Why Bother With Auto Glass Repair?
Repairing a small crack on the vehicles front windshield provides many benefits to you, the car’s owner. Previously, we have written quite a bit about the emerging technology known as ADAS. Advanced Driver Assist Systems. Terms such as forward collision alert and lane departure warning are two of the more common ADAS’s. There are others. Should you wish, you can read more about them HERE and HERE.
Windshield Repair Benefits
What exactly does this mean for you, the reader? Or potential customer? Here are just a few benefits to rock chip repair…
- Safely restores the structural strength of the windshield.
- Windshield’s original factory urethane seal is preserved.
- Blocks moisture entry into the plastic laminate layer of the glass.
- Reduces the sun’s glare from the windshield’s damaged area.
- Glass surfaces is smoothed out for best windshield wiper use.
- Clarity of damaged area is almost completely restored.
And, most importantly…
- A repair will save you up to 95% the cost of a new windshield!
Also, please check out the following video from the National Windshield Repair Division of the Auto Glass Safety Council. You can watch it either on Twitter or YouTube. Video is only 85 seconds long but does a great job of explaining why vehicle owners with ADAS should consider auto glass repair vs. replacement. Enjoy.
Glass Repair Saves! Glass repair technicians are superheroes and automotive glass repair is often an alternative to complete windshield replacement!#autoglasssafety @AutoGlassSafety https://t.co/LAuzC059YO
— National Windshield Repair Division (@NWindshieldRD) June 21, 2022
Windshield Repair: Don’t Let Small Become Big
A few days ago, I noticed a small squealing noise coming from my engine compartment. After pulling into a large parking lot (thank you Target Mission Viejo), I popped the hood to see if I could determine the cause. While I am an experienced (and excellent) windshield repair tech, the same cannot be said about my diagnosing mechanical issue’s ability. And as you may have guessed, I could not figure out this particular problem.
A couple of days passed and the noise didn’t get any worse. But it didn’t get any better either. So, I decided to quit messing around and have the car professionally diagnosed. After driving over to one of my favorite local mechanics and describing the problem, we walk over to my car, pop the hood and start the car. It takes him all of 5 seconds to determine my water pump is on its last legs. So much for my brilliant deduction of serpentine belt replacement.
He then shows me where it is beginning to leak coolant fluid. There were just a few drips, but it was quite obvious once he pointed them out. It looked so easy for him because he knew where to look. This comes from training and experience. If I had decided to ignore the sound, the damage to my vehicle could have been much worse. Like new radiator worse. Or even new engine block worse. Water pump alone? Not bad. Add in new radiator? Not a deal breaker. A new engine, then we are talking mucho dinero. Or new car shopping time.
Don’t Drag Your Feet On Windshield Repair
So, what does a water pump have to do with windshield repair? Actually, not much. But it does have a lot to do with procrastination. Waiting to deal with an auto repair can lead to more money exiting your bank account vs. dealing with the issue right away. Doesn’t matter if it is your front windshield or your water pump. Paraphrasing the old (OK, very old) Fram Oil Filter commercial, your choice is to pay now or pay later. Problem is later is always more.
In the case with windshields equipped with ADAS (Advance Driver Assisted System), the replacement of your front windshield can easily run you on the wrong side of the 4-figure mark. ADAS includes such features as forward collision alert and lane departure warning, among others. The high replacement cost is due to the camera recalibration auto manufactures state must be performed whenever a new windshield is installed. And when adding the higher windshield part cost, glass labor, adhesives and miscellaneous parts to the calibration fee, it’s not hard to see how easy it is to reach the $1,000 mark.
Your Windshield Repair Solution
The question you have to ask yourself is $85 now vs. maybe $1,000+ later a good way to go? Honestly, this decision should take about 2.5 seconds to make. Windshield repair is a viable alternative when the damage is the size of a quarter or less. This type of repair is our specialty, having performed over 10,000 rock chip repairs. We at First Choice Windshield Repair can make sure your small problem doesn’t mushroom into a large one. And, whatever you do, get that rock chip repaired right away. Don’t let the hot weather make the decision for you.
Special shout-out to Tony over at A-K Auto Repair 23141 Orange Avenue Unit C & D, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 598-9000 as the inspiration for this post. Really good guy and business.
Don’t Let A Rock Chip Ruin Your Day
Imagine today is a good day. A great day in fact. Life is good. Bills are paid. Weather is nice. And you decide to go for a drive. Because it has been a while since you have done this. You jump on the freeway, crank up your favorite music and roll down the windows.
Then you remember the I-5 in south Orange County absolutely sucks. Pavement resembles an off-road trail instead of a freeway. And you begin to think that this might not have been the best idea. Then your suspicion is confirmed when a pebble jumps up and creates a rock chip in your front windshield.
After the swearing has subsided, you start thinking what’s next. Do I need to replace the windshield? Is there a way to repair it without changing the glass?
Rock Chip Repairs Are A Great Alternative Vs. Replacement
If this situation has ever happened to you, be thankful for the way this piece of glass is manufactured. All windshields are constructed with 2 layers of glass sandwiched around a plastic laminate in the middle. Like the meat of a sandwich. This is a requirement by the United Stated Department of Transportation (DOT).
This structure is incredibly strong. It supports the car’s roof structure during a rollover accident. Without this piece of glass properly installed, the front metal pieces (called A-pillars) would fold and the passenger compartment would be crushed the vehicle chassis. A properly installed front windshield also acts as a backstop for the passenger side air bag when it deploys.
When the damage caused by the road debris can be covered by a quarter, the rock chip can almost always be repaired. Like 99% of the time. And just to be clear, the damage is the physical impact point and anything spreading out from the impact point.
Fixing Rock Chips Saves You Money
So, you may think to yourself, “Self, it’s no big deal. I can live with this tiny amount of damage.” If you are thinking this way, smack yourself across your face a couple of times to snap yourself out of this delusion. OK. Maybe that is a little harsh. But sooner or later, that small rock chip can turn into a long crack. Once this happens, your only option is replacement.
Maybe you can roll the dice with an older vehicle where the difference of rock chip repair vs replacement may not be a huge difference. However, if you have a late model vehicle with lane departure or forward collision alert systems, replacing the front windshield will more than likely be a 4-figure expense.
In this case, it is a no-brainer to have that rock chip repaired. And to have it done as soon as possible. Bad roads (cough, I-5, cough), extreme temperatures or just pulling in and out of your driveway can cause that small ding on your windshield to become a huge crack.
Moral of the story: If you get a small rock chip, get it repaired right away. Look no further for mobile rock chip repair in south Orange County area. First Choice Windshield Repair can help you with this. We specialize in rock chip repairs, performing well over 10,000 of them since opening in 2008.
All About Auto Glass Repair
Lousy drivers, crummy weather or perhaps some good old road construction can become the cause of damage to your car’s front windscreen. These factors might even damage the other auto glass parts on your car too. Anyone who has driven the I-5 thru south Orange County lately knows what I am talking about. Even with brand new shocks on all 4 wheels, I wonder at times if I am still on a paved road. Mr. Toads Wild Ride anyone?
Anyway, the very first thought that pops into our mind is what is going to be the cost for auto glass repair. And hoping that you can avoid replacing the windscreen. As you can probably gather, auto glass repair is always less money than replacement. Sometimes ALOT less. Cars and trucks with ADAS fit this description. So what do you do?
Auto Glass Repair vs. Replacement?
To the outside world, repair and replace mean pretty much the same thing. Within the auto glass industry, they are vastly different terms. A few decades ago, some very clever people came up with the idea of filling small holes and cracks in the front windshield with a special resin. This process is now known as windshield repair. Or auto glass repair. And most commonly as rock chip repair.
This process put an end to the days of an automatic windshield replacement on really small dings. It also ended the automatic removal of large chunks of cash from your wallet. Due to the constant improvements in resin quality, injector tools and curing lamps, the auto glass repair end result is excellent. Not only in terms of preventing the crack from further expansion, but also the clarity of the damaged area.
In the case of major glass damage, your windshield must be replaced. And in the case with ADAS equipped vehicles, the cost can easily run into the 4-figure range. Lane departure warning and forward collision alert systems are all part of ADAS. Cameras allow for these systems to work. And the software must be re-calibrated anytime a windshield is replaced on vehicles with these systems. Current fees for this service seem to range from $300-500 range. Bear in mind this does NOT include the cost of glass, labor and materials. Isn’t technology wonderful?
The Auto Glass Repair Process
While windshield replacement requires the removal of the entire glass and installation of a new one, the repair process keeps the current windshield in place. And in the case of the factory installed glass, the original seal, the adhesive bond between glass and car, is kept intact too.
Auto glass repair entails completely filling the damaged area of the windshield with our high-quality resin, curing the resin with our high-powered LED curing lamp and then patching and polishing the surface damage. When done correctly by a trained and experienced profession (such as yours truly), the structural integrity of the windshield is restored to pre rock chip condition PLUS the damaged area looks almost like new.
I said almost. It will never be perfect. If you need perfect, break out your wallet and spring for a whole new windshield. This is your trade off. And ultimately your decision. But if you can live with some very minor flaws, the repair process will definitely save you money. And in the case of the newer ADAS equipped cars, ALOT of money.
Moral of the story: Get a small chip, get it repaired right away. If you are looking for auto glass repair in the south Orange County area, First Choice Windshield Repair can help. We specialize in rock chip repairs, performing well over 10,000 of them since opening in 2008.
Windshield Integrity Can Keep You Alive
Although windshield repair can seem like simple auto maintenance, it really isn’t. Just like an onion has many layers, so does the front windshield. It’s not just a piece of glass. Your windscreen protects you from weather, wind, rain, debris and bugs from entering the passenger compartment. It also helps keep the environment inside the car stable and calm. However, your windshield serves a much more important and greater purpose.
The front windshield is a critical component of your car’s ability to keep the driver and passengers safe. This is commonly referred as the Supplementary Restraint System (SRS). The SRS is found in all vehicles and is designed to provide protection against serious injury as well as death when an accident occurs. ALL vehicle’s front windshield provides a large percentage of the vehicle’s passenger compartment structural integrity. In the case of a rollover accident, this “piece of glass” is the main thing keeping you and your passengers among the living. Everyone should consider the front windshield just as important as your seat belts and airbags.
Windshield Importance in Collisions And Rollovers
Want to know just how important a properly installed windshield is? Of course you do. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has said that roughly 1/3 of the American highway fatalities occur after people are ejected from a vehicle. Many of these occur during rollovers. The National Glass Association (NGA) has confirmed that a large percentage of those fatalities occur because the windshield does not remain firmly bonded to the vehicle.
Almost all the cases of death by rollover is due to an improper replacement of a windshield. Meaning the installation was done by a glass company and not the factory. The main issue here is a poorly installed windshield will not remain firmly bonded to the body of the vehicle during a severe crash or rollover. The NHTSA states that rollovers account for just 3% of all collisions and accidents but are responsible for about 31% of crash and accident fatalities. Additionally, most rollovers involve just the one car.
Auto Glass Considerations
My guess is that for most people out there, this might come as a surprise. Maybe a shock. Good. It should. Replacing a windshield is a very exact procedure and it’s most important function is to restore the vehicle to factory safety standards. Making it look pretty is a far less important feature. For those individuals out there who will make 17 phone calls to save $5.00, hopefully this will stimulate the grey matter between your ears to ask the more important questions.
One of the best ways of avoiding the consequences of a poor installation is to have small windshield cracks repaired immediately. Don’t allow the damaged to grow if you can help it. First Choice has specialized in windshield repair since 2008 and have performed over 10,000 rock chip repairs. Keeping the front windshield factory seal intact is one way to ensure your car is safe for you and your passengers.
Hours Of Operation
| Monday | 8AM-5PM |
| Tuesday | 8AM-5PM |
| Wednesday | 8AM-5PM |
| Thursday | 8AM-5PM |
| Friday | 8AM-5PM |
| Saturday | 8AM-1PM |
| Sunday | Closed |