Fiat cab windscreen replacement issue

[Conal]

On our last outing a stone chip cracked the windscreen leaving the motorhome driveable but needing windscreen replacement. I rang the number given by Comfort (Aviva) in the insurance details when we got home and, after speaking to an operator, received an email from National Windscreens wanting to know my life history, but, more importantly, the vehicle details, windscreens dimensions, the Kite Mark details, and pictures of the crack and the motorhome. I sent these and received a phone call during which I was repeatedly told that the motorhome windscreen was a special one. I explained that it was a Fiat cab and it there are millions on the road in the country. The agent wasn’t having any of it - the computer said I had a special windscreen and that was that!
I completed and returned the form and a week later I received a call telling me that they could not get hold of the windscreen but would arrange an appointment as soon as they knew when one was available. Again I stressed (whilst stressing out!) that the windscreen was very common and, unless there were a lot of vans now off the road, it should be easy to source. I informed her that I was not happy and would contact Aviva.
I did so and was told that they could not help me as I had not been in an accident and they do not deal with windscreens! However she did suggest I contact Autoglass and gave me the same number I originally rang. So yesterday, 13 days after the original call, I rang Autoglass again and was told they had the glass in stock and a member of the Specialty Team would ring me back today. Apparently motorhomes are special even if they have a normal van cab? I have just arranged with them to visit the storage on Thursday to replace the windscreen.
No form, no life details, they just looked up the VIN from the vehicle reg and booked the glass out of stock.
How can two (interchangeable?) companies be so different?

 

[AndyPK]

No idea, but Autoglass replaced our Boxer windscreen with no fuss either…….

 

[Mikeco]

I ignored the insurance company and paid £170 to a local company for a new windscreen which was the same as the one removed.

 

[Gellyneck]

Having a blether with an Autoglass fitter on a site as he was replacing a cracked car windscreen he advised if we needed a repair to our motorhome windscreen it would be their Specialised Team who would attend as they carried appropriate access equipment to reach the top of the screen over the bonnet.
So, maybe it was the availability of this Team, rather than the glass, that was the issue?

 

[Conal]

Gellyneck Possibly, but Autoglass can do it straight away whilst National Windscreens can’t give me a date.

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[RGCH999]

Quite often motorhomes and campers are fitted with a solar reflective glass screen. Mine went last year and autoglass came out to replace, when they arrived they said they had brought the wrong screen as mine was the one designed for campers etc. They wanted to fit it as it would mean waiting a few days to get the other one in and they’d have to come back again, but I refused.

 

[Conal]

Autoglass arranged to replace the windscreen today at 1:30pm. I got a text at 8:30am to say they were 33 minutes away. No problem as I hadn’t arranged anything but still not very professional. As the Post Code for the storage site is incorrect, and it is down narrow lanes, I had arranged for them to meet me at home and I would direct them. By 9am the two technicians were unpacking the windscreen. I had checked to make sure a rear mirror fixing was on the screen - it was, and the main guy had “Special Team“ written on his van. He does all the vans but they have no weather protection; luckily it did not rain until later in the day.
He was fantastically good at his job. He valeted my cab exterior and, to my shame, dusted the dashboard. He was meticulous before, during and after fitting the screen.
Once everything was clean enough for his high standards he took the wipers off, and removed the plastic scuttle panel. He then used an ingenious (German) device anchored by suction to the inside of the screen to cut through the sealant with a thin cable. Once the windscreen was removed he cleaned all the remaining sealant off the window frame and I took the scuttle panel to a tap on the farm to clean out two filthy drain holes and a middle one I did not even know existed!
The two technicians placed the replacement windscreen on a trestle and the specialist used an electric sealant applicator to make a perfect “tube“ of sealant around the outside. They used two glass suction holders to place the glass on the frame, top first, and then we all struggled to push the glass as high as possible to fix it in the correct place. He explained that the glass is very heavy and, once in place, tends to drop down. If this happened my internally fitted Remis blinds would not close. He pointed out the two plastic “bricks” with little tongues sticking out that the glass has to sit on (picture below). We managed to move the glass above these and he used a screw driver to prize these out under the bottom of the glass. He then refitted the scuttle and the wipers.
Before he removed the glass he checked that the blinds worked, made note of all the imperfections in the cab front and pointed out wear marks on the drivers side of the windscreen and the distorted rubber of the wiper. This had worn marks in the glass that I had thought were merely dirt.
I bought a new 22” wiper from him. I did not realise they are different sizes even though I have spent hours looking at them!
I had received a text, then phone call, from National Windscreen this morning and, when I explained that I had gone elsewhere (as I told them I would) the member of staff looked through their details of my case, and apologised, saying that there seemed to have been a communication issue between the supplier and their member of staff, and that they had the windscreen in stock all along.
On reflection, whilst I am very pleased with the job done, I would advise others in my area to use National Windscreens as they have a base in Hoddesdon so would not have to worry about inclement weather.

Sorry - can't get the photo landscape!

 

[stevec]

I've had two broken windscreens within 18 months. The first was replaced by Autoglass at a campsite at Scoone(?) on Easter Monday. One man did the job with a fancy mechanical device that held the windscreen. Very professional and took great care. The second I had done by National Windscreens and it was like chalk and cheese. A rusty van turned up with two fitters who barely said hello. They left marks on the A pillars and tore the foam seal at the corners of the engine bay. I would not use National again. Apparently Aviva use both companies and it's a bit of a lottery as to which one you get when you phone up.

 

[Conal]

stevec Yes, The first time I rang I got National Windscreens, the second time Autoglass. Your description of the professionalism of the latter is exactly my experience. With that limited experience I need to change my advice and to advise people use Autoglass; but pick a sunny day!

 

[TerryL]

Rang in the morning, Autoglass offered to do ours the same afternoon and sure enough their Special Fitting van came out to the house. He was a little concerned that the weather wasn't very good so I offered to drive down to his depot (only 15 mins away) which he was more than happy with. As others, very professional job, just had to wait for an hour for the sealant to set - next to a shop[ping centre so not wasted! The only question I was asked was it a tinted screen.

Then I spoiled it all three weeks later when a truck threw up a brick and chipped my brand new screen! They just repaired that as it wasn't in a critical area and relatively small.