Hi everyone,

Just a word of warning for anyone who needs a replacement windscreen in an Octavia II. I recently had some stone damage to mine, so got it replaced under insurance. The replacement screen was fiited by National Windscreens. No problem with the fitting, but I noticed that there was a 2 inch or so band along the bottom of the windscreen that looked a like a magnifying glass. It was like wearing varifocals... National Windscreens were as good as gold, admitted that there was a defect in the glass, and ordered me another one, which they fitted earlier this week. Unfortunately the second one was at least as bad, and possibly a little worse. I'm waiting for another one, but frankly it seems like there's a problem with a batch so I'm not holding out much hope. The glass is made by Pilkington.

So here's the warning - if you are going to have a windscreen fitted soon then make sure you ask if you can check it before they take out your old one. You need to hold the screen up or a workbench or the like and look through the bottom few inches of the screen at something at least a few feet away. Something with writing on it (e.g. numberplate) will easliy show up if you have this problem.

Anyone else out there having similar trouble with this at the moment?

Steve

I had this last year (September?), the replacement has this 'band' across the centre. Unfortunately I didn't notice until a few hours after he'd left, as I wasn't allowed to use the car until the adhesive cured. The company (Mobile Solutions) were great , and even pulled a load of strings (I suspect that the MD is personal friends with someone high up in Enterprise rent a car) to get me a replacement vehicle for a few days while they sourced another unit, which was then fitted. This unit was fine, but the fitting didn't go well in the torrential rain, and it whistled. Cue new screen number 3 in less than a week.

All fine now, but its got a chip that I need to get repaired...

I always insist on a branded OEM screen, get the part number from local dealer and give it to NW to get a genuine.

I always insist on a branded OEM screen, get the part number from local dealer and give it to NW to get a genuine.

Yes, that's already been discussed! If screen no.3 also looks defective, then NW have already agreed to source one from the main dealer.

No replacement windcreens in over 20 years, now 3 in a week!

My best was phoning the fleet manager 4 days after picking the car up from the dealer to ask him who we used for windscreen replacements... He didn't seem that impressed

I need to contact my insurance as I now have a stone chip in mine, with any luck they can fix it otherwise looks like I'm running the risk of a warped windscreen...

A friend of mine got a pilkington replacement windscreen in his Passat after it was hit by a stone a year or two ago and the wipers have dug grooves into it. Definitely try to get OEM rather than aftermarket glass. Or maybe just avoid Pilkington...

Edited 12 May, 201016 yr by psycholist

I had one fitted by National. It was supplied under warranty (for delamination) by the Skoda dealership though. Workmanship by the National fitter was spot on, no marks on A-pillars trims or anything, rain sensor perfectly centred etc.

I thought the pilks one I have is fine to be fair.

It was a replacement for a different screen, that certainly had distortion in it though.

Who do you think makes the OEM ones? There are only a couple of glass manufacturers set up to do that thing in Europe.

Edited 12 May, 201016 yr by cheezemonkhai

I thought the pilks one I have is fine to be fair.

It was a replacement for a different screen, that certainly had distortion in it though.

Who do you think makes the OEM ones? There are only a couple of glass manufacturers set up to do that thing in Europe.

Well my original was certainly Pilkington. The rear window is clearly marked Pilkington too. I find it hard to believe that the same manufacturer would make two qualities of screen - one for Skoda and another for the aftermarket. Why would they do that? Money saving? Can't really see how...

we've never had a faulty screen from skoda (VAG) a couple come damaged but never distorted

In my old vRS (1.8T) since having the windscreen replaced in was never the same. In the winter the car would mist up inside whilst just sat on the drive - I think there was a slight leak somewhere letting moisture/air in. Not the mention the black gunk that was left on the side windows & bonnet, Oh and the scrape on the dashboard - thanks Autoglass, I will never use you again

Oh and the scrape on the dashboard - thanks Autoglass, I will never use you again

Should have claimed it. I had Autoglass give me a courtesy car and pay an Audi bodyshop over a grand to fix my last Octy when their agent damaged it. Their agent was abusive when I pointed out what he'd done to him, so I drove straight round to the branch and showed it to the manager. From that point, they were brilliant sorting it out.

In my old vRS (1.8T) since having the windscreen replaced in was never the same. In the winter the car would mist up inside whilst just sat on the drive - I think there was a slight leak somewhere letting moisture/air in. Not the mention the black gunk that was left on the side windows & bonnet, Oh and the scrape on the dashboard - thanks Autoglass, I will never use you again

Hey thanks. That's just what I wanted to hear.

AG were good for me

Had a new glass fitted with AG - the screen is Pilkington. Quality is great and the two guys who fitted it were some of the most caring, knowledgeable technicians I had ever come across.

TC

Well my original was certainly Pilkington. The rear window is clearly marked Pilkington too. I find it hard to believe that the same manufacturer would make two qualities of screen - one for Skoda and another for the aftermarket. Why would they do that? Money saving? Can't really see how...

That was my point.

Windscreens in Europe are almost certainly going to be either pilks or the French manufacturer whose name escapes me.

same manufacturer would make two qualities of screen - one for Skoda and another for the aftermarket. Why would they do that?

They problayy don't, but I suspect the ones that don't meet the high QA standards Skoda insist on get the Skoda branding removed and sold on to third party suppliers...

They problayy don't, but I suspect the ones that don't meet the high QA standards Skoda insist on get the Skoda branding removed and sold on to third party suppliers...

Since the branding is often done in the plastic and even if not removing it and putting a new one on it going to cost as much as trashing the screen and starting again, I think you're wrong.

All the glass in our Octavia's and Fabia's is branded by some sort of silk-screen printing on the inside surface - replacements supplied by screen specialists have alway had the same printing on but bits (ie Skoda logo) have been clearly polished off.

All the glass in our Octavia's and Fabia's is branded by some sort of silk-screen printing on the inside surface - replacements supplied by screen specialists have alway had the same printing on but bits (ie Skoda logo) have been clearly polished off.

There never appears to be any polished marks on any that I've ever seen.

There never appears to be any polished marks on any that I've ever seen.

how many have you seen or taken the time to check lol?

how many have you seen or taken the time to check lol?

Probably over 50, since I had issues with the figment of mine. That plus I worked in glass a few years back

A quick update. National Windscreens have now had 7 windscreens in from various suppliers and they're all the same (all made by Pilkington). They've agreed to get one from the Skoda main dealer now, so I'm just waiting for a date to get it fitted. Good job, as I'm fed up of looking out of a varifocal windscreen.

ive just had the same problem with a window from autoglass about a month ago. I had to wait 2 weeks to get it replaced as it had a 5 inch vertical band along the right hand side where it magnified the road and drove my eyes crazy. the replacement is another pilkington but with the markings on the passenger side. This one was better but has the magnified bit at the bottom now. Ive been living with it for the last two weeks but its starting to drive me nuts now so ill be phoning for another replacement this week. The last fitter said if there was any problem with this glass then theyd get a dealer screen so im hoping theyll hold true :(

dont understand why they dont get a dealer one after a couple, they get mega discount so they arent exactly paying over the odds