Thank you, Smith & Smith...

[Zenki]

Disclaimer: I work in the trade and have only had excellent experiences with work performed on customers' cars by my local (Glenfield) Smith & Smith technicians.

I've had a stone chip just outside the CVA on my windscreen ever since we've owned the Outback, and recently found a new stone chip slap-bang in front of the passenger. Happened to have a local Novus tech at the workshop swapping a rear windscreen over on a customer's car, so I brought him over to ask him his opinion of my windscreen.

Verdict:

Not salvageable.

Reasons:

- Attempted (and failed) repair on driver's side stone chip - resin was either not correctly injected or the resin itself has gone opaque. This chip is now permanent.

- "Delamination". He didn't explain whether this was the windscreen itself or if the windscreen wasn't adhered to the car properly, but my windscreen has had unsightly air pockets under the glass around the edges since we've owned this car.

- Windscreen not genuine anyway.

One call to insurance and a referral later, the Novus tech comes back to pop my windscreen off. Halfway through doing his thing...

His words: "At your request, I can put the new screen on if you want me to, but I wouldn't sleep at night."

This is not "minor surface rust". This is the sort of rust that causes windscreens to rust out of their frames 10, 15 years down the road if not treated, and it's entirely preventable if the technician takes some extra time to apply some rust prevention if his blade cuts too deep.

The windscreen was replaced by Smith & Smith before we bought the Outback. The car was, at most, 4 years old when this windscreen was replaced. The windscreen has been on the car for at least 2 years.

EDIT: rust visible in the photo is where the windscreen adhesive has pulled the paint off the car due to the rust underneath.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Zenki

[Joker]

ahh satire : took me a bit to get it... bit slow (this morning)

[Technikhaus]

Ouch, shouldn't be too much to repair that, should it?

Still sucks that some people just don't take pride in their work.

[SpeedySub]

I had to repair rust around my windscreen when I had to replace it. Not sure of the reason why mine was rusting, but could be a similar issue with the surround being damage last time the screen was replaced (non standard one too). I ended up getting some rust kill and primer and spending a Saturday stripping, rust killing and repainting. At least I know it will be good for (hopefully) the life of the car. Yours looks way better than what mine did.

[lachlan]

Wtf is with the cat paw when you view the photo ?

[Andy_Mac]

 lachlan said:

Wtf is with the cat paw when you view the photo ?

You trippin brah?

[Joker]

 lachlan said:

Wtf is with the cat paw when you view the photo ?

if its imgur they do an over lay sometimes if you click thru to the website (makes it look like a gif?) : took me a few goes to figure it out too

[slystiguy]

weight reduction brooooo. While not ideal I personally would just tidy it up and seal it back up. Outbacks are worth next to nothing in terms of resale value anyway

[Firenza]

 slystiguy said:

weight reduction brooooo. While not ideal I personally would just tidy it up and seal it back up. Outbacks are worth next to nothing in terms of resale value anyway

I hope it is, as its only like 6 years old, otherwise ill give you $50 for it Zenki

[slystiguy]

so in 15 years when it's rusted out completely (def could get it fixed if you wanted at a later date) you'll be lucky to get 5k for it. See what the value of a 2001 legacy is now for comparisons . Lovely cars don't get me wrong! Not trying to hate, just mean like realistically they're not worth a lot to hold onto anyway so you probably shouldn't worry too much

[Firenza]

 slystiguy said:

so in 15 years when it's rusted out completely (def could get it fixed if you wanted at a later date) you'll be lucky to get 5k for it. See what the value of a 2001 legacy is now for comparisons . Lovely cars don't get me wrong! Not trying to hate, just mean like realistically they're not worth a lot to hold onto anyway so you probably shouldn't worry too much

My Legacy was made in 1991, and worth even less and yet if someone damaged my car like that i'd be fuming. But hey, at least to you 5k is pocket change.

[slystiguy]

 Firenza said:

My Legacy was made in 1991, and worth even less and yet if someone damaged my car like that i'd be fuming. But hey, at least to you 5k is pocket change.

Oh mate I'd be pissed it someone damaged my car too! 5k is certainly not pocket change to me lol. I merely seek to advise it's not so bad

"don't let my bad arse ride fool you, I'm broke as ****"

Also my legacy is 1991 too haha