Horrendous windshield replacement experience: Damaged entire border

Deep scratches in paint are impossible to correct without removing the windshield once again.

BHPian batish recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Never thought I’d face this situation.

The matter goes back to the first week of March 2024. My windshield developed a crack and I looked for replacement options. Called up Mahindra service centre and they told me I’d have to leave the car for 2-3 days at their centre and there was no other option. I could not do that as this is my primary vehicle and it’s quite difficult to manage without it. So I thought it’d be better if I ask Windshield experts as they are associates of AIS.

They told me it’d take less than 2 hours for the job. Quite contended with the response, I approached them.

The store was Windshield Experts, Neelam Bata Chowk, Faridabad.

They told me it’d take several hours for the Insurance to be approved. I was okay with it as long as I got to keep the car. I am very uncomfortable leaving my vehicle with somebody else. So, I went in the morning, they took the pictures and they told me they’d call me when and as the approval comes.

After the approval, misery started. The person who performed this job is indifferent to the vehicle’s paint, or how the job is performed. It took him less than 30 minutes to ‘complete’ the job. He took a blade, inserted it in the space between the frame and the glass and started moving his hand along the border of the glass.

Took him less than 10 minutes to separate the windshield from the body. He taped in the glass to prevent any movement. While coming back home I started hearing wash (air coming in) sounds from the glass. I brushed it off thinking it was because of the tape as they were stuck on the glass and wind might be moving through them.

Nope, that was not the cause which I realised again after a week when I drove the car. After removing the tapes the sound was still there.

I called the store up, and he told me to get it over and he’d check it again. As I had some days off, I went on Thursday - the 28th when the other guy checked and agreed the problem was there. He told me to get the vehicle on Saturday morning as there won’t be a rush. I agreed.

As agreed upon, went over and waited for 4 hours as they did not have the string to separate the glass. Apparently, it is essential as it separates glass without breaking. As I was standing where they were changing the windshield I found several deep scratches in the paint.

I asked the person why so many, he told me it was natural as the sealant is tight so they used the blade and as it’d be covered with Butyl, so no worries there.

What I discovered after the installation of the glass is this:

The scratches are still there and it is the perfect scratch for the formation of rust as it is the water channel during monsoon season. When I asked him what he did, he rubbed it off with a black permanent marker. Stopped him there itself.

Now, the problem I face is this:

Please suggest what should I do. If I go to the service centre they’d remove the glass again and considering the Butyl used I am pretty sure they would break it. Secondly, the paint too would cost a bomb considering removal and installation of glass plus labour plus paint charges. All this for no fault of mine. I even paid a portion for this glass.

I am bitterly disappointed this time. :(

TL;DR: Got my windshield replaced by windshield experts and they returned with deep-deep scratches along the perimeter, which now are impossible to correct without removing the entire windshield glass again.

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