Badly cracked windscreen

We have just come back from nearly 4 weeks on the continent. Some may remember the SOS system issue that required 8 visits to dealers to fix. I'm happy to report that we went the entire holiday with no more issues.

On our first day (Monday) travelling down the French Autoroute with the temperature at ~35 degrees, I noticed a small crack in the windscreen, just behind the parking ticket clip. It was ~ 2 inches (5cm) long. Over the next few days it grew longer until Friday, when it reached ~22 inches (55cm) This was a real dilemma for me as I didn't want to drive with a screen like that, but I didn't know how to get it repaired in Europe, particularly as I had no idea whether my car insurance would pay out, like it does in the UK. Luckily we got back with no further issue. I have a green Umwelt sticker for Germany, which I will lose when the screen is replaced, but I stayed somewhere in Germany near a TUV centre, and it only took 5 minutes and 5 € to get a replacement. I have also has to order a new French Crit'air sticker, which was just over 5 € including postage.

So, on arrival home, it was time to sort out a replacement screen. On Thursday evening I went on the website of the replacement company. The first part was easy, putting in the car details and my personal details, but it was really difficult to complete the form as it kept asking me to agree to new wiper and a screen coating, both of which I had to turn down at least twice. The earliest appointment I could get was 16.00 on Tuesday, rather awkward but doable. No fit at home option. So was that it? No. On Friday morning I got a call from the company and then again got badgered by their agent, who very pushily tried to upsell me new wipers and screen coating, totalling ~ £90 to £100, and miraculously they could now take the car at 9.00 on the same day. So I couldn't book it for 9.00 online because I suspect the phone call is a further opportunity to upsell. I bet I get it again when I take the car in.

Just one last thing for continental travellers. Apparently, next spring, Belgium will be introducing a road tax rather like ours, except it will also apply to foreign visitors. It seems there will be a daily rate, payable on the internet, but I have no futher deatils of costs and penalties.