How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Windshield?

“How much does it cost to replace a windshield?” that is the first question people ask when they have a broken windshield glass. Honestly, replacing a windshield can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. The exact price depends on your vehicle, the kind of windshield you want, the part of world you are in, and your supplier. As a rough estimate, it costs about $500 to replace the windshield of a regular sedan.

Some people have auto glass coverage insurance, which helps bring down the cost somewhat. But not everyone does. And those of us who don’t have insurance, will have to pay the full price to replace the windshield.

You May Not Need Replacement

Before you go on and decide to replace your windshield, consider if it can be repaired. First thing you want to see is if it’s just a chip damage. Chip damage is small enough, and can be easily repaired at home or by professionals. It is important to note that you should never ignore repairing chips, as they can lead to cracks later on.

So, if you have a chip damage, you can repair it at home with ease. There are many windshield repair kits available out there that you can use. If you go over here, you can see that we have selected the best windshield repair kits for you. These kits come with good instructions and work flawlessly.

Long Cracks Can Be Repaired as Well

So what if your chip damage has spread and caused a crack in the windshield? You can still repair it, depending on the length of the crack. If your crack is less than 24 inches long, then it can be repaired. You can either repair it at home, or take it to a local auto glass shop. If you decide to do it yourself, you need to purchase the windshield repair kit named “Crack Eraser”. This kit is what professionals use to repair windshields every day. You can use it too, and save some money. If you go here to our homepage, you can see that kit listed there. Once again, the name of the kit is “Crack Master”.

Huge Cracks Can’t Be Repaired

Like we said before, if your windshield crack is less than 24 inches, it can be repaired. Cracks longer than that can’t be repaired properly. You may still try if you like, but we don’t recommend it. You might end up wasting your money. Instead, use that money toward new windshield (or a used one).

How to Reduce New Windshield Cost?

If your crack isn’t small enough to be repaired, you may have to replace your windshield, sadly. But, there are still ways to reduce the cost of new windshield glass. First of all, if you have an automobile insurance which covers auto glass, then you be lucky. You won’t have to pay much, or nothing at all. If you are unsure whether your insurance company covers it, call them up and confirm.

Secondly, if you don’t have automobile insurance which covers glass replacement, then you can try to get your hands on a used windshield glass. You can find used windshield glasses at your local used parts store. I have done that many times for my clients in the past. Used windshield, as long as they don’t have chip damages or cracks, are like brand new. You won’t even notice the difference once it’s on your car and all cleaned up.

Last but not the least, try to get a discount from your local auto glass shop. Call all the local shop and see what they have to offer. Sometimes they have special promotional prices which are reasonable. Oh, and having friends that can get you some discount always helps.

Mobile vs. In-Shop Windshield Replacement

If nothing of above worked for you, then I guess it’s time to get your windshield replaced at normal price. Local auto glass shops offer different kinds of services to make our life easier. They offer mobile windshield replacement and in-shop windshield replacement.

If I was offered the same price for both types of services, then I would pick mobile. Mobile options is more convenient and safe (at least for me). The thing is, once your windshield is replaced, it usually needs some time to “sit-in” properly. With mobile option, you can just leave it in your garage and go do your other things while it sits. However, if you are in-shop, you will have to drive back, and that may cause disturbances in the windshields (not always but sometimes it does). Why take the risk when you are spending hundreds of dollars on this expensive piece of glass?

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you understand the cost, alternative options, and risks involved with replacing your car’s windshield. Don’t forget to try the windshield repair kits before you replace the windshield. They are super cheap and effective. If you have any questions or comments, do leave them in the comments below. Also, if you have had to deal with broken windshield in the past, what did you do? Do let us know. Thanks for reading.