Mazda 3, doors autolocked

Barny1979

Pay for the windscreen through insurance, will just need to pay excess? Or is the issue he's flagged it already to them? Also a windscreen replacement with Autoglass is not a 2-man job.

molerat

Barny1979 said:

Pay for the windscreen through insurance, will just need to pay excess? Or is the issue he's flagged it already to them? Also a windscreen replacement with Autoglass is not a 2-man job.

Many screens are a 2 man job, one man cannot safely lift a large screen.  Last time I had a screen changed by Autoglass one van turned up, set up and prepped and then another van arrived to help and left once the screen was in, there is no way one man could have done it without lifting gear. If the fitting co say it is a 2 man job it obviously is the only way they can do it correctly and safely.

Barny1979

molerat said:

Barny1979 said:

Pay for the windscreen through insurance, will just need to pay excess? Or is the issue he's flagged it already to them? Also a windscreen replacement with Autoglass is not a 2-man job.

Many screens are a 2 man job, one man cannot safely lift a large screen.  Last time I had a screen changed by Autoglass one van turned up, set up and prepped and then another van arrived to help and left once the screen was in, there is no way one man could have done it without lifting gear. If the fitting co say it is a 2 man job it obviously is the only way they can do it correctly and safely.

My Astra Estate was a one-man job, surprised a Mazda 3 would be more.

psnowden23

Managed to find somebody local who could sort it without paying a kings ransom.  Taped perspex to the screen and got it there without incident. 

kaMelo

I don't mean to be unkind but this story doesn't add up. Smashing through a laminated windscreen? They break and crack, bits of broken glass fall out and lose their shape but despite all that they remain intact as a unit, that's by design. To actually break through a laminated windscreen, as in create a hole to lean through, I'd say is virtually impossible without some serious tools and even then it's going to take ages.

More to the point, why would you do that when a side window could be smashed with one blow from a sharp/pointed stone?

wongataa

Barny1979 said:

molerat said:

Barny1979 said:

Pay for the windscreen through insurance, will just need to pay excess? Or is the issue he's flagged it already to them? Also a windscreen replacement with Autoglass is not a 2-man job.

Many screens are a 2 man job, one man cannot safely lift a large screen.  Last time I had a screen changed by Autoglass one van turned up, set up and prepped and then another van arrived to help and left once the screen was in, there is no way one man could have done it without lifting gear. If the fitting co say it is a 2 man job it obviously is the only way they can do it correctly and safely.

My Astra Estate was a one-man job, surprised a Mazda 3 would be more.

I've had my Ford Focus windscreen replaced (by Autoglass through insurance) and it was a one man job. 

Hasbeen

kaMelo said:

I don't mean to be unkind but this story doesn't add up. Smashing through a laminated windscreen? They break and crack, bits of broken glass fall out and lose their shape but despite all that they remain intact as a unit, that's by design. To actually break through a laminated windscreen, as in create a hole to lean through, I'd say is virtually impossible without some serious tools and even then it's going to take ages.

More to the point, why would you do that when a side window could be smashed with one blow from a sharp/pointed stone?

Yes does sound odd? Side windows are easy to smash / break. Son worked for breakdown company and when other more professional methods of unlocking (breaking in) failed then it was always the side window. If he had smashed the windscreen he would have been in trouble.

Op could have asked the local feral's / jakies, they would have had car opened in minutes.

chrisw

Hasbeen said:

kaMelo said:

I don't mean to be unkind but this story doesn't add up. Smashing through a laminated windscreen? They break and crack, bits of broken glass fall out and lose their shape but despite all that they remain intact as a unit, that's by design. To actually break through a laminated windscreen, as in create a hole to lean through, I'd say is virtually impossible without some serious tools and even then it's going to take ages.

More to the point, why would you do that when a side window could be smashed with one blow from a sharp/pointed stone?

Yes does sound odd? Side windows are easy to smash / break. 

They are surprisingly difficult to break, if you watch the cop shows their batons often bounce straight off.

Aside from sheer brute force there is a fair bit of 'give' in the glass so it needs to be hit near a corner to hold it rigid. It then needs a sharp pointed object to strike the glass which will apply all the pressure to a point. A spring loaded centre punch is the tool of choice for the criminals. Or a pointy rock rather than a smooth round one.

Hasbeen

chrisw said:

Hasbeen said:

kaMelo said:

I don't mean to be unkind but this story doesn't add up. Smashing through a laminated windscreen? They break and crack, bits of broken glass fall out and lose their shape but despite all that they remain intact as a unit, that's by design. To actually break through a laminated windscreen, as in create a hole to lean through, I'd say is virtually impossible without some serious tools and even then it's going to take ages.

More to the point, why would you do that when a side window could be smashed with one blow from a sharp/pointed stone?

Yes does sound odd? Side windows are easy to smash / break. 

They are surprisingly difficult to break, if you watch the cop shows their batons often bounce straight off.

Aside from sheer brute force there is a fair bit of 'give' in the glass so it needs to be hit near a corner to hold it rigid. It then needs a sharp pointed object to strike the glass which will apply all the pressure to a point. A spring loaded centre punch is the tool of choice for the criminals. Or a pointy rock rather than a smooth round one.

Yes you are absolutely correct about using a blunt object like batons would probably not be good. Sharp rock or similar would work.

Son used an old sparkplug ceramic bits? then progressed to the spring loaded centre punch. More professional LOL. 
And very easy. I have practiced it on old scrap cars.  

But any decent breakdown company would have a better method than smashing in the windscreen.

Replacing a side window is a lot cheaper than heated windscreens. Perhaps the best idea is to get  the keyring type to break laminated glass etc?

jonesMUFCforever

I would have thought that the OP would have contacted the AA/RAC  (even if not a member and paid a fee) for them to ''break'' in?? rather than smash a windscreen.
Doesn't make sense to me either and perhaps not surprisingly the claim was declined.