Windscreen replacement in Auckland - do NOT go to Novus Penrose!

[sobanoodle]

Got a nice crack on my windshield, covered by insurance - what\'s the best place in Auckland to get it replaced, Smith&Smith?

Cheers

[DRFVDR]

Insurance company will probably be best place to start as they will have specific places that you will need to go to

[tebbyj]

Dont go to smith&smith, have herd horror stories. They were from down here in welly though, still wouldnt trust them with my car. I perfer Novas the "show us your crack" guys. ;D

[sobanoodle]

State deals with Novus and S&S, decided to with Novus. Heard a few bad stories about S&S, hence my original question.

[sobanoodle]

Novus guys came in this morning, started pulling seals out and found some rust under - off to panelbeaters to fix that, becoming a costly exercise... :-\

[sobanoodle]

UPDATE: picked the car up from panelbeaters - top marks in their department. As to the glass job - complete crap: two large gaps in each top corner, between the body and a rubber seal they put in. I can literally pull the seal out, got some pics if anyone interested. Looks like they didn\'t push the glass up hard enough or it slid down.

Why do you always have to be there and watch them doing stuff properly, for which they\'re getting paid?

Novus Penrose branch, one was Stu don\'t remeber other\'s name. Called State and Novus - they\'re coming back tomorrow.

[ADIKT]

 sobanoodle said:

UPDATE: picked the car up from panelbeaters - top marks in their department. As to the glass job - complete crap: two large gaps in each top corner, between the body and a rubber seal they put in. I can literally pull the seal out, got some pics if anyone interested. Looks like they didn\'t push the glass up hard enough or it slid down.

Why do you always have to be there and watch them doing stuff properly, for which they\'re getting paid?

Novus Penrose branch, one was Stu don\'t remeber other\'s name. Called State and Novus - they\'re coming back tomorrow.

how annoying! unfortunately things like that happen from time to time. Atleast theyre going to fix it!

[ryn]

FYI to anyone that has the tint across the top and get your windscreen replaced.. Tell them you want that tint back, or they just put a basic glass in with no tint.

I was under the assumption that it would be like for like... nope.avi

Just my experience anyway.

[ADIKT]

 ryn said:

FYI to anyone that has the tint across the top and get your windscreen replaced.. Tell them you want that tint back, or they just put a basic glass in with no tint.

I was under the assumption that it would be like for like... nope.avi

Just my experience anyway.

even if it is a custom tint strip you put on yourself?

Also another thing to look out for : the wiper defrosting strips at bottom of windscreen. Friend had his 04 legacy windscreen changed. Replacment had NO defrosting wires on it

[sobanoodle]

Got my tinted strip - greenish tint, same as original one (they did ask what colour my original one was), got heated glass as well. Just a s#!t installation I am complaining about at the moment.

[sobanoodle]

How would you check if the strip is actually connected and does what it should properly, not much frost in Auckland ;D

Just in case it is not connected or else, i.e different plugs/connectors and they didn\'t bother to get it done properly :

[ADIKT]

Maybe shave some ice over it? Turn it on and see if it melts?

[D-Style]

 sobanoodle said:

Novus guys came in this morning, started pulling seals out and found some rust under - off to panelbeaters to fix that, becoming a costly exercise... :-\

Normally from A bad previous windscreen replacment.

[sobanoodle]

 D-Style']

[quote name='sobanoodle said:

Novus guys came in this morning, started pulling seals out andb] found some rust under[/b] - off to panelbeaters to fix that, becoming a costly exercise... :-\

Normally from A bad previous windscreen replacment.

Don\'t know - wasn\'t done by me. Would actually question that - 99% sure the old windscreen was original Subaru one, all rubber seals looked factory. Asked panelbeaters exactly the same question, they answer was: "probably not, looks to be original, perhaps ageing?". You\'d never know, it\'s all cleaned and fixed now, apart from the windshield itself.

[sobanoodle]

LOL just got a call from their manager - they\'re not coming today, too busy apparently... and actually, the trim would never fit perfectly because it\'s an aftermarket one, not an OEM Subaru part. If I want it to be perfect then according to him I should be getting one from Subaru, at my expense because State wouldn\'t cover any expensive original parts. WTF ??? ;D The manager himself is coming tomorrow, might take a video of him talking s#!t, just in case.

[ADIKT]

 sobanoodle said:

LOL just got a call from their manager - they\'re not coming today, too busy apparently... and actually, the trim would never fit perfectly because it\'s an aftermarket one, not an OEM Subaru part. If I want it to be perfect then according to him I should be getting one from Subaru, at my expense because State wouldn\'t cover any expensive original parts. WTF ??? ;D The manager himself is coming tomorrow, might take a video of him talking s#!t, just in case.

that\'s not bloody good enough! I would call your insurance company and clarify that!! almost sounds like they CBF

[sobanoodle]

 ADIKT']

[quote name='sobanoodle said:

LOL just got a call from their manager - they\'re not coming today, too busy apparently... and actually, the trim would never fit perfectly because it\'s an aftermarket one, not an OEM Subaru part. If I want it to be perfect then according to him I should be getting one from Subaru, at my expense because State wouldn\'t cover any expensive original parts. WTF ??? ;D The manager himself is coming tomorrow, might take a video of him talking s#!t, just in case.

/quote]that\'s not bloody good enough! I would call your insurance company and clarify that!! almost sounds like they CBF

Did that straight away, State is on my side (as it looks now), they said let\'s wait till tomorrow and see what the manager says, if any more bulls#!t - call us (State) straight away ask for a supervisor.

[kamineko]

it must be tempting to charge insurance for genuine parts while installing cheaper knockoffs..

i know i\'ve had to provide new clips after S&S ruined them

[sobanoodle]

 kamineko said:

it must be tempting to charge insurance for genuine parts while installing cheaper knockoffs..

I asked my insurance company if that statement was true re: original parts and they said: "No, not really, sounds like that person is talking rubbish".

Another thing is that State provides a lifetime warranty on any repairs done (for a period of your cover with them of course) so they are interested in proper repairs/parts done/used.

Going to pop into a Smith&Smith branch - curious to see what they say

I know my rights as a customer - just had my faulty outofwarranty Samsung plasma replaced for free - statutory warranty it\'s called, no need to pay for extended warranties

[sobanoodle]

Final update. (after two months ;D)

As was said previously - Novus Penrose is complete crap with poor workmanship, lack of customer service and a truckload of bulls#it, dodgy parts (i.e heating elements on their screen we on the wrong side, i.e for american/european cars, glass covered with water stains ???)

Now, Smith&Smith Wairau branch - awesome team there, knowledgeable, great customer service. They had to order all original parts from Japan (hence the wait, kept me informed all the way through) - proper glass, mouldings and everything else required, I didn\'t pay a cent for that (though was a bit of a fight with the State but worth it for sure). Sadly, all those basics are not known to Novus.

[DacerX]

dam i have to do that at some stage as well