I attend hospital five days a week, Monday through Friday for essential radiography treatment, a round trip of some 75 miles. I drive a Toyota RAV4 D-CAT 4x4 that is just six weeks old. A few days ago, driving to the hospital, I found myself behind a lorry carrying aggregate. A stone flew off the truck and there was a loud bang on my car. The following morning I noticed there was a definite chip out of the windscreen and two cracks radiating from it. I depend to my car so that I can continue with this treatment so decided to call a firm of windshield repairers, who advertise nationally saying how good a job they do.

When I gave them the dimensions of the damage they said that the screen would need to be replaced rather than repaired. I asked them how much this would cost me, and was staggered when they quoted me a price of £622.87. Dumbfounded, I decided to call around a couple of local firms and was quoted £306 from one and £286 from another. I then called my Toyota dealer who said they would do it for £332. I pondered this overnight, then I again approached the Toyota dealer, and asked if he would be prepared to lower his price, considering the two local quotations, and he came back with a quote of £285, which he said was ‘cost’ and meant he would not make anything.

I decided to accept this, and because he is aware that I attend the hospital on a regular basis, has offered me a loan car for the period mine is off the road. Good service, Toyota in Darlington. I am minded not to report this to my insurer.