nicam49

Got a 1999 Classic Sport Wagon .... Windscreen costs a lot!
Am needing to have my windscreen out to have treated some serious rust along the A pillars. Was told that the screens usually break so was pricing up a replacement. A new supply only Subaru screen is £600+vat. Rightly or wrongly, can't afford that! But having been a company car driver for years, I guess I was insulated from the real price of motoring stuff. Then I found one (not Subaru branded) for £350 Inc taking out and fitting, finally the body shop got their windscreen fitter to quote me £220 +vat, so after all those price shocks I think I gratefully accepted it as reasonable. Phew. Moral of the tale: Look after those screens, guys!

RetroPug

If you're fine to use aftermarket screens and you ring a few local companies they're usually not very expensive.

I've had 2x in the last year one £150 supplied and fitted at my home, and one £160 supplied and fitted at my home. These weren't on an Impreza, but it's still worth contacting local companies yourself, you're even in the same county as I am!

the shreksta

iTrader: (20)

surely you have windscreen cover on your insurance? most include it as standard. i had mine replaced on my hawkeye on my driveway and it only cost me £75 excess i think. deffo worth checking

RetroPug

If you're removing your windscreen deliberately and it breaks that's not covered.
You might be successful in making a fraudulent claim but it's still a fraudulent claim.

NOSSY_89

Varies from insurance companies. If you're having work done and it breaks (accidentally) they might cover it, they might try and claim it from the business insurance. Some companies will put it as a claim on your insurance, so you will have to declare it as a non fault accident.

nicam49

Well, seeing as the car is at a bodyshop, I think an insurance company might smell a rat. Also, I'm old school with a fully operational conscience so it's completely out of the question for me. Not judging anyone, mind.... 🤔

NOSSY_89

Not sure if that was aimed at me mate. But I wasn't even suggesting committing fraud. I was just suggesting people check the fine print in their insurance documents. It varies from company to company. So even if accidental damage occurs you might still be covered legally. I'm not talking about driving your car into a tree for a quick payout, thats completely illegal.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Other reason for not using insurance is by using a fitter you can trust rather than be forced to use a anonymous chain/franchise. Badly fitted screens can leak, creak/squeak against tge dashboard, or chip/scratch the paint beneath the trim strips causing rust to form a few years later.

Or if you want to upgrade the screen to a heated one or with a tinted top strip. Or simply be guaranteed a decent brand of glass.

My Golf is one of the rare models to have blue tinted glass which is not so easy to obtain (side/rear windows cost a fortune too). A lot of fitters will replace a front screen for one with a clear tint or one with a different shade instead in hope you won't notice. As such I wanted to make sure I had the correct coloured glass.


Replaced mine as 15years of use had peppered it with loads of tiny chips and fine scratches from the wipers that was causing light from streetlights (especially modern LED streetlights ) and oncoming traffic to scatter within the glass causing glare.

Two weeks later chipped it due to a ***** in a oncoming people carrier rubbing against the curb and flying debris everywhere

nicam49

NOSSY!... abject apologies, mate, I totally misinterpreted your post :-(
Had a lucky break (no pun intended) the windscreen man, despite his prediction to the contrary got the screen out whole! I reckon I owe him a drink at least!
I got a new trim strip that goes across the top of the screen and the little clips that go underneath and secure the side trim nose pieces to the side of the scuttle, from my local Subaru main dealer. I think its great that a 22 year old car I can still get brand new bits for.
It's quite a faff to change the screen on mine as the roof rails have to come off in order to remove the strips covering the sides of the screen, and to do that I have to lower the headlining to get at the rail bolts. Maybe on later models they deleted the side strips?.. that would make sense.