Windscreen repair.

[Westley]

I have a small stone chip on the front windscreen of my 2018 Honda CRV. It is to the left and slightly higher than my eyeline when driving. However I find I see it in my peripheral vision and my eyes are drawn to it. Can anyone tell me if they have had a windscreen 'repair' and if it makes the chip less visible.

[B725]

I've had 2 or 3 stone chips repaired and it does almost disappear, most insurance companies do a free chip repair and not registered as a claim as it's cheaper for them rather than replacing the windscreen. Auto glass and other's should be able to tell you when you tell them your insurance company if it's a free repair. 

[DUNKS]

11 minutes ago, Westley said:

I have a small stone chip on the front windscreen of my 2018 Honda CRV. It is to the left and slightly higher than my eyeline when driving. However I find I see it in my peripheral vision and my eyes are drawn to it. Can anyone tell me if they have had a windscreen 'repair' and if it makes the chip less visible.

Yes and Yes almost invisible you have to look very hard to see the repair.

[Bigbob]

Apparently Range Rovers windscreen leak so one groups advice is Shame if it was damaged your insurance would replace it , But with Range Rover Insurance on the rise i thought it would be costly ?. 

[JKD]

9 minutes ago, B725 said:

I've had 2 or 3 stone chips repaired and it does almost disappear, most insurance companies do a free chip repair and not registered as a claim as it's cheaper for them rather than replacing the windscreen. Auto glass and other's should be able to tell you when you tell them your insurance company if it's a free repair. 

This ☝️

[Westley]

Thank you ALL for taking time to reply, a repair it will be then. The power of PW comes in handy once more  !

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Just a quick point, Autoglass used to do cheap and effective resin repairs.

 

I have used them many times, good service and far cheaper than using your insurance cover.

[McSpredder]

I was told, quite a long time ago, that a windscreen can usually be repaired if the damaged area is no larger than a one pound coin.   Can anybody say whether that is still a reasinable guide?

[Westley]

The damage to my windscreen is very small,  smaller than a 5p piece. I am just paranoid about dirty windscreens , I carry a small non scratch pan cleaner and a bottle of neat washer additive, to remove dead bugs and grease. I also scrub the blades with fhe same method. A greasy windscreen, rain and oncoming headlights are a lethal combination.  I even carry a rubber window blade, for cleaning the side windows before driving.

[countryman]

I had one done about the size of your finger nail, had it done at my local town car park, left the car with him for about 30 minutes and the job was done very well, think I paid about £50 and that was on my Range Rover.

[billytheghillie]

Aye get gavin from auto glass, he will come to your home and inject his hot resin into the crack.

[enfieldspares]

Bear in mind that sometimes they do "let go" when the resin or whatever is being injected. So do at the very least have time in hand and a back up plan if it does. And double check with your insurance company of they've any special deals on such a repair and if having one done through them  counts as a claim. My brother used to do them via Chips Away and at one time I worked for an underwriter that had a deal with one of these repair folks.

Edited November 12, 2023 by enfieldspares

[marsh man]

On 12/11/2023 at 19:29, enfieldspares said:

Bear in mind that sometimes they do "let go" when the resin or whatever is being injected. So do at the very least have time in hand and a back up plan if it does. And double check with your insurance company of they've any special deals on such a repair and if having one done through them  counts as a claim. My brother used to do them via Chips Away and at one time I worked for an underwriter that had a deal with one of these repair folks.

I must be the odd one out , I have only had one repair on a windscreen , well two really as they had to do it twice .

I had mine done on TESCO'S car park while I went in the store and had a coffee and a read of the Shooting Times , came out after about an hour and the bloke was just finishing it off , sign his papers and off I went , looking at it I could still see where it was and t b h it didn't look that much better than before the chap done it , so next morning way I go again to TESCO'S , the same bloke was there and I told him it whatever he done didn't work and I thought it was a poor job , I left it again and although his second job was a bit better than the first one I am glad I didn't have to pay for it even though I had paid on the insurance , 

MM 

[JohnfromUK]

I had one done by a company arranged by my insurance (NFU) - done 'free' in the office car park. 

The chip looked just as bad afterwards as before, but was well out of the defined vision area for MoT.  However, it (10 years on) has never spread and has passed every MoT without comment.  Possibly the problem of it still remaining visible was because a couple of weeks used passed between the chip happening and the repair as I was away (holiday) in the car when it happened.

[Westley]

Well, Autoglass came yesterday morning, bang on time. Took them around 45 minutes and they have done a superb job. Yes, the mark is still visible BUT, you have to look for it as opposed to your eye being drawn to it. It cost me £20 excess using my Insurance company and they say it will NOT affect my renewal cost. It is just as well, because Autoglass quote £225 for the repair if it was not going through the Insurance. Still, an excellent job and I thank you all for your input.  W.

[rbrowning2]

£20 reasonable but £225 a con as you can buy kits and DIY from £2 to £10.

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by rbrowning2

[marsh man]

2 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

I had one done by a company arranged by my insurance (NFU) - done 'free' in the office car park. 

The chip looked just as bad afterwards as before, but was well out of the defined vision area for MoT.  However, it (10 years on) has never spread and has passed every MoT without comment.  Possibly the problem of it still remaining visible was because a couple of weeks used passed between the chip happening and the repair as I was away (holiday) in the car when it happened.

I am glad in a nice way I wasn't the only one who had a poor job done , you might had hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the time lapse from when the chip first happened to the time of the repair , the chap did ask when did it happen ? , I told him about two weeks and he said if it had been much longer than the repair is not always  successful 

[JohnfromUK]

12 minutes ago, marsh man said:

I am glad in a nice way I wasn't the only one who had a poor job done , you might had hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the time lapse from when the chip first happened to the time of the repair , the chap did ask when did it happen ? , I told him about two weeks and he said if it had been much longer than the repair is not always  successful 

It's a long time ago (10 years(ish)), but I'm pretty sure I was asked.  The chip happened driving to Scotland for a sporting week with friends, so being Scotland, it would have got well soaked!  Then when I got back it took around a week to arrange, which may have been me catching up and not getting around to booking the slot.

The chip is lower right hand side outside the main area and doesn't cause any problems either to me as the driver or to the MoT inspector.  I still have the car, and the chip has never spread, so it has been fully 'satisfactory' as a repair for me.

As far as I remember I didn't have to pay a penny, the insurance covered all.  The small chip/dent in the bonnet that occurred at the same time was not covered as a free repair, and in consequence is still there 10 years on.

[Westley]

Just an update on the Windscreen situation. After 2 days and some torrential rain, the 'repair' failed. After contacting Autoglass, my vehicle is booked into their workshop for a new screen,  on Monday. I have to go to them because of all of the sensors fitted on the screen. These have to be re programmed after fitting. No cost to me for the new screen.

[London Best]

2 hours ago, Westley said:

Just an update on the Windscreen situation. After 2 days and some torrential rain, the 'repair' failed. After contacting Autoglass, my vehicle is booked into their workshop for a new screen,  on Monday. I have to go to them because of all of the sensors fitted on the screen. These have to be re programmed after fitting. No cost to me for the new screen.

I have had screen repairs on most of the vehicles I have owned through the last thirty years or so. Never known a repair fail.(famous last words?)

[Westley]

I had Autoglass fit a new screen on my last car and that went without problems.  Perhaps it's the fact the repair failed, they are replacing the screen 'under warranty '  ?

[Old Boggy]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I thought that I’d give my thoughts on Autoglass.

I had a small stone chip on my windscreen. Went online to Autoglass and was told to state a time when it was convenient for them to ring me the next morning. Stated a time and no such call.

Preferring to speak to someone in person, I went to my nearest Autoglass place which was in a Morrisons car park. The person in charge said that I’d have to ring their number and book an appointment. Actually got to speak to a real person who gave me an approximate quote of £265 but would ring me back at 3pm to confirm. No call ensued.

Then decided to try my local Halfords to see whether they did windscreen repairs. Young lad (well young to me, but knew his stuff) came out, said “Yes, that’s repairable, will be £40 and can do it in 15 minutes time and will take 30 minutes to do”.

The Halfords guy did say that many folk don’t realise that they do windscreens and used exactly the same equipment as Autoglass but for a fraction of the price.

The job was done well within the time and is completely invisible so I’m well pleased. 

Now I know many on here have slagged off Halfords in the past but I’ve always found them (my local one anyway) brilliant to deal with. Only wished that I’d realised they do windscreen repairs, I would have gone to them in the first place and saved myself much time and hassle.

As for Autoglass, absolute shambles, in my opinion.

OB

 

[Westley]

The BIG problem is, a lot of Insurance companies use Autoglass and nobody else.  I think Autoglass cash in on this monopoly,  probably another reason for high car insurance prices. A lot of loose stones lying around on the roads, having come from the ever increasing number of potholes.

[London Best]

26 minutes ago, Westley said:

The BIG problem is, a lot of Insurance companies use Autoglass and nobody else.  I think Autoglass cash in on this monopoly,  probably another reason for high car insurance prices. A lot of loose stones lying around on the roads, having come from the ever increasing number of potholes.

Auto glass and Auto Windscreens depending on your insurance company. I must be approaching double figures on the number of windscreen repairs/replacements I have had in the last 35 years, and never a one before that. 
I once rang my insurer’s recommended company and they were quoting over a week before they could get to me. So I rang the other major company and had a new screen fitted within the hour. The insurance were not pleased but eventually agreed to pay up (NFU).

[Gordon R]

Autoglass is part of the massive Laddaw Group, who make far more money selling screens than repairing them. 

Well done to Halfords - never a fan of them, but you have to give credit where it is due.