R9UKE Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Moral of the story - ALWAYS ensure bonnet is completely closed after detaching trickle charger. It was scary as fook and I shat myself a little bit. Even more when I remembered that a windscreen for an Avantime is a ridiculous amount of money. Called Autoglass - £1904 fitted, going through the insurance would highly likely see the car written off. However.... I must have done something good in life as I couldn't believe my luck when I saw the Avantime still sitting in a corner of a breakers in Walsall when I was over last week. Windscreen intact AND electrically heated like mine. How much? £70. AND it fit into the back of the new Vel Satis like a glove for the journey home. RESULT Now comes the final hurdle. Who can I trust to cure my French magnificence and fit the windscreen like nothing ever happened? It will also involve putting the auto-dimming mirror onto the new screen (after getting it off the old one) which, if broken, is probably even more difficult to get than the screen itself. So it really has to be someone who actually gives a shit about what they do. Anyone had experience with that Brummy Bastard Gavin at Autoglass? Can I trust them to do a good job or is there another firm someone else has had a happy experience with? Much obliged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooters Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 ruddy flip - that is an expensive windscreen! was very very tempted by a local aventine last week but divorce papers would have been served pronto... already no sense of humour over the Range Rover, the '89 Elddis Sprite (just think oif the cheap holidays dear!) or the news that as the 940 gear box is still lunched she'll be driving around in the ex Tiff Carina for a month or 2 - you can tell seh's not a shitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I used Autoglass for my Mondeo screen last month, they were a utter joy to work with although I was claiming from my insurance, are you sure you can't claim from yours?, I only had to pay £75 and although I'm sure it will raise my premium slightly next year, I can't imagine it will be enough not to warrant going through the insurance in the first place. You just fill the forms online and they ring you back to confirm the appointment details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R9UKE Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Yeh Scooters, an Avi would definitely push her over the edge Cheers Trig. I called them earlier and the cash price to fit the windscreen alone is only £110 which seems ok and not really worth getting the insurance company involved for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplebargeken Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Never had any dealings myself with AG, but I know people who have and they have had nothing but +ve stuff to say. You were bloody lucky to find that breaker screen, wow. Buy a Lotto ticket now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Autoglass fitted a new screen to my Focus just after Christmas when I got a chip, didn't get it repaired, whacked the heated screen on the next morning and heard it go CRACK. I sound like an advert there, I know, but it's true. £75 excess, they fitted a Ford branded one in place of the 3rd party screen it had before (obviously had a new screen before), and even said that if any of the heating elements don't work the next cold morning, to pop it back to them. Even got it slotted in the same day I phoned them. £180 all in sounds a bit of a result, even my Focus screen was £300 and I imagine they make a billion of those a day or something. Can't believe shelf price on a new Renault one is the best part of two grand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilko220 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 £1,904!!! Bloody hell. Top find getting the scrap one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Station Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 1904! But you do get free wiper blades! If the offer hasn't ended. I saw an E-type do this in Spain a few years ago. The dog was frantic to get out of the car. I lol'd from my hire car Focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 When I went to AvailableCar to look at a Mazda 3, it was tucked away in the body shop having the bumpers done. The guy took me in to look at it and there was a '58 Mondeo in there with similar damage, plus the leading edge of the roof too. Turns out a punter had taken it out on a test drive and the bonnet flew up at "about 70mph". I bet he got a good deal on whatever he bought after that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
406V6 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 When I needed a new Windscreen for the 406, National Windscreens was massively cheaper than Autoglass and the fitting was fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael1703 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Made me think of cannonball run " I can't see shit can you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 That seems a fair price to fit it, need one for the Vectra so if my windscreen fitting mate doesn't get back to me I might give AG a call. Seems a bit of a work of art, that windscreen fitting, something they make look easy but I don't reckon it is, especially if the 'screen is one of those bonded ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 £180 all in sounds a bit of a result, even my Focus screen was £300 and I imagine they make a billion of those a day or something. Can't believe shelf price on a new Renault one is the best part of two grand! For a laugh I phoned Autoglass about a new screen for my Volvo 940, they quoted over £500. Then I phoned a local guy- £160 fitted, you only get one kind of screen fro the 940 so that was like for like. In the end I went through the insurance and I think it was Auto Windscreens who came. 1904! But you do get free wiper blades! If the offer hasn't ended. Bosch wiper blades though, you only get one good wipe with Bosch blades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairymel Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 my local independent charged iirc £110 all in for a megane coupe windscreen supplied and fitted outside my work. was quoted £150ish when i inquired until it was clear the money was coming out of my own pocket possibly a bit of a bastard to clean up the second hand screen i would think though bloody lucky to get the old screen out in one piece at the scrappy as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angrydicky Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Does anyone know if these companies like Autoglass and Auto Windscreens would tackle fitting an 'old' screen? Need a new screen fitting on my A55 Cambridge, it's one of the types that has a chrome insert in the rubber. When I had a new rubber fitted to the rear a couple of years ago, I tried several local independents and only one was interested in the job. He was a right grumpy old git and didn't manage to get the chrome insert fitted properly "pattern rubber mate". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 1904! But you do get free wiper blades! If the offer hasn't ended. I saw an E-type do this in Spain a few years ago. The dog was frantic to get out of the car. I lol'd from my hire car Focus. Hold on. An E-Type can't do this - the bonnet opens the wrong way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieselnutjob Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 One of my neighbours is an Autoglass guy and I would trust him.I live in Ruislip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitevanman Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Does anyone know if these companies like Autoglass and Auto Windscreens would tackle fitting an 'old' screen? Need a new screen fitting on my A55 Cambridge, it's one of the types that has a chrome insert in the rubber. When I had a new rubber fitted to the rear a couple of years ago, I tried several local independents and only one was interested in the job. He was a right grumpy old git and didn't manage to get the chrome insert fitted properly "pattern rubber mate". They do, I was quoted £60 for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Autoglass Repair, Autoglass replace.Jism in your hair, jism on your face. Sorry. I bet that trip home in the Av was frought with nearly two grands worth of screen in the back, even if it was 70 sheets. Every pot hole = rectal prolapse. Would it be worth completely stripping that scrap Vel Satis? There must be a few $$$$$ in it....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael1703 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Does anyone know if these companies like Autoglass and Auto Windscreens would tackle fitting an 'old' screen? Need a new screen fitting on my A55 Cambridge, it's one of the types that has a chrome insert in the rubber. When I had a new rubber fitted to the rear a couple of years ago, I tried several local independents and only one was interested in the job. He was a right grumpy old git and didn't manage to get the chrome insert fitted properly "pattern rubber mate". I know a bloke that does mobile fitting on classics, he is based in clacton Brian 07773477174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordperv Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 my experience with autoglass isn't a good one, I walked into their stoke branch, told them I wanted a windscreen their reply was "what car" I pointed out of the window and says ford capri, before even checking or looking on the computer I got the suck through the teeth reaction the guy starts laughing and shouts out to people in the office "this lad wants a windscreen for a mk3 capri" and they all said you've got no chance mate, a bit pissed off as they couldn't even be arsed to see if they could help so I called a small windscreen supplier and had a 30 minute conversation with the gaffer who turned out to love old shite and was telling me about his motors and couldn't be happier than to bend over backwards to help, told him my requirements as I needed bronze tint, he checked his computer as he gets his stock from the local auto glass ware house he then informed me that there was 6 screens at the local warehouse so the staff at autoglass were talking bollocks, he got it sent up and fitted it for me 2 hours later safe to say I need another screen for anything I will be straight on the phone to him moral of that story is don't use big companies when you can have the personal approach of the smaller buisiness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Panda [old one...of course!] Chip in drivers view... please replace? lads came out [i was off to work]..oi! Missuss! we could swap/reverse it..nahh praablemm!! aneehoo... stuck to deal..NEW, fitted £60 ..was a fair while ago... err..wasn't AG tooSavvy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R9UKE Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 Cheers lads. Phoned a few local firms today and got a quote of £80 from an independent firm in Bangor recommended by a friend so I think I'll shoot with that next week sometime. They come to me and do the mirror and rain sensor swap - everything. Yes it was a pretty tense ride home, because, as you say, if that one was broken that it probably would have ended up in a £2k loss. I've certainly had my only second chance anyway And with regards to stripping the Avantime - the windscreen was about the only thing left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardMoss Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Never had any dealings myself with AG, but I know people who have and they have had nothing but +ve stuff to say. You were bloody lucky to find that breaker screen, wow. Buy a Lotto ticket now!They fitted a new screen in my XJ40 and somehow managed to make a tiny, hairline crack in it - so small that I would not have noticed (especially as it was under the screen finisher). They pointed it out to me, offered to get new screen at their expense and came round to my house to fit it at a time of my convenience. Good enough service for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 how bloody much................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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