Replacement Windscreen

[Allen]

A colleague at work has a massive crack in the windscreen of her Lexus RX300 and has been trying to find a local company (near W4 London) who can repair it but is not having much luck with the big companies (Autoglass, National Windscreen etc). They're all saying that they either don't have it in stock or they can't do it till after Christmas.

Does anyone know of any companies around West London that might be able to help?

Bit of a long shot I know, but she doesn't want to drive in this cold weather with a massive crack half way across her windscreen.

Cheers!

[Howard]

Tell her to go through her insurance company, pay the £50 excess and they'll sort it

[Nick]

I recently had a big chip in my windscreen that I got repaired for free by Autoglass under my insurance.

The chip developed into a massive crack a few days later but Autoglass replaced it under warranty as I'd had the chip repair done first.

I had a chat with the repair bloke who told me that although a big crack can be irritating, it's not actually dangerous... the windscreen isn't going to suddenly shatter or cave in. Laminated windscreens are designed to crack but not break unlike the toughened glass windscreens in older cars.

Thing is, there's so many different types of windscreen that they nearly always order them in, it takes a few days just to get the screen in stock.

I'd book it in for the first available slot and just go with it 'til then.

[chrestomanci]

With most car insurance, they insist that you call them and let them send out their repairers. If you choose your own repairer you might not be covererd of the excess will be higher.

Having said that, if the company your insurance recomends has no stock, you should be able to force your insurcene company to let you use someone else.

My dad needed a new windscreen while on holiday on the contentent last year. The insurance approved repaier was useless, so he eventualy used an independent, but had a bit of trouble perswading his inusrance to pay.

[Taz]

Try RAC Auto Windscreens - they have a depot in West Drayton/Heathrow which is not too far from W4 which I have personal experience of.

I've had two windscreen stonechips repaired on my Porsche Cayman S and the job was very good. They take a lot of care to avoid any incidental damage to your vehicle and take pride in their work.

On my second stonechip repair I even got a free windsreen valet pack which consisted of windscreen wash, glass cleaning spray and a glass polish. Although branded as RAC Auto Windscreens, the products were made by Autoglym.

[Allen]

Tell her to go through her insurance company, pay the £50 excess and they'll sort it

Yeah, she tried that first thing. Her insurance contacted RAC Auto Windscreens and they said they couldn't fix it till next Thursday though.

The chip developed into a massive crack a few days later but Autoglass replaced it under warranty as I'd had the chip repair done first.

What worried her was that she was driving along this morning, heard the object hit the windscreen and chip it, and almost instantly the crack developed along the width of the windscreen. I think now she's spoken to people about it they've advised her that the screen on her Lexus has some kind of protection on it to stop it from imploding as you say, so she's OK to wait a bit now.

Anyway, she contacted her insurance company again and they said she could get it repaired anywhere and bill them back the amount (minus the excess) so she will do that. Luckily a local company to where she lives has them in stock and is now getting it done this Thursday. Problem solved.

Thanks for the replies guys.