Windscreens and "special resin" type repairs?

[bitchstewie]

Driving home today and saw then heard a fking massive stone kick up and hit my windscreen resulting in a nice big mark which I can best describe as a chip but with some 1-5mm cracks branching out from it.

I've never had a windscreen repaired - how good a job should they do? Will it still look like a crack but simply not spread, or do they do something that removes the damaged glass?

[heners54]

Still looks like a crack with a blob of darkish resin, but supposedly doesn't spread. Cracks still there and glint in the sun, annoying as hell. Hit it with a hammer and pay the excess if it's going to bother you.

[Baryonyx]

With cracks in the glass I expect they'll fit a new screen. How big are they?

[Podie]

Depends on the size of the crack and the location of it, in my experience.

Where abouts in the Midlands are you OP. Happy to recommend a freelance windscreen guy, who will probably be cheaper as well as doing a good job.

[Glassman]

OP, can you post a picture up of it?

[ecsrobin]

heners54 said:

Still looks like a crack with a blob of darkish resin, but supposedly doesn't spread. Cracks still there and glint in the sun, annoying as hell. Hit it with a hammer and pay the excess if it's going to bother you.

This!!

[Jonny_]

The repair is totally invisible.

That is, you can't tell it's been repaired.






In all fairness, the stone chip repair done on my Passat's heated windscreen over 2 years ago has done the trick, it hasn't spread and the heated screen still works perfectly.

[Glassman]

ecsrobin said:

heners54 said:

Still looks like a crack with a blob of darkish resin, but supposedly doesn't spread. Cracks still there and glint in the sun, annoying as hell. Hit it with a hammer and pay the excess if it's going to bother you.

This!!

I'll assume you've both experienced st repairs, and TBF, the chances of getting a decent one are dependent on:

a.). the repairer's experience and knowledge of of how to achieve a quality windscreen repair;

b.). equipment (and materials)

c.). type of damage;

d.). perception.

Generally speaking, if it looks pretty much the same (or worse, even) it hasn't been done and no flannel about the 'hole' being 'sealed' is acceptable.

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/botched-windscreen-rep...

I'm not surprised about the general perception of what a repair is. More to the point, if it looks like it has a "blob or resin" in/over it, why accept it? Or is this it, you're believing what the person who attempted to repair it (and failed) said?

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/what-isnt-clear-about-...

Some repair companies will not repair 'any' chip either.

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/the-windscreen-chip-th...

Hit it with a hammer? Really? Fraudulent claims are one of the reasons why premiums are on the rise. In any case, why risk a bad replacement job? And you do know that you will not be getting an OEM part?

[Drive Blind]

i can only assume when i got mine repaired it was by somebody who didn't have a clue.

The chip was still as big and visible. "but it wont spread" the repairer proudly told me. If it had been my own money I wouldn't have paid.

Drove about for another year with an annoying chip very visible on the windscreen before it finally cracked properly.

Next time I'll be paying my windscreen excess to get a new screen.

[bitchstewie]

Glassman said:

OP, can you post a picture up of it?

Not the best but:



It's not so much the size it's that it's a heated screen and I have no idea how "tough" modern glass is.

[Glassman]

bhstewie said:

Glassman said:

OP, can you post a picture up of it?

Not the best but:



It's not so much the size it's that it's a heated screen and I have no idea how "tough" modern glass is.

Repairable. A heated screen makes no difference unless the impact has pierced through (or the repairer drills/pokes through too far). From what I can see in the image, you have at least two cracks and a 'cone' emanating from the impact point. The cracks can be manipulated to work the repair resin into them, and the circular shape will fill with pressure and vacuum cycles.

Stick a small patch of clear tape over the impact point to prevent water ingress and contamination whilst you consider your options.

Whereabouts are you?

[bitchstewie]

Thanks, Midlands so a bit out of the way - insurers nominated repairers look to be Autoglass.

I'm still unsure whether a repair done properly should reduce the effect or if it just "seals" the damage?

[crossy67]

bhstewie said:

insurers nominated repairers look to be Autoglass.

Oh dear.

There are repair kits that won't put a flawed piece of glass through the stress of evacuating all the air from and area 50mm+ around it but your nominated supplier doesn't use them .

What Glassman says, put some tape over it now, keeping crap out is imperative, the fresher and cleaner a chip is usually the better the outcome.

[SteBrown91]

bhstewie said:

Not the best but:



It's not so much the size it's that it's a heated screen and I have no idea how "tough" modern glass is.

Had a fiesta (with a heated screen) that had chips worse than that which were resin'd by previous owner. Will be fine

[ecsrobin]

Glassman said:

ecsrobin said:

heners54 said:

Still looks like a crack with a blob of darkish resin, but supposedly doesn't spread. Cracks still there and glint in the sun, annoying as hell. Hit it with a hammer and pay the excess if it's going to bother you.

This!!

I'll assume you've both experienced st repairs, and TBF, the chances of getting a decent one are dependent on:

a.). the repairer's experience and knowledge of of how to achieve a quality windscreen repair;

b.). equipment (and materials)

c.). type of damage;

d.). perception.

Generally speaking, if it looks pretty much the same (or worse, even) it hasn't been done and no flannel about the 'hole' being 'sealed' is acceptable.

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/botched-windscreen-rep...

I'm not surprised about the general perception of what a repair is. More to the point, if it looks like it has a "blob or resin" in/over it, why accept it? Or is this it, you're believing what the person who attempted to repair it (and failed) said?

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/what-isnt-clear-about-...

Some repair companies will not repair 'any' chip either.

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/the-windscreen-chip-th...

Hit it with a hammer? Really? Fraudulent claims are one of the reasons why premiums are on the rise. In any case, why risk a bad replacement job? And you do know that you will not be getting an OEM part?

Mine was with autoglass, whilst the chap doing it was brilliant and was talking him through it and I feel he did a good job it was just annoying having the chip still visible. However exactly a year to the day I got another stone to the windscreen on the drivers side and it instantly cracked and kept on growing on my journey home. So a windscreen replacement and now no annoying repaired chip.

[Glassman]

bhstewie said:

Thanks, Midlands so a bit out of the way - insurers nominated repairers look to be Autoglass.

I'm still unsure whether a repair done properly should reduce the effect or if it just "seals" the damage?

Dependent on your home (or work) location, I may know someone decent who can help you. Just because your insurer nominates a repairer, it does not mean you have to use them.

Chip repair doesn't 'seal' the damage as such, it fills and bonds. Once repaired, you'd have to be looking for the damage in order to find it however, the position of the damage, or even type of damage (bees-wing, bullseye, cloverleaf, combination, half-moon, starbreak) may have an effect on this.

Light refraction matters.

In many cases, you will see more of the filled (and polished) impact crater than the filled damage behind it. In this one, the impact crater was on the larger side, and deep.



Light will reflect off the surface.



Far from a perfect repair, but one that didn't jump out at you.

[bitchstewie]

Well that's better than I expected - PM sent if you can suggest anyone. I'm assuming Autoglass are a bit like Kwik-Fit in that they're universally panned but presumably results vary depending which one you use?

[Glassman]

bhstewie said:

Well that's better than I expected - PM sent if you can suggest anyone.

Replied.

bhstewie said:

I'm assuming Autoglass are a bit like Kwik-Fit in that they're universally panned but presumably results vary depending which one you use?

That's one way of looking at it.