We have all experienced it. You’re driving down the road and all of a sudden a rock hits the windshield, creating a chip in the glass. What most people don’t know is that the majority of these fractures can be repaired — if caught in time — keeping repair costs to a minimum and keeping glass out of our landfills.
In addition, many insurance companies waive comprehensive deductible charges when the customer decides to repair the windshield instead of replacing it. Both parties win by spending less money on a repair. Windshield repair is a permanent solution to an age-old problem. Chips happen, and they can be easily repaired at a minimal cost and with a decent profit margin that can add to your bottom line. And in today’s tough economic environment, windshield repair is being recognized by many different industries, such as detailers, carwashes, lube shops and auto dealerships, as a way to positively impact their businesses with an additional service offering.
Savings multiplied.
Windshield repair is a great first choice over replacement for a variety of reasons as it:
• Saves money: Repair is a fraction of the cost of replacement.
• Saves time: Repair is fast, usually 15-20 minutes, whereas replacement can take hours.
• Saves glass: Repair keeps the damage from spreading and provides a great looking result.
• Saves the environment: Most people don’t know that laminated windshield glass is not recycled. When they choose repair first, it keeps their glass out of the landfill (see photo).
• Retains the original factory bond: Repair brings the windshield back to factory specifications and retains the original factory bond (if it has not been previously replaced), which means safety will not be compromised for drivers and their passengers. An improperly replaced windshield may create a safety risk whereby air bags could blow out a windshield and therefore not provide the intended safety.
A successful windshield repair will arrest the cracking of the glass. With the average replacement cost hovering around $350, your customer is usually happy to live with a barely noticeable repair, while paying a small fraction of the replacement cost. And they may not pay anything out of pocket when utilizing their insurance coverage.
Did you know?
Far more automotive glass reaches our landfills than you would expect. Some facts:
• In the United States alone, more than 11 million windshields go into our landfills annually.
• Glass takes more than 1 million years to decompose in our landfills.
• Windshield glass is difficult and expensive to recycle because the glass is two-ply laminated and contains a PVB layer that must be separated. Much of this glass also has integrated heating elements and antenna and cannot be returned to the glass furnace for reuse.
Conclusion.
If a chip or starburst is fixable (less than a quarter in size) and in not directly in your field of vision, have your windshield repaired. Call us and describe your damage so we can get you into our schedule ASAP.