Windscreen replacement - S1

[campbell]

Well after 11 years, the time has finally come...several chips and now 2 cracks later, my windscreen has finally given up the will to live I think!

Alistair spotted the killer blow - a stone chip just mm from the top dead centre which has sadly triggered a 6 inch crack which is growing slowly down the screen. It's going to break in half over the next cobblestones

So...question is...where best to get this done? I'll be using my insurance obviously, but am aware the front clam needs "slackened" to ensure access to bond the base of the screen properly.

MMC?

Favoured bodyshop?

Planning to phone Craig at MMC on Monday now, but thoughts welcome.

Campbell

[BiggestNizzy]

If I was to have it done again I would push my insurance to let MMC take the front clam off. The local guy did an ok job I was only 98% happy with it.

[tut]

Campbell, I average one every couple of years, and from my mostly unpleasant experiences with Auto this and Auto that, as you are close to Murrays, if your Insurance Company will let you, then take it there. However they usually insist on the one that they deal with.

The clam has to come off for it to be done properly, so insist that they cover you for the labour charges involved, they can try and wriggle out of it. The windscreen companies would not take mine off, so John Duthie did it and they fitted the new one there. Three in fact as the expert fitter broke one fitting it, the second one had a stress fracture two days later, the third one has managed to survive with only stone chips.

tut

[campbell]

Thanks.

We shall see how good Admiral really are, then, as I've just moved my policy to them 2 days ago.

I'll have a chat with Craig at Murrays first to see what the "conventions" are, this may help me "educate" the insurance company

Basically I would trust Murray or Steve Walker to oversee the clam slackening, if the insurer won't cover the labour costs of that then I will still consider just swallowing it so that the job is done right first time. Too much else to fix on the car to be dicking around with people who don't know what they are doing.

Campbell

[delands]

Note that Craig is off till 22nd July! However, am sure Keith will be able to assist/ advise.

[campbell]

Thanks Del, will talk to Keith then.

BTW, still OK for 8.30pm at Hillend on Monday for mower exchange?!

[Jacobite]

I've got a couple from Euroglass in Bromsgrove before at very good prices since they make them for Lots of classic cars too that used to have toughened screens Mk 1 Escorts Cortinas as well as American muscle cars etc etc and are very helpfull~ the even supply the insurance fav fitting company Auto glass who double the price and pass it on to the Ins company
The price in 2008 for a Lotus Elise S1 (They don't do the S2 as the tooling was/is too expensive) £124 for std and £142 for heated at the time
the only problem is that they prefere collection and are generally only open Mon -Fri although Lachie was able to collect the ones we got on a Sunday night ~ pity I didnt know sooner as I was down in the midlands getting a driveshaft assembly from Lachies place on Tue

Euroglass 01527 577477 details didnt carry over to new phone but from Memory Stuarts the man to ask for
I've got a spare Std one here in Edinburgh if you need it in a hurry for the cost of a replacement
cheers Hamish

[campbell]

Hamish, great lead, thanks!

Let's see what happens next week. Always fancied a heated one

[mckeann]

try and get a heated screen from somewhere and fit that instead. would be well worth it for winter usage

[mckeann]

p.s autoglass in edinburgh did my old S1 screenand it was perfect. Probably better service than MMC back in the day, although i appreciate they have got a lot better

[campbell]

Thanks for the tips Neil, the Autoglass one is interesting.

You are onto my logic for the heated screen...yet another reason not to have to resort to a winter runabout

[SteveCowen]

Autoglass in Edinburgh just replaced my windscreen (S2). They arranged with MMC to have the clam removed and replaced, so I dropped the car off at MMC in the morning and collected it with new screen installed the same day. They also dealt with the insurance company, so all I had to do was pay my excess. I think the guy who dealt with it all at Autoglass in Edinburgh was Willie - I think that the number was 0131 334 5433. Should say I am happy with the job, and the lack of hassle!

[campbell]

Thanks Steve.

Just phoned in to Admiral to kick things off and their appointed outfit is National Windscreens, neither of which MMC have dealings with (as yet...!)

Waiting on a call back from National Windscreens now so let's see what they say when I ask them "what is the most important thing to do before attempting to replace an Elise S1 windscreen?" !!

[campbell]

OK so Ryan at National Windscreens, in Loanhead, appears to know broadly what he is doing but as luck would have it he learnt most of this from our good pal Ali SLS

Admiral are not prepared to fund Ali's time to assist. However since it is essentially "minutes" (although we all know that minutes quickly become hours on even the simplest Elise job...), I'm going to stump up what's needed for Ali to supervise. Ali's going to drop into National once I've got the car booked in...and then afterwards, will spirit it off to his dark lair to change the long-overdue ARB mounts in the process.

So, if it all hangs together, then a reasonable solution...and therefore if your insurer uses any of:

Auto Windscreens
Autoglass
National Windscreens

...then you have a reasonable chance of a successful job through the combination of a Lotus Technician and the Glaziers. Or so the theory goes...stay tuned for an Outturn Report next week.