2 Windscreens in 2 Months and I've only had the car 3 months.......

[MINI CAT]

My lovely "CAT" LY/B, which I bought in April (when she was 15 months old) and added black bonnet stripes and spot lamps, will be getting her third windscreen on Monday. In May driving down the A2 I heard a loud noise as a stone hit the windscreen which later produced a lovely crack which resulted in the original screen being replaced. I got in her today and noticed a six inch crack on the driver's side at the bottom of the screen which appears to be on the inside (and threatening to spread across my line of vision) I am assuming it may be a stress crack due to the hot weather . Am upset because a) another £60 excess to pay and b)was looking forward to taking her on a Mini Adventure to Norfolk this weekend, now we'll have to go in hubby's 4 x 4

[Paul]

Did you get it replaced with official MINI glass? Apparently even with thrid parties such as the RAC you can request they replace it with original equipment, it may cost a little more, but I've seen feedback on here suggesting it may be worth it.

[MINI CAT]

Sorry I'm fairly new on here, thanks for moving my post Paul!

Autoglass replaced the first screen and will be replacing the second. I'll check with them before Monday to see if the glass is original. Perhaps I'm just unlucky!

[*Vikki*]

I had 3 screens in 3 months as well! i had about four done in the end! now my oppinion is that autoglass DONT use proper MINI glass as they say they do! i asked them i must have the proper mini screen from BMW after a few days they had it in and i think its sooo much stronger than the autoglass screens!

[UKC4]

You will find that both 3rd party glass and Mini Glass has the same qualities. Also You may find that the glass with the Mini Logo in it will be made on the same production line as other brands/makes, it just has a different emblem.

["Megan"]

The dealership we got our MINIs from has replaced a windscreen for us - apparently it involves removing the A Pillars - and when they secure it again, the glue requires at least 24 hours to cure - so you drop the car off one day, and can't pick it up until the next day. They say they do this, because until the glue cures, if you hit even a small bump, it can dislodge and result in the windscreen either falling out, or developing a stress fracture.

[UKC4]

Quote: Originally Posted by Megan

The dealership we got our MINIs from has replaced a windscreen for us - apparently it involves removing the A Pillars - and when they secure it again, the glue requires at least 24 hours to cure - so you drop the car off one day, and can't pick it up until the next day. They say they do this, because until the glue cures, if you hit even a small bump, it can dislodge and result in the windscreen either falling out, or developing a stress fracture.

24 hours!! That is a very long time. the glue used in England (by nearly all windscreen installers) only takes 1 Hour to cure. We can have a job finished in 2 hours. one hour to fit the glass one hour to let it stand and cure. As for the a Pillars... we only take them off if the car has heated windscreen. (Or any other wire that have been installed).

[holdenontoit]

June build , 2002 MCS .........7 windscreens. Here in the US there is an aftermarket glass company called PPG (Pittsburg Plate Glass) which in my experience is so vastly superior to the Securit St. Gobain(OEM) glass, that it really isn't even mildly amusing to me any more. The first 6 were all OEM glass, and the PPG has outlasted all six combined and is still going strong- pitted yes, but the originals wouldn't last the first pit without resulting in an immediate crack.JMO.

PS: 3 of the originals cracked while the car was parked in my back yard.

[PPE]

I agree. The MINI OEM glass seems to be weak for some strange reason. Only having my car since Feb, I'm now going in today to get the 4th windscreen fitted. OEM BTW because I have the rain sensor

[MINI CAT]

I have good news to report! Autoglass replaced my screen today free of charge because when they took the old screen out it had a small chip at the base that had caused the stress crack inside the screen. This being the reason it cracked I was happy for them to fit a new screen (which I was assured was good quality glass and is covered under warranty by them).

[pardonator]

Sounds like a good result

That's one thing I did notice when driving the new mini for the first time was how vertical the windscreen was compared to every other car I've had, I did think it would spell problems for stone chips. touch wood so far