In most cases the decision to replace or repair your windshield can be made over the phone with the auto glass representative at the auto glass company you select.  Where insurance is involved, there are generally two differing sets of criteria/opinions that apply when making the decision to repair or replace your auto glass.  Insurance companies usually follow slightly different guidelines than do the auto glass companies in Phoenix.

Insurance companies are obviously very sensitive to cost and want to keep their claim totals as low as possible and therefore often try to direct a customer towards a windshield repair even if a windshield replacement is the more appropriate solution.  Most insurance companies have a rehearsed guideline that if the damage is “smaller than a dollar bill”, the windshield should be repaired.  According to the insurance companies, the exception to this rule comes about if the damage is in the drivers direct line-of-site.  If the damage is directly in front of the driver, most insurance companies will correctly recommend a windshield replacement in Arizona because the repaired area might still be visible and potentially pose as distraction to the driver.

On the other hand, most auto glass companies in Arizona are willing to provide repair service to anything smaller than a quarter in size but in many cases are hesitant to attempt to repair a crack 2 – 6 inches in length.  In our option this reluctance is justified as most large cracks are difficult to contain and can cause significant reduction in visual clarity.

Another reason that many Phoenix auto glass shops won’t attempt to repair cracks larger than an inch or so is that if insurance work is being performed by the glass shop, the insurance company will usually require that the company doing the work guarantee the the repair won’t spread.  If it does, the insurance company requires that shop to give them a credit on the replacement equal to the money the insurance company paid to have the windshield repaired.

Having been in the industry for several years, the staff at AutoGlassReviews.com recommends not attempting to repair anything larger than two inches.  In most cases, you as the consumer, can insist on a windshield replacement in Arizona if your damage is longer than an inch or so.

A quality chip repair should take about 30 minutes or less and should result in a significant cosmetic improvement to the damaged area.  The age of the chip can impact the success or failure of a repair, so try to repair it as early as possible to avoid the damage getting clogged with dirt or spreading unecessarily.  Temperature fluctuations in the glass can also speed up the time that it takes for a chip to turn into a crack which is another reason to get your windshield repaired quickly.  Car washes and very hot or very cold climates are perfect environments for a chip to turn into a crack.

Whether you decide to have your automobile windshield repaired or decide on a windshield replacement in Arizona, we are currently recommending Gorilla Auto Glass as our Phoenix auto glass shop of choice.  You can reach them at 602-885-5330.

{ 0 comments }