2023 Suzuki Swift Pricing and Specs

In modern cars with bonded windscreen, the glass is actually a structural part of the car. Therefore, if the car cops a big enough impact (say, hitting a pothole at speed) it’s conceivable that the stress passing through the whole car could cause a crack in the glass. Stress cracks in windscreens are usually fairly straight and will emanate from the edge of the glass.

The other way to crack a windscreen is to subject it to extremes of temperature. Pouring boiling water over an icy windscreen on a cold morning is a great way to crack the glass, but high interior temperatures in hot weather can also cause cracking in extreme cases.

Suzuki, like just about every other car-maker has a list of things that aren’t covered by warranty, including batteries, tyre, brakes pads and, as you’ve discovered, glass.

The first thing to know is that if the car is not presented for delivery in the condition in which bit was described in the contract of sale, you don’t have to accept it. Without knowing the exact circumstances, it sounds as though the car may have ben used as the dealership’s demonstrator model. If that’s the case, it should be sold as such and at a discount to your fiancée.

Check the date of first registration. That might give you a clue as to how long it’s actually been driven on the road. You would expect a handful of kilometres to be added as the car is sent for pre-delivery and detailing, but 800km seems a bit sharp. If you go ahead, make sure you ask whether the warranty will start from the day you take delivery or will be back-dated to the date of first registration.