Windscreen Replacement

[Malop]

Going to use this thread to log my experience.

Last night (3/Jan/23) half a mile from home something struck my windscreen, drivers side but below my line of view. Was quite dark but I could see there was definitely a chip. 

Phoned my insurance company today (4/Jan/23) and got put through to Auto Glass (insurance company is a subsidiary brand of LV). 

Autoglass used my registration to get car details but then they hit a problem. Although the car details were coming back from the DVSA ok their own system didn’t recognise BZ4X as a Toyota brand so they couldn’t complete a booking for me. 

Went through the rest of the checks with them and because it’s a double impact hit they need to replace rather than repair the windscreen. Since they don’t have the model on their system they don’t know what windscreen it needs. They also offered me a choice of a generic replacement or a Toyota one, to be fair to the operator she correctly identified that on a 6 week old car I’d want the branded replacement. 

So as of now I don’t have a booking to replace my windscreen, autoglass are trying to figure out how to get the details of the BZ4X onto their systems and no idea if and when they can replace the windscreen.

I did confirm with them that they would be able to configure the cameras and sensors correctly once fitted. 

I had one of the first of the new RAV4 models and remember some of the stories in the forum at the time about windscreen replacement. Am hoping the world is more sorted almost 4 years later. 
 

[ernieb]

Good luck Paul, very sadly I think you are going to need sit tight and hope for the best. My guess is it will need to be exported from Japan but I really think you’ve made the correct decision to go for the OEM replacement.

I had a replacement with the Subaru XV make sure that they cover/protect the cameras and don’t try to ‘clean’ them, nice dry environment is needed not a damp driveway.

[philip42h]

1 hour ago, Malop said:

So as of now I don’t have a booking to replace my windscreen, autoglass are trying to figure out how to get the details of the BZ4X onto their systems and no idea if and when they can replace the windscreen.

And are they going to do a temporary repair while you are waiting? At least that way the chips won't grow into a more serious crack over the weeks they take to sort it all out ... 😉

[Malop]

1 hour ago, philip42h said:

And are they going to do a temporary repair while you are waiting

Good point. Didn’t ask that. Will check with them 

[forkingabout]

FWIW - I would insist on a Toyota main dealer supplying & fitting a genuine screen.

At least if Toyota are involved they will have technical data on how to remove / refit the trims & screen without damaging anything.

 

[Parts-King]

1 minute ago, forkingabout said:

FWIW - I would insist on a Toyota main dealer supplying & fitting a genuine screen.

At least if Toyota are involved they will have technical data on how to remove / refit the trims & screen without damaging anything.

 

You are in the hands of the insurance company, their rules, you can't insist on where the car goes, they might let you take it to a dealer, but you would have to pay a higher excess if they let you do it. I have seen online how some of these companies reset the safety sense, it leaves a lot to be desired, but the insurance don't want to pay (or pay the absolute minimum) It takes a decent amount of time to set up properly 

[forkingabout]

FWIW: I wouldn't let Autoglass touch a vehicle I owned going on my previous experiences with that company.

I know some insurance companies will pay a sum towards the repair if your not using there approved repairer - need to check the policy wording.

I had a C-HR windscreen replaced recently, it wasn't that expensive at the local Toyota dealer, it was still more then the insurance excess but it avoided me having to deal with Autoglass. 

 

[Cyker]

Well that's  annoying!! Autoglass told me they don't use third-party glass and had me on a lead time of infinity for my replacement windscreen! I complained to my insurance company and they authorized me to get a quote from a third party so now I'm getting my dealer to do it, since they can actually get the glass.

Annoyingly it's still not done - Currently I'm waiting for a slot as my Toyota dealer got the glass in 2 days, but the first one arrived cracked and then it was Christmas. They now have the second glass, but didn't book me in in time, and now the holidays are over it's been much much harder to find a date where they can do it and I can get a day off work, as they won't do weekends. They won't get Autoglass to do it, which would solve the problem since they're literally one block up the road, but I don't understand the problem since they use third-parties to fit the glass anyway...!

So far it's been 2 months since I logged the original call, and I need to pay the dealer just under £1000 for the job then send the receipt to the insurance company to get the money back, minus the £75 excess, which may take up to 2 weeks. Thank smeg for credit cards!

That reminds me I need to check Autoglass have refunded my excess...

[forkingabout]

1 minute ago, Cyker said:

So far it's been 2 months since I logged the original call, and I need to pay the dealer just under £1000 for the job 

😯

Now that is expensive!

[Rhymes with Paris]

Blimey Cyker, that is some serious wedge.

Even though you are out of pocket temporarily,at least they will pay it out in their own good time no doubt.

I wonder what your insurance company would say if when your renewal comes round, you tell them that you will happily pay the premium as soon as you receive all receipts for their expenses.😐

I know that this is comparing apples and oranges, but just for perspective, I reckon it's still possible to buy a decent Mk1 with a bit of searching for the same price as a screen on a newish car.😱

[Cyker]

I know!! I mean, it's just glass!! I'll have to check for gold plating or if they accidentally made it out of diamond  This is why bangernomics makes so much sense if you're motoring on a budget and don't get attached to the car... Anything expensive goes wrong, just buy a new car!

The funny part is I'm not even insured with that company any more - This has dragged on so long my insurance expired and came up for renewal!

(The premium went from £400-something to just over £800, so I politely declined...)

But I should save this for my own thread and stop hijacking other peoples...

[Bper]

54 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Well that's  annoying!! Autoglass told me they don't use third-party glass and had me on a lead time of infinity for my replacement windscreen! I complained to my insurance company and they authorized me to get a quote from a third party so now I'm getting my dealer to do it, since they can actually get the glass.

Annoyingly it's still not done - Currently I'm waiting for a slot as my Toyota dealer got the glass in 2 days, but the first one arrived cracked and then it was Christmas. They now have the second glass, but didn't book me in in time, and now the holidays are over it's been much much harder to find a date where they can do it and I can get a day off work, as they won't do weekends. They won't get Autoglass to do it, which would solve the problem since they're literally one block up the road, but I don't understand the problem since they use third-parties to fit the glass anyway...!

So far it's been 2 months since I logged the original call, and I need to pay the dealer just under £1000 for the job then send the receipt to the insurance company to get the money back, minus the £75 excess, which may take up to 2 weeks. Thank smeg for credit cards!

That reminds me I need to check Autoglass have refunded my excess...

If HUD in cars has been around since 1988 why is the glass so expensive. I understand it has a polarised layer but that's a lot of money. 😠

[Cyker]

That's the thing - It's not! There's only one partcode for the glass, it's just a normal laminated glass windscreen!!  

Just to clarify, the not-quite-£1000 is the total, not just for the glass; It's roughly £400 for the glass and random plastic mouldings, £350-ish for the labour to fit the glass and calibrate the ADAS, and the rest is the VAT.

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

34 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I know!! I mean, it's just glass!! I'll have to check for gold plating or if they accidentally made it out of diamond  This is why bangernomics makes so much sense if you're motoring on a budget and don't get attached to the car... Anything expensive goes wrong, just buy a new car!

The funny part is I'm not even insured with that company any more - This has dragged on so long my insurance expired and came up for renewal!

(The premium went from £400-something to just over £800, so I politely declined...)

But I should save this for my own thread and stop hijacking other peoples...

Yes,bangernomics , brilliant strategy if , and it's a big if , you don't have to rely on car every day to earn money.

The only time I bought a new car , and on finance ,was when I calculated the figures on starting that self employed job on the Maldon bypass.

Even then, it was a gamble, and I would have been stuck with 40 quid a week for 3 years, had it not worked out,in 1989.

What hijacking ? it's still about windscreen replacement, apart from me asking what your opinion is about pickled onions with chips, are they essential?

Or just a desirable accompaniment?

 

 

[Bper]

3 minutes ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Yes,bangernomics , brilliant strategy if , and it's a big if , you don't have to rely on car every day to earn money.

The only time I bought a new car , and on finance ,was when I calculated the figures on starting that self employed job on the Maldon bypass.

Even then, it was a gamble, and I would have been stuck with 40 quid a week for 3 years, had it not worked out,in 1989.

What hijacking ? it's still about windscreen replacement, apart from me asking what your opinion is about pickled onions with chips, are they essential?

Or just a desirable accompaniment?

 

 

More like Butter and Sugar Sandwiches perhaps.😂

[Rhymes with Paris]

Well Bob, the sandwich du jour in the sixties was a choice of condensed milk (very sweet),or banana and strawberry jam.

To fill up sugar addicted ankle biters before the introduction of the happy world of haribo.

But to keep on topic,these were often consumed looking out of the completely flat windscreen of a 40s or 50s Ford or Austin that could be replaced by the local glass merchant for about ten shillings.

My uncle did get a bit annoyed though, with the sticky fingers all over the door cards and metal dashboard.

I suppose he was a bit of a stickler for clean surfaces, having been ground crew at RAF Duxford.

[TonyHSD]

+1 to push insurance to pay for replacement in Toyota garage with oem windscreen , yes they might charge you slightly more over the usual £100 windscreen replacement excess but is worth it.

[Malop]

Update on 6th Jan. Heard nothing from AutoGlass.

Phoned my insurance company and I can also use National Windscreens for just my normal windscreen excess or I can use Toyota Dealer for excess plus another £200. 

Waiting on call back from dealer for quote. 

[robo1]

Might be worth checking if the Toyota garage does the window replacement in house. Some Toyota garages arrange for a  3 party to replace the screens. So you could be paying the additional £200 for a non Toyota repair.

[ernieb]

Even if the dealer sub’s the windscreen replacement the dealer will be responsible for the warranty, quality of the fitting and recalibration of the on-board systems.

[robo1]

Good point about responsibility. Just thought it would be daft to pay the Toyota premium only to find it was replaced by National or even Autoglass. 

[Cyker]

It most likely will be a third party fitter that the dealer has a contract with - That's how it is with mine (I think they're called Premium Glass or Premiere Glass or something like that)

I must check what the warranty on that job is tho', as it's lifetime with Autoglass, but that will lie with the dealer and not the fitter.

The hike in excess is a bit cheeky tho' - Churchill authorized me to get a quote from a third party after they confirmed the  show Autoglass were giving me, but the excess was still £75. I just have to get the refund from Autoglass, then pay the dealer for the new glass to be put in, and submit the bill to Churchill so they can reimburse me, minus the £75 excess.

 

[Bper]

4 minutes ago, Cyker said:

It most likely will be a third party fitter that the dealer has a contract with - That's how it is with mine (I think they're called Premium Glass or Premiere Glass or something like that)

I must check what the warranty on that job is tho', as it's lifetime with Autoglass, but that will lie with the dealer and not the fitter.

The hike in excess is a bit cheeky tho' - Churchill authorized me to get a quote from a third party after they confirmed the  show Autoglass were giving me, but the excess was still £75. I just have to get the refund from Autoglass, then pay the dealer for the new glass to be put in, and submit the bill to Churchill so they can reimburse me, minus the £75 excess.

 

Always wondered why you have to pay and then reclaim from the insurance company. What happens if you have insufficient funds. Who pays them.🤔

[Cyker]

I did get the impression from both that they really didn't want to talk to each other directly - The dealer even refused to e-mail the quote to them, saying that as I had requested the quote, they could only deal with me and weren't allowed to also contact a third party.

Even with Autoglass, I had to go directly to them to book and arrange everything, not via Churchill, so I guess that's just the way it's set up, except as Autoglass were the official repairer they already had systems in place to bill Churchill directly, which a third-party repairer wouldn't.

I think they could have if I'd pushed for it, but TBH, this way is just far less complicated. Given past performance and how busy they always are and how they never answer phone calls, I wouldn't trust them to liaise with the insurance company in good time...

The idea of them both being on hold to each other for ages waiting for the other to pick up does tickle me though  

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

Yes that bit about being on hold to each other while reading war and peace amuses me too.

You can just imagine their frustration at being on the receiving end of what they like to dish out to customers.😈