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[andy_mc]

Howdy All,

I have Autoglass booked to replace my front windscreen on Friday due to an oversized chip in my line of sight.

I must confess I am feeling a little apprehensive about their knowledge of Astons (with all the complex ariels built-in to the glass) and whether they have experience with Vantages.

Would there be any gotcha's I need to warn them about ? Does anybody have experience with Autoglass and having their windscreen replaced?

Thank you in advance ...

[JonV8V]

Make sure they have all the bits. Took them 3 attempts to do mine. I think there are some sacrificial clips and some tape which Autoglass didn't order/Aston didn't supply first time (they use OEM glass or at least did a year ago)

The aerials are probably the easy bit. Did they ask or check how many you had? I think the choice is 3 or 4 although it may just be associated to a model year design change possibly for DAB around 13/14.

Where are they planning to do it? Mine was done in their service centre but I think they've shut them all now.

[crossy67]

Have you had the chip checked by a repair specialist? Autoglass have a ridged criteria for what is and isn't repairable that doesn't allow for special circumstances. Some repairs can give amazing repairs regardless of size if done by someone who knows what they are doing.

[davek_964]

First thing to check - make sure they are intending to replace it with an official AM screen.
Then, when they arrive - check the screen over carefully before they attempt to change it.

Here is my experience (so far) of having my '06 Vantage windscreen replaced (by Auto Windscreens, not AutoGlass) :

Windscreen was replaced on Fri 27th Nov. I was the last job of the day, and given the time of year this meant it was fitted almost entirely in the dark (the fitter arrived about 15:40).
The first thing he asked was : Did you ask for an official AM screen?
I said - no, because it never occurred to me that you would replace it with anything else! I was told that official screens are only provided "if the customer asks for one". At that point, I should have sent him away - but the replacement was stamped Pilkington and so was my original(?) screen so it seemed OK.

He fitted the screen - which I watched, and he did take care. No aerial in the 06, but mine is heated. I had to wait an hour for the glue to dry - then tried taking the car out.

Massive distortion in driver line of sight, which easily would have been noticed if it was fitted in daylight :



I called them Friday evening to tell them the screen had a defect. They logged it - I said I couldn't drive the car and it must be treated with priority.

I called them again on Monday - they had no record of Fridays call. I was told I would be called back Monday or Tuesday to arrange a new screen to be fitted.
No call - I called Tuesday afternoon and was told "No, if you called Monday you'd be called today or tomorrow".
No call - I called Wednesday afternoon. More excuses.
I called Thursday afternoon - more excuses.
Friday - I called Aston and confirmed screens were available. I called the windscreen company and told them that they were available. I was told "we are having to setup an account with AM because you've insisted on an Aston Martin official screen and we didn't have an account with them".
Friday afternoon, I get a call - the screen will be fitted Wednesday 9th. The fitters will collect the screen from AM Reading first thing in the morning, and will be at my house by 10am.
Monday - I receive a call confirming this.
Tuesday - I receive texts confirming this.
Wednesday - no show. I call the fitters at 10.15 - "The screen wasn't at AM Reading, they hadn't ordered it. It will arrive Friday". I call the office - they tell me that they "have the emails proving they ordered it". I call AM - what actually happened is, on the previous Friday the windscreen company sent a mail to AM asking the cost of the screen and account details so that they could make payment. AM replied with price and details. But the windscreen company didn't actually place an order - but they did pay. The accounts dept called the parts dept on Tues afternoon to ask if they knew why they'd received a payment of ~£1150 - and the parts dept realised it was for the windscreen and hence placed an order.

AM have confirmed to me that the screen has now been ordered - and is the right part - and will arrive on Fri. The windscreen company assure me they will fit it Fri - but I'm not convinced, since we can't be sure when it will arrive at AM and I also don't believe they will "keep two fitters free" on Fri.

So - be very careful and check everything they do VERY carefully. If I could rewind, I would not let these incompetent morons anywhere near my car and I would have simply paid to have it done at an AM dealer myself. But now they've screwed my car up - and made it undriveable for the last two weeks - they ARE going to fix it!

[Jon39]

I think insurers make it awkward to use anyone other than their favourite contractors. It is possible that AM dealers also contract out windscreen work, I do not know.

I had one of the windscreen firms for one of my non-AM cars. Did a good job with the windscreen, but badly scratched both front wings.

Unfortunately with these firms, we assume at the outset that something will go wrong.

[crossy67]

davek_964 said:

Wow, in 25+ years that's got to be one of the worst lol. Unfortunately Pilks glass does seem to be one of the worst now, such a shame because they used to be one of the best.

[Guycord]

I had a similar experience with AA Autoglass (or whatever they are called now) with my 95' VV.





Something had caused a stress fracture (poorly fitted in the first place by AML on a Friday afternoon sometime in March 1995 I think looking at the mess/originality under it all)

Got quotes ranging from £3800 to £4300 so decided to let insurance take care of it. I think a new Gaydon Vantage is circa £1700??

However, trying to get the idiot on the other end of the line from Glass line to understand was impossible. He just wanted to know if it was a heated screen or no. I tried to explain that there where precisely 6 of these cars in existence and the windscreen was not a generic Virage and may not be a Vantage either was impossible. "Just need your reg no. mate and whether its heated"

First Visit. AA Turned-up with a DB7 i6 screen. I told them I didn't want a rear screen - check the size. Oops! Return to base.

Second Visit. AA Turned up with a '06 Vantage screen. Nope. Returned again. I then gave the lads trying to do the job (and they were not at fault, plus very professional) the suggestion they talk to Works Service or Rikki Cann for the correct part.

Thirst Visit. AA Turned up with the correct windscreen but only 1m of rubber sealing kit rather than the 5-odd metres required (idiot in Service Centre ordered a metre rather than by the metre)

Fourth Visit. All fitted nicely and correct although it was a total dog to get the original screen out.

Important stuff:-
1. Check for OEM Screen type
2. Check Tint type and colour
3. Check Heating
4. Check Ariel
5. Check for correct Seal kit
6. Check for other trims that may be required for Astons
7. Absolutely check everything yourself with the fitters for once they start.....

[ds2000]

Autoglass fitted a new screen to my V12V this year and it was perfect. No issues at all

[DocW]

I was talking to the AutoGlass fitter whilst he was repairing my wife's Peugeot screen. I asked about replacing Aston screens and he said there were four fitters with ' specialist ' experience and he was one of them. He had just returned from a job in Cumbria for a replacement screen, he is based in South Yorkshire. If what he said is true it might be worth asking the company if they have fitters who deal with Astons.

[Glassman]

DocW said:

If what he said is true it might be worth asking the company if they have fitters who deal with Astons.

The answer will be yes, but it doesn't necessarily mean he'll be/they'll be dedicated specialists as such. You might get someone who has experience of doing one (or more). How good or bad that experience is subjective.

Take a look at any windscreen firm's advertising; they'll all state they can fit 'any' windscreen to 'any' car, and that they'll 'treat the car as if it were their own'. Throw a curve ball in the shape of say, a MB Pagoda at them, and the truth is soon realised often to the detriment of the customer. Equally, most employed fitters have their own assessment of themselves (they all think they're good in their own ways). I've seen guys display some shockingly bad practices and stand back from quite a poorly finished job, and they have that smug look about them, 'see, easy!'

[DocW]

Thanks Glassman, do you know if you can choose who replaces your screen when it's an insurance job, just as you can for bodywork or mechanical repairs? When an ordinary guy is in the hands of the insurers chosen screen fitter you are in a lottery, as you said.

[dig123]

In addition to the above take lots of photos of the car before they start even areas where they should not need to go, don't forget the seats and trim in side the car. When I had my Nissan screen replaced the first chap broke some plastic grills under the bonnet luckily I was watching him at the time. The second chap who had to replace the first chaps screen could not understand why the grills where taken of in the first place. I think I would ask for a fitter who had one an Aston Martin before.

[Glassman]

DocW said:

Thanks Glassman, do you know if you can choose who replaces your screen when it's an insurance job, just as you can for bodywork or mechanical repairs? When an ordinary guy is in the hands of the insurers chosen screen fitter you are in a lottery, as you said.

It can be quite difficult but ultimately depends on your insurer, or the policy. TBH, I'd rather not discuss it openly, but if it's assistance you're looking for, give me a call or email me.

[davek_964]

My second screen was fitted today - this time two fitters rather than one, and they were of the opinion that the screen should not have been fitted by a single person. They were not terribly complimentary about the previous fitting, and particularly commented that the glue had been pushed to the side on the passenger edge as a result of the previous fitter lifting the screen on from drivers side (these guys are the same company as the original fitter).

They took a lot of care and I think did a good job - and I can now see where I'm going. But I just used the car and although it seemed OK for the 15 min journey there, it seemed to have an increasingly loud creak by the time I got home. I'll use it over the weekend and see how it goes but they may have to come out yet again.

[JonV8V]

davek_964 said:

My second screen was fitted today - this time two fitters rather than one, and they were of the opinion that the screen should not have been fitted by a single person. They were not terribly complimentary about the previous fitting, and particularly commented that the glue had been pushed to the side on the passenger edge as a result of the previous fitter lifting the screen on from drivers side (these guys are the same company as the original fitter).

They took a lot of care and I think did a good job - and I can now see where I'm going. But I just used the car and although it seemed OK for the 15 min journey there, it seemed to have an increasingly loud creak by the time I got home. I'll use it over the weekend and see how it goes but they may have to come out yet again.

How quickly after fitting did you drive? Both times I've had windscreens done they were left overnight on their recommendation.

[Glassman]

Most polyurethane adhesives will take ~72-84 hours to cure fully. During this time, there may be some creaking.

[davek_964]

Thanks - I was told I could drive the car after 1 hour and although it was a bit longer than that it certainly wasn't 72 hours! Will see how it's behaving by Monday.

[Glassman]

davek_964 said:

Thanks - I was told I could drive the car after 1 hour and although it was a bit longer than that it certainly wasn't 72 hours! Will see how it's behaving by Monday.

Polyurethane adhesives are often sold on SDATs (safe drive away time) which has come down to an industry average of one hour (or plus one for a second airbag on the dash for forward facing applications). Personally, I've never liked the idea of this 'express' element.

One hour just isn't enough, and I'm assuming your car has a passenger airbag?

[davek_964]

Glassman said:

Polyurethane adhesives are often sold on SDATs (safe drive away time) which has come down to an industry average of one hour (or plus one for a second airbag on the dash for forward facing applications). Personally, I've never liked the idea of this 'express' element.

One hour just isn't enough, and I'm assuming your car has a passenger airbag?

Yep, it does. Hopefully the screen will settle a bit more over the weekend - it seemed quieter this morning.

[Navyatco]

My DB7 windscreen was replaced by Chiltern Aston - using a genuine AM part - and easily approved by my insurer: Locktons (AMOC scheme). No hassles whatsoever, just had to pay the excess.