For many people, the question of when you need a car window repair may seem rather obvious; when it’s broken. However it’s not just having a smashed or heavily broken window that you need to be wary of, a small chip can turn into a much bigger problem if it isn’t sorted promptly. Damaged or chipped glass, however small, can break when you hit a bump in the road, causing shattering that may be messy and dangerous.

The danger may go beyond a few glass shavings in your arm and some quality time with your first aid kit, as window glass also provides important structural purposes in the event of an accident. The best advice you can adhere to is; never drive with damaged glass longer than you need to.

How To Choose A Reliable Car Window Repair Service

When a window breaks on your car, many people aren’t sure who they should call, and especially if it’s urgent, you may not want to spend time researching beforehand. This is why it’s important to know, say, the top 3 companies, so that way even if you rush-replace, you can be confident you’re getting a high quality and reasonably priced repair.

The top repair or replacement companies in the US include; AutoZone Auto Parts ProCare service, Glass Doctor Auto Repair and Harmon Auto Glass.

Let’s take a look at these and what they have to offer:

1. AutoZone Auto Parts ProCare

The service can match you with local repair shops that have experience with repairing your particular glass, and it only matches you with qualified providers that are properly equipped to repair your glass. This has a local business feel to it but on a national scale, which is the basis of the confidence the customers have in this company.

2. Harmon Auto Glass

As a national chain, they are a well respected and established business with stores in all US states. They have an excellent customer service team and also provide in-shop repairs and call-outs.

3. Glass Doctor Auto Repair

An International repair company. The offer repairs anywhere you may be from your home, work or the roadside.

Auto Glass Repair Shops to Steer Clear Of

  • Ones that don’t have an established address, and only a cell phone number. This could mean several things, such as not being fully licensed to repair car windows.
  • Shops that quote a small time frame. Ideally, you can the repair to be an hour to just over an hour, if it is considerably quicker than that, then that could mean they are using cheap materials and you’ll have to pay out again in the near future
  • Avoid repair services from car dealerships, they often charge much more than the market price.
  • You want to swerve shops that don’t use DOT or OEM parts. This is because OEM parts are replacement parts that are made by the same manufacturer of the original parts on your vehicle.

24 Hour Repair Services

Several shops use the 24-hour service, and this service is invaluable to the point where you shouldn’t really consider not using one if it’s from a reputable company. As stated earlier, you don’t want to be driving your car around with a damaged window longer than you need to, so on the chance that your window becomes damaged out of working hours, which is entirely possible if not likely with leisure evening activity continuing to grow, then you will likely need a 24 hour service.

Glass Doctor and Harmon offer 24-hour repair call-outs. Some AutoZone stores offer the 24-hour service.

Car window repair costs and insurance coverage

Many people often assume that car window damage or at least windscreen damage is covered in their insurance policy, however, this is often not the case. The likelihood is, if you have third party cover, the insurers won’t pay out, however, this may also be true for comprehensive insurance. To check if you are covered, you need to read through your documents, as tedious as this may be.

With windscreen insurance, you can recover the cost of the repair, and the excess you will have to pay is typically low and won’t affect your any claims bonus. Replacements typically cost anywhere from$180-$350, and chip repairs are much cheaper.

Concluding Thoughts

In today’s society, a lot of people are looking for the most cost-effective solution to their problem, and the key to that is simply to know when you have a problem and how to fix it properly so you don’t have to fix it again. Many people are unsure exactly when they need to repair a chipped window, ‘it’s tiny’ you say, all it takes is to drive over an uneven piece of road and your tiny chip is suddenly a badly cracked window; so if you have a chip, no matter what size, get it fixed.

Make sure you go to a reputable provider, we have listed a few here, but there are others and know the sort of price it should be, you shouldn’t have to pay through the roof, nor should you be paying too little as that could be cheap and poorly done.

Once you have chosen your company, be sure to ask the time frame when getting your quote, less than an hour could mean cheap adhesives and the problem will persist. Lastly, talk to your insurance provider to check if you are able to recover the cost of the repair, and perhaps if you’re someone who is prone to cracking their windows, you may want to purchase insurance with windscreen and window cover included.

With so many Car Window Repair services out there, it can often feel like a jumble sale when choosing the one for you, and I hope this sheds some light on what you should be looking for, what you shouldn’t and when you need to repair.

 

DISCLAIMER: This article is for guidance only. Always consult with a Specialist on everything.