After a tiny chip in a neighbor’s windshield turned into an expensive full windshield replacement, I decided to have a small chip in my windshield repaired. Deciding where to have it done was an interesting learning process. I ultimately had it repaired at my local tire company, and for some important reasons.
No Appointment Necessary
Car owners who once ignored small windshield chips and cracks caused by a flying stone have learned even the smallest chip or crack can spread over an entire car windshield, especially in very cold weather. After checking with my local dealership, an auto glass repair shop and my local tire company, I found all three offered windshield repair and replacement services. However, the local tire company was the only one where no appointment was necessary. During a quick phone conversation, the store manager also pointed out some additional advantages of having the repair done there.
- Unlike some other repair systems, the high-tech liquid resin and UV light system used requires no waiting or drying time.
- Most chips and cracks less than a quarter in diameter could be repaired in less than 25 minutes.
- If full replacement was necessary, mobile service was also available, just in case I was too busy to have it done at the store.
- Whether I needed a repair or replacement, the store manager also offered to contact my insurance company to see if any deductible might be waived, so a repair might actually require little or no out of pocket expense on my part.
Safety
Both the auto glass repair shop and my local tire company assured me that any repair or replacement would be made to Auto Glass Repair Safety Standards (AGRSS). Both use top quality Original Equipment products or Original Equipment Equivalent replacement glass products.
Technicians at both stores also receive extensive training and use the latest equipment to ensure every glass repair or replacement is made to the highest quality factory and national safety standards. After all, a faulty repair or improper windshield replacement could become a serious safety hazard. The windshield is an essential part of every vehicle’s driver and occupant safety system. In the event of an impact, it allows the airbags to deploy in the correct position. It also prevents you and your family from being ejected from the vehicle during a serious collision. And, in the event of a rollover, the windshield also helps keep the roof from crushing in on you and your passengers. In fact, the windshield provides up to 45% of the cabin’s structural integrity during a frontal or side impact, and up to 60% in a rollover accident.
Convenience Plus
Even if I didn’t know where to go for a windshield repair or replacement, my tire company offered more locations in my area to have it done. A quick check on the Internet offered me a choice of fifteen different store locations within ten miles of my home. My dealership service department is within that ten mile area but required a service appointment. A national auto glass repair chain offered seven locations within a ten mile area, but also required I make a service appointment.
Another feature I appreciated on the tire company web site was that, after entering my zip code, I was given a list that included the address, phone number, driving distance, store hours and a hot link to each location. A click on the hot link then showed me an exterior photo of the store and also offered a mapping function to help me plan the most efficient driving route from my home directly to the store. In addition, my tire discount also offered a battery check service, free tire inspection and complimentary multi-point vehicle inspection to ensure my car would be ready for even the most severe winter driving.
According to the National Glass Association, over 4 million damaged windshields are repaired annually. So, know you options. Know where to go for no appointment necessary, high quality and convenient windshield repair or replacement before that chip or crack in your windshield turns into a more serious and more expensive problem.