Recent experience with Autoglass

Well I thought I'd attend to two minor stone chips in the windscreen given the potholes and gave the above company a call. After sucking my teeth a bit at their initial quote I got it down to an amount I could live with and booked for a few days ahead. The chap on the phone was very helpful and I was pleasently surprised they understood the car and that they would guarentee to replace the winndscreen should it subsequently break due to the chips they repaired.

So the technician arrived within 5 minutes of agreed time and had a look at the car. About to draw up the diagram of the screen (similiar to when you hire a car and agree where the bumps are - unless you've do it in Italy where they just shrug and say there will be more whe you return it) but says "I have to tell you the repair might increase the crack or break the screen."

I'm a little concerned by this as I plan to use the car a bit this weekend but I say, "but you'll replace it won't you?" After all I assumed the relatively high cost (I don't have windscreen cover - as you know the excess on such is quite high) of the repair accounts for their risk.

"No" is the answer, but they won't charge you for the repair if this happens.

"OK" I say, more concerned but what is the level of risk, "how many do you break?"

"I'm supposed to tell you its 50/50" is the reply .....

Don't get me wrong, the technician was a nice enough chap and was as honest as he could be and was trying to earn a living after all. But really can you expect anyone to take on the repair when its the toss of a coin? I'd be concerned at odds of 1 in 50.

1.5 million customers per year according to their website, lets say that 50% are repairs are they further damaging 325,000 windscreens a year? I don't recall that in their TV advert. In fact search their website and there is no mention of their liability should the repair fail just as it was not mentioned at the point of sale on the telephone.

So I declined and called their customer services, their position was that the windscreen was already compromised - OK - no one would be drawn on the real odds so I could make an informed decision. I'd be interested in any other members experience.