after they left, the second broke in the heat. Both times they indicated I had broken them. The final one was fitted at BMW and it was obvious why it broke when the trim was removed. The whole screen was badly fitted and offset to the bottom resting on the body. I would doubt the clips were missing at the start, have a good look you may well find he dropped them taking the car apart

 

[2dogs]

Not on the z4 but I am on my 3rd on my 1 series. I've had a big battle with Autoglass, the first shattered about an hour after they left, the second broke in the heat. Both times they indicated I had broken them. The final one was fitted at BMW and it was obvious why it broke when the trim was removed. The whole screen was badly fitted and offset to the bottom resting on the body. I would doubt the clips were missing at the start, have a good look you may well find he dropped them taking the car apart

That’s interesting I had 3 windscreens in my old 535 in less than a year and BMW said it was very rare. Maybe not so rare !!

 

[Herminator]

Not on the z4 but I am on my 3rd on my 1 series. I've had a big battle with Autoglass, the first shattered about an hour after they left, the second broke in the heat. Both times they indicated I had broken them. The final one was fitted at BMW and it was obvious why it broke when the trim was removed. The whole screen was badly fitted and offset to the bottom resting on the body. I would doubt the clips were missing at the start, have a good look you may well find he dropped them taking the car apart

Thanks, sounds like some of their franchises aren't very good at all. I'm sure the plastic piece was sitting properly before, so it was either fine with one or two clips missing (not likely) or the guy lost them himself and tried to do a bodge job :thumbsdown: The windscreen was the original so I doubt it the plastic trim had been removed before.
I'm heading to the dealership at lunch time to get a second opinion and then I'll ring up Autoglass to try and get it fixed at their cost.

The glass shattering sounds worrying, I'd hate to have that happen whilst commuting down the M1.

 

[pvr]

I have never seen a good job from Autoglass, always bad fitting screens (or the glass not being straight, i.e. cheap). The last replacement screen I needed was on my 740, so I just got the BMW dealer to do it. It cost me more, but at least no damage and was right the first time.

 

[Herminator]

Dealer thinks it's a glass out again job. Glass is not in straight and they may have damaged the plastic facia at the bottom of the screen. :thumbsdown:

He was happy for Autoglass to call him if they need to confirm my story.
Now I've got to try and get autoglass to get a different guy to do it....

 

[GAZA62]

Sorry to here this had probs with Autoglass on my last car they left all bits of the gunk on the roof and bonnet lucky for me my local body shop got them off free of charge and the next time i needed a screen used R.A.C no probs.

My screen on the Z4 has what looks like loads of tiny hairs in the glass more noticeable in the sun may get it checked out while under warranty.

 

[Herminator]

Well that was a fun couple of conversations.
Autoglass got the original fitter to call me about it, after I said I want to have someone else deal with it. He now says the clips were broken, he originaly said missing. He sent their warranty guy around.

I can see why this guy specificaly deals with warranties, he tries to come across nice but is actualy trying to fob you off. The typical, I see your problem but it's not actualy a problem sir....
He is going to schedual a refit, but I need to wait a week for the epoxy to cure. The scuttle (plastic facia bit) is down to the wording on the report I signed, if it says clips broken, then they'll do nothing since I signed it :headbang: if it says missing then they'll replace them, so I need to go check the form. The gunk they used apparently isn't that hard to get off, he showed me some of it on a roll, it's like a putty that should rub off. He doesn't want to touch this part of the job though, even if I get the clips needed before he comes to refit the screen, if the forms says "broken" he'll just leave the scuttle off for me to fit :thumbsdown:
When I showed him the tight gap on one side of the screen he tried to say it just needed working on with his little plastic stick thing. He tried to make the gap bigger, trying to convince me it was moving :roll: but it did nothing really, other than stretch the rubber seal a bit and make it a little worse looking :fuelfire:

The service guy at the dealership pointed out that the top of the screen isn't pushed up as high as it originaly was, you can see the old dirt line a couple mm up, so the screen is definetly not sitting right. Here he just tried to use his hands to push the rubber up, but the glass should be pushing the rubber up itself. It's just another effect of the glass not being correctly located.

If there's any problems after the refit then it will have to higher up in Autoglass for them to argue with BMW.

When I mentioned two screens being cracked on your 1 series, he tried to make it out that it was a 1 series design flaw and start going on about something completely unrelated.

I'll be trying to find a new insurer is November, one that doesn't use Autoglass :x

 

[gannet]

I'll be trying to find a new insurer is November, one that doesn't use Autoglass :x

Sorry to hear about your troubles...

Im with Admiral and the use RAC Windscreens.... only had repair experience with them though...

 

[cj10jeeper]

I've had the screen replaced on mine a year ago and had almost identical problems. The lip at the lower edge would not seat so he filled it with mastic. I pointed out that it was seated before and his bodge was no good.

Long story but the remedial team came out and removed all the black 'gunk' that the original fitter had used and then clear bonded the lip to the glass. He rightly pointed out that next time the screen has to be removed the fitter needs advising that it is bonded. Not ideal of course but they did a neat fit job in the end and after a year it's still OK. Of course on eday the screen will break and I'll have new issues to deal with but that a problem for tomorrow (or hopefully several years time)

Personally I think Autoglass dominate the market, work to a price and see what they can get away with in quick fittting and unless ou watch them and are picky they'll leave a watertight but shabby job.

 

[pvr]

I would rather pay the 150 to get the dealer to do it ...

 

[cj10jeeper]

IIRC my policy has one of these stupid clauses that say if you don't use their recommended company you have to pay in full up front, lose NCB and have to claim back. Dealer fitted grad screen is about £600

 

[ianreeves]

IIRC my policy has one of these stupid clauses that say if you don't use their recommended company you have to pay in full up front, lose NCB and have to claim back. Dealer fitted grad screen is about £600

Mine to, so I am stuck with them. I didn't mention that when I renewed my policy they said I had had 3 screens replaced so was high risk.... NO I said it was an Autoglass fitting issue and I paid nor signed any forms it looked like Autoglass had made them pay for the work anyway.

After a lot of hassle I did get the screen replaced again, but by a different fitter from a different branch who used to work for BMW and was well aware of the pitfalls.

Stand your ground, phone the insurance company and advise them, and ask for them to sort it out ( they won't but you maybe able to push for a BMW repair )

The issues I had with my 1 series had nothing to do with the design, it was plain old bad fitting.

 

[Breaker]

I had to have a rear screen fitted to mine because the heater element only worked on 3 lines.

The dealer never fitted it correctly as it wasn't square! Took it back and they did it again. OK now!

What's the matter with these people. Surely it's better to a job once!! :roll:

 

[Herminator]

Seems that Autoglass are just useless on the whole, I've not heard a good thing said about them.

I check the form I signed, it says the clips were missing, no mention of them being broken. So the guy changing his story is going to go against them
I haven't rung the insurance company yet but I'll probably do it tonight so that they're aware of whats going on. I want to make sure the scuttle panel is sorted properly, it was sitting perfectly flat before with no mastick or anything so it should be like that when they finish :evil:

It's a real pain being unable to wash the car whilst I wait the week for window seal to cure, it will actually be two weeks after they fit it the second time. Black looks bad enough after just a few days :roll:

 

[cj10jeeper]

Youre right Herminator - they are useless and I think get away with a lot because people don't argue enough, they will distort the truth and make their failings appear to be related to pre existing car faults.

I can tell you about the 4x4 they replaced a screen on years ago and put a 3 inch paint scratch where their tool slipped on the area near the wipers. I had to prevent the technician wiping the area down and thus left the minute paint shards on the panel so they could not deny it. I had to escort him off the premises until the depot manager came by, inspected it and agreed to fully pay for a respray. What a nightmare that was....

 

[Breaker]

I had to polish out some minor scratches on the roof when I had that rear screen replaced. And that was from a dealer! Never noticed them until the sun shone on it a few days after having the car back! :headbang:

 

[Herminator]

I had to polish out some minor scratches on the roof when I had that rear screen replaced. And that was from a dealer! Never noticed them until the sun shone on it a few days after having the car back! :headbang:

I know your pain almost exactly....

Since the screen was all dusty when he had finished and he said not to wash the car for a week, I thought the line I could see was just a bit of dirt. It rained yesterday and so the wipers were on and had the chance to clear the screen. It turns out that the 8 inch line running down the drivers side of the screen is not dirt it's a great big scratch :headbang: it's very soft, I can barely feel it with a finger nail, but it's definetly a scratch. It looks like he put the wiper down when it was flipped over and then tried to flip it back without lifting it up, leaving the end of it to scrape down the screen :x

Time for another call to these clowns. :headbang:

 

[Herminator]

Elephant, my insurance company seem to be quite good about dealing with the problems I'm having. It's the first time I've had to use their service but they're impressing me so far

I've got another fitter organised for the start of next week, National Windscreens, who've rung me and know the problems and are ordering a new scuttle panel to go with a new windscreen Hopefully they'll do a good job.

I no longer have to deal with Autoglass, I didn't want them touching the car again after meeting two of their "representatives"

Coincidently my parents have just had the windscreen replaced on their VW Polo, by Autoglass :| It will have been a different branch and they seem to have done an ok job, the gap around the screen seems consistant, although the rubber seal could be neater in places. :roll:

 

[Herminator]

Well after a few more phone calls I finally had Autoglass around yesterday, not who I wanted doing the work but they had to do it in the end.

The warranty guy was doing the job and seemed a bit more understanding this time. New windscreen is now in and very accurate and I now have a new scuttle panel for free So it's looking shiney and black rather than slightly faded and grey