Cheap windscreen replacement

If it's not a bonded type, try a scrapyard. Our local one only charges an extra fiver to fit a screen that they're selling to you.

I'm not sure if it is bonded or not. The model year is 1986. Is there an easy way to tell?

Funnily enough, the price difference between TFT cover and comprehensive cover on this car is only a few pounds :-)

Budget windscreens. Try to haggle.

Terry F. ( snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com (Terry F.)) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Old-style windscreens were mounted in a rubber seal, which'll be raised on the outside, possibly with a shiny or black metal infill strip. If it's bonded, it'll be much more flush, with a flattish plastic or rubber finisher in, possibly with joins in the corners.

Mid-80s would be the shape where they started to really boast about aerodynamics, so my guess would be bonded.

You're going to be going comp on renewal.

I'll have a look next time I'm at the car.

This particular model (Type 44, Avant) prides itself on its aerodymanic properties.

It's certainly a possibility! I wonder how much the insurance companies pay the windscreen companies as a percentage of the retail price.

Around 60-100 for a screen fitted is what you should be able to get it down to. I've had a bonded screen in a Ka for £70, and a non-bonded one in a Golf more recently for £60 IIRC. I'd suspect as the Audi is less common the glass may be dearer.

It's usually 60 odd quid to fit them so those are good prices. If the crack wasn't there until after you renewed with fully comp then you'd be able to claim...

It's usually 60 odd quid to fit them so those are good prices. If the crack wasn't there until after you renewed with fully comp then you'd be able to claim...

It would be even better if the crack didn't appear until a decent amount of time had passed after upgrading the insurance- after all, it might raise a few eyebrows if the crack appeared the day after!

The insurance renewal is in April and the next MOT not until next February, so all kinds of things could happen in the intervening 10 months!

Of course this would be happening to your new windscreen that you got fitted by a friend for cash and didn`t get a receipt for presumably?

No, this would happen to a windscreen that wasn't cracked before the insurance renewal and somehow managed to get cracked subsequently. Paying the £50 excess (or whatever it is) beats paying £300+ for a new windscreen.

A&E Accident & Emergency based in West London are excellent.

Al.