Wondering if anyone else has had any similar issues with having front screens replaced? I assume the scuttle is removed completely? If someone can link me to how they remove the screen it would be much appreciated..

Had the windscreen replaced yesterday by Auto Windscreens, or the wife did as I was working, when I got home I noticed both blanks on the scuttle were scratched as if they've been left on the driveway, a scuff across the roof at the top of the screen that I can't rub out, and a 3mm gap across the whole of the scuttle/screen..

I contacted them straight away and they are sending the same fitter back this evening, should make for an interesting chat at best ..

The pre work indicated damage slip was signed with no damage stated btw..

Receipt


Roof



Os cover


Ns cover


Scuttle gap

Sadly that's typical of the workmanship you often get from the high volume windscreen fitting companies. It's the usual story of staff working to near-impossible targets and not being given sufficient time to work more carefully. If it's any consolation, I've seen worse - including an upmarket Merc with a large dent in the bonnet.

The scuttle & wipers obviously have to come off to replace the screen. The scuttle is held in place by some flimsy plastic fittings which are really only good for a single use. If you try to replace the scuttle using the original fittings (which I suspect almost always happens), you get exactly the kind of sloppy fit you've shown in your photo.

The solution to this is actually quite simple; just replace the scuttle fittings with suitable nuts, bolts & washers, and push the scuttle flush against the screen before tightening.

As for the rest, well, those scratches are the result of carelessness & working under tight time pressure; they're not going to polish out, so if you want it fixed, it's going to need the two blanking plates replacing (you can buy them from any fiat dealer & they just pull straight off) & a smart repair to the paintwork at the top of the screen. Smart repairs themselves can be of highly variable quality; you might get a perfect result, or you might actually end up with something that looks worse than it did before.

Before the AW chap comes round, have a close look also at the headlining inside the car at the top of the screen, and also the side pillar trims - these can also suffer in the hands of the careless or incompetent fitter.

Good luck in getting Auto Windscreens to pay for any of this.

FWIW, if others are reading or you're unfortunate enough to have a next time, taking the car to one of their fitting centres will often get you a better result than having it done on your drive or at the side of the road.

I had a screen replaced on the Panda in-branch by Autoglass Salisbury and I have to say I was somewhat apprehensive about what I'd find when I returned to the car. I'd taken perhaps 30 pictures beforehand, just in case, but I'm pleased to say they weren't needed - they did a perfect job.

I suspect when getting this sort of work done, the result is largely down to the skill & care shown by the fitter on the day - and that's the luck of the draw.

jrkitching said:

Sadly that's typical of the workmanship you often get from the high volume windscreen fitting companies.

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Generally, yes but the biggest problem is training (lack of) and attitude (Feckit Syndrome).

jrkitching said:

taking the car to one of their fitting centres will often get you a better result than having it done on your drive or at the side of the road.

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Autowindscreens do not work out of branches (they were all shut down when the receivers came in). Autoglass have recently shut all theirs too.

Whilst I agree with what you're saying, the buck stops with the fitter, and this is luck of the draw.

I had the panoramic fixed glass roof replaced last week and the fitter told me that there are some right cowboys around generally working for the franchises.

The damage to your roof, I would suggest was caused by the wires that are used to cut the sealant from the old windscreen.

typecastboy said:

I had the panoramic fixed glass roof replaced last week and the fitter told me that there are some right cowboys around generally working for the franchises.

The damage to your roof, I would suggest was caused by the wires that are used to cut the sealant from the old windscreen.

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There aren't any franchises in the automotive glazing sector.

GLA55MAN said:

There aren't any franchises in the automotive glazing sector.

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Are there not? Only quoting what he said. He must have meant the "big boys" like Autoglass and National Windscreens then.

typecastboy said:

Are there not? Only quoting what he said. He must have meant the "big boys" like Autoglass and National Windscreens then.

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Probably.

The bottom line is, the majority of people in the trade don;t really have a clue what they're talking about. So many misconceptions it's laughable. As soon as someone who has researched the subject comes along, they lambaste him for being a know-it-all.

Thanks for the replies, very informative Jrk appreciate that

Depending on the guys attitude tonight depends on how much of an arse I will be, I could live with the roof bit, the panels need replacing and the scuttle fitting properly are a must..

Just checked & headlining etc are fine.. Cheers

Okey kokey, here's what happened with ours just a few weeks ago (middle of March) when we had the windscreen replaced on the Wife's TA. Ended up with a foot long crack running from left to right along the bottom of the screen. Wife calls insurance company, Autoglass send out a fitter one week later that fitted in with a time when the Wife was at home. Nice fellah, did a great job of replacing the screen. I got home from work just as he was about to leave. I quality checked his work and discovered that the scuttle panel was not fitting correctly, indeed exactly the same issue as the OP in this thread.

Well clearly, I complained. The fitter then 'phoned his Head Office and stated that a new scuttle panel would be ordered and it would take about a week to get as it would have to come from Fiat. We sucked it up and waited. Nothing! Called back Autoglass about two weeks later, they know nothing about it. Wife not happy, wants it fixing asap. A completely different fitter comes out with a mate and he fixes the scuttle panel properly. He explained that the clips that hold it in place aren't very good, but even he acknowledged that his colleague should have fitted it back properly. So, no new scuttle panel, just refixed correctly. What a palava!