Damn stone chip !

[silverous]

Had car a week and missus sheepishly said she had something to tell me last night.... I thought maybe she'd kerbed wheels or dinged the bodywork, it was just a stone chip.  Can't recall the last time either of us had a stone chip, don't do many miles in which to get one.  Is it because it is a 13 plate ?  ::)

Wondering if maybe with the power available in 40d it is more susceptible to chucking crap up at high speed, also wondering if the missus was booting it out of a junction.... we are still enjoying doing that compared to our old 2l s max !

We are looking to get it repaired under the insurance (Admiral).  At first we were looking at Autoglass but their claim that it will typically be free seems to fall apart with Admiral at least who want a repair excess of I think £25.  Hoping it will be invisible to the eye, otherwise, if they allow it, we may be better of spending £72 on a windscreen replacement excess.  Not sure how much more expensive a HUD-compatible windscreen is but I guess insurer would have to sort that, we told them about the HUD on signing up.

Rant (not really a rant) over.....

[X5Sport]

I know how you feel!!  We had the same on the Mini.  Autoglass fixed it free and even gave us a new set of wiper blades.

Now for a word of warning - because your car is under warranty, BMW will reserve the right to reject any work on faults in, around or below the windscreen unless a BMW screen is fitted and in accordance with their factory requirements.  In other words they'll have to do it.

I had this on two occasions with the E53 - both on the M6 - but the chips cracked further than permitted (a 5p coin if memory serves) so both screens were replaced by BMW and Aviva paid up.  In 2005 and again in 2006 a 'sun protection' anti-infrared screen was over £700 fitted (half was the labour and the car cannot be used for at least 6-7 hours.  BMW are perfectly entitled to take this line and it affects everything - paintwork, leaks, dash, interior fading etc that could be attributed to a non OEM screen being fitted.  The HUD screen is a special design.

Aviva were good as gold and accepted both claims.  I had to pay for the work to be done, but they paid up within a week.  Whether Admiral will be as accommodating I don't know as I no longer use them having been less than impressed by the tricks they play on their multicar policy.

Richard

[silverous]

Thanks.  I think your windscreen comments relate to a replacement rather than a repair?  I think we'll see how the repair goes but if it needs replacing will strongly suggest to Admiral that BMW need to do it, they knew it had HUD so tough if it costs more to get BMW to do it.....

[Benstan]

You can insist on where it is repaired.

A lorry scraped my 5 series passenger door.  Local BMW dealer quoted £900 for a new door rather than replacing the door 'skin'.  Admiral asked if I would be happy to get a second quote.  I drove to another local BMW dealer and as I pulled into the carpark, I failed to see the bollard and caused £6k of damage.

Fortunately Admiral accepted it as one claim.  Lesson learned - I choose where the car is repaired not the insurer.

[X5Sport]

They do, but it depends upon how big the chip is.  Mine were bigger than the 5p piece maximum and therefore had to be replaced.  :'(

If Admiral won't play then just ask Admiral if they are prepared to pick up the tab for any refused warranty work because it is they who are insisting on a particular repair, and that a new HUD could cost them dearly etc etc.........

EDIT - was typing my reply when Benstan was and got beaten to the 'Save' button 

Richard

[pvr]

They should change that radio advert about "free repairs" as none of my insurers are free anymore, all charge £25 for a repair.

The chip on my E70 could not be repaired as it was too close to the black bottom band (right at the wiper resting point).

Have left it and will see ...

[silverous]

Hmmmmm so the chap from the windscreen repair place came out today and says he can't repair it as it has already been repaired once and "sounds" different when you tap it to glass sound.  Not sure if this is borrocks but seems a bit unfortunate for a 3 month old car to have had two stone chips in identical place.  It is a 13 reg mind you !  He said they can replace windscreen no problem (I guess higher excess will apply) but if we want a BMW one....he had to call his boss....we can have a BMW one but have to pay £200 for the privilege.  He claimed HUD would work even if we don't have the BMW one.  I'm not sure he's registered this HUD thing as it doesn't sound right.

It isn't big so do I:

1) fight (I'm guessing it will be a fight) with Admiral to get a BMW dealer to replace windscreen
2) live with it
3) any scope to go back to dealer and ask if it had been repaired (it was dealer principal's car so they'll know) and whine about not expecting to have an irreparable windscreen a week after collecting a 3 month old car.....

I'm tending towards (1) but do admiral have to fix if it isn't in line of sight, technically cosmetic ?  (3) I think would be a long shot.

Cheers

Paul

[Benstan]

I vote for option 1. Not sure the cosmetic bit comes into play - if I scratched and dented one of panels you'd claim ok even if the damage didn't affect driveability. That said, windscreens may be treated differently so check small print. If you need BMW to do the job then insist on it - I would not be surprised if there was an additional excess though ... It may be the case that the "free" or lowcost screen repairs are for bog standard screens only.

[X5Sport]

The Mini stone chip repair was completely free with Sheila's Wheels.

If getting Admiral to fit the screen then they do need to not the HUD part.  The lamination is a completely different shape with the screen being thicker at the top by 0.2mm.  It has to have this to get the reflections from the HUD to line up - reflective co-incidence - for the techies.  If they don't then you get a double image, one off each surface of the glass.  It also has to be put in exactly right and the HUD mirrors (there are two) may need re-calibrating (Dealer job) to get the angles right and to remove any image 'warping'.

I would insist on BMW doing it.  If Admiral want to do it then are they also going to pay for the re-calibration and set-up work by the Dealer.  It is unlikely a screen repairer would have the kit or know how.

[silverous]

Thanks guys.

I've emailed the dealer to ask if he's aware of a repair - if he says "no" definitively then I'm inclined to get a 2nd opinion on a repair as clearly they would know if this has been done.  The guy seems to think the chip was in there when we bought the car and we didn't notice it but this seems an odd thing to say because a chip would imply that a fix had not been done to me.  Equally I can't see any incentive to this guy to make it up as he goes along unless he wanted the time to do other things or to sell a windscreen replacement.

Will look forward to a healthy debate with Admiral and keep you updated !

[pvr]

My insurer as well and also my fear ...

[silverous]

pvr - does yours have HUD ?  If not then Admiral are very happy to replace for the windscreen excess it seems, my issue is only in relation to HUD as far as I can tell.

[X5Sport]

pvr......a HUD...??? :laughing1:

.....that means spending money on a car, and Mrs pvr won't like that...


OP - I hope you get some co-operation out of Admiral and get this sorted.

[pvr]

Oi ... are you on the tablets again?  >:(

Mrs PVR even brought me some Porker 911 books back from London the other day Can't call them brochures as they are real books or some reason.

Just trying to work out the millions of options described in there ...  :'(

[X5Sport]

50 Shades or Porker Grey is it........... ) )