Well I finally have a new front windscreen fitted after originally placing the order in early September!
The first company accepted my online order but called the next day to say it was out of stock and would be ordered in.
I didn't think this would be too much of an issue.....After 2 months of waiting and asking they finally said they couldn't find one in the UK!
Last month I contacted Auto Windscreens who again said they could do the car, but after explaining to the booking agent the dramas beforehand she agreed to check with her stock team first before completing the booking, especially as seeing I would be paying in full as my insureres don't use this company, but would use the first company who of course couldn't find one!
She said they would be back in touch within 24 hours, not really expecting a positive outcome.
They did call back the next morning, as promised, and said that there are 3 types of front 'screens listed. A clear, a bronze tint and a green tint. Which one was mine she says? A green, I said. That's handy she says, as that's the only one we can find available!
Of course at this point I would accept any! The kicker though was she said that this is the only one they could find, not just the only available listing but there was just 1 in stock! So as she says, if it's damaged in the warehouse or in transit to them then that's it, no stock available.
So with the booking made for when I had a day off they turned up at the expected time to my rented unit with me wondering if it would arrive in one piece, but as I'd heard nothing to the contrary then assumed all was well...which indeed it was. They'd sent a great guy out who liked the car as he'd not seen one in years, took the 'screen out of his van carefully then noted they hadn't ordered the rubber seal/moulding for it! Doh. He kept a few universal type ones with him but he said they were nothing like this one which has a flat rubber top with raised seals for the sides which go under the side metal trims.
A phone call to his office thankfully found a seal available to order, and for less than £20 so the order was placed, just a shame it wasn't mentioned at the original order..
He did though agree to cut the old 'screen out whilst he was there though so at least I could inspect the recess for any rust or corrosion and fix it before they came back again rather than fitting the glass, so every cloud and all that!
Luckily though it was all perfect, not a single piece of corrosion as this was the original one, having the glue/old 'screen cut out often scratches the paint whcih then allows rust to form. But the fitter used great care and got it all out without damage despite it being "like concrete" to cut through the old sealant. An interesting tool he used which had a very strong stainless thin cable on an ancor point suctioned to the outside of the glass with another tool suctioned to the inside which he moved around the glass using a ratchet to pull the cable along slicing the sealant as it was pulled around. I could see the amount of strain it was taking, you'd be hard pressed to have cut the hardenned sealant with any knife.
This last Thursday was the booked date for the new glass to finally go in, assuming the seal was correct..
I had a call from the fitter in the morning to say he'd be with me by 3PM which was perfect. But, he says, on removing the stickers from my new glass they'd found some tiny scratches and had tried to find another replacement but there simply aren't any in the country. Damn I thought, is this just the end of the rainbow for a windscreen!
When he showed me the scratches though they were tiny, almost invisible and right at the top so outside of any issues so at last some good news.
The new seal was just like the old one and from there on it was all good, 30 mins later the new glass was in and looking great. Just don't drive it for half an hour the fitter laughed
I've refitted the gutter trims, scuttle covers and side metal covers since then and once the sill covers go on I can finally give the car a much needed wash as it will all be watertight.
Who would have thought the windscreen would be so near to the biggest problem, so a note to all Dedra owners, look after your windcsreen and snap up any that you see for sale!
