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If you have ever had a broken windshield glass, you know that replacing it can cost you hundreds of dollars. Auto glass repair isn’t cheap, unless you have friends to give you discounts. In the past, we didn’t have many options when it came to repairing windshields. Full replacement was the go-to-option. Fortunately, nowadays, we have many other alternatives for cheap auto glass repair.
In this article, I’m going to share some of those windshield repair alternatives with you. Before you decide to replace your windshield completely, do give these options a thought. They may save you a lot of money.
- Firstly, see if you can get a new windshield for a discounted price. It’s better if you have friends in auto glass industry, they can sometimes get you good discounts. Large businesses buy these products wholesale, and it doesn’t cost them very much. And they need customers, so try to get discount and see if the cost is reasonable.
- Secondly, you can try the used auto parts stores. You can get a good windshield from them for a good price. They might not always have the windshield for your car’s make and model, but doesn’t hurt to try.
- Lastly, you should try windshield repair kits (in my opinion, this is the best option). There are many quality auto glass repair kits available in the market for cheap. Compared to the cost of buying a new windshield, the cost of windshield repair kits are minimal. However, you need to be aware of the type and length of the crack before you buy a kit.
Table of Contents
Types of Windshield Cracks
There are many types of cracks that you can have on your windshield. The most common ones are Bull’s eye, chip, combination break, crack chip, ding, edge crack, floater crack, half moon, long crack, partial bull’s eye, pit, star break, stress cracks, and stone break.
I know these terms may be very unfamiliar, so I have included some illustrations to help you visualize the common types. Name don’t matter that much. You can repair pretty much any type of crack nowadays.
A few years ago, the tools used for repairing windshield weren’t made public. They were used by professionals only. However, it’s a completely different story now. These professional tools are available online for you to buy. If you are a somewhat technical person, or have a passion for learning new things, you can definitely use these tools with ease.
Repairing Small Chips and Cracks is Important
If you have a small chip or crack on your windshield; don’t delay the repair. All long cracks start with these smaller ones. Over time, they just keep getting longer and longer until the glass shatters completely.
These smaller ones are very easy to repair and cost just 10-20 dollars. They will save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. They are many high quality windshield repair kits for small cracks that you can buy. I have included the best ones below for you to consider.
So, What About the Longer Cracks?
When you contact your local auto glass repair shop regarding the long cracks, the answer you would most likely get is that you need to replace the windshield. Don’t believe them! There are tools available for you to repair those long windshield cracks.
The kits I have listed below, for long crack repairs, are the same ones used by professionals used all over the world. They use quality resins which fix easily with some ultraviolet light. These kits are somewhat more expensive than the standard chip repair kits, but they are worth the price. It’s a good one time investment.
Conclusion
Cheap auto glass repair is possible with the right tools. Using the appropriate kits, you can repair almost any type of windshield crack. I hope the information presented in this article helps you repair your auto glass and helps you save some time. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to share.
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In your article, you stated that the most common ones are Bull’s eye, chip, combination break, crack chip, ding, edge crack, floater crack, half moon, long crack, partial bull’s eye, pit, star break, stress cracks, and stone break. While I was coming home from work yesterday a rock flew off a truck and cracked my windshield. Officially how big does the crack need to be before it can be replaced?