Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

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Jdring
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Location: South of Oxford, UK. 87' 230GE SWB Manual, 89' 230GE SWB Auto, 2012 G350Bluetec LWB
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It's that time of year - some roads re-surfaced (if you are lucky) and many residual chippings lying around.  Cars never go slow any more and I saw the annoying chip in flight... smack to the centre of my G windscreen.  Being so vertical, it didn't stand a chance :)

Small chip.  Not an MOT failure location, but will likely expand over night when we have a freeze.  So I am going to have a windscreen company come and try the 'repair' with resin/fluid option.

Any experience/results of this?  I know there are kits you can do yourself, but AFAIK, its still free with your car insurance because it saves a new windscreen and all the hassle.

 

 

 

markhowes
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Unfortunately goes with the territory of owning a G Wagen. As you say, zero chance of flying stones glancing off that big expanse of almost vertical glass.

I now have 4 or maybe 5 repaired chips. Some well within sweep of windscreen wipers but have never failed an MOT.

I think it definitely pays to have the repair done as soon as possible but I can't remember which company does the best job.

One of my 4 is almost invisible, one has a small cloudy five pence piece sized spot and a couple just look exatly as they did when the chip happened.

The operators all seem to have their own little knacks when carrying out procedure - the last one even heated up the inside of the windscreen with a cigarette lighter which he claimed helped ensure that all the air was expelled from the chip before loading up with resin.

 

 

Jdring
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Booked with Autoglass for this week.  Lets see what they do.  They have replaced a couple of other car windscreens in the past, and a G side window, and been very good.

(actually the story of the side window - scumbags took a stanley knife to cut the window rubber to release the glass and stole pretty much nothing.  10 years ago.)

G-Barry
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Yes, I have had experience with Autoglass and it wasn't great.  They removed the windscreen from my G and then put in the new one, left loads of black silicone gushing out from the rubber trim.  

I also had a stone chip filled.  They state that it is transparent, but you can always see it.  On my new G there are a couple but way out of the MOT area and are not really noticable.   It is just a matter of watching that there is no movement in the repair.   I would rather have this done that replace the windsreen as you never know what you are going to get.  Also, there are all the sensor to reconnect.   You are doing the right thing in my estimation trying to repair the stone chip. 

Jdring
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Autoglass cancelled. I recall they used the same excuse last time I used them - "the technician not feeling well and had to go home".

To be honest, I was more than glad because the weather was just lousy to be doing the repair. Cats and Dogs. 

Lets see next week.

Arnie
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Sorry to hear of your stoine chip. Whichever company you use, they mostly all work with franchised contractors, so it's luck of the draw, if you end up with an experienced repairer or a newbie.

I have had a number of windscreens repaired by this method, essentially because it tends to be free on the insurance. However, the results vary. If you have a pit with no radiating cracks, the repair can work quite well, but if you have any visible cracks, it's not really effective and at best it will just help delay the inevitable. But the point is that the cracks themselves still remain visible. The DIY kits on ebay are similar to what the pros use, but if you do not have a UV light, you will need a sunny day to cure the resin. The pros, also usually have a vacuum pump to suck out air and to ensure that the resin is pulled-in between the outer glass and centre acrylic laminate, when the vacuum is released.

If you have the windscreen replaced, you can insist that it is an OEM one, as replacements are not all created equal, even admitted by Autoglass, when i was once told by a technician that he was glad that I insisted on an orginal glass, since  their replacement ones were not a good fit and more fiddly. The G (unless you have a new 2018/19 model) has a rubber seal into which the glass fits, so should be staight-forward. But Autoglass once fitted a windscreen to my car leaving some two inch gaps in various places between the mastic and the glass. Only found out when the ABS control unit in the footwell drowned from water ingress. Therefore, I tend to dread any winscreen replacements or repairs. 

 

 

Jdring
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Re: Grrrr Stone Chip Windscreen

Another interesting experience.  It turns out that Insurers pass this off to AutoGlass who have to warrant the work done.  Hence if they turn up and think there is a chance a repair might not last 3 years, they won't do it.  And that's what the technican said for the 2nd and 3rd chip on my other G.  (Grrr)

But the main G chip was fixed and attached are the before and after pics.  It's surprisingly difficult to take a picture of a transparent screen!  The end result is a pretty good repair, with a slight 'smudge' left on the screen, but not an obvious chip any more.

I will buy myself a internet kit to do my 460.  I did suggest he do a private job on it while there, but he (rightly) declined.

The other thing with Autoglass was the following:  This was the 3rd attempt at turning up.  Luckily I work from home so not such an issue, but still annoying when you exepect the day and they ring to cancel.  First cancel was because the 'technician went home sick'.  Now I recall that's exactly what they said when I used Autoglass last time!  Second time they explained that it was because they try to fit the job in between 'real work', and had not managed to this time.  Great.   They are very good at their customer sat surveys and paperwork once they turn up.

8/10 I guess.