New windscreen required
 

I got hit by a stone on the motorway yesterday and got a big chip. Before I managed to call the windscreen repair people this morning, this has spread so I have a 6" crack in my line of sight so require a new windscreen.

On my last car, when I spoke to the insurance company approved windscreen fitter he said I could only get a chinese no-brand windscreen, not one branded with the vehicle manufacturer's name. My V90 has lots of sensors stuck to the windscreen and I'm concerned that an off brand windscreen and fitting will stop these working properly.

Any suggestions on how to get the correct Volvo windscreen fitted?

Windscreens are usually insured separately (no impact on bonuses) and you set the max price limit, depending on your car. Based on that they calculate the insurance for you. Better insurance companies determine it for you (knowing what car you have).
So ask Volvo about the price and then check with your insurance company. If they refuse to pay, tell them that you will take your insurance elsewhere. But no way I would put a noname windscreen on such car, even if I had to pay the price difference by myself or had to use my casco to cover it. I did that mistake once and was just waiting to get another stone and replace it again with a proper windscreen.
And with you next insurance, I would make sure that it covers also the original windscreen.

Ask your Volvo dealer whether they get a company in that fits a genuine Volvo windscreen. If you use the Volvo approved repairer, the insurance company may not like it, but I believe they are obliged to pay out. The wonder being that they actually allow the fitting of counterfeit replacement parts at all.

Others on here have had genuine Volvo windscreens fitted by the well known screen replacement companies, some have reported that the first option offered was a non Volvo screen but when pushed the got a genuine one.
You say its the screen replacement company that said this so not your insurance company, ring your insurance company if no joy with screen company and say you want a genuine windscreen, they usually authorise it.
The screen company have not said they only fit other makes, they said they could only get another make, they will try the cheaper option if they can get away with it or to save them looking for a genuine screen or think you want a quick fix.
Noticed you said on your last car that had windscreen replaced so I would wait until you contact them and see what they say first.

I had a screen crack after a few weeks new, Autoglass said they could only fit a replacement non Volvo brand, I contacted Insurance company, Aviva, and all Autoglass saying they could replace original as car is under 3 yr old and could invalidate the warranty etc.

In the end I had an original Volvo installed just had to pay the usual fee of £70-00

also bear in mind if you have camera in the housing etc it has to be re calibrated auto glass would also do this if required.

Had mine replaced in September- it's an XC60 but I would imagine it's more or less the same on all SPA cars.. With my insurer (Allianz) I had an option to go to a shop of my choice, pay & get reimbursed- or go to a partner glass shop- and they do direct billing to the insurer.

As far as the actual windshield- I've been told that only OEM windshields are available- in glass shops as well as Volvo authorized dealers- due to the fact that radar/camera bracket comes heat-bonded to the windshield- and this is a Volvo original piece.

The windshield alone is priced similarly by glass shops and the dealer- about €450-460. Add glue, primers, cleaners, some clips etc- another €130-150. To my surprise they also charged €210 for a replacement of a rain sensor (Volvo part 31376464) - seems it's not reusable from the old windshield.. The dealership charged 2 hrs for installation + 0.2hrs for radar/camera calibration + another 0.7hrs (€93!) for windshield cleaning (?!?!) - all in - about €1500!

The reason I went to the dealer is because the glass shops can't do the camera/radar calibration- so post installation I'd still have to take the car to the dealer. I can imagine the glass shop would have been much cheaper (lower hourly rate, and they wouldn't charge the obscene €93 for the cleaning..) but I didn't care as my deductible would have been the same..

Btw, windshields on these cars seem to be made of sugar :rolleyes: Dozens of replaced windshields on swedespeed, a handful of people here also.. Before this car I had a last cracked windshield some 15 yrs. ago...

You can request(I just insist) on an original manufacturer windscreen.

I started to do this after the insurer approved windscreen repairer pitched up with a non manufacturer windscreen to repair mine , and then realized that the camera etc on the windscreen would not work with his cheap substitute.
He then requested an original replacement which they got in 2 days later.

I had taken a day off work to get it sorted and and I threatened them suing for loss of earnings if they dared turn up again with a windscreen that did not have the manufacturer logo on it.:regular_smile:

It would be interesting to know if they are heated screens or non heated being replaced more often or both.

For what it's worth, mine is a non-heated one.