Dealing with a damaged windshield? Think you’ll save some cash by performing the repairs at home? While it’s true that purchasing an auto glass repair kit is cheaper than getting professional windshield repairs, it’s also true that DIY auto glass repair usually doesn’t go well.
If you’re seriously considering handling your own crack repair or rock chip repair, there are a few things you should know before you make a decision. Read on to learn why using a cheap DIY auto glass repair kit isn’t the best idea.
A Low-Cost Kit Yields A Low-Quality Repair
Most commercially available windshield repair kits cost less than $20. Why? Because they contain low-quality tools and filler materials that yield a low-quality repair. Couple those materials with a lack of training and experience in proper windshield repair techniques, and you definitely have a problem.
Ultimately, you could end up with a totally botched repair job, or worse, you might even further the existing damage. As the saying goes: You get what you pay for.
Windshield Rock Chip Repair & Crack Repair Has Stipulations
Not all windshield chips and cracks can be repaired. If you don’t have training and experience performing auto glass repairs, you won’t know how to assess the size, depth, complexity, and location of the damage you’d like to fix. Without that knowledge, you could end up performing (or attempting to perform) a repair on a chip or crack that necessitates a complete windshield replacement.
Ultimately, the damage will spread and you’ll end up needing replacement auto glass anyway. Worse, repairing glass damage that actually requires a windshield replacement could put your safety at risk while you drive.
You Can’t Fix A Botched DIY Windshield Repair
If you mess up your DIY windshield repair — which is likely given most kits’ poor instructions and your own lack of experience — you can’t fix it. And neither can a professional windshield repair specialist. At that point, you’ll have no choice but to get a complete windshield replacement.
If you let the damage sit, you could put your safety at risk, which is especially likely if the botched repair job is in your line of sight while you drive.
Using A Kit Could Void Your Insurance Coverage
If you have comprehensive coverage and perform your own windshield repairs, you could void your insurance coverage for a windshield replacement when you end up needing one. Since your insurance company would’ve paid out far less for auto glass repairs if you had pursued them in the first place, they may refuse coverage for a new windshield.
Of course, this all depends on your insurer, but it’s something to think about nonetheless. You might save money in the short run by buying a kit rather than paying your repair deductible. But even so, is it really worth it if you end up shelling out hundreds for a new windshield in the end?
Improper Kit Use Is Likely
Although DIY repair kit instructions might seem pretty straightforward, they’re often used incorrectly simply because most people don’t have experience performing auto glass repairs.
If you end up being one of the people who used one of these kits improperly, you could easily end up with a botched crack or chip repair that puts your windshield at risk of further damage. And if you end up with a botched repair job during winter, freezing temperatures could cause the crack or chip to expand far beyond its current size.
Ultimately, you may end up needing a complete windshield replacement instead of a simple, quick, and inexpensive professional windshield repair.
It’s Tough to Determine Which Cracks Can Be Repaired
If you have little to no experience performing windshield repairs, you likely won’t be able to determine which types of glass damage can actually be repaired. And if you attempt to repair damage that’s too large or complex for simple repairs, you’ll end up wasting both your time and the money you paid for the repair kit.
Only a professional auto glass repair specialist can determine whether a windshield chip or crack can be repaired. Attempting to repair damage on your own that actually necessitates a full replacement could put your safety at risk, as your windshield provides a certain degree of structural support for your vehicle’s frame.
If you’re involved in a collision after you perform such a DIY repair, your windshield could fail much more easily under duress.
DIY Repairs Don’t Come With Warranties
When you get repairs from a reputable auto glass repair shop, you get a warranty that guarantees the work was performed properly. If there’s a failure within the warranty period, you can take your vehicle back to the shop that performed the work, and they’ll handle the rest.
When you use a DIY repair kit, you don’t get any kind of guarantee, so if you mess up, that’s on you, and you’ll be stuck with a botched windshield until you have it professionally repaired or replaced.
Get Affordable Windshield Repairs In the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro
If you’re dealing with a damaged windshield, don’t try to tackle the repairs by yourself. Get in touch with our team at Only 1 Auto Glass for the best windshield repair service in the Twin Cities metro. Whether you’ve got a few rock chips or a minor crack or two, we can repair your windshield quickly and to the highest quality standard.
To schedule an appointment for in-shop or mobile repairs, give us a call today at 651-789-1111 or request a free estimate, and we’ll be in touch!