Extremely Poor Experience with Smith & Smith

[Auzeras 28]

Foreword - This isn't supposed to be a bash on S&S, simply my experience with them. So far the issue has not been resolved after 4 weeks.

Basically had some dimwitted fool try and break into my car, unfortunately for them they forgot the E32 had special death trap features such as doors you can't unlock from the inside.. even if you've crashed & the car is filling with water. Rear passanger quarter window smashed, nothing taken & the repair is free under insurance. Great!

Book car in online with Smith & Smith, they say they can fit the part in less than 3x days. Pretty stocked as the BMW dealer quoted 3x weeks and over $400 for the part to be brought in from Germany. Drop the car off & all is well. They say to pick the car up at 3:30.

Arrive at 3:30, sit in waiting room until 4:45, staff are friendly and inform me they are still fitting the glass properly.

4:45 - Technician is very polite and informs me that the car's fixed as best he can but he can't quite get the seal to sit flush, if I have any issues he suggest I bring it back and they'll fix it under warranty. Look at the car.. windows look weird, seal not laying flush, inside the car there's a 8mm gap between the window and the frame (not visible from outside) and the black ceramic is a thick strip, instead of the normal doted "fade" on the other side. Door card not properly installed, still partly hanging off (it's a pain to put on and the clips at the top have come off. I could fix it in 30 mins but I don't want to accept liability for any damage to the door) Technician repeats I should bring the car back if I'm not happy - I'm not happy at all because the job is rubbish and they fitted the wrong part, window is from an E38 not an E32 so of course it doesn't fit properly.

Next week Monday I email S&S - No response, Thursday I ring them. Polite and speedy service, they say to go into the Wellington Branch tomorrow.

Friday - visit store, staff are very nice as usual, say they'll fix it and call me back soon with a date to come in, I'm okay with it as at least my car is secure for now and not leaking (much)

A week later - no call back, ring S&S AGAIN and they say they'll call.. to date. No call. Tomorrow I plan on going in and demaning a few answes

TL:DR - Smith & Smith are useless as hell, botch car repair and won't return enquiries. On the plus side, they are friendly.

What to do now short of constantly going back and forth? I fell the original tech was left in a tough spot after the wrong glass was supplied he'd have started to put it in and probably only realised too late that it was wrong. The staff have been super helpful when I've talked to them but the lack of communication has *really* annoyed me, it shouldn't take this long to at least inform me of a timeline to get the new part fitted. Overall I don't feel like I'd go back there to be honest as I'm not confident in their service, I made sure I supplied them with the correct 7 series model (E32) and stressed that it was an '89 in the notes. Easy to botch a part for a bimmer if you're not proficient but I'm sick to death of having to call them up every week and get nowhere!

Anyone else had a good or bad experience with S&S? Just thought I'd write this as a heads up and to see if anyone had any suggestions for me.

[aja540i 1906]

I suggest getting your insurance company involved, they will be much more helpfull if they know they arent getting paid until they sort it out.

[Dn540 67]

Definitely tell your insurance you aren't happy with the repair.

My experience with them is terrible too. On my old run about Laser, they did a windscreen and managed to completely rip 10cm all along the edge of the headliner.

On my E320 recently they did a windscreen and again managed to break the engine bay divider, broke four plastic mounting tabs and screw holes as well as losing two screws. Finally they couldn't get the bottom window/wiper seal to seat properly so they just siliconed it in, now I have messy silicone everywhere and can't get the seal into the grooves because of all the dried silicone in the channel (had to service mono wiper recently so removed it).

I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

[Neal 540]

Wellington branch dented the bonnet when installing a front screen on my old e36 . Screen also looked like factory second and the window seal and fit was lopsided.. Rang the insurance company who didn't want to know and referred me back to the S&S Got third world customer service from S&S

Couple years on, work colleague takes SUV in. In joking I said check your bonnet ....... guess what happens next. he gets SUV , bonnet dented , all denial by said company.

I sincerely wish you good luck in getting it resolved.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Neal

[KwS 2421]

We always try and get customers to get their insurance to buy a genuine screen through us (the dealer) and get it fitted by us. Too many bad stories with S&S

[kiwi328i 118]

I have had a few windscreens from them, all pretty straightforward but the broken glass in every case was still quite easily visible. As you know broken auto glass goes everywhere and you cant get it all in one pass, but these guys are useless.

[hybrid 1043]

Used them once (S&S) ... never again .. They fitted non factory glass which was very distorted. And left all of the broken glass still in the door. When you closed the door you could still hear it in the sill.

Next few times (yes same car (330)) I went with JCBMW and just got factory glass and no issues.

In all times nothing was actually stolen from the car, metal tints for the win.

[Auzeras 28]

I guess by those standards I got off lucky then, door clips are easier to replace than dented bonnets! I'll go in and give them a final notice to get it sorted today and get in touch with my broker on Monday.

On that note, anyone had experience with Novus (they're the other preferred glass agent by the Insurer) - or in the event I'm able to negotiate a separate company with the insurance is there anyone around Wellington you'd recommend for glass?

[gjm 3258]

My experience with glass-fitting companies in the UK is similar. Typically, the larger ("we've got all the glass for everyone") companies have aftermarket, non-genuine, or second glass which they will fit. They'll tell you anything to get the business - "this car didn't come with a top tint as standard, so we can't fit a top tint" is typical.

The staff are good and friendly, and often know the limitations they are working under. They'd like to do better, but head office economics mean they don't get the opportunity.

Insurance companies don't help as they are looking for the cheapest solution, and that won't be genuine glass from the manufacturer.

[qube 3570]

Ive had good experience with smith and smith guys from penrose ellerslie area. Fitted a new front windscreen to a subaru legacy no problem and did a great job. I think it comes down to the individual doing the job. The person who did our car was very passionate and talked me through the entire process!

[polley 916]

They dented my roof

[Nobimmer 694]

Yeah took my work car there a couple times, first time was ok second time noticed interior trim piece had been cut and trimmed so the excess glue could be cut away. Pretty shitty for a brand new car.

[qube 3570]

Yeah took my work car there a couple times, first time was ok second time noticed interior trim piece had been cut and trimmed so the excess glue could be cut away. Pretty shitty for a brand new car.

thats just ridiculous. denting a bonnet or roof is something that i would classify as a careless mistake or poor workmanship. but purposely cutting something out is just purposeful and intentional damage.

[Driftit 2069]

Dad took my E30 there twice for the same job.

First time the f**ked up the front screen seals. Allowing water in which filled up my glovebox with water.

To fix it the poo'd up the gap with black silicon and didn't bother to clean the huge mess they made.

If we added up all the hours my Dad has sat there waiting I would say it would be over 10hours for 3 jobs which were meant to take 1.5hours each.

The job done by Novus was great though. Though the glue for the rear view mirror didn't set the first time.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

I use Novus here, usually because the vehicles are fixers and dont have insurance etc.

never a bad experience yet except they smashed a rear windscreen in one of the E34s here i had sold, but because the didnt realise it had an antenna in it at such an early age. But i had another E34 here anyways so no harm done.

[DC3 46]

Has anyone ever had their insurance company cough up for factory glass installed by the dealer? My understand is that it's like ringing blood from a stone.

What about OEM glass from a wreck, installed via insurance?

I've recently had a OEM replacement screen for my E90 at JCBMW. Perfect job and no dramas. I'm insured with NZI, premium $517.40.

[KwS 2421]

we get a lot of insurers ordering glass through us. Its all about asking. Im also sure its a legal right to choose who repairs the car?

[Michael. 2313]

Yeah I would NEVER use them, heard many problems. Just comes down to the muppets that don't care or have the right workmanship for such work.

Very sad.

[JaseNZ 53]

I had the complete opposite experience with them. Cracked windscreen , rung insurance and they said no worries they would take care of it.

S&S rung me and said bring car in and they will fit new screen I asked if it was genuine and they said no so I said no way I want genuine so they said no problems but I will have to wait until one comes in. Windscreen although has a crack was ok to use until replaced.

Took car in when new one arrived , they rung me back about 4 hours later in arvo and said sorry but the seal was not included with the screen and they need to get one in. They had already taken my one out so could not use car.

Their solution to this problem was to give me a code to use with a taxi company until new screen was fitted and ready which took 2 days. Did a lot of getting around in taxi's during that time.

Found them to be helpful and great service and they did a good job.

Maybe that was just because it was the branch here, they would all differ I would say.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Yeah, pretty sure all Smith & Smith places would be individual franchises, (same as Novus) so they may well vary from store to store.

[Auzeras 28]

Well here's the follow up, walked in today, usual nice service & they said they'd call me back. Wasn't expecting it but four hours later a woman calls me from their Petone branch saying that she's really sorry but because my car's a bit older it's going to take 10 days to get the OE part from Germany!

Short story long I'm getting an OEM part fitted, so I'm happy with that! Hopefully it all goes together well. I'm glad they sorted their original mess, at least they can put it right. Will try somewhere else next time but wouldn't completely rule S&S out now.