Autoglass Windscreen Badly fitted

[andy 0]

Had my screen changed by Autoglass yesterday. I know they're a bitch to do, the guy even said it was common for the fitters to damage a new screen on the way to a Corrado job so that they wouldn't be able to fit it! Anyway he persevered and 2 hours later showed me the job. Overall not looking to bad, until I look at the rubber seal on the drivers side A-pillar, theres a 6mm ish gap, after trying to stretch the rubber down and superglue it to the pillar we then have a gap on the windscreen side aaaagh. More superglue and it looks half (no more) reasonable. He said don't worry all work's guaranteed, bring it back if you have problems etc. Well now I've been to work and back (70 miles total), and the seals come off already on the pillar, the seal across the top of the windscreen is hanging out too. So its going back, to add to this I examined the trim panels inside the car on the pillar, they're sliced, dented and not fixed properly, the strip along the windscreen inside has a knife mark (although admittedly its not very visible, and the scuttle panel at the bottom of the windscreen is about 5mm off the screen and now has a 3inch piece of it detached and helpfully mastiked back down again. There's glass on the seat and on the floor and the screen was so filthy on the inside that I could hardly see a thing when the sun was on it. Not happy....beware. The guy actually said they much prefer to do these at their depot rather than at the customers house because they're so awkward, I actually suggested originally that I took the car to them and was told that they prefer to come out to you. The fitter said that this is because Autoglass get more money for a mobile job from the insurance company, it's so wrong. Wish me luck...I'm off to see them, They'll not be pleased to see me after I took my mint Golf VR6 back there last year after they used old tape and pulled the laquer off the wing.

[Jim 1]

Why is it so many companies in this country are just cowboys.. good luck, and make sure you kick up a proper stink.

[dinkus 10]

Damned cowboys :roll:

 

Good luck getting it sorted tho...

[davidwort 0]

Had my screen changed by Autoglass yesterday. I know they're a bitch to do, the guy even said it was common for the fitters to damage a new screen on the way to a Corrado job so that they wouldn't be able to fit it! Anyway he persevered and 2 hours later showed me the job. Overall not looking to bad, until I look at the rubber seal on the drivers side A-pillar, theres a 6mm ish gap, after trying to stretch the rubber down and superglue it to the pillar we then have a gap on the windscreen side aaaagh. More superglue and it looks half (no more) reasonable. He said don't worry all work's guaranteed, bring it back if you have problems etc. Well now I've been to work and back (70 miles total), and the seals come off already on the pillar, the seal across the top of the windscreen is hanging out too. So its going back, to add to this I examined the trim panels inside the car on the pillar, they're sliced, dented and not fixed properly, the strip along the windscreen inside has a knife mark (although admittedly its not very visible, and the scuttle panel at the bottom of the windscreen is about 5mm off the screen and now has a 3inch piece of it detached and helpfully mastiked back down again. There's glass on the seat and on the floor and the screen was so filthy on the inside that I could hardly see a thing when the sun was on it. Not happy....beware. The guy actually said they much prefer to do these at their depot rather than at the customers house because they're so awkward, I actually suggested originally that I took the car to them and was told that they prefer to come out to you. The fitter said that this is because Autoglass get more money for a mobile job from the insurance company, it's so wrong. Wish me luck...I'm off to see them, They'll not be pleased to see me after I took my mint Golf VR6 back there last year after they used old tape and pulled the laquer off the wing.

 

 

I had similar problems a few years back, they did the car at the depot but it leaked water and the trim just fell out of the A pillar, after taking it back once and them squeezing a bit of extra sealant in I gave up with them and fixed the leak and trim myself with some black silicone from Halfords, it's been OK since then. But as you say they all hate doing corrado screens because they are so difficult to get right.

David.

[Musicman 0]

Erk!

 

Topically, I've got a nice, unchipped windscreen that I need fitted on my Scirocco.

 

Any recommendations for good fitters in South London/Surrey?

[davidwort 0]

Erk!

 

Topically, I've got a nice, unchipped windscreen that I need fitted on my Scirocco.

 

Any recommendations for good fitters in South London/Surrey?

 

Are they bonded?

The mk1 golfs were just a rubber seal, did one at home on my own.

 

David.

[RW1 0]

I need fitted on my Scirocco

 

OT, but just make sure when the Scirocco windscreen rubber seal is seated that the whole outer perimeter of the rubber seal to body is then sealed with black mastik sealant, not silcone. Even the factory ended up doing this method after the early ones leaked badly. Bottom line, the windscreen rubber seal is a bad fit on it's own all round the edge not just the bottom corners.

 

I know they're a bitch to do

 

At "Scircco Comes Home - Onsabruck" in 1999 (big Scirocco/Corrado german gathering) they were fitting / demonstrating a Corrado screen fit (top tint banded screen replacement). All care was taken, body frame made ultra clean, everything going good... until the windscreen smudged/slid 3 inches towards the top left as they pressed it home on the adhesive.

 

I think from then on I understood the german language very well thanks to the two german windscreen fitters! Dam ruined my photo sequence of doing a windscreen, never put the camera away so fast.

 

Good luck in getting it sorted. No pride in craftsmanship these days.

 

 

 

.

[dinkus 10]

Yup, the Corrado ones are bonded in and they're a pig of a job to replace - I watched a couple of guys doing one in Canada - they were pretty quick and seemed to know what they were doing... until the seal popped out and scratched the roof when we got on the highway :roll: :mad:

[Supercharged Junkie 0]

Oh great, Just found a very large crack on my windscreen was going to call autoglass for a replacement :-( Might leave it now

How bad is a crack that is about 3" from the bottom of the passenger side and is about 5" long then drops down towards the bottom of the screen ?

[RW1 0]

about 3" from the bottom of the passenger side and is about 5" long then drops

 

I think that isn't permissible even though it's outside the drivers MoT view area where it has to be even less in size.

[coolrado 0]

just called my insurance to get mine replaced and they put me through to rac windscreens in chester

they have ordered 2 screens one with the tint and one plain to see which i prefer and he seems to think they are genuine vw screens as they have had problems with the other make they used last time, he said they de-laminated around the outside and went milky

 

he even said i could bring some bits with me to sort out the small rust spots from where it was changed last time as he said they will have to have the car all day anyway as they are such a pig of a job, one of the lads who works there used to have one and they said they know a couple of tricks for doing corrado screens

[dinkus 10]

I wouldn't worry too much, just because one Auto Windscreen guy hashed it up, doesn't mean the next one will...

[Guest]

Had mine changed at Autoglass Bristol on Monday. Asked if I could watch and it took them 2 & half hours (although they weren't busting a gut). I was told it was a difficult job and did I have enough time to wait? I said I had heard it was a difficult job and yes I had all day, take your time and be careful with my baby!

 

It is a different style surround than my original and I think more sealant is required as I can pull the rubber out from the body on each top corner!!

 

Also had to ask for the passenger A pillar trim to be refitted properly as it was flapping around. I think the drivers side is fitted OK but I need to check another C to see how 'firm' it should be near the dash!!

 

Good luck.

[andy 0]

Well I've been and complained. The first chap agreed it was substandard but was full of excuses;

 

The weather was too hot! and expansion was obviously an issue

They're using new mastic

Corrados are pigs to do

Corrados should be done at the depot

The trim is substandard....etc etc

 

Like I care!!

 

He then got the manager who agreed instantly it was a dreadful job, he was horified and agreed on the spot to redo the whole job at my conveneince, to include new screen and completely new scuttle panel. They want it for a day next time which is cool with me as long as it comes back perfect....

[Jim 1]

Well, at least thats some good customer service mate. Good luck on the refit :)

[andy 0]

Yeah. Happy with that. I can forget what happened if its all done properly in the end. We'll see! The chap that fitted it yesterday came out with all the usual, what a lovely car routine, I always wanted one of these, bet that shifts etc etc. How could he bodge it so badly I wonder, its criminal.

[cubed 0]

if in the lancs area tower windscreens are a good pair of lads!

thought mine was a little dodgy cos the rubbers dont quite fit right round the top of the pillars but they are old seals,and after hearin the nightmares youve all been through, and considering its a piggy of a job, sounds like they did well! not at all expensive either! first quote i got was 500 nicker! they sorted it for 200, its proper glass too!

[andy 0]

Unfortunately I'm down in Hampshire mate...not too local! Its hopefully getting replaced next week, I phoned them up this week as its been two weeks since hearing anything and they are STILL waiting on some parts....new scuttle panel I presume.

[dannyc 0]

My screen has also been badly fitted, causing it to leak. I've been told that the only way to fix it is to have it refitted, but i'll need a new screen cos its impossible to get corrado screens out without breaking them.

 

So before i go down this expensive route do you think i should try adding more silicon sealer? if so do i just need to pull the rubber back and fill the gap?

[dinkus 10]

The screen is bonded (glued) in, so the only reason it's leaking is because it's been fitted by a chimp. Take it back and demand that they put it right - it'll probably mean they have to fit a new screen as cutting the screen out will almost certainly damage it. I'd be inclined to watch them do it and/or put some kind of distinguishing mark on the screen so you know if it's been replaced again or not.

 

I wouldn't just seal it up and hope it's ok, or let them do it because although you may stop the screen leaking, they might have scraped some paint off somewhere under there and not have sealed over it properly. The eejits that fitted the screen in my mum's A4 did that and now the metal work around the screen is going rusty. Luckily, they've sealed over it all this time, so it shouldn't get any worse, but it's not something you want happening to your car just because the monkey that fitted it couldn't be bothered to do the job properly.

[andy 0]

Mine's back in today for screen no.2, fingers crossed......

[Andy T 0]

RAC in Salford keys replaced my windscreen in january, I'm insured with brentacre so RAC were the approved repairer.

 

I was worried when I dropped it off after reading horror stories on here, but they did an excellent job, I took it to their depot (they advised against doing it out in the elements) and left it for 4 hours, but most of that was curing time. The glass was Sekurit (VAG OE supplier?) and the rubber seals were new (the fitter told me that the plastic A pillar trim parts were now obsolete)

 

The fit is perfect, the seals are all flush and the lower scuttle trim lines up properly. They left the car and the screen perfectly clean, and the rear view mirror doesn't wobble at high speeds anymore which is a bonus!

[andy 0]

Cool, I've got the black sealant thing going on too.

[trev-b 0]

I'm waiting on a call from autoglass to get booked in.

 

I said to the first guy i spoke to that i'd heard Corrados were notorious but he just said "we do bonded screens all the time" so i guess he hadn't heard about all these issues.

 

I will be examining the existing seals to compare bofore/after. Sh*tting myself now!

[andy 0]

Make sure you check the positioning/fit of the exterior seals to the pillars, mine had huge gaps and irregularities.