OB04 Windscreen Damage and Replacement Cost

Wolfix · Post by **Wolfix** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:07 am

I have bought a 2004 Outback from a mate and it's tip top, except the "sand pitting" on the windscreen. I believe it's also called "sandblasting". The car has had its 200,000km service recently and this was not picked up as a fault but when I took it into O'Brien to have two or three chips (newly acquired) repaired, they told me there were about six chips and bad sand pitting and that the whole windscreen needed to be replaced. They quoted $450.

I may have been taken advantage of. I am a woman and a first-time car owner and made the mistake of trusting the servicemen and not keeping that a secret. Yes, it's a steep learning curve!

Can anyone give me advice as to:
(a) Sand pitting/blasting and how much renders a windscreen unroadworthy?
(b) Chips and whether glass repairers pretend to see chips that aren't there to make you replace rather than repair the screen?
(c) Reasonable cost of a windscreen replacement in NSW?

Thanks for any sincere advice.

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:44 pm

My every experience with O'Brien has been terrible. They damaged the windscreen seal and overall did a poor job (Fingerprints all over the screen, a small Sikaflex drop on the black plastic work of the forester.) and they charged me $550 for the privilege. :\

If you shop about you can usually find a local man who will get you a good windscreen for less than $300 and usually about the $150-$200 mark.

I've never heard of anyone being stickered for an un-roadworthy for pitted screens but I replace mine as soon as it happens because I do a lot of dawn/dusk driving.
The chips can be a cause for un-roadworthy especially if the chip is in front of the driver.

I'd just take it to a local place with decent prices.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:12 pm

I have automotive glass insurance and my Outback with 250,000kms had a very badly pitted screen. I rang my insurer and told them it was dangerous because when I was driving into the sun early morning on my way to work it was impossible to see clearly. They replaced it no questions asked.

Im a bit anal about how clear my screen is and I think a pitted or dirty screen is quite dangerous

Wolfix · Post by **Wolfix** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:12 pm

Thank you, friend. The sandblasting hasn't bothered me yet and the chips aren't in my line of sight so I think I will get them to repair the two bigger ones and leave it at that. If the smaller (invisible to me!) chips crack bigger than 15cm I will get the screen replaced.

Wolfix · Post by **Wolfix** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:14 pm

I have no excess glass cover too but I've had the car and policy a week so they won't cover it this soon. I'm saving that claim for a sunroof replacement if I need it. That was the only condition I would buy a car with a sunroof.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:52 pm

60766244 wrote:I've never heard of anyone being stickered for an un-roadworthy for pitted screens

pitted or sand-blasted screens is definitely a roadworthiness issue - you can definitely be stickered for it because it IS dnagerous as you have alluded to with driving at dusk and dawn.

Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion - or go for a drive in a car with a brand new windscreen and see how much better it is to be able to see clearly

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:56 pm

niterida wrote:pitted or sand-blasted screens is definitely a roadworthiness issue - you can definitely be stickered for it because it IS dnagerous as you have alluded to with driving at dusk and dawn.

Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion - or go for a drive in a car with a brand new windscreen and see how much better it is to be able to see clearly

I can see how it would be un-road worthy, I just can't see how anyone would let it get to a point where it could be.

Windscreens are for seeing in my book.

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:09 pm

I paid $330 for a windscreen through novus and was quoted $450 through obrien

Post by **yarney** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:10 pm

If you want a new screen go to a local guy like the others said $200-$300 cheaper than O,Brians
If your happy with the way it is and it is not dangerous leave it, you can get a repair kit from Supa Cheap for under $40 and do the chips your self it's not hard

Jan

Wolfix · Post by **Wolfix** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 4:09 pm

Really? Self-repair the chip?! I thought those things were just patches to tide you over.

Post by **yarney** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:27 pm

Wolfix wrote:Really? Self-repair the chip?! I thought those things were just patches to tide you over.

A mate of mine did it to his Forester he had 3 chips it worked well you could hardly see them i don't know how good it is tho

Jan

indy · Post by **indy** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:55 pm

I got quoted $200 for a guy to come out and replace my windscreen on my 01 outback the other day. I'd ring around.

tex · Post by **tex** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 9:07 pm

YEah i've had bad experiences with windscreens O'brien. but as said i fixed my own windscreen in the brumby and got through rego and still going years later, Within four days of rego after having my new windsreen fitted I got a massive chip and went to O'briens they said they couldn't fix it but could do me "Deal" on a new windscreen, turns out it was $250 more expensive than the one I just got fitted!