Complaint Review: Safelite AutoGlass (Nathan Holley Claims Adjuster Safelite Property & Casualty Claims)

Well, this whole mess started back on March 9, 2008. Called safelite on that sunday to find out how much it would be to replace the windshield on my 1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z. I was told just over $230 and that it could be done the following day, so I set up the appointment and made sure to tell the lady that this was a RARE car, that the tech needs to be CAREFUL. She said the techs are very careful, so I let it go. The following day (March 10),the tech (who could barely speak english) came to install the windshield, and before he started I told him NOT TO BREAK ANYTHING. Again, I told him it was a rare car and parts are nearly impossible to find. After he looked at the car he informed me that I needed to take out the t-tops in order for him to replace the windshield without breaking anything, which I did. An hour and a half later he tells me it's done, and when I go outside to look I find every piece of trim around the windshield is broken. This isn't the normal trim, this covers the entire a-pillar of the car because of the t-tops. It also forms the leading edge of the door because there is no window frame on the door. I went balistic. Then he hands me a paper that he JUST finished filling out title "Pre-Installation Inspection", and he has it marked that the trim was broken before he started, and expects me to sign it- I refused and called his supervisor. Mr. Supervisor told me that he would be out the following day, and that he's been installing windshields for 20 years. He told me that he had the correct trim for the car with t-tops.

March 11, 2008. Mr. Supervisor comes out, and he's younger than I am (I am 35). There is NO WAY this guy's been installing for 20 years. Mr. Supervisor informs me that he does NOT have the correct trim, but he will have HIS supervisor come out and look at the car.

March 12, 2008. Mr James Van Horn (Tech Manager) comes to look at the car. I was informed that the first guy NEVER SHOULD HAVE TOUCHED THE CAR. This type of install should have been done by a supervisor or manager. Pictures are taken anf Mr. Van Horn tells me that he WILL find the parts, and if he can't, he will have them made. I question how long it will take (because I will not wait for months on end) and he tells me a month tops.

Jumpt ahead a week. Safelite corporate calls me and says they cannot find the parts and they can give me $100 for their screw up if I sign a waiver releasing them from liability. I tell them I had an offer for the car of $8000 three weeks prior to having the windshield replaced and informed them the in the condition it was currently in, I would be lucky to get $600. I told them where they could place their form and $100.

Following week i get reimbursed $50 for an "overcharge on labor". No word on having trim made.

I get an e-mail from Mr. Nathan Holley informing me that the offer is now $250 because they can't find the trim. I call Mr. Holley to discuss having the trim made and he tells me he will look into it. This is mid-April. I Notify the Ohio and North Carolina attorney generals offices, and the Charlotte (N.C.) Better business bureau, as well as find 3 shops within 15 miles of me that will make the trim (but not for $250). It takes a month for Safelite to reply to the BBB and they pull the "Customer is being un-cooperative" line. They do not reply to the BBB again and the BBB is forced to close the case as "Unresolved-Unsatisfactory". I take the time to contact a local news crew that handles "questionable business practices".

Jump to mid-May. News crew calls me and asks if I have heard from Safelite, since they will not return the news stations calls or e-mails. I have heard nothing since mid-April. They ask if I have found any parts, and as it happens I found someone who had access to 2 of these cars with t-tops and complete windshield trim. I also tell them I have 3 shops that will make the trim if it comes down to it. The call ends with a promise to keep the station up to date with the "story"

Now we get to more recent times. The guy with the parts removes them from the donor cars. I send Safelite an e-mail with the guys information. This guy has sent me pictures of the parts so I know they are correct. Safelite contacts him and purchases the parts on July 3rd, 2008. The guy then calls me and tells me Safelite has possesion of the parts on July 7th. I still have heard nothing from Safelite at this point. On July 14, I get a call from Mr. Nathan Holley and he informs me all cheery like that he has the parts on his desk, but Safelite will not install them. He wants to send them to me to have them installed by someone else, send me $100, "and that will be the end of the claim". I inform him that by this point, I will require a full refund of the price of the windshield install ($184), a $250 finders fee for doing all the work to find the parts, the $250 "offer" for damaging the car to begin with, and if I have to install the trim, another $250 for labor, for a total of $934. He ended the call.

And thats where I stand. I have a call in to the news station and am waiting for a call back. 5 months of hell and I still have a damaged car.

So that's my beef with Safelite, hope somebody looking for a company to replace a windshield reads this and calls someone else.

E.K.
Davidson, North Carolina
U.S.A.