I need to have my windscreen replaced.
Should I trust the fitter to be careful with the trim, or should I remove it myself before the job if I have any concern about them not being very diligent?

What should be removed? Chrome? Rubber? Plastic?


Thanks

 

Good Lord: these guys do about six of these PER DAY! How many have you ever replaced? Here in the colonies they fix it if they screw it up and I have never had a windshield replacement screwed up.

 

I take your point but I didn't know if the x308 was any different to other cars they do daily. I was concerned about the ham fisted fitter who is on the last job finishng early that day and decides to rush it. Yes they might put it right but I would rather not have it go wrong to start with, also to wait for them to do so after the original troublemaker has vanished would be even more annoying.
I would rather take a whole day to remove whatever I can myself and be extremely careful about it than trust it to someone who would otherwise do it quickly in a matter of minutes.

 

It is "just a car!" (Danielsand, forum member 2013).

 

I would call the dealer and see who they use for their cars.

 

You are right to be concerned about ham fisted windshield installers. My hobby is restoring classic cars and I can relate some horror stories. On many older cars where the windshield trim is separate pieces held on with plastic clips, I have seen over and over and over and over and over again where they've broken some or even most of the clips. The clips are usually unique to the car and they don't keep a stock of every possible clip. The solution is right there in the caulking tube so they just glue the trim back on with the same urethane that they used to glue the windshield in with. They'll put some masking tape to hold the trim in place and tell the car owner to leave the tape on for 24 hours. The problem with that is under the trim there is a channel around the windshield that serves as a place for the clips to secure. The water has to be able to drain from that channel. They often use way too much urethane (more is not necessarily better) and block the channel with uneven blobs protruding from under the glass plus the globs used to glue the trim back in place. Then water gets trapped and causes rust even on cars that are garaged and never see any leaf debris. And when I come along to restore the car, I have a heck of a time removing the glued-on trim pieces without doing further damage. I've never taken my x308 windshield out but it looks to be of a different design. Perhaps all this is not an issue with the X308 but I suppose they can still mess it up. Just get local references and choose wisely.

 

I'm with Phil on this one. I have had 3 or 4 windshields replaced in various cars, and all have had issues being either improperly installed, trim missing, or worse LEAKING in the middle of the next downpour.

My 2 cents: Suggest you find someone with specific Jag windshield replacement experience, and then let him do the entire job.