Crack in Windscreen

Random

I don't know how it got there, I just noticed it the other day. Is the window gonna shatter in on me? Is it fine as it is? Should I get the window replaced? Should I get the crack fixed?











Any thoughts? Thanks

chris85

Replacement and soon. Only chips can really be fixed. Ring your insurance as many insurers do windscreen cover for these situations and wont affect your no claims bonus. If you have windscreen cover it would be great

Alun

Agreed, only tiny star shaped cracks caused by stone chips can be repaired, and then not always. If you don't repair this it'll only spread with the contraction and expansion of the glass with the temperature differences between day and night.

Random

I do have Windscreen cover (with QDI) but I don't want to "waste" it if this is only minor.

Secondly, if I do get it replaced how big a job is it? Can it be done while you wait ?

Alun

Usually windscreen claims don't affect your NCB, at least they don't on my policy. It's a quick job usually, and can usually be done while you wait, depending on how busy they are. Sometimes they'll even come out to you with a mobile unit .. not sure if that costs extra or not though.

You may have to go through whatever windscreen repair firm you insurer has a contract with .. look in your policy documents.

chris85

random wrote: »

I do have Windscreen cover (with QDI) but I don't want to "waste" it if this is only minor.

Secondly, if I do get it replaced how big a job is it? Can it be done while you wait ?

Definitly not minor. As previously posted the hot and cold weather will lead to the crack becoming larger and will break.

Many of them come out and fix it and only takes an hour or so i think (never had it done myself but know people that have). Its easier if the windscreen is not an uncommon jap car as some rare ones dont have windscreens about spare but it looks like your car is a punto if i am right?

Random

Car is a 99 Opel Corsa.

chris85

random wrote: »

Car is a 99 Opel Corsa.

Should be no problem there. I had a different jap import a year ago and would have been extremely hard to get a windscreen for. Ring your insurance and they will sort you out.

Random

Right, so it's not minor and they will replace the whole window ?

chris85

random wrote: »

Right, so it's not minor and they will replace the whole window ?

not minor at all, i would be afraid of the crack spreading, and it would spread fairly quickly. Once a crack form it is a point of weakness and the crack will grow over time. Also rain could seep in.

They will replace the whole windscreen for you.

Random

What do you mean by quickly? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Days ?

chris85

random wrote: »

What do you mean by quickly? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Days ?

depends really, a crack could grow overnight due to the change in temperatures. Dont over worry about it but would recommend getting onto the insurance in the morning and getting it sorted asap.

Wouldnt be thinking of seconds but days yeah. Thats quick enough for me if i was going to be relying on the car. Its the change in temperatures between day and night which will get it.

bazz26

That windscreen will have to be replaced as the crack is travelling and will get worse with time. It will obscure your field of view too, will leak in time and is an NCT failure. A windscreen can only be repaired if the chip is generally less than the size of a €2 coin, a crack generally cannot be repaired.

Usually if you have windscreen replacement cover on your insurance it doesn't effect your No Claims Bonus. Check with your insurance company to be sure. They will also give contact numbers of a few recommended windscreen replacement companies. It will take about 1 to 2 hours to replace the windscreen and another hour or two for the new windscreen to set before driving the car again. The glass replacement company will then bill your insurance company.

Incidently a stone chip the size of a €2 coin hit my car on Wednesday and as soon as I got home a crack had travelled about 3 inches across the windscreen. Its a heated windscreen with a rain sensor and a replacement had to be ordered from the UK :mad:, my insurance company will have a nice bill for it too I'm told.

Esel

Never heard of a windscreen/window replacement affecting NCB. Has anybody?

Random

I'm not fussed about it affecting NCB. I know it won't. I can make a maximum of 2 claims of no more than €500 in total over each period of insurance.

I just wanted to ask for peoples advice on how bad the crack was and what they would do.

Thanks guys.