Dodgy Windscreen Seal

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Had a word with my brokers this afternoon. They were very receptive and looks like I might be able to get the screen taken out and a new one fitted out of my windscreen cover, with whatever bodywork will need doing in between at my cost. I'll speak to the insurers direct next week and try to get something fixed up.

 

They also seemed to think the underwriters would be amenable to me using my own choice of fitter rather than the ones specified in the policy, Autoglass or whoever. There was a post a while ago about a new windscreen GB, which failed in the end, I think, but it was at a place somewhere north east IIRC which was apparently excellent with Corrados. I'll try and find the thread.

 

Edit: Found it. They're Auto Plus Windscreens in South Yorkshire. Highly recommended by KipVW.

Edited December 31, 2012 by Anton Sobriquet

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Discovered the foliage guard seal was still available from VW after all, thanks to another thread, so I got one from TPS and then orderd another as a spare for good measure. It's the foliage guard itself which is now obsolete, not the seal. Managed to get the rubber piece off I'd stuck on and replaced it with the VW seal, poured water all around and, thank you god, no sign of anything leaking into the car.

 

I also poured water over the sunroof, which drained as it should, and nothing came in from that source either. The door drain is working, the membrane is OK as are the door seals and the arch bonding looks excellent from the inside. So, hopefully, apart from the leak in the screen, which will get sorted when a new screen goes on, the car seems to be watertight again. Typically, it hasn't rained at all since my repair, let alone rained hard.

 

I'm getting an estimate for the screen work from a local guy recommended by the bodyshop to pass on to the insurers, who may be amenable to me using him, but my policy says £100 only for anyone other than Autoglass (actually Highway Glassware). I called Autoglass for an estimate and they quoted me £678.57 for a non-insured repair. Not cheap.

 

As luck would have it the screen developed a crack just to the RHS of centre, vertically down from the roof, around 50mm long, so it's now junk. I probably did it (unintentionally, honest!) when gouging out the mastic but didn't notice at the time. My MOT is up in about 10 days but I don't think the crack's a fail as it's outside the designated area. Hope not anyway.

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

wow £678.57 ! was just to remove and refitt a new screen? , my windscreen only cost £90 and then abit more because it came with a seal,

[KIPVW 0]

Am guessing that's including a new one not just removal & re-fitting the current. Had to do this on my Nugget as wanted to use my own glass guys so had to pay the guys upfront and then claim it back from my insurance which they were happy to do. cost a bit more than the usual excess but only another £40 which was piece of mind to be honest. :)

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

but even at that price includeing a windscreen is prety insane, works out at just over £100 per hour for labour, as i dought the windscreen will be any different to mine, i wasnt given a choice of quality when i brought my screen so im going to assume the aftermarket ones are all the same,

[KIPVW 0]

Screens from VW were over £500 when available though so working into that price is about right i feel, imagine the cost of the screens on some of these modern cars that the screen forms part of the roof itself, they must be stooopid money :)

 

---------- Post added at 6:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 6:22 PM ----------

 

How did you get a new screen for £90 ? was that just your excess on your insurance?

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

yea but that would be the price for the genuine vw ones surely , the glass places wont be useing them , i just phoned up the local auto glass place and asked them for a price and to order me one, they gave me two options, something about green tint or just clear? something like that, there was no other options in terms of quality,

[KIPVW 0]

Thought even a none vw one was over £300 though. Hmmmm

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

na deffinatly not that expensive, unless theres a few different manufacturers offering better quality glass but like i said i wasnt offered the choice of that , i also got a quote before i phoned the local glass place up from a uk glass company, was just under £150 , but p&p was the problem so i phoned localy and was prety shocked myself! thought the uk company would of been miles cheaper , lol think the local company was abit gutted when i declined there offer of fitting it,

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

There was a VW screen listed in TPS' system at Gilder VW but it had long gone. They've been obsolete for a time. Price would have been £218 + VAT. The local guy quoted something like £250 all in IIRC. Didn't make a note as he's supposed to be sending an estimate.

 

There are 2 makes, I believe, Sekurit and Pilkington. There's a windscreen thread knocking about where someone warns off Pilkington's as they're not the right shape and don't fit. I may be wrong but I think Sekurit supplied VW and just put the VW logo on them.

 

Autoglass offered me either green tint or plain, which were both originally available from VW. I suppose green tint was maybe an optional extra.

[VW_OwneR_85 1]

all my glass has a slight green tint , dont remember there being any markings on my screen but ill have a check to see what make it is next time the dust sheets off,

[maff 10]

Ive a bit of a dodgy windscreen seal on the drivers side top corner, I'm in process of getting to the bottom of a damp drivers footwell so maybe it's this??

[Anton Sobriquet 0]

Ive a bit of a dodgy windscreen seal on the drivers side top corner, I'm in process of getting to the bottom of a damp drivers footwell so maybe it's this??

 

Take the plastic trim off the A pillar and around the top of the door (with grab handle in it) and the plastic underneath the A pillar forward of the door, then pour water across the corner of the roof where you think it might be leaking in. If it is, you'll see water running down the A pillar and either the adhesive that bonds the screen to the flange is bad and/or you've got rot in the flange. If it is leaking, when the plastic trim's in place, water will collect between the end of the dash and the door card (when the door's shut), and then drip onto the floor. Keep the water away from the sunroof while you do this and then when you've tested the screen pour water over the sunroof and check whether the front drain is clear. You should see water running out from the back of the arch but check inside the car at the same time.

 

If it's bad enough to soak your carpets I would have thought you'd see damp on the headlining, too, so chances are the water is getting in elsewhere. You said in another thread it was wet around the pedals. I'd check out the arch bonding when you've got the carpet and felt out.

[maff 10]

Thanks anton! ill definatly use your description to check the windscreen, I've checked the sunroof and water definatly gets away under the back of the wheel arch and also I have no wet headlining.

But I do have a patch of rust on the front wing where the front wing meets the door along about halfway up where the panels fold, if you know what I mean? I think it might be the wing that's letting water in so a combination of that and the windscreen seal maybe.

I have a sheet over the car on my drive at the moment and its all dried out now, but ill get the hosepipe out at the weekend and sort this once and for all!

[Butterfly 0]

'Our' guys charged me £275 last year for a new, none VW screen & fitting in my daily. Cutting out then coming back a week later to fit.

 

We (Kip and I) have had 6 screens fitted by them in the last 5 years with 4 of those requiring bodyshop attention before fitting the new screen.

Both VR 'show' cars (said to be mint, just like out the factory) needed treatment.

The Nugget needed cutting and welding (the screen bonding to the A pillar is a part of the structural strength so fill bad rust holes with filler at your peril)

My current daily needed some attention.

 

I am sure my earlier daily had the original screen as it was in such a shocking state. As such, as no cowboy fitters had attacked it in the past so when the screen was cut out the metal work was perfect. It was the first of our cars that 'our' guys worked on and I sat in the waiting area for hours watching them work. They realised I had an obsessive interest in the car and called me into the workshop to see the metalwork condition. They were amazed at how good it was.

I can't rememeber if Kips silver daily needed A pillar work when it needed a new screen as someone had run up and over the car while parked up on a night out. Getting the shattered screen replaced was a priority so there may not have been time to deal with any 'R' isssues.

 

It's a pig of a job to do correctly and cowboy jobs that cut the sealant with blades causes the longer term rust issues as paint is damaged. I've seen 'our' guys break a few wires while cutting screens out. It is a long, slow, back breaking business and worth every penny to have someone else do it right. :)