Windscreen tint?!

[Nick Goodacre]

At last I get a new windscreen! and without using a hammer....  ;D  (a Vauxhall(GM) cavalier kicked a stone up at the screen -don't know what the hell he was doing in the fast lane anway!! -a jealous cousin thing I guess -GM parts and all)<br>anyway...<br>I need to find out whether the new glass should be green or bronze tint -any ideas?<br>My elan is steel blue if that makes a difference.....<br>also I remember reading about all the joys of Lotus parts -should I be able to get new A-pillar seals as well?<br>Thanks guys

[Sy V]

The seals and trims are now available from HQ, you need to convince your insurance people that A-pillar seals are a prerequisite to a properly fitted windscreen.<br><br>Good luck.  Might be worth keeping copies of any correspondence for future owners' enquiries.  Just a thought

[Richard_A_Clifton]

There was no question about them being needed when I had mine done.

[Sy V]

Richard<br><br>Something's banging away in my fast-diminishing memory about someone who had difficulty.  Might have been on the BBS though...

[WillB]

<br>Have a look at your side windows and see what colour they are. You'll need the green or bronze windscreen to match or clash if you're not bothered!<br><br><br><br>

[Nick_G]

Cheers guys<br>will hold onto any proof if I manage to get some new seals <br>watch this space.....<br>

[stevo]

twoz me, got mine fitted 3months back after a 14 week wait for lotus to get the trims in. then after i talked my insurers into fitting a-post seals the rac fitted the screen without them.

[Nick_G]

Richard -who replaced your windscreen and who are you insured with if you don't mind me asking?<br>Its just I've been on the phone to Admiral who use RAC windcreen repair and I'm having a bit of a problem convincing them about the A-post seals<br>RAC say they don't do anything but the windscreen and trim (so seals are out)<br>and Admiral will give me £50 towards the job if I go to Lotus!!! >:(

[Richard_A_Clifton]

Anything that gets trashed when the windscreen is replaced, also gets replaced.  If they can do it without damaging the seals in any way then fair enough.  You should make sure you have some available though.<br><br>I used Auto Windscreens (which were bought out by RAC) and there was no quibble.  I just sourced all the parts for them (from Chris Foulds), they sourced the windscreen and off they went.<br><br>I am insured through Footman James (but never again!).  I can't remember the actual insurer off the top of my head.

[richm100]

A bolt cracked my windscreen on Tuesday evening and I'm encountering some resistance by my insurance company to replacing the screen pillar weatherstrips when the windscreen is replaced.<br>Lotus dealer quoted £135.49 each.<br>What successful arguments have people used to convince the insurance companies to pay up?<br><br>I've got the list of parts required out of the manuals - is there anything else I should look out for when the screen is replaced?

[Darren]

Richard,<br><br>That's an easy one, you simply print off /photo copy the maintenance manual where it clearly states that these items need to be replaced.<br><br>You then question your insurance/repairer to explain why/how they plan to do the repair and ask them to jusify why they know more about the proceedure than the car manufacturer.<br><br>That's the 'tact' that Sy used.<br><br>Darren.<br>

[Sy V]

Yep.  I questioned the repair firm as to why they didn't want to replace the A frame seals.  They eventually accepted that they didn't fancy the job.  I then went armed with this to FJ who said I could get the job done to Lotus guidlelines by PM, but probably suffer an £100 excess as opposed to £50.<br>Had the job done and wrote an acconpanying letter to Footman James who forwarded it to the insurance company who coughed up a cheque for £785 (they waivered the highher excess).<br>New windscreen (green tint) new seals...£50.<br>Bargain.

[Nige]

Resurrecting this as I took a stone in the screen of the NA coming back from Huntingdon yesterday and now have a foot long crack. Screen is being replaced by Autoglass next Thu, 22 Dec, and I'm keen to ensure that A post seals and finishing strips are done at the same time. I can see the tack I'm going to take from the comments here and I'll let you know how I get on. Any other tips gratefully received.

[Sy V]

Just ensure that you pin 'em down to doing the seals - even if it means you sourcing them.

[Nige]

Well, the screen didn't arrive with autoglass before Christmas (not a major problem as the car was off the road anyway). Autoglass phoned yesterday to say the screen was in and would make an appointment to fit it. I asked them just what they had received but as the phone conversation was a one way trip to nowhere I went down to Autoglass this afternoon to see what they had. One screen without the obscuration band extension that covers the mirror mount, one top edge and 2 side edges, no corner caps and no A post seals. They are happy to fit the seals if I get approval from the insurers, I will go into battle on Monday and am currently printing the relevant pages of the Manual as evidence of how it should be done.

[Dico]

Stick to your guns and except nothing less than what you have asked for Nige.
I had mine done through Footman and James last year. They allowed a Lotus specialist to fit the seals etc, and the windscreen came to the Lotus dealer to fit said screen.

[paza1]

Nige, I am going thru' the same experience at the moment. My story began in October and the job is still not done to my satisfaction. Autoglass source their screens thru their central buyer and what they receive is exactly what you describe. You will now need to wait for the corner caps or give them the part no. and where to buy them from if you want to speed it up. Ask the manager to do it as he has authority to do so. A word of warning, check they have got the correct tint before fitting, give the finished job a very good examination (I have suffered with them damaging my paintwork, no liability accepted by them so took it to their head office. Also, they cut the screen edging short on one side, long on the other so I insisted on it being put right. This involves replacing the screen again!! Shame.) I had given them all the necessary instructions and they did a neat job of the band extension for the rear view mirror. I am having the seals replaced at a Lotus specialist but now wish I had insisted on the whole job being done there in the first place. Hope this helps.

[Nige]

Part Number for the corner caps passed to Autoglass on Saturday along with the relevant pages of the manual and they had at least already checked on the tint. I need to get Liverpool Victoria to OK the seal replacement (I will fax them the manual as necessary). Thanks for the mention of the obscuration band I've dug out the relevant service bulletin.

[paza1]

Nige, Sorry forgot to mention that the corner caps will have a dimpled effect surface, not smooth as per the original, if you get them from Paul Matty. It didn't bother me but just thought I'd mention it.