Week Eight In Which My Volvo’s FIFTH Windscreen Is Fitted

I am an expert consumer of stuff involving breaking things. I know all about cracked screens of all types. Like why you should only to get into the smart phone world of so called Gorilla Glass (It might be better called eggshell glass for all of me) if you can afford to insure it against dropping the phone in the gutter (or loo) when you go to get a pizza because you are in the grip of the hilarious Galaxy S4 meme. (I was so agreeing with that!) And because I had had full-on textual lunacy across continents through my iPod Touch 4th Gen. before, it had become an extension of my paw. When I got the Galaxy S4, it was like the time we got rid of the huge cathode ray tube TV and got a plasma. It felt huge. Anyway, if you kept up with that meander… I broke my S4 front glass on day two. I hadn’t been able to get a case. I was insured but am unhappy it happened.
And my car, well it has just gone through the quarter million mile mark and is in a very tatty condition and has yet another brand new windscreen in it. Its fifth since I got it at 55,000 miles. I was bloody terrified as a large rock flew up and WHUMPED right centre and two thirds up, on the motorway at 70 mph. I have accidentally lost the picture I took of my smashed screen, (along with some others, don’t you hate the accidental erase?) but the round unbroken central part was a couple of inches across, with circular fractures in dense rings to six inches out, then a series of annular fractures to a big fifteen inch subwoofer sized crack.
I had all sorts of odd things stuck to the inside of the screen that had to be removed. A dash cam, the sensor to my concierge GPS system and the dangly Mike Wazowski window thingy from Monsters Inc. As well as an Autoglass tax disc holder from the last time it happened and even a Top Gear magazine fleet sticker I got once and kept for ever! But despite the fact that Gareth, my Autoglass worker, was a bit peaky and didn’t like working under his clever extending side canopy, he did a sterling job after I administered a Lem-Sip! My glass is stuck in beautifully but the surrounding trims are definitely a bit sad-looking now.
As ever, lots to write up and also, there’s all sorts of exciting things happening on the site associate front but more of that later. I think I want to steal a great idea from Steve Meade.. So, System Of The Month a new thing we must do I am not going to be lofty about it . Not about the cars and installs but I DO want good snaps just like you might find in a car audio magazine. Now, I know that’s a big ask but the advice is simple. Don’t go in too close just because you know the nap of your carpet. Try to get the shot but include enough car to work out where it is inside it. But if you DO have a system you want featured, then message me by any means you see damn fit and show me a snap or two GO!
Adam Rayner On Line Editor