Windscreen replacement

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:50 pm

I've been thinking about getting the NA screen replaced due to all the pits and the like but read the stuff about the genuine vs generic seals and thought .... oh dear. I'm anal about rust in cars (a Gemini and a HZ will teach you that) so it freaks me out thinking about a poorly fitted seal.

I've been hoping for a Crack from a stone so it's covered under insurance but haven't been so lucky yet.

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93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:26 am

stilletto_rebel wrote:What sort of price can I expect to pay for a replacement screen?

Paid just over $200 for an O'Briens mobile unit to replace my old NA6 windscreen - don't believe it's gone up that much.

Mr Morlock wrote:A good windscreen fitter knows how to do the job

Another truism - issue is how to be certain you've found someone competent, & then be certain that the person who actually does the job is competent.

zossy1 · Postby **zossy1** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:50 pm

Thinner = lighter.

Lighter = better!

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 2:45 pm

Rocky, note where your wipers are parked. You can replace them in a lower/higher position.
Trade price was $175 plus $20 for new seal.
Regards, waiting for your windshield to crack, that can be helped along...

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:10 pm

93 Sourcing anything requires some nous or experience but finding a competent fitter I don't regard as too difficult.
Incidentally thinner and lighter are not necessarily the right criteria for windscreens but making to a specification is.

Veloce · Postby **Veloce** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:55 pm

93_Clubman wrote:Not sure of the difference if any between the way NA & NB windscreens are fitted, ie sealed & the surrounding trim, but there was quite a bit of discussion some years ago on here on the topic of aftermarket seals & trims:
93_Clubman wrote:Ref windscreens & seals:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=49221

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=52475&p=659423

Another consideration was the tinted band across the top of the windscreen - apparently some wanted this & some didn't, but neither could always have their way.

I had my cracked one for my NA replaced a month ago by a local fitter. NA & NB are the same he said and needed a new rubber. Brilliant job and fitted at home, no damage to the plastic cover.

speed · Postby **speed** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:37 pm

Think it's worse for the fitter.
Had our golf done last year and the bloke broke the new screen whilst installing. He then had to order another and come out on another day to fit. 2nd time lucky for us but I'm guessing he only got paid for one job...

Also liked Mr M's comment. Windscreen business is CLEARLY a racket

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:09 pm

Had a close look at the screen this morning.
Popped one of the little round plastic screw covers out with a very small screwdriver. Hopefully the rest will be as easy.
Will they need to remove the wipers to do the job? If so I will do that as well.
Is the narrow black plastic 'seal' around the windscreen glued in?
All the rubber/plastic on the car is in very good condition (as it spends it's life in a dark garage) so with a bit of luck may be able to be refitted?
Thanks Guys.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:07 am

You shouldn't need to remove the wiper etc, they should do all of that for you.

I have never heard of a windscreen fitter (mobile or otherwise) insisting that the customer removes parts for them.

As for the windscreen seal, from memory they usually aren't glued in, however in reality most end up glued down due to some excess windscreen glue getting into the channel it rests in (which is pretty normal)

as for them being re-usable, they are sometimes, but the fitter can only tell once it's been removed. Often they stretch as they're being removed, which means once re-fitted they may not sit quite the same as they did beforehand.
The windscreen fitted should have plenty to spare anyway, it's a generic rubber moulding that comes in a large roll, they simply press the new one into place and trim off the excess length.

SE · Postby SE » Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:18 am

Rocky wrote:Had a close look at the screen this morning.
Popped one of the little round plastic screw covers out with a very small screwdriver. Hopefully the rest will be as easy.
Will they need to remove the wipers to do the job? If so I will do that as well.
Is the narrow black plastic 'seal' around the windscreen glued in?
All the rubber/plastic on the car is in very good condition (as it spends it's life in a dark garage) so with a bit of luck may be able to be refitted?
Thanks Guys.

Don't touch it what ever you stuff up you fix what he stuffs up he fixes down the track if something goes wrong he will say the customer interfered
with the job so no warranty .

RS2000 · Postby **RS2000** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:24 am

For a screen fitted at home, I removed & refitted the trim & wipers (but not the seal) myself to prevent any damage. The fitter was quite pleased as it made his job easier & quicker.
I wouldn't re-use the old seal. A new one is included in the price of a new screen anyway.
Cheers

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:15 am

Thanks Guys, great advice. I now know just about everything I was concerned about.
I will consider it a 'bonus' if I can get an OE replacement screen, but I'm not going to let it worry me.
Likewise I would like to see the re-fit job completed without any other minor damage done.
However - I know people who are dying of Cancer. Puts it all in perspective.

Rolley · Postby **Rolley** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 11:59 am

I had the windscreen in my X-trail replaced under insurance beginning last year.
One thing I was adamant about was the seal they used. After years working for Ford and watching a lot of screens get replaced, the installers tended to pull some generic seal off a roll and slap that on and it always looked "wrong" and usually lapped over the body work instead of sitting in the recess and sealing by expanding in the gap. Any leak issues would 9/10 times be on the cars with the generic seal.

I really wanted a genuine Nissan seal so I spent some time on the phone with AAMI and then O'Brians they agreed.
Very happy with the job. I have a digital radio installed so I removed the adhesive antenna from the broken screen and all of the trims to make the blokes life a little easier. More than 12months on and not a leak to be had which is great as the Nissan now lives outside since the MX appeared.

Also if you have any dramas getting the rest of the cowl screw caps off Auto+ stock them for a good price or you can hunt them down with these part numbers,
NA01-50-797A Cowl Grille Large Screw Cover
B455-50-796A Cowl Grille Small Screw Cover

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 12:20 pm

Thanks Rolley, much appreciated.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 8:42 pm

Spoke with O'Briens this week who advised that they just ordered an OE screen from Mazda and it would be sent from Japan.
Also said they were organising an OE rubber surround.
Expected time for the screen to arrive is about 6 weeks so hopefully sometime in Feb 2016.
Took the car for a run this week and marked where the crack ended before and after the drive.
Grew about 10mm. If it keeps going in it's current direction, by February it will pass across in front of me just under my line of vision.

P.S. Pulled all the little round & oval plastic 'grommetts' out - only broke one 'leg' on one of the bigger oval ones.