Cracked Evora 400 windscreen replacement.

[RichardC]

On the way to taking my Evora 400 for its MoT test yesterday, a truck on the motorway kicked up a stone and now I have a cracked windscreen that will need replacing. My insurer is LV and there is a £190 excess for windscreen replacement, with an additional £200 to pay if you do not use their "approved" windscreen installers (Autoglass).

Doing a dummy booking through Autoglass, it seems that they have only replaced 2 Evora windscreens in the past 6 months nationally, so basically there is a only a tiny chance that whoever replaces my seen will have seen the job done before. I am worried that leaving it to Autoglass could result in them not ordering all the right seals, etc. / cracked or bodged back on A-pillar trims / water leaks.

Am I best getting the screen done at a Lotus dealer, who can supervise the windscreen fitters and do the dismantling and reassembly? If so, how do I persuade LV that it isn't something that Autogalass should be doing on my driveway?

[C8RKH]

@RichardC You are right to be cautious, my main dealer at the time broke a windscreen they were fitting for me, then on the second one, they broke and split the 2 exterior A pillar covers and the fitting of the new ones was shocking and they needed to redo it twice! It was a shit show.

So, please do not assume the dealer will be better. My advice, for what it is worth, is to arrange for Autoglass to do it, at your dealership (unless the dealers "want" to do it!).

[DH2]

This is one of those jobs where it all depends on the installer.

We've had all of the screen companies here, and the local installers are mostly decent, and seem to know what they are doing.  We had one company who did a terrible job, and actually paid for our local indie guy to come and replace it.

The Evora screen isn't too bad to do - they should know that they should plan to replace the A-pillar trims.

Dave

[Colin P]

I was under the impression that the clam had to be loosened and shifted slightly to facilitate the windscreen replacement so it was always a "do it at the dealer" job so that they can facilitate that?

 

[RichardC]

Sounds like getting this repair done properly is going to be a bit of a nightmare...

 

Any clues as to which Lotus dealer messed it up, C8RKH? If I do involve a Lotus dealer then, based on past experiences, my preference would be Silverstone>Oakmere>JCT Bradford, which is actually the reverse order of how far I would have to travel to each one! Nowadays I try to do my own servicing, so haven't had the car in at the dealers for a couple of years now.

 

 

So, what needs to be ordered is this lot (plus adhesives)? -

WINDSCREEN ASSY

Part Number: D132U0001F   £1811.66

 

SEAL-WINDSCREEN UPPER

Part Number: A132U0266F   £13.04

 

SEAL-WINDSCREEN LOWER

Part Number: A132U0402F   £29.54

 

SPACER-WINDSCREEN - 6x required

Part Number: A132U0346F   £0.64

 

DOUBLE SIDED TAPE (12.7MM) -1.5m required

Part Number: C075U6071V    £6.24

 

TRIM PANEL - A PILLAR R/H

Part Number: F132U4008F    £66.48

 

TRIM PANEL - A PILLAR L/H

Part Number: F132U4007F    £66.48

[C8RKH]

@RichardC - sure, it was Leven. No longer a dealer.

[mg4lotus]

@RichardC I had my windscreen replaced by Autoglass last autumn, I must be one of the two you have mentioned. My insurance excess was only £115. It was done indoors, at a local Autoglass depot in Killamarsh, Sheffield. I was also apprehensive that they may not do the job properly so I gave them the contact details of the Lotus main dealer. I also advised them that the A-pillar trims were bolted in place, may be fragile and to treat them accordingly and that the trims were also fixed to the screen with a tape.

I have fitted a dashcam, the power lead runs up the A-pillar and is tucked into the headlining so before I took the Evora in I re-routed the power lead out of harms way.

They completed the job without any drama and I am happy with the result. I don't know how far away from Sheffield you live but if you decide to take it there at least you know they will have done one in the recent past.

Edited March 2 by mg4lotus
additional fixing details

[RichardC]

 

My patents live in Rotherham, so a trip to Killamarsh would be easy for me. I will book the car in there, and print out all the relevant sections from the Workshop Manual for them to read.

This forum (nearly) always comes up with the solution! Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[RichardC]

That is odd. Trying to book an appointment online with Autogalss and the only locations near to Rotherham it gives are Attercliffe Sheffield 9, Doncaster and Nottingham. No mention of them having a place in Killamarsh that I can find.

[DH2]

20 hours ago, Colin P said:

I was under the impression that the clam had to be loosened and shifted slightly to facilitate the windscreen replacement so it was always a "do it at the dealer" job so that they can facilitate that?

You do not need to loosen or remove the front clam on Evora (you do on Elise and Exige to avoid dragging the new screen in).

Dave

[Simon Bateman]

I had the A pillar trims lifting on mine within the first 12 months. These were changed under warranty and the windscreen cracked in the process. The replacement screen was fitted FOC by one of the main windscreen companies, under supervision at the Lotus dealership (Silverstone) but within another 12 months they had lifted again.

This time, Ben at Silverstone got an addition tip from the factory regarding a small mod that can be made to the trim before fitting and 4 years later they are still stuck down (fingers crossed). 

[mg4lotus]

@RichardC, sorry mate, just checked my history file and the windscreen company that I used was National Windscreens at Holbrook industrial Estate at Killamarsh

Edited March 2 by mg4lotus

[RichardC]

I suppose National Windscreens in Killamarsh is still an option, but it means me paying an extra £200 excess for not using "LV approved" Autoglass.

 

Is the A-pillar trim fitting mod documented anywhere, I wonder? I was contemplating asking the windscreen fitters to remove the trims (if they get broken coming off, then they are liable and LV should pay for some new ones,) but refitting them myself, taking time to do the job right. This is if LV don't agree to having the screen replaced under supervision at a Lotus dealer. Another dilemma.

[RichardC]

UPDATE and super-lucky good news.

I rang LV's windscreen claim booking line today, which put me through to Autoglass. Is was a bad line and could hardly hear what was being said, so I hung up and tried a different phone. Ringing the exact same number, this time I got put through to National Windscreens! Stroke of luck, and apparently, although they don't mention it anywhere,  LV are now using both companies for claims and it is random chance which one you get allocated to.

The job has been booked to National windscreens in Killamarsh and I have said that I will email them PDF copies of the relevant sections factory workshop manual on how to do the job. Hopefully the repair goes as well as it did for @mg4lotus. Thanks everyone for all the advice.

[Simon Bateman]

I think the pillar trim mod involves modifying the underside to enable the trim to have slightly less tension and resistance to laying flat.

I doubt it's documented and from memory was passed on to him as 'something we now do at the factory' 

I'm sure Ben could be persuaded to divulge the secret if required.

[DH2]

This rather proves the point that you are at the mercy of the installer, as it was National who did a terrible job for us - we couldn't refit the clamshell because they had used too much bonding agent and the screen was standing out of the frame by about 10mm.  They paid for a new screen and someone else to do a remove and refit, rather than come and fix it themselves.

Dave

[mg4lotus]

10mm !!!! that is a lot. 

The guys at Killamarsh said that they regularly replaced windscreens for Elise which gave me some confidence for them doing my Evora. I was happy with the job they did but thought it looked slightly different, I put this down to it just being a new screen, but on closer inspection to the parts list posted by @RichardC further up this thread I now realise that they had not replaced the upper seal A132U0266F. I have ordered this part from Deroure and will fit it myself.

[RichardC]

I’m not sure that you can fit the top and bottom seals once the glass has been bonded in.

I have sent Killamarsh a list of parts, and instructions on how to do the job to factory specifications. I just need to make sure that they follow them and not be tempted to do a “bodge it with mastic” job.

[pharriso]

On 01/03/2024 at 10:02, RichardC said:

Sounds like getting this repair done properly is going to be a bit of a nightmare...

 

Any clues as to which Lotus dealer messed it up, C8RKH? If I do involve a Lotus dealer then, based on past experiences, my preference would be Silverstone>Oakmere>JCT Bradford, which is actually the reverse order of how far I would have to travel to each one! Nowadays I try to do my own servicing, so haven't had the car in at the dealers for a couple of years now.

 

 

So, what needs to be ordered is this lot (plus adhesives)? -

WINDSCREEN ASSY

Part Number: D132U0001F   £1811.66

 

I am surprised at the price of glass in the UK; just had my screen replaced & it was $1439 for the glass - see Glass listing. Think of all the transportation costs & breakage associated with shipping to the US & dealers....

[DarrylV8]

We needed to replace the front screen on our GT430 summer 2022 LV wouldn’t allow me to use a Lotus dealer it had to go through Autoglass (in Nottingham) even though Autoglass purchased the front screen through JCT600 Lotus Bradford, no issues 

[Doug Ashley]

There seems to be something going around.. noticed a huge crack today & no idea how it got there.

I'll be taking it to Autoglass in Cardington, near Bedford when I hear back about availability, and have already printed the workshop guide pages to take with me 😆

[RichardC]

That has cracked in exactly the same place as mine did! The stone (which I still have as a souvenir) hit it just below where the wiper parks. My cracks are growing about an inch every time I drive it.

My new windscreen took about 2 weeks to get delivered to National Windscreens in Sheffield from Lotus via JCT600 in Bradford. I'm due to have it fitted at the end of next week...

[Doug Ashley]

Sorry to hear there's a bit of a wait (for both our sakes!), although not surprising.

The stone must've only just cleared the body work. I'm considering perhaps fitting one of those wiper spoiler wings, given lightning has already struck twice.. 

 

 

[Doug Ashley]

Any joy with the fitting @RichardC?

I've just had a call from Autoglass, although they have the screen, apparently the A-pillar trims are on back order. This means the booking this Thursday has been cancelled and I don't have an ETA.

Is there a way to find the estimated wait time on these trims? (I would normally just wait quietly & patiently, but I have some filming lined up with the Evora soon..)

[Bibs]

Pop me the parts number and I'll ask for an ETA from ASO