It is a quite recurring topic in our blog how vehicle maintenance cannot just be overlooked or just checked close to a vehicle testing or auditing date. The same is valid for servicing costs: there is certainly good strategies that can be applied for optimising budgets for maintenance, but they do not necessarily include “choosing the cheapest option”.
Windscreens are a vital safety feature of a vehicle as they add considerable strength to the roof of a vehicle and can prevent occupants from being ejected from it. They can be considered the no.1 safety restraint of a vehicle. Many vehicle owners do not understand this and quickly choose the cheapest option for windscreen repairing and replacing - a decision that could cost your life.
An incorrectly installed windscreen could pop out in an accident, allowing the roof to cave in and crush the car's occupants. Furthermore, when the front airbags deploy, they exert a tremendous force on the windscreen (in particular on the passenger side) and can blow out one that is not firmly glued in place.
Riding on the latest tendencies due to the global economy for cutting costs, many uncertified windscreen operators have appeared, so you should be very careful before choosing who is going to replace/repair a damage for you. Windscreens have to be handled correctly, as well as have to be installed with the proper adhesives and making the job correctly takes time. Vehicles typically sit at least one hour before being driven and sometimes up to 12 hours: this is why, if you are enquiring for replacing your windscreen, you should not trust if you are told after the installation “you can take your car/van right away”.
A finished job should not leave any sign of debris or dirt: professionals have all the necessary equipment and experience to do the change properly, so nobody would ever notice you changed the windscreen. In the same way, pay attention to crackings and rock chips and do not trust a repairer that offers to just repair the windscreen and not replacing it if the crack is bigger than the bottom of a Coke can. If a cracking happens, try to protect it from dirt as it will be more difficult to repair it afterwards.
When you get a chip or a crack always look for a windscreen repair specialist.
