Windscreen not covered by insurance

marlot

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Ring round some of the smaller local screen companies as well as the usual suspects, and if you are on good terms with any small car dealers or independent garages have a word with them, they are bound to have a local windscreen company on tap.

Unless you have something exotic you might find a new screen is cheaper than you think.

I agree. I got a windscreen for not a lot more than the excess was going to be. Chap who did it used to be the gaffer at one of the local expensive branches. Did a great job of it - no leaks, no problems.

Premier_2

Nearly_Old wrote: »

Not my experience with Autoglass when I got a crack in the Z3's windscreen and didn't want to make a claim. Autoglass quoted £499 for a new windscreen and seal but missed the fact that the new windscreen also needs to be hot bonded into the frame. I finally got it done (windscreen, seal and hot bonded) for £374 by a BMW main dealer!

When I worked in a main dealer, we used to get Autoglass to repair any glass; we had an account with them. Great little earner

JJ180462

Thank you all for the replies.

The Company was e-choice which I thought was a reputable Company but I know now to double check everything.

It is rather annoying that having no claims at all for over 20 years the one time I need to claim I have to pay but such is life at the moment, everyone is trying to rip you off.

No wonder the quote looked good.

Premier_2

e-choice appear to be part of Royal Sun Alliance

It's an online only insurer from the same company that trades as More Th>n.

Seems a bit strange through, I just did an online quote for me. Fully comp, the windscreen cover appears to be automatically included and I don't see how to exclude it.
I have double checked as the quoted premium is over £2k :eek:
(once I got the excesses down to a sensible £125 total)
I'd normally pay about 1/10 of that amount for insurance.
(I thought maybe I'd forgot to put the NCD in, but it's there - full 9+ years)

Windscreen excess is £85, plus an additional £40 if you don't use one of their approved repairer (which I believe is Autoglass is one)

Nearly_Old

Nearly Old wrote: Not my experience with Autoglass when I got a crack in the Z3's windscreen and didn't want to make a claim. Autoglass quoted £499 for a new windscreen and seal but missed the fact that the new windscreen also needs to be hot bonded into the frame. I finally got it done (windscreen, seal and hot bonded) for £374 by a BMW main dealer!

Premier wrote: »

When I worked in a main dealer, we used to get Autoglass to repair any glass; we had an account with them. Great little earner

Autoglass didn't do mine as I had to wait for a lift so drank the "free" coffee whilst I watched them take out the old windscreen, fetch the new one from the stores and put the bonding material in. I know of one owner that used Autoglass for a Z3 and the first 2 windscreens they tried to fit both cracked as they were fitting them because the fit was so bad. He ended up at getting it done by BMW with an OEM windscreen.

Premier_2

Nearly_Old wrote: »

Autoglass didn't do mine as I had to wait for a lift so drank the "free" coffee whilst I watched them take out the old windscreen, fetch the new one from the stores and put the bonding material in. I know of one owner that used Autoglass for a Z3 and the first 2 windscreens they tried to fit both cracked as they were fitting them because the fit was so bad. He ended up at getting it done by BMW with an OEM windscreen.

If the glass doesn't fit, then it's most likely to be because the body is out.

Autoglass usually source their glass from the same supplier as makes the OEM glass (if for no other reason than they already have the tool to produce it) - although be aware that large OEMs may have more than one supplier worldwide.

Of course, you pays your money and takes your choice.
You can either have an specialist automotive glasier who does this day in, day out to replace your glass or a BMW technician who will probably be changing someone else's timing belt the next day!

The choice, as they say, is yours...

Nearly_Old

Premier wrote: »

If the glass doesn't fit, then it's most likely to be because the body is out.

Hardly likely on a Z3 as the A pillars and the top of the frame are the rollover protection (together with the seats) so if they are out of the alignment the car is a write-off. That is also part of the reason why the windscreen has to be bonded in and kept under load whilst the bonding cures.

There was an advert in the late 90's that shows a 7Series sitting on top of a Z3 resting on the top of the windscreen frame and the rear roll bars (not part of the rollover protection as the rear bars were an optional extra). In the ad a person opens the door of the Z3, gets in, starts the engine and drives forward very slowly. The OEM screen seems to be a lot thicker and stronger than "normal" as it generally has stayed pretty much intact when you look at pictures of cars that have been rolled.

gingerdad

we as a company have dropped the windscreen cover from our vans, as the excess was nearly as much as a local fitter charges. and it saved us over 1k on our premium (15) vehicles)

victor2

Of course, if you have a heated windscreen (like many Fords have), the replacement cost can also be high, so insurance looks more attractive, even with the excess.

custardy

colli wrote: »

I got stung by this a few weeks ago. I think my insurance company changed it on the renewal but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. I KNOW I would have included it when taking out the insurance originally as it's so little extra. I've got a feeling the company I was with changed from offering just one type of fully comp to offering "basic" and "advantage" or something and being tight I went for the cheaper without reading it properly, lesson learned!

On the plus side to replace my windscreen was only £90 (excess would have been £70) so not too bad. Stay away from the "big names" and a local outfit should be able to do it fairly cheaply.

Edit to add - I WAS with Hastings if it helps anyone make a decision come renewal time

who offer various levels of cover
the essentials cover is just insurance
Hastings Direct and Hastings Premier include windscreen cover.