Stone Chip Is Cracking

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Hi guys.

I had a Stone chip repaired by auto glass 6 months ago and all has been well until this morning.

Half way to work a crack appeared from the repair and is now getting bigger. It was about 1cm this morning and looks about 2-3cm now.

I called auto glass up and they say I need a new windscreen. Now I'm very reluctant to do this as we've all read the horror stories of water in fuse boxes and all the electrical problems that comes after having a new windscreen fitted?

Any advice please people? Are the horror stories after poor installations or is it gonna happen even if the job is done to the highest level?

Thanks in advance.

[IHgs300]

Don't think its any replacement windscreen Chris, just badly fitted ones. Only way to know for sure is dealer or ask around to see who others have used.

Had a look on a few other forums and they seem to prefer Autoglass, Also found this,

I had mine replaced by Autoglass and they used a genuice Audi screen. No complaints, I did have to wait a few days for them to order on in though. Personally I would go to one of their depots instead of getting someone out to your place of work.

Only because unless it is a perfect day, few and far between in the uk, any moisture in the air can effect the sealent.

[normski2]

Autoglass changed my screen om my is200 and it was fine...still is now.

The crack will determine that you will have to replace it.

Just ensure you give all the details as there are several screens. First one that arrived was wrong.

[Stuart Aspey]

Double check with your insurer if they will let you use Lexus to fit the new window and simply pay your excess to Lexus and let Lexus claim against your insurance, not sure what it'll do to your premiums? Window replacement shouldn't have an effect? I think?

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not going to the dealer Stu as they only get a company (prob auto glass) to come and fit the windscreen anyway. They don't fit glass. Also it's all totally free for me through my insurance without affecting anything on my premium if I use Auto glass.

I will however take the advice of going to Auto glass rather than them come to me.

So I guess it's pot luck if you get a decent fitter or a cowboy! Keep your fingers crossed for me guys! Lol....

[scudney]

If you are going to replace your windscreen insist that you want a OEM one fitted.When mine cracked told my insurers I want an OEM one which Autoglass then ordered(had to wait 2 weeks) and fitted.I went for the OEM as i didnt want any of the horror stories I had read on the forum about non OEM windscreens.Hope this helps

[matt-c]

Correct. Dealers don't fit bonded glass; they subcontract to the likes of Autoglass anyway. Autoglass offer a lifetime warranty on stone chips, so if the chip they fixed for you has "cracked off" then you can get a full replacement free of charge from them. Dig out the paperwork, and call customer service up.

Regarding leaking screens. Screens only leak if they are fitted badly. There's just as much chance of an IS200 screen leaking after being replaced as there is a Range Rover Sport, or a Bentley Continental, or a Ford Escort. As far as bad designs go, there isn't an ongoing problem with IS200's - I couldn't tell you how many I've fitted over the last 10 years, but it'll be quite a lot, since IS's are quite common in East and North London, which is where I spend a lot of my time fitting windscreens, and I've never had a problem with one (least, not that I know of). The mk1 Ford Focus on the other hand, had a major design flaw to the scuttle panel and pollen filter, meaning nearly everytime one of these had been serviced or a screen had been replaced, it leaked no end into the passenger footwell. This was rectified with the mk2, and an interim solution was put in when servicing or replacing screens on the mk1 as a stop gap.

In every walk of life you get a bad fitter, and even good fitters have bad days, and/or can be unlucky. I've had cars come back leaking after I've fitted a screen to them, and I think of myself as a good fitter. It's just life. I've probably fitted in excess of 15,000 windscreens, and have maybe 5 or 6 "leakers" a year on average, which is 50-60 over ten years - let's call it 100 just to round it off. Sounds like a lot right? It's actually not even 1%.

Lastly, as for OEM vs non OEM - nearly all car glass is made in the same factories by the same companies. Dealer stamped or non dealer stamped. There are a few exceptions; really old models, such as old Jags/Daimlers for example, will have patent part glass made by a third party. But a Lexus screen is no different to one stamped as Saint Gobain. Likewise, a Ford dealer stamped screen is no different to one just stamped Pilkington. There is nothing to suggest or prove that a dealer stamped screen is less likely to have a leaking issue than a non dealer stamped screen. And a dealer screen can have a defect in it, such as a faulty heating element, distortion, colour/tint issue, delamination, etc, just as much as a non dealer stamped screen can.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Thanks Matt. Yeah Auto Glass said everything's covered and none of this will cost me anything or affect my insurance.

So yeah as I thought its just poorly fitted screens that leak. The only reason I started the thread is that before I owned the Lexus I'd had a couple of windscreens replaced and they never leaked but sinced I joined this forum there seems to be a lot of stories regarding leaking new windscreens.

Thanks for all your contributions everybody. I will be asking for OEM glass tho... I'm a little OCD and want it stamped with Lexus lol!

[steve2006]

Now that's straight from the Horses mouth ( The rest's gone into the beefburgers)

You can't get better than Matt-C a windscreen fitter.

I hope mine never needs replacing I bet it isn't even listed!

[matt-c]

I've done LS400's Steve. Trouble on yours is getting the right colour; as UK models and Jap imports had different colour glass (UK = green, Jap = grey or bronze)

In fact, here's three of us doing one last year;

Chris - doesn't matter what marque of car it is, you'll always find people on a forum complaining they've had a screen fitted and it leaks. And it always looks like it'a lot of people, and "horror stories" - but how many threads/posts do you see started by someone just to say they've had a screen fitted and everything is fine? You don't, because in reality, virtually no one actually bothers to go onto a car marque forum and start a thread saying they've had a screen fitted and it's all been fine. But anyone who's had a problem is VERY quick to log on and post up about how sh!t something has been. That's just how people are. I wouldn't log onto a home heating forum and say I had British Gas come out and fit a new thermostat for me and how great it is - well, because no one cares. And I don't care; I paid for something, got it, and got on with life. But when you pay for something, such as a replacement screen, and something goes wrong, THEN people like to go on the internet and slag companies off. I see it all the time....

I'll be incredibly surprised if Autoglass fit a dealer screen as a warranty item for a cracked stone chip, as they won't want to bear the extra cost of outsourcing it.

And I don't think you actually mean OCD, more just fussy. I doubt not having Lexus on the glass would have you laying awake in cold sweats, panicking...

[Stuart Aspey]

I'll put a photo up tomorrow, as I have two stone chips in my windscreen. I think, once I've got the rear brakes and summer tyres sorted, keeping my fingers crossed that nothing breaks before then, I'll arrange to get my windscreen replaced, instead of filled.

[matt-c]

Why not filled? I've got two chips in my own IS, and I filled both of them. YOu've nothing to lose, as if it cracks, it was gonna crack anyway, and everything to gain; if it survives (which most do), it's cost you nothing and you haven't had to have any of the original parts removed and refitted (ie, no need to have trims taken out and replaced along with the screen, scuttle hasn't had to have come off, etc) I always say if we can fix it, we should; despite knowing exactly what I'm doing, as do 99% fitters out there, if you can leave the original screen in there as long as possible, then that's the best way.

[Stuart Aspey]

Fair point. I'll ring someone tomorrow.

Cheers Matt-c

[matt-c]

If you're fully comp, then chances are you've got glass cover. Ring the insurance co and they'll just put you through (9 times out of ten you just select the option from the numbered list). IT'll probably either be with Autoglass, AA or Auto Windscreens. The one you want is Autoglass, and the only reason is they offer the lifetime warranty on chips cracking off. No one else does (mainly cos it's a daft thing to offer, as no one can predict what a chip will do). The only problem is with that, is a lot of AG techs are reluctant to do as many chips as they are given, as the more you do, the higher the chances of having one fail, and that affects their bonus targets and performance related stats. Many a time I've been out to change a screen that the customer has been told can't be repaired, and then I've repaired it no problem.

So unless it's too large for the zone (see here http://www.bsgwindscreens.co.uk/pages/free-inspection) then insist on them at least trying it.

[Stuart Aspey]

Brilliant. Thanks for that Matt.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Chris - doesn't matter what marque of car it is, you'll always find people on a forum complaining they've had a screen fitted and it leaks. And it always looks like it'a lot of people, and "horror stories" - but how many threads/posts do you see started by someone just to say they've had a screen fitted and everything is fine? You don't, because in reality, virtually no one actually bothers to go onto a car marque forum and start a thread saying they've had a screen fitted and it's all been fine. But anyone who's had a problem is VERY quick to log on and post up about how sh!t something has been. That's just how people are. I wouldn't log onto a home heating forum and say I had British Gas come out and fit a new thermostat for me and how great it is - well, because no one cares. And I don't care; I paid for something, got it, and got on with life. But when you pay for something, such as a replacement screen, and something goes wrong, THEN people like to go on the internet and slag companies off. I see it all the time....

I'll be incredibly surprised if Autoglass fit a dealer screen as a warranty item for a cracked stone chip, as they won't want to bear the extra cost of outsourcing it.

And I don't think you actually mean OCD, more just fussy. I doubt not having Lexus on the glass would have you laying awake in cold sweats, panicking...

Thanks a lot for all your advice Matt. It's good to get the information from somebody in the trade who knows what their talking about.

Yeah people are very quick to complain and get in the Internet and slag people off. I'm a head chef and I have to put up with dam Tripadvisor! I serve over 1000 meals per week and get very few complaints, in fact can't remember the last one but if you look at tripadvisor you would be forgiven for thinking I'm not a very good chef because the 1% that maybe do have a reason to complain will voice their opinions on tripadvisor as they need somewhere to vent. Yet the other 99% happy customers are less inclined to tell people of their good experience on tripadvisor.

As for the OCD remark, again your right I'm just one of those overly fussy people as are most chefs. I obviously don't suffer from OCD, it was just a tounge in cheek remark which if I caused offence, I apologise as you seemed to react to that comment.

[Stuart Aspey]

Those who are inclined to complain, will do so over a variety of platforms, this will then seem to to have increased the percentage of complaints made. More and more people are being told that if you complain, your are more likely to get a discount (in the terms of a purchase) or at least the possibility of compensation (as you have an early recording of a complaint that can be escalated later if necessary)

There are always going to be some people who will find offence at anything and the portrail of mental health in the media is improving slightly. Jon Richardson (the comedian) did a documentary about living with OCD and was almost apologetic near the end as he met people with diagnosed OCD and he was trying to say how difficult he found managing what he perceived to be his OCD although this wasn't diagnosed. Yet it has clearly been impacting on his life otherwise he wouldn't be mentioning it.

Yes, he is able to get up on stage and laugh about it and deal with it better than those who have actually been diagnosed and yes, as a comedian that is his job, so maybe he exaggerates, but his family amd friends have witnessed his intricacies and tendencies and feel that he is controlled by them to a certain degree. But to live with a severe OCD must be extremely difficult for those who have been diagnosed.

[matt-c]

Exactly! It's 1% that complain, but given the platform to complain (such as a car forum, or in Chris' case, Tripadvisor) that 1% becomes 90% - as there might be 10 replies/comments, and 9 of them are complaints, and only 1 is complimentary, anyone reading it will just see 90% of people are unhappy/complaining!

That's how statistics work - they are only as good as the sum of their parts.

(ps, I didn't take offence at the OCD remark, I just disagree with it. The current trend seems to see OCD as a "cool" thing to have, but in reality, not many actually have a clue what OCD actually is. Many think it's just about being particular, fussy, etc. A friend of mine organises his CD's and DVD's in alphabetical order, and get's annoyed if I put one back in the wrong place. Some would say that's OCD - it's not. It's just liking order. OCD is a compulsive disorder that is almost impossible to control; it can be mild, but it can be so strong it destroys people. I like things to be arranged in neat rows, for example to tools; I like to have all the sockets in ascending order on a socket rail, rather than spread across the drawer willy-nilly. I'm quite adamant about using a socket and then putting it back where it came from. It's not OCD, it's just sensible. I go one step further and like to have all the sizes stamped into the sockets facing up; again, it's not OCD, it's just that I like to see the socket size at first look. If it was OCD, I wouldn't be able to sleep for worrying the sockets aren't all lined up perfectly, and would have to go out to the van to check and/or re-arrange)

[Stuart Aspey]

@matt-c *(like)*

[Stuart Aspey]

Booked with Autoglass for tomorrow morning. Looks like 3 pitted chips have already been filled, but there are a couple of other chips that haven't penetrated. I will be advised tomorrow.

[Stuart Aspey]

The autoglass guy said that here was nothing more he could do for the chips and asked if I wanted to book in to have a new screen. He said that it was my decision as the condition of the windscreen would not deteriorate as a result of its current condition, but if I wanted it replaced, they would. Booked in on Wednesday to get the new screen installed.

Very happy with the service

[Stuart Aspey]

Sat in the Autoglass depot, waiting for them to take my car in. Friendly crowd so far. 2 hours to do the work? That's a lot of coffee.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Haha^

Keep me updated if your screen leaks! Lol... I've been putting off having mine done. The crack hasn't got any bigger but I know I need to sort this!

[Stuart Aspey]

Sat in the waiting area at AutoGlass Cardiff and got talking to Mr Hopkins, another customer . . an IS250 owner. He's very happy with the car and had upgraded from a Mercedes E320. He said upgraded! been to France and up to Scotland and said thae ride is phenomenal. He has got MPG around 34, but said that if his son would take it out of sport once in a while, he thinks he could get somewhere near 40mpg.

The widnscreen cracked on the way back from Scotland last week and he said that he kept forgeting it had cracked because the quality of the car was so good.

He also likes the new IS !?! One more to the list, eh?

I really should be getting my paperwork done . . . . .

[Stuart Aspey]

Windscreen is in. Free Bosch wipers fitted. Free tax disc fitted. Just waiting until 15:30 for the sealant to stick. And I'll be on my way. I feel sad that I now have a Pilkington windscreen, where all the other windows are Lexus Stamped!?!