4200 Windscreen Fitting

[jimmymoss]

Evening all,

The screen in my 4200 is cracked badly and needing replacement.

Long story short, I have spoken to my insurers who use Autoglass who insist they can do the job in 2 hours on the drive.

HR Owen however state that the top half of the dash needs removing, resin needs to cure and this takes 2-3 days!

Ignoring the potential cost difference, has anyone any direct experience of this job? I really do not want it going wrong for a list of reasons that is never ending!

Appreciate your help in advance.

Cheers, James.

 

[conaero]

Well, the main dealers have a habit of charging the maximum to do a job. Sure, taking the dash top off (15mins to do) will help.

Personally I would not let the Autoglass and generic windscreen fitters do this on my car, I would get the name of the guys who fit the screens for the main dealers.

 

[marios kriticos]

It's not a difficult job to remove the screen , the reason we take the top of the dash of it's so you don't damage the leather , and personally I think you should at list give the windscreen 24hrs to set before you start driving it .

 

[conaero]

It's not a difficult job to remove the screen , the reason we take the top of the dash of it's so you don't damage the leather , and personally I think you should at list give the windscreen 24hrs to set before you start driving it .

There you go, the sensible answer as always from Marios.

 

[Team GCR]

Evening all,

The screen in my 4200 is cracked badly and needing replacement.

Long story short, I have spoken to my insurers who use Autoglass who insist they can do the job in 2 hours on the drive.

HR Owen however state that the top half of the dash needs removing, resin needs to cure and this takes 2-3 days!

Ignoring the potential cost difference, has anyone any direct experience of this job? I really do not want it going wrong for a list of reasons that is never ending!

Appreciate your help in advance.

Cheers, James.

Where about are you?

Someone maybe able to suggest a recommended fitter in your area.

 

[markjc]

Had same problem with mine. Insurer used autogalss- No problem -they has original Maserati windscreen in stock came and replaced it on the drive within 2 days , good job, no mess. Did advise not driving for 24 hours

 

[BruceyBonus]

And again. Had my front screen replaced by Autoglass only last week.
They sent 2 chaps along with a genuine Maserati screen and did a lovely job.

ATB
Bruce

 

[jimmymoss]

I'm in North London.

All sounds relatively promising about Autoglass. I'll double check that it's a genuine screen and probably go with them.

Thanks for the responses chaps.

 

[Musto]

Autoglass replaced my cracked screen a few years ago, no problems then or since. Nightmare cutting the old one out though

 

[Corranga]

Autoglass did my 944 windscreen. The guy was really experienced and commented that he always gets the tricky ones. It was a pita to cut out and he found rust underneath so wouldn't fit the new screen until I had it welded. Nice to know he didn't just bodge it in there. He explained the situation before hand and asked me to approve removal with potential rust underneath knowing the new one might not go back in.

With my Elise, the morning they were supposed to come to change it (after waiting 3 weeks) the fitter called me and asked if I had removed the front bodywork. I was never told to, so hadn't. The trick seems to be to somehow get put through to a fitter as they seem the know what they are talking about, and not the call centre which is useless in my experience! I called my insurance company who immediately told me I could use someone else, spend up to £1,000 and claim it back with 2 receipts - 1 for the bodywork removal, 1 for the screen. I went this way and ended up using a trusted local indy for the bodywork removal as the closest (Lotus) dealer weren't interested and just moaned about windscreen companies saying they'd turn up in the past and leaving a stripped car sitting for 2 days in a bay they needed. The windscreen guys said it was pretty common to replace a screen at a dealer / garage.

So, all in all, mixed experiences with Auto Glass, but I'm positive about their fitters abilities..