Cracked Windscreen.....none In Stock!

[Seth1]

Driving home from work....noticed a 6 inch crack passenger side...blimey were did that come from!

Phoned autoglass .... gave details including its got auto wipers, auto lights and rear view dimmer...the checked every warehouse up and down the country. None in stock....said they will have to send a request to there purchasing department.

Basically it could be a month or more, oh *******!

[FROSTYBALLS]

Presumably it is Autoglass who are out of stock. If it is through the insurance, I'd be inclined to talk to your insurance company to see whether they would agree to having a Toyota windscreen fitted, as driving around for up to a month with a six inch crack isn't very satisfactory.

[Seth1]

I get what you are saying! I will give it a while and see what happens.

I have been assured that the crack will be ok!.....lets see!

[Exvec]

Had this on my works van,the crack will gradually get longer and longer over time but it wont suddenly self destruct if that's what your worried about.As long as the car is not due for an MOT you'll be fine for a few weeks.

[Uncle Buck]

Let me give you a tip based on my experience with Autoglass - when I had a crack in my Fiat Stilo's w/screen, they told me there wasn't a single one in stock in the UK. One phone call later (by myself) to National W/screens & they said 'Right Sir, we have one in Aberdeen & one in Dundee - which is the closest & when do you want it ? We can do it tomorrow at your house or work if you like ?' That's what I call proper service !

And no, I don't work for them

[FROSTYBALLS]

Wasn't thinking about it cracking more or self destructing - just that if an accident were to occur and someone/something hit the screen, it would already be weakened by the crack.

[Wiz201]

Let me give you a tip based on my experience with Autoglass - when I had a crack in my Fiat Stilo's w/screen, they told me there wasn't a single one in stock in the UK. One phone call later (by myself) to National W/screens & they said 'Right Sir, we have one in Aberdeen & one in Dundee - which is the closest & when do you want it ? We can do it tomorrow at your house or work if you like ?' That's what I call proper service !

And no, I don't work for them

Same experience I had, plus national windscreens are cheaper too. Autoglass will try and do daylight robbery.

[Seth1]

Guys I think I might give them a call and see what happens..as yet I have not handed any money over,,,,,

Cheers!

[Seth1]

Just phoned National W/S - had my Registration number and confirmed that may windscreen is the "Rare" one.....He is phoning me back after trying to source one so lets see!

[2912pwil]

Ask them who makes the one they are getting: I had autoglass replace mine (2008 model..) & they assured me it was "from the same factory that makes Toyota OE.." but it wasn't. I'd be inclined to 'phone Mr T & see when he can get one then ask Autoglass to get it there...

[Exvec]

All windscreens in this country are made by Pilkington glass or there subsidiaries so it was probably OEM anyway bud.And in any case a windscreen is a windscreen is a windscreen.

[2912pwil]

The one I got was made in South Africa: supplies might take a tad longer

[Exvec]

Mine says RAC on it but almost definitely made by Pilkingtons

[Seth1]

Ok...national w/s got back to me yesterday and sain they had sourced one and could do the job today! . Slight catch, they don't have an agreement with my well known insurance company (bl00dy dog!...lol)..so they said I would have to pay £450 + VAT and claim it back off my insurance.

My decision is that I will give Autoglass a week and see what happens, by which time if they haven't got a screen I would want to know why!

[FROSTYBALLS]

All windscreens in this country are made by Pilkington glass or there subsidiaries so it was probably OEM anyway bud.And in any case a windscreen is a windscreen is a windscreen.

Autoglass tend to use Guardian automotive glass - which is a US based company and in Europe concentrate on the replacement vehicle glass market.

For the European market, and depending on where a vehicle is made, OE vehicle glass tends be supplied by either Asahi Glass Company (AGC), Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG - who own Pilkingtons) or Saint Gobain Sekurit.

[2912pwil]

All windscreens in this country are made by Pilkington glass or there subsidiaries so it was probably OEM anyway bud.And in any case a windscreen is a windscreen is a windscreen.

Just checked: Mine, which had been replaced by AutoGlass, is marked "Shatterprufe 43 R-00087 etc etc..".

Shatterprufe is a South African company (nothing wrong with that..) see..

http://www.shatterprufe.co.za

So no, not "all windscreens in this country ".. as you state..

Seth check with AutoGlass where/who they are getting the windscreen from: If on a boat from South Africa that would explain the lead-time..

[Seth1]

Autoglass has now sourced the windscreen. ?.fitted next friday....better late than never I guess!

[caveman_si]

Speaking from experince and a lot bother with a windscreen. Auto glass will use the cheapest OEM window they can looks like its still shatterprufe. From my experince its nothing like the actual orignal glass.

Make sure you take pics/note down all the window markings on your current windows incase you have any problems (fingers crossed you wont)

I had the window on my t180 crack and had it changed via insurance and autoglass, I was insistant i didnt want an oem window (had problems before) but got a shurfprufe one. Yep made in SA. Had problems from the get go cabin noise increased significantly (had to turn radio up by 5) and the window colour was off and the window wasnt as strong and self destructed 3 weeks after fitting. 10inch crack in the fritz area (the black bit around the edge of a window) on a really cold but bright morning (-17c). I got lots of guff that the window was the same as fitted orginally by Mr T etc. Lots of digging later, not made by the same company or even same country. One kicked up fuss later and insurance company instructed auto glass to get an "original window" from Mr T and fit (as i had orignally asked for). Colour and noise levels were corrected instantly and from the markings everything matched that the replacement came from the same factory as the orginal. if you want to check out where the glass is from there was some useful details here: www.carwindshields.info last time I looked. For autoglass it was all about cost I think a shatteprufe window cost 200 orignal Mr T cost 690 or that order or magnitude difference. Regards

[revband]

Hi I agree with what you are saying regards the type of glass used but just to point out that OEM is Original Equipment Manufacture ie the same as Toyota would have fitted, the others are better known as "pattern parts".

[Seth1]

Speaking from experince and a lot bother with a windscreen. Auto glass will use the cheapest OEM window they can looks like its still shatterprufe. From my experince its nothing like the actual orignal glass.

Make sure you take pics/note down all the window markings on your current windows incase you have any problems (fingers crossed you wont)

I had the window on my t180 crack and had it changed via insurance and autoglass, I was insistant i didnt want an oem window (had problems before) but got a shurfprufe one. Yep made in SA. Had problems from the get go cabin noise increased significantly (had to turn radio up by 5) and the window colour was off and the window wasnt as strong and self destructed 3 weeks after fitting. 10inch crack in the fritz area (the black bit around the edge of a window) on a really cold but bright morning (-17c). I got lots of guff that the window was the same as fitted orginally by Mr T etc. Lots of digging later, not made by the same company or even same country. One kicked up fuss later and insurance company instructed auto glass to get an "original window" from Mr T and fit (as i had orignally asked for). Colour and noise levels were corrected instantly and from the markings everything matched that the replacement came from the same factory as the orginal. if you want to check out where the glass is from there was some useful details here: www.carwindshields.info last time I looked. For autoglass it was all about cost I think a shatteprufe window cost 200 orignal Mr T cost 690 or that order or magnitude difference. Regards

Well that's a little worrying...but I would hope that Autoglass should be only using OEM parts surely!! - I will ask them prior to fitting!

[Seth1]

Just Googled "does autoglass fit OEM parts"....

http://www.autoglass.co.uk/Windscreen-replacement.191.0.html

I quote!

"At Autoglass^®, we only use glass manufactured to OEM standards, whether sourced from original equipment manufacturers or other suppliers to ensure that the glass we fit is as good as the original windscreen. All Autoglass^® windscreen replacements are protected by our guarantee, which guarantees our workmanship for as long as you own the vehicle."

We shall see!

[Seth1]

Finaly fitted today...excellent job...and its Pilkington Glass..so I am happy!

[Raistlin]

See patience is a virtue... :)