Windscreen life

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 16:43
Windscreen life - galileo

The thread on wipers reminded me that my windscreen (oruginal i30 screen, 9 years old, 60 K miles, mosty under motorway speeds, shows hundreds of tiny pits when the low sun shines through it.

Puzzled how its picked up so many pinprick pits, (no chips or cracks), I asked my mate who runs a body shop about replacing it, but his advice was to leave it as is because in his experience not all screen replacements are done with enough care and can lead to problems. (understandable with bonded screens).

Anyone had experience or recommendations?

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 17:45
Windscreen life - badbusdriver

It is caused by stone chips, but just very small ones. As to replacing it or otherwise, as long as it is not impeding your vision in any way, just leave it. When i was driving buses, some of the coaches were really bad with this, and on a few occasions i noted it on the defect sheet. The problem was driving into a low sun, bad enough under any circumstances, but with a screen like that, you could hardly see a thing. Of course, this being Stagecoach, my comments went entirely ignored!.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 19:20
Windscreen life - argybargy

No recommendations, but I didn't realised how badly scratched my Focus windscreen was until I changed the car for one with less mileage and a much less damaged screen. Looking back, it was a wonder I managed to see through it adequately, especially when I was travelling roughly in the direction of the setting sun.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 21:28
Windscreen life - 72 dudes

I'd say leave it be until you get a bullet hole or crack.

I've had some horrible experiences with replacement windscreens in the past and a fairly pain free experience just last year.

The first was in a company Volvo S60, where I had to have 3 replacement screens following a crack or bullet (can't remember, 14 years ago) in the original before I was satisfied that there was no wind noise coming from it. At one point I had the regional manager from the windscreen company sitting next to me while we drove up and down an A road at a modest 50MPH while accompanied by a whistling banshee. "That's terrible" he said.

A couple of years later I took delivery of one of the last Rover 75s which had unacceptable wind noise from about 30MPH. Two replacement screens later and it was cured.

On the other hand, when Mrs 72 dudes' 4 month old Q3 windscreen developed a massive expanding crack last summer I was dreading having the thing replaced. But all was, and still is, fine.

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 21:48
Windscreen life - gordonbennet

I use a one man and his dog local outfit, avoiding the national advertisers like the plague, i found him via my MB indy, one of many trade customers of this chap, he does a good job no complaints here.

Even though my cars are often of the more unusual type, i usually get screens supplied and fitted for abut £200 (more popular cars would be cheaper), which i pay out of my back pocket so avoiding having a screen claim on my insurance history, and yes i know they say it doesn't affect ncd but it's still a claim and i'd rather be reporting no incidents at all at renewal times.

Edited by gordonbennet on 01/07/2018 at 21:49

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Sun 1 Jul 2018 22:09
Windscreen life - Smileyman

I've got a stone chip on the windscreen ... right in front of the driver, low down slightly above where the wipers park but below my normal line of sight. Last week I called the insurer's repairer, they refused to repair and want to replace. Car is 11 months old, MOT not going to happen for another 2 years, I see no reason why I need to proceed with a replacement now, there is always the chance of further stone chips in the future, don't want to pay £75 twice. (The chip occured a few months ago, it is stable, not changing in size, if it was then my opinion about replacement would be different).

About 10 years ago the windscreen for my (previous) car was vandalised and had to be replaced. Unfortunately the rear view mirrow was misplaced and I had to call the repair people back as I could not adjust the rear view mirror correctly and about a quarter of the rear window was not in view!

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