Cracked windscreen.... Autoglass or RAC Auto windscreen?

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Well my windscreen has cracked! I think I may have had a small stone chip in the bottom right corner, and after this mornings drive to work with the heaters on full fan and full heat (with a 92 degree thermostat) it cracked  :doh:

My insurance has said I can use Autoglass or RAC Auto windscreens. I have spoken to Autoglass and they tell me they use the same manufacturer as Land Rover to supply them with a replacement windscreen and it is the same spec. (heated) minus the L.R. logo (which I could have at a additional price) They also tell me the workman ship is guaranteed for life so any leaks that occur they will fix.

I have not spoken to the RAC as auto glass seem to be o.k.

Is there anything that I need to check or make sure they do? Would anyone not recommend Autoglass? is a windscreen a windscreen or can you get good and bad quality. are there any types to aviod?

Thanks

Jonny

[Yoshi]

Autoglass did me clio, quick simple and the girl on the phone was very very helpful!

[Range Rover Blues]

Auto Glass are ok, but check they fit the trim properly as mine is coming away again.  If yours is a softie then it will take a couple of hours and have to go into the workshop.

[thermidorthelobster]

Autoglass managed to break part of the window surround trim on my Volvo and showed no interest in getting it fixed;  I had to source the part, get it painted and even take the damn thing to their workshop to get them to fix it back on again.  Even then they didn't remount it properly.  Total waste of space.  Given their business is replacing windows, the one thing they were totally incompetent at doing was replacing the window.  Their customer service was laughable.

That said, RAC Auto Windscreens let me down years ago as well.  I'd favour RAC marginally, but if there's a third option, use it.

[doda456]

My vote is Autoglass solely because they use decent pilkington/Landrover screens,  RAC make their own and as such the quality and strength is not really the same, as they are churned out for pence in India or some place like that.

This was told to me by a Autoglass fitter as he fitted a secondhand screen for me


Dan

[waveydavey]

I would get somebody to go to the Depot with you in another car; it can be 3-4 hours easily

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Thanks for all the advice, Sound like I need to keep a close eye on them, make sure it is a good quality wind screen, and make sure they don't break anything while they are doing it! I am booked in tomorrow (09/02/09) at the local workshop as I thought it best to go to them rater than some bloke trying to fit it on the drive! Will let you know how it goes

[bravo669]

ive just had a chip repaired by autoglass,the bloke was ok, he explained how he could break it, bud would try not to then cracked on (haha). cant fault the job! whatever wayyou go, just make sure your happy before you sign anything.

[Range Rover Blues]

They told me they'd fixmine at home, made an appointment between 1 and 4 pm.  I thought about 3 hours was correct. 
The bloke turned up and tld me that he had 45 minutes alloted to fix it, the 1 'till 4 was how long they expected me to stand around waiting for them anyhoo after 45 minuted all he'd managed to do was work out he couldn't do it on the drive as the bonnet has to come off, then the decker panel :-.

[muppetlab]

In my area definitely autoglass. RAC are crap, they make a crap job of it and totally crap customer service. left glass all over the inside of my car and broke the windscreen trim.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Well I have had it done....... first appointment turned up to find they had ordered a screen for a P38! second appointment they only had half the trim in  :x and then on the third attempt all went well! To be fair I got to know the fitter a bit, as I had come in three times,  and he knew what he was doing, this also enabled me to stay in the workshop and "lend a hand" or to put it more accurately..... get in the way! rather than sitting in the waiting room.

As for the question or RAC or autoglass, don't go near RAC, they make their own glass which is a poor standard and does not always fit. Auto glass use good quality screens, the one now fitted in mine is made by Pilkington, and was exactly the same as the one taken out i.e. all the shading was the same.

A couple of points to remember, make sure they get all 4 of the trims in that go around the windscreen, and ask them to get genuine Land Rover as they did with mine, they sometimes try and save trims and reuse them. Also take a carfull look at the paint work on the edge of the bonnet and the body work leading to the windscreen, this panel had to be part removed to plug the heated windscreen sockets in, and they were not too carfull with it, so make sure there are no scratches or dents. Luckily I did not get any, but this was only because I stooped him as he tried to lift the bonnet with the panel part off which would have dented scratched quite nicely!

I have not had chance to try the heated windscreen as yet but they tell me this is guaranteed for 12 months while the fitment of the screen  i.e. waterproofness wind noise etc is guaranteed for as long as you keep the car.

Hope this helps thanks all for the advise   

[trecfive]

Well I have had it done....... first appointment turned up to find they had ordered a screen for a P38! second appointment they only had half the trim in  :x and then on the third attempt all went well!
 

Same as above except went out to the car this morning and the screen has cracked on the drivers side above the scuttle panel, with two cracks one in a horse shoe shape and the other from the wiper boss area straight up at 45degrees.
The start of round two with three more visits to get it right. From other people's postings i hate to think what the RAC service is like, but the fitter were very good about it. This is a week later from when it was fitted, hope the guarantee is as good as the leaflet you get