Mini Windscreen Replacement - Help!

meclive

Hi, I hope someone might be able to help me.

I went to my car this morning to find a huge crack on my Mini windscreen and it's only 6 months old! :(

So I rang my insurance company who told me to contact auto glass. I called up auto glass who said they could only replace it with a non-original windscreen and if I want to have an original Mini one fitted I would need my insurer (AXA) to give them permission. So I called AXA back and they said no! AXA said they only pay for non-orignal replacements and will not budge.

Now I've seen so many horror stories of non-original screens causing issues that I really want an original one. I don't think I'm being awkward as it's a new car and I want it to be as it was, plus my insurance isn't exactly cheap!!

I called the Mini dealer I bought the car from and they advised me to get an original Mini windscreen. They gave me some tips to say to my insurer but AXA will not budge on using an original one.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do rather than forking out £790+ for a new original windscreen?

If I just pay for auto glass to do it, can I legitimately then just send the invoice to AXA for them to reimburse me?

Thanks.

forgotmyname

Is there not a higher excess figure to pay if you get an original screen/dont use their recommended supplier?
Mine does, It says £75 excess or £150 if a non approved company.

Read your policy terms.

Horror stories from non original screens? It may even be from the original manufacturer.

I fitted a heater motor to an AUDI A4, Dealer price £470+ , GSF price £80. The same part from the same manufacturer but without the posh AUDI box.

Manufacturers dont make the parts, They buy them in from suppliers.

InsideInsurance

You need to read your policybook which will state the terms and conditions over using original -v- non-original parts. If it doesnt mention anything then I suspect they will be on a lossing track to say you cannot have original.

There were always three classes of goods but I cannot remember their "proper" names but basically are "original branded", "original unbranded" and "3rd party". The first two are made by the same factory, just one gets put into a Mini branded box and the other gets put into a white box. The last one is someone who reverse engineers the product and makes their own version of it.

Autoglass certainly used to use the middle option most the time so it may be worth checking exactly what it is they are offering.

I have known car manufacturers to take the original unbranded windscreens, transfer it into a different box and acid etch their logo into it and then return it, obviously charging an extra few hundred for the luxury of it.

spiro

Windscreen replacement free under your insurance is defined in their T&Cs. If they say 'third party only' then they dont have to pay anything.
Have you asked Autoglass the difference in cost between the 2 screens so you could pay the additional cost (subject to Axa agreeing)?

forgotmyname

Also posted in the insurance forum. Read the answer i put there.

spiro

InsideInsurance wrote: »

There were always three classes of goods but I cannot remember their "proper" names but basically are "original branded", "original unbranded" and "3rd party". The first two are made by the same factory, just one gets put into a Mini branded box and the other gets put into a white box. The last one is someone who reverse engineers the product and makes their own version of it.

I think you will find the middle one is called OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer (white box parts).

meclive

It only mentions the approved company, not parts. It says if I use a non-approved company then they will only pay a maximum of £100 towards the cost. It doesn't say anything about original parts etc...

Premier_2

meclive wrote: »

Hi, I hope someone might be able to help me.

I went to my car this morning to find a huge crack on my Mini windscreen and it's only 6 months old! :(

So I rang my insurance company who told me to contact auto glass. I called up auto glass who said they could only replace it with a non-original windscreen and if I want to have an original Mini one fitted I would need my insurer (AXA) to give them permission. So I called AXA back and they said no! AXA said they only pay for non-orignal replacements and will not budge.

Now I've seen so many horror stories of non-original screens causing issues that I really want an original one. I don't think I'm being awkward as it's a new car and I want it to be as it was, plus my insurance isn't exactly cheap!!

I called the Mini dealer I bought the car from and they advised me to get an original Mini windscreen. They gave me some tips to say to my insurer but AXA will not budge on using an original one.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do rather than forking out £790+ for a new original windscreen?

If I just pay for auto glass to do it, can I legitimately then just send the invoice to AXA for them to reimburse me?

Thanks.

What's 6 months old? The car or the windscreen?

If the car, and the windscreen doesn't have any other damage (such as a stone chip that initiated the crack) then take it back to a dealer and get the car fixed for free under warranty

meclive

Premier wrote: »

What's 6 months old? The car or the windscreen?

If the car, and the windscreen doesn't have any other damage (such as a stone chip that initiated the crack) then take it back to a dealer and get the car fixed for free under warranty

The car is 6 months old. It looks like there's a small chip in the centre of the crack so doubt I could get it replaced under warranty.

meclive

spiro wrote: »

Windscreen replacement free under your insurance is defined in their T&Cs. If they say 'third party only' then they dont have to pay anything.
Have you asked Autoglass the difference in cost between the 2 screens so you could pay the additional cost (subject to Axa agreeing)?

The t&c's of my insurance just say axa will use their approved company and if I want to use a different company axa will only pay £100 max. It doesn't say anything about oe parts. Nightmare...

Notmyrealname

meclive wrote: »

The t&c's of my insurance just say axa will use their approved company and if I want to use a different company axa will only pay £100 max. It doesn't say anything about oe parts. Nightmare...

They'll only pay £100 because they don't want to pay the main dealer tax.

Just get the Autoglass screen. I had one fitted to my MK4 Mondeo a couple of weeks ago. Mine is a heated screen and you cannot tell the difference between the Autoglass one and the original apart from the lack of a Ford logo.

BMW Mini don't make their own windscreens, neither do Ford. They get them probably from exactly the same company that makes the ones Autoglass use however Mini stick their logo on it and double the price.