Weve probably just been incredibly unlucky but both Octavia screens have gone in the last 3 days, both were caused by a stone or something coming up from the vehicle in front & hitting the screen on the left hand side about 15mm from the pillar (yes same place) The resulting chip was followed a few seconds later by a split appearing.

I remember a thread a long time ago about weak screens but is this really a problem.

I bought the 4x4 with 1400 miles on it but it had already had one new screen. Both cars now have covered about 7000 miles.

They say things happen in threes so please someone tell me it "probably" wont happen again & weve just been unlucky !!

Stuart

I hope you've just been unlucky, Stuart. Mine has several stonechips in it but none have developed into splits .... yet! The Octavia doesn't have a particularly out of the ordinary screen as far as I can see and I would imagine it's made by the same manufacturers as hundreds of other models. The only thing I can think may be a contributory factor is body flex - someone posted in another thread a little while ago that they had been told the Octavia body flexes more than most (this was in a thread about noises and rattles).

Screen on my RS cracked last week; like Stuart's a stone chip around the base of the LHS. First sign of hot weather......

Previous Octy had cracked windscreen too; one week after having it changed the replacement one also cracked. Not a problem as no excess to pay with that insurnace company just a pain in the a**se.

Have to stump up

My bodywork has suffered more than the screen. Got some quite nasty like chunks taken out of the bonnet front end. Strangely enough my cracked screen I had a month ago was also down in the bottom left of the screen. I hope that is a mere coincidence!

Both our screens were as I said about 15mm off the pillar but just over 1/2 way up the screen, not the bottom left but still strange its only chips at the edge that cause a split, Wendy picked up a bigger one about 1/3 across the screen the first week she had the car & that didnt develop. I guess near the edge is weaker as less glass from the centre of the chip to absorb the impact

They do tell you if trapped in a train to hit the window with the little sharp hammer thingy in a CORNER.... I guess the shock wave gets reflected back off the frame, plus of course there is less flexing to absorb the impact.

If I was trapped in a train. I think I'd not think much about where to hit the window. I'd be just looking to break the glass as fast as poss, and with whatever. I can kind of see myself now kicking the **** out of some window. When your own life is at stake its a wonder what you'll do. (Like that Brit in the US who chopped his own trapped arm off with a penknife - eww!)

I don't do trains that often because of where I live, but when I do, I can't help thinking of Hatfield/Paddington. This was especially the case when I travelled from uni in Swansea, because it was a Swansea bound train that was in the crash at Paddington.

Well hopefully subconsciously now you'll know to get at it in the corner. I doubt if you could break it by kicking it anywhere - your effort would be too thinly dispersed compared with the little sharp hammer.

true - but I suppose when the adrenalin gets flowing that kind of thing flies out the window (if you'll excuse the accidental pun.) I guess thats why you see those thieving bas*ards using centre punches and a little pressure to bust side windows. *wonder if I should carry one with me when I travel on the train?* maybe not

YES - that's exactly why they carry centre punches ...

edited to say - they carry sprung-loaded "automatic" centre punches - you press down and the punch is "punched" by a spring inside the barrel - hence the "little bit of pressure"....