A small chip or crack in your windscreen (as fairly inconspicuous or unproblematic as it may appear) can be the beginning of major problems. For instance, if you switch your heater on on a cold winter’s morning, the sudden change in temperature within the car in comparison to the cold temperature outside can cause a crack to expand eventually causing your windscreen to shatter. The opposite may also apply and I can bear personal testimony to this. If it’s a phenomenally hot day (like what is experienced at around mid February in South Africa) and you have your air-conditioner on, any small peddle from the roadside hitting onto your windscreen can cause it to chip and eventually shatter your windscreen.
Even though replacing your windscreen may be a lot more expensive than repairing it, the unsightly look of a drilled and filled windscreen is not something you ‘d like to have on your car. A windscreen is, after all, like a person’s face. Any abnormal deficiency eventually does become noticeable.
Unfortunately, most businesses nowadays are out to exploit their customers in ways previously unheard of. You may find yourself paying for a replacement window glass at a price almost 200 percent above cost. It is through this reason why it automatically becomes so crucial to get a quote from at least three auto glass retailers. Most insurance companies actually emphasize the need to get at least three quotes. The following information will be needed when requesting a quote.
- Vehicle year on manufacture
- Vehicle make (i.e. Toyota)
- Vehicle model (i.e. Corolla 140i )
- Glass section (i.e. windshield, left rear door)
Getting the cheapest quote does tend to come with its drawbacks. I ended up standing approximately forty-five minutes in the blazing sun before I was attended to. I also had to assist the workers in getting the job done. I was fortunate that it was my back windshield that was shattered making driving to the place not as bad. The process is fairly simple.
Step 1: The remnants of the old windshield need to be removed. This involves taking out all large pieces of glass as well as the smaller ones. Ensure that you are wearing gloves when doing this as you may find the tinier splinters finding their way into the crevices of your skin.
Step 2: The rubber lining which secures the windshield in place needs to be removed. This facilitates the removal of all glass imbedded within the crevices of the window fitting as well as an easy access path for the new windshield.
Step 3: A proper adhesive glass bonding glue needs to be applied to the metallic work of the car wherein the new glass will fit as well as around the edges of the new windshield pane. Ensure that your auto glass fitting agent is not too sparing in his use of bonding glue as any inconsistencies in application can lead to improper bonding, cabin wind noise at a speed, or a water leak.
Step 4: Placing the windshield can be a bit tricky. If your auto glass retailer is fairly renowned and well established, you may find the repairmen using devices such as suction cups to place your windshield in place. If they’re more of a budget, low-cost, back-alley type of operation then you may find two workers carefully trying to place the windshield in place occasionally touching your paintwork with the bonding glue.
Step 5: Once the glass is in place, the excess adhesive seal should be removed from the edges of the glass pane. A new rubber seal can then be placed on top of the window pane. All that is needed now needed is a bit of time to allow the sealant to cure and for the window to set in place.