Lexus LS400 1995 rear window...help!!!

[glenn1983]

Hi there :) I'm new to this so any help would be greatly appreciated.

My father owns a 1995 Lexus LS400 which is his pride and joy. A roof tile fell off our roof on Friday and went crashing through the rear window, talk about bad luck!

It is proving really difficult to locate a rear window, I believe there was a change in shape at 1996 meaning the older ones are harder to get hold of. Been quoted just under £500 before fitting through Lexus so I thought I'd try another route before committing to that option.

Thanks for reading and for anyone who does have any suggestions.

[Malc]

either claim on the household cover or claim on his comprehensive car insurance,................  glass claims are usually fault free and don't affect your NCB .  subject to a small excess usually

It's a glass claim, not just covering the usual windscreen

Hope this helps

Malc

[glenn1983]

We're planning on trying the household insurance. My dad was worried that it may effect his car insurance premiums if we went down the claiming through the car insurance route as it's gonna be such an expensive job due to the glass being hard to locate - literally no glass companies have them available 😞

[Malc]

you might ( possibly will )  lose your NCB on your household cover HOWEVER it's usually the case that glass claims for cars under fully comprehensive car cover do NOT affect the NCB

Ask the car insurer by phone, or your broker,  but don't give them the option of knowing you have the right to claim on your household cover coz they will try to push you down that route ...  which financially probably won't be to your advantage.

The glass can, you say,  be supplied by Lexus so there's no problem, it just seems ludicrously expensive .....  an alternative might be to go down the route of finding a car breaker for the glass and then you having it fitted etc ...  that's going to be more troublesome than just leaving it to your insurer and Lexus to arrange.

You've bought the insurance and it really is there to be used for genuine claims, that what the insurers are in business for  

Malc

[glenn1983]

Thanks for that advice, my dad doesn't have much knowledge on the NCB details regarding claims for glass so that is a big help.

I'm going to have a look around for some breakers see if I can source a glass. Does anyone know of any large Lexus or Japanese breakers?

[Malc]

be careful sourcing the right glass from a breaker, the 1995 car covered both the Mk2 and the Mk3 and the wrong one possibly won't fit !

Malc

[glenn1983]

My dad mentioned exactly that. I've attached pictures of his car, do you know if this is a mk2 or mk3? It was registered sept 1995

[Malc]

it looks a stunning Mk3    ( a bit like mine only mine's just turned 206k miles and needs a good polish etc  )

should last your dad forever methinks .... I personally would get it done properly rather than messing around with breaker's yard and someone to fit it .............. check with the insurer etc BUT the insce. excess should be quite modest and your dad's car looks as if it deserves First Class treatment ( at the insurers expense  )

It's quite a stunner 

Malc

[Malc]

ps           has your dad had the car long ?

Malc

[glenn1983]

Thanks for confirming it is a MK3, I thought that it was but that was just an educated guess lol. Thanks for the car compliments, it is a stunner!! It's his pride and joy, he absolutely loves it.

He purchased it at xmas from a retired doctor in London, it's only done 50k miles and is in excellent condition as you can imagine. He's a bit of a classic enthusiast and has owned 60s cars plus some 80s Mercedes but he had his heart set on an LS400 but it was a case of finding the right one 🙂

I think he's going down the insurance route so thanks for the advice on that!!

 

[Malc]

I noticed the car had some prior odd MOT Advisories and thought your dad might have not had the car long and clearly he has taken the opportunity to sort out the aggravating issues and hopefully now has a brilliant car that will last him a very long time.

I don't envy him, I have my Mk3 and had it for about 7 years now, having had a Mk1 and a Mk2 for some 10 years prior,

. Brilliant cars to own and drive

ENJOY

Malc

[steve2006]

Just checked and the price is about right from Lexus, also comes up as being a green tint so check to make sure the rest of the windows are the same.

I have a set of green tinted door windows but not the rear screen unfortunately otherwise you would have been welcome to it.

Personally I would go through the vehicle insurers’ as glass replacement normally has no effect on NCB or premiums you just have to pay the excess.Plus the insurer will have an approved glass replacement company who will then have to do all the chasing for a replacement screen not you.

[JamesIS220]

As said contact your insurers as they authorise the repair or use certain suppliers. Say you have phoned around and none aftermarket available and only available at Lexus. Don't pay yourself as may not get refunded unless authorised by your insurer. Let them have the hassle! At least going to Lexus should be decent glass, hopefully the original manufacturer. 

Looks a great car

James.