Replacement windscreen issue.

I recently had the misfortune to experience a cracked windscreen on my 2013 Monte diesel (stone damage) so I phoned up Auto Windscreens who came next day to fit a new one. With this being only my second windscreen replacement in 42 years of driving I naturally assumed that a genuine screen would be fitted.....wrong! Initially I didn't notice it was just a pattern part until I tried using the radio and found that most of the stations I listened to were no longer working 100%. I do live in a hilly environment so the lack of signal was probably more noticeable than someone who drives in cities, but apart from that the aerial embedded in the glass looked like a permanent marker line (the original is barely visible). Not satisfied, I phoned Škoda insurance to see what could be done. They informed me that I should contact Auto Windscreens and ask for a genuine part to be fitted under their warranty as my policy states that only genuine parts are to be fitted to the car in the case of an accident and this includes the glass.*

Having phoned Auto Windscreens to inform them of my requirements and what my insurance company had said they did try and give me the run around, but eventually agreed to fit a genuine screen. Suffice to say my radio channels now work 100% again and the aerial is all but invisible, as it should be, and of course there's the Škoda logo on the glass which the pattern part didn't have.

Am I being picky? Maybe some would say so, but I'm a stickler for detail and don't see why I should put up for second best when I'm actually paying for genuine parts. Also, as Auto Windscreens know that I was insured by Škoda they should have fitted a genuine part from the beginning.

* Škoda insurance said that in future I should always ask for a genuine screen (or other glass) from the onset of a claim otherwise cheap pattern parts will invariably be fitted by default.

Edited 28 January, 201610 yr by AVTUR