Thread: New windscreen fitted

This started back on the way home from the LR Expo ... one windscreen with a giant crack ... ... thank god for the $50 windscreen excess.

Rang Insurer (YOUI) ... no problems, claim processed, told them it MUST be a genuine Pilkington Opticool, no worries, O'Briens will ring and arrange a date/time. Too easy.

O'Briens ring. "Is it a genuine screen?" .... "Ah, no. YOUI only authourised an aftermarket" ... ... ring YOUI (nice helpful woman answers phone, same one who processed the claim). Read her the riot act ....

Policy says "Genuine, or, equivalent" .... excuse me, but which glass is "equivalent" to Pilkington Opticool ? .... ahhhh, seems NO aftermarket glass is "equivalent" ... but I knew that already ... she didn't. Then I went on to outline to her (courtesy of AULRO) ...

Aftermarket screens are known to be .... Poorly fitting, cause wind noise, allow leaks (shall I then claim for corroded fusebox drivers side/water damaged SRS & SLABS ECU's passengers side ?), different curvature to a genuine screen, (much) thinner than a genuine screen, lack the tinting & UV reduction properties of Opticool, making the Climate Control Sensor on the dash operate incorrectly (embelishment is a powerful tool ). She got the message that I love my car and I won't get run around. "I'll speak with my managers and get back to you".

I also pointed her to this from Pilkingtons website .....

"Solar Control Glazing
Glass that reduces the effects of solar heat build-up inside the car. The major requirements are for passenger comfort, minimising the degrading effects of the sun's radiation on interior trims and fabrics, and improving fuel consumption by lowering the load on the vehicle's air conditioning unit.

Absorbing Solar Control
Pilkington has long been a market leader in body-tinted glass compositions. Optikool™ and EZ-KOOL® are green, optimised solar absorbing glasses, providing significant improvement to occupant comfort. The products reduce the heat entering through a vehicle's glazed area by around 20 per cent when compared to a car equipped with standard tinted glass.

Pilkington Sundym™ is a neutralised green suite of glasses that blend with the green front door glass to allow both a design choice and an improvement to solar loading. In a vehicle equipped with Pilkington Sundym™, the heat entering the rear of the vehicle is reduced by 45 per cent when compared to that at the front of the car. Pilkington Galaxsee™ is a grey privacy glass that reduces heat by 65 per cent when compared to that at the front of the car."

The D2 runs Opticool windscreen & front drivers & passngers glass, and all the rear door, side & backglass is Sundym ... and there ain't no "equivalent" to any of this stuff anywhere ... and there's your leg to stand on !

4 weeks later I still haven't heard anything, so I ring back ... "You haven't heard from OB's ?? That's totally unnaceptable!!" (sounds pretty genuine to me) ... she says "We've asked O'Briens for a quote and they should have contacted you ... will call you back shortly" ... which she did, stating OB's had "lost" the job details ... right ... we have resent them and OB's will contact you ...

Numerous phone calls back & forth to YOUI over the next 12 days to let them know I still hadn't heard from OB's, until finally OB's rang to arrange a time to bring the car in ... "Is it a genuine Pilkington Opticool screen ? ... Yes! ... Is there a new top finisher rubber ? ... Yes! ... good, I'll be there next week."

The job was done without fuss, the staff were great to deal with, and the job appears 1st rate ... all trims, finishers, etc are intact and fitted properly. Had to wait for the sealant to set before taking the vehicle (and it rained all the way home, and I haven't found any leaks), and I was speaking to the office guy ... "How much for the screen ?" (I saw the job sheet behind the counter ... it said either $922 or $972 PLUS ... plus gst, or plus fitting ?) ... He said "About $1000" ....

So, if you need a screen, have insurance, and want a genuine screen ... just ask if the "equivalent" screen is equivalent to Opticool ... .

My premium & $50 glass excess was still way cheaper than a screen (I bet the customers price is WAY more than OB's price to the Ins' Co)

... and I will give YOUI two thumbs up. They were easy to deal with, and do call back when they say they will, were helpful, and I got what I paid for ...

...first ever claim in 30yrs of driving.

Here endeth the story.
Happy ending

... forgot to say ... WOW . Nothing like looking out through a brand new windscreen !! That's a first for me ... it's like it isn't there ...

Originally Posted by landcol

[FONT=""][COLOR=""][SIZE=""]What perfect timing for this thread.Im literally about to go through gio for my new $50 screen.Was wondering on the possible hassle id have.Was actually hoping to somehow score a free drivers side finisher,with the install as mine blew off on the freeway.Anyone know of where to track down a part like that'thanks again for the experience[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

You could try Bundalene. He's dissmantling D2's all the time and should have one.