5000/200 Windshield replacement... bad experience (looking for advice)

["Daniel Hussey" <dan_hussey@email.msn.com>]

I just had the windshield on my 200 replaced yesterday.  I went to
"supposedly, the "best" place in town.  Auto Glass Specialists in Madison.
They advertise that they are the only glass shop that is ISO9001 certified
and that "other shops" don't always do installs correctly, and we are the
place to come, blah, blah, blah.  Anyways, made me think...  Well, I'll take
it there.

I told the guy to be carefull when removing the windshield as not to remove
the galvinization.  I have no idea if he paid any attention to that.  Came
back out when he said it was ready and he was trying to peel off the
protective film that went over the chrome windshield trim.  He was having
trouble peeling it off (which is supposed be the way to do it)...  had
obviously become frustrated and gone to town on it with a razor blade.  Now
it was IMPOSSIBLE to get all this blue friggin protective stuff off!  He and
I spent about 30 minutes peeling away at it.  Then he acted very hurried
like he had to go and gave me $50 off the trim price.  I said ok, not
realizing how hard it was to remove that stuff...  literally impossible
without damaging the trim.

Under closer examination, the install looked very shoddy.  There was broken
glass slivers all over the inside of the car, blue crap all over the trim
(that isn't coming off!), the chrome trim is very cheap looking, and the
installer managed to chew up those interior A-pillar covers with his power
tools and gasket glue is peeking out all over the place!  I am not happy
with this install, and I paid $500 for it!!!!!!  Not cheap.

I am now thinking of calling a manager and demanding they give me a
substantial discount (like 50-70% off the whole thing) or redo it!  I have
never had to replace a windshield before, so I don't know if this is just
typical for this sorta thing, but it looks like a VERY sloppy job to me!  I
know my dad had a windshield replaced on his Q45 a few years back and it
looked like new.

Can any of you Colorado folk who have to replace your windshields every 2-3
years shed some light on this?...  or share your experiences?  I'd very much
appreciate it.  What do you guys think I should do?  To me, I am amazed that
they would hand back a vehicle looking like this.  I couldn't imagine doing
that.  Would take a lot of nerve.

But main point of the story....  Don't go to Auto Glass Specialists.  I
wouldn't really call them specialists.  More like hacks!

Later,
Dan