Help! Replacement E34 windscreen prices?

Ask the AA about windscreen insurance. You can usually add it on to most policies. However, I'd assume you're TPF&T, in which case I'd consider upgrading cover to Comprehensive as it's not likely to cost a huge amount more but will cover you for windscreen damage.

I think you've just found out why I insure all my cars FC, even though I'd never make a claim on them.

Yup! I can see the sense now. cheers, JB

I had my E34 525 (saloon) windscreen replaced a few years ago, and it was what I'd expected - about 150 quid, IIRC. No insurance. I used Fosters who are a local firm.

Heh.

I've had a fairly big smash that I was going to put through the insurance, as Fiat had quoted £1500 or so to fix it..... however, a contact in the trade sorted it all with a bit of panel beating and a skim of filler on a Saturday afternoon for £150. So that didn't go on the insurance.

Since then, I've driven cars not really worth a lot - of all the cars on the drive, the only one worth claiming for under a comp. policy would be the Golf, as (when it's on the road with FC insurance) it has an agreed value of £2k, and a tiny excess - plus I wouldn't get another in that condition for what I paid out initially.

The Alfas are only worth £1500 between them, so I'd just buy another if I wrote one off.

However, FC is only about £75 more than TPF&T for me, so I went for FC. Probably a good job, as both have small cracks in the screens - not bad enough for replacement yet, but probably will be within the year.

Ages ago on my Astra the windscreen needed replacing for the second time (first time I got a very good price - around £57 - from a local branch of a big name supplier, Auto Windscreens IIRC) and I looked in the Yellow Pages and found a local bloke offering "trade prices for all" and he did it for around £65 all in, came to me, and fitted it - very happy with the service. I could look it up if you like but there could well be something similar in your local YP - probably just worth phoning around.

Peter

Well with my Audi, I set up the insurance back in October when I bought it, fully comp with Direct Line. Then between then and just before Christmas I needed one front windscreen (a couple of chips - one led to a big-ish crack). Then I crashed the thing and needed a front end, and while it was sitting in the drive unused over Christmas the rear windscreen shattered (looks like it got shot at with a pellet gun, and I've got a fair idea who it was, but that's another story).

I got both windscreens replaced under the one windscreen claim (£50), and got the front end fully repaired, and that was that. But while it was being repaired I got another car as I didn't get a courtesy car, and added it as a temporary additional vehicle. While I was driving that I dropped the cover on the Audi to TPFT as I wouldn't be driving it.

Basically, since then I haven't bothered upgrading back to Fully Comp as I've decided I've had enough bad luck for this year, and the chances of anything more happening are going to be pretty slim.

Tempting fate as usual,

Peter

The fuel pump is sat on the piano in the corner waiting for me to find time to sort it.

Really wanted to have a look today, but had to go out and buy a lawnmower, move stuff around in the kitchen to make room for the rather larger fridge/freezer that was delivered, and had a couple of people round to look at the Nissan (which is now gone, £350. Sorted - only lost £50 for 6k miles of use. Nice.)

Not sure I'd use the Golf for commuting - OK in the summer, but it never really gets warm in the cabin in the winter. It's also only a 1.5 slushomatic - so unless I was willing to take it easy behind the trucks, I wouldn't want to use it, IYSWIM.

Well I thought about doing that, but the other party had already gone the route of claiming their repair on their insurance, who would then claim it back off mine (don't know why, as I gave them all of the neccessary details). The way I looked at it was that if their repair was to be done through the insurance then a claim would happen, and I might as well get mine repaired using all genuine bits etc, as well. Genuine audi panels/light units etc, came to over £800, and that's before paint, labour, front panel straightening etc, so I decided to just bite the bullet and claim it on the insurance.

I was about to say "how much??!!" but then I realised it was a cabrio, which I had a feeling it was anyway. Are you planning to get it back on the road at some point? Why not use that for commuting? That'll munch up the miles no probs.

Yup, just like me when I ran Carltons - it still pissed me off when I wrote off a real minter I had only four days after buying it. The 12 stitches in the head were a bit annoying as well.

On the Carlton I maxed out the excesses and got the FC price to lower than the TPFT price, so went for that. Windscreen cover came in handy when it needed a screen for the MOT shortly before I sold it. Then I maxed out the excesses on the policy on the Audi and got stung for it when I claimed - oh well, shit happens.

Peter