Still spending money on the Focus, unfortunately

[Timmeh]

I just bought myself another Focus part! Unfortunately, I already had one that suited the car fine, until it was smashed.



So I was tooling down the freeway on the way to Sydney on wednesday night, sitting about 200m behind another car in the right hand lane. Mister truck driver up ahead decided to roll his truck and pour gravel across the road. Here we come, unable to see the gravel, or the truck for that matter, and the first thing I know is my Focus is under attack by a hailstorm of gravel from the car in front.



So I'm the proud new owner of another Focus windscreen. The official word from the RTA was 'tough luck, because it was an accident scene we should have been more careful' - clearly.



At least the O'Briens guys were top blokes. We all got to have a lookie at the neighbours daughters and their friends while having a chat about our project cars. Still, an expensive way to make friends.



Now I have to buy another eurofordclub.com sticker - the 5th one I will have gone thru (only two on the car at any one time! And yes, I am paying for them full price : ).

Can anyone help me stop spending money on this Focus already? _

Tim

[b2tf]

Yikes, not good.

I still cant get over how dark your tint is.

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by Timmeh

Can anyone help me stop spending money on this Focus already? _

Tim

Stop using the F3 maybe?

[Hawk]

Oh dear. Not fun Tim. I guess the conclusion that can be drawn is that the eurofordclub.com sticker is cursed! Get rid of it!

At least all was not lost and you got to get a gander at a few good sorts. Where are the pics mate! Priorities!

[Timmeh]

Haha.

I will admit the first two club stickers were my own fault, one I put on while being drunk (well, not really, but when you looked at it, I could have been), and the second was in a position I hated it. Then this third one left with the window, so that leaves four and five on the vehicle.

:monkes:

Tim

[Hawk]

Hey Tim, you sure you haven't been putting the stickers directly in your line of sight....maybe that is the problem?

[Timmeh]

If I had MORE stickers, maybe the window would have held together a little better! :

:

Just a side note, by the time I am done with this car, not a single panel or peice of glass will remain untouched by me, the way I am going. ing_sm

Tim

[fordel]

You could have fixed the cracks yourself, just do the stickers diagonally across the windscreen ricer style.

Then you wouldnt even notice the cracks

Glad to see its all fixed now though.

Chris

[whippet_zetec]

bit of bad luck their Tim, how was the bonnet of the Foci? not too much damage from those stones?

[Timmeh]

A few stone chips here and there but nothing I can't touch up.

It seems the windscreen copped most of it, next worse off was the front bar.

Oh well :MrT_anim:

Tim

[b2tf]

Well you wouldnt read about it but tonight MY focus copped it from 2 trucks going past. Some nasty little chips but I will get the windscreen doctor out first thing tomorrow to fix them up, they're not bad enough to require a new screen but they're still driving me nuts.

If you dont mind me asking, how much does a new screen for the focus go for?

[The MaDDeSTMaN]

Sorry to hear about it mate, that's just bad luck! :(

[Timmeh]

Originally Posted by back2thefutura

If you dont mind me asking, how much does a new screen for the focus go for?

When I first called up, they quoted me $330. Then they asked who I was insured with, so I said NRMA, and they said NRMA members get a discount and it's just $300.

So then they called me back and asked me if I still wanted one (coz I said I was going to check for other damage first to see if it was worth an insurance claim) and I said yeah, I'll just be replacing the windscreen at my own cost. He said well I can do one for you for $265 (at which I thought far out, how much margin do they have on these normally).

The seal had to be replaced though and that was $21. And no, they can't re-use the factory seal, it gets murdered while they curse European cars trying to remove the windscreen. They literally have to chop it into strips.

Who would own a car :lookedat:

Tim

[b2tf]

Mmm, fair enough. Amazing how they do mark it up eh? Hehe.

I had mine repaired today for the princely sum of $50. that was to fix 3 little chips, they were very small so easily fixed, and you cant tell they were there (unless you're me in which case it drives you nuts cos you know they were there!).

The good old "odd car" syndrome strikes again. Ive lost count how many tradespeople have looked at my car and said "well ive never seen one them before.......", ah well.

Good to hear its all sorted.

[KJGH]

Yikes, thats expensive! We got ours replaced for $190 through our Ford dealer that actually got O'Briens to do it.

[zetec]

Shame on businesses with margins....how dare they try to stay in business!! Ha ha.

Tim why didn't you get a fully sick half thickness windscreen to lower the frontal distribution of weight in your car? Could maybe have shaved a full 1kg off your car!!! Perspex windscreens are lighter and don't break as easily... :P

[whippet_zetec]

with O'Briens they will usually try to beat a competitor, last time I needed a window replaced I called them then rang a few others, O'Briens called back and asked me the best price I had got then beat it by another $25...I was happy.