haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
 ·Comcast
| Small windshield chip
I noticed a small chip in the windshield.
I found this »www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_···l?page=1 and it looks like a very good write up.
Just wondering if anyone has done the repair. How easy is it (and how easy is it to mess up...my specialty)? Any suggestions? Any products better than others?
Thanks! |
|
Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| Permatex 16067 Bullseye Windshield Repair Kit
»www.amazon.com/Permatex-16067-Bu···00HBI9XW
quote:
Price: $10.49 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
The above will work on most bullseye type chips.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
|
seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs: 
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to haroldo
Another option to consider is contacting your insurance company and report the ding. So long as it isn't larger than a $1 bill and isn't in your direct line of sight, they will typically dispatch a repair contractor, free of charge.
I have Geico and have done this twice. Rates did not increase and the company is very friendly with setting up the appointment, getting the details, etc. Your insurance company and experience may vary.
Both repairs were done by SafeLite and outlasted the windshield. It developed a fatal crack a couple years after the last patch and had to be replaced. The crack was not caused by the initial dings. It was caused by a rock kicked up by a dump truck. |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
3 edits | Cool, I use GEICO.
edit
I called...
Per GEICO, that coveraged is only offered in NY, CT, AZ and Minn.
edit
they called back and said it is covered, they'll waive the deductable...yippee!!!! |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to Doctor Olds
The product got some bad reviews. I assume you liked it...are the complaints at Amazon... on target? |
|
Mchart
Super Joe
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
 ·AT&T Yahoo
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to haroldo
If the chip is small enough you won't need to do anything as it won't cause the window to start cracking. You only have to worry if the chip went down deep enough to crack through the first pane of glass.
--
THIS IS SPENCER. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - I HAVE JOE. RETURNING TO BASE. |
|
seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to haroldo
said by haroldo  :Cool, I use GEICO. edit I called... Per GEICO, that coveraged is only offered in NY, CT, AZ and Minn. edit they called back and said it is covered, they'll waive the deductable...yippee!!!! I was gonna say, I'm in MD and we've got that here. Glad they caught their mistake. You will have to sign a waiver from Safe Lite or whoever does the work that there's the chance the windshield could crack. If it does, you will be liable for the comprehensive deductible to replace the windshield. Just don't be spooked when they bring it up. |
|
Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to haroldo
said by haroldo :The product got some bad reviews. I assume you liked it...are the complaints at Amazon... on target? I've used 4 Brands (including the Permatex) with good to excellent results from all. You must follow the printed instructions. There is a review where it worked well, but they admitted there was prep time needed and cleanup time. People in a hurry should pay to have it fixed.  Plus you know some men don't read instructions until after it doesn't work. LOL
Here is a another Brand of the product.
Fix-A-Flat - Fix-A-Windshield, Do-It-Yourself Windshield Repair Kit (161890)
»www.amazon.com/Fix-Flat-Windshie···to_img_b
quote:
List Price: $19.48
Price: $12.66
You Save: $6.82 (35%)
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Best Price Mirror.
If your Insurance will pay to fix it, then let them as the Glass Techs do those repairs all day and know all the subtleties.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
|
tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to haroldo
My recommendation would be to use Safelite with the new technique that they use. They actually connect a pump over the crack and creates suction and pulls the epoxy into the crack. It's more expensive (I think they charge about $65) but GEICO should pay for the repair with no deductible.
Also, if you leave the chip there is a _very_ good chance that it will spread, especially in winter. Water enters the crack, freezes, expands and the chip starts to crack. |
|
3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| said by tcope :My recommendation would be to use Safelite with the new technique that they use. They actually connect a pump over the crack and creates suction and pulls the epoxy into the crack. It's more expensive (I think they charge about $65) but GEICO should pay for the repair with no deductible. This is the only way to do it.
The chips and cracks can well and truly be invisibly fixed this way.
Relatively speaking, the DIY kits are a load of cr*p.
--
Striving for Parfection. |
|
horsemouth
Please Clarify My CSP
Premium
join:2002-03-13
canada | reply to haroldo
Just a Heads Up. The Insurance CO. May ask for a odometer reading.
They did when I got my chip fixed. |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
1 edit | Thanks to all, there was an overlap between a few of these posts/questions as well as the GEICO calls and e-mails, I have no interest in doing it myself..
I will have SafeLite do the job and let GEICO pay for it.
Thanks, again! |
|
Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to tcope
said by tcope :My recommendation would be to use Safelite with the new technique that they use. They actually connect a pump over the crack and creates suction and pulls the epoxy into the crack. It's more expensive (I think they charge about $65) but GEICO should pay for the repair with no deductible The glass repair industry has had the vacuum pump for a long time. 30+ Years that I know of.
»www.nwraassociation.org/history.php
quote:
In the mid 1970’s, as Novus was establishing its "repair only" specialists, another company began by selling a "vacuum" windshield repair system within the glass replacement market. Mort Gallub in suburban Philadelphia founded Glass Medic. Gallub owned one of the largest auto reconditioning operations on the East Coast and found that replacing windshields meant his profit margins on used vehicles became very slim. He had heard of the early progress of repair, and experimented with various systems. Mort hired a research engineer to improve on the system and eventually developed a "vacuum pump" process that he used within his reconditioning business. Gallub hired, Bill Matles, a young glass replacement specialist to market the product. In the 1980’s Glass Medic became the largest selling product within the glass replacement industry.
Safelite is a late player (1998) and has around 11 Years in the repair business. They are copying previous pioneers in the field of vacuum repairing to help pull optically clear adhesive resins into a crack to seal/repair it.
quote:
By the year 2000, significant changes occurred in the repair versus replacement marketing. Although repair had been done by independent replacement dealers, and to a limited amount by some of the larger US retailers, many replacement dealers, and most large retailers did not devote a major effort towards repair. While repair was being done by leading replacement companies in Europe, such as Belron’s Carglass and Autoglass divisions, it was not done to the same extent in the U.S. In 1998 the marketing of windshield repair changed dramatically when Safelite Auto Glass, the largest glass replacement retailer in the US, decided to embrace windshield repair by forming a unit specializing in repair. Safelite’s Repair Medic program was developed under the leadership of Paul Gross. The Repair Medic operation spread to major markets in the United States offering repair directly from Safelite. In early 2002 another of the large US auto glass replacement dealers, Harmon Auto Glass, founded its own repair only division under the name RepairOne to concentrate on windshield repair.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
|
Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to 3SGTE
said by 3SGTE :Relatively speaking, the DIY kits are a load of cr*p. The kits with a vacuum pump/syringe actually work well.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
|
3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs: | I would beg to differ there.
A syringe cannot create enough vacuum, and the sealant is thus not drawn into the glass. |
|
tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
·Comcast
| reply to Doctor Olds
Safelite as a company has been around since 1947. While I can't say when Safelite started to repair windshields, it was _well_ before 1998. I worked for USAA in the 80s and they used Safelite for windshield repair. I paid several thousand bills for repairs to Safelite.
Here is a better quote:
"In 1998 the marketing of windshield repair changed dramatically when Safelite Auto Glass, the largest glass replacement retailer in the US, decided to embrace windshield repair by forming a unit specializing in repair." They _changed_ their set up in 1998. They did not start repairing in 1998. This was done as repairing windshield was becoming very popular at the time. Harmon Glass also followed suit and created a specialised unit as well.
Using existing technology and making it current is nothing new. In that another company established vacuum technology to repair windshields prior to now means nothing in regard to what I posted. To my knowledge other winshield repair companies are not using vacuum technology to repair windshields at this time and from what I understand, Safelite has greatly improved on this technology as of late.
Here is a photo of the vacuum that they use:
»www.safelite.com/repair3_pop.jsp
Here is a better quote:
"In the mid 1970’s, as Novus was establishing its "repair only" specialists, another company began by selling a "vacuum" windshield repair system within the glass replacement market. Mort Gallub in suburban Philadelphia founded Glass Medic. Gallub owned one of the largest auto reconditioning operations on the East Coast and found that replacing windshields meant his profit margins on used vehicles became very slim. He had heard of the early progress of repair, and experimented with various systems. Mort hired a research engineer to improve on the system and eventually developed a "vacuum pump" process that he used within his reconditioning business. Gallub hired, Bill Matles, a young glass replacement specialist to market the product. In the 1980’s Glass Medic became the largest selling product within the glass replacement industry."
It's the Glass Medic equipment that Safelite is now using. Here is another quote that I found that was interesting:
"In the very early 90’s Glass Medic was sold to its largest international customer, Belron International, the largest glass replacement retailer in the world. The North American rights were sold to Dave Schuh, a former manager of Novus. Dave operated the company until the late 1990’s when Belron purchased it back. It is now operating as Glass Medic America under the leadership of Paul Syfko."
Who owes Safelite.... Belron US.
»www.on-lines.com/windshield/history.htm |
|
Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| said by tcope :Safelite as a company has been around since 1947. While I can't say when Safelite started to repair windshields, it was _well_ before 1998. Look at who wrote the article I posted about (hint, it was Dave Schuh). Now look at the link you provided. Hmm same author who is/was the same owner of the rights you quoted, too aka Dave Schuh.
This is the accurate quote from Dave Schuh.
»www.nwraassociation.org/history.php
quote:
In 1998 the marketing of windshield repair changed dramatically when Safelite Auto Glass, the largest glass replacement retailer in the US, decided to embrace windshield repair by forming a unit specializing in repair. Safelite’s Repair Medic program was developed under the leadership of Paul Gross.
They didn't "have it" before 1998 if they had to "form it" in 1998. Dave Schuh had the Glass Medic North American rights until the late 90's, so Safelite didn't have it until after Dave Schuh sold it to their Parent Company.
Dave ought to know.
quote:
In the very early 90’s Glass Medic was sold to its largest international customer, Belron International, the largest glass replacement retailer in the world. The North American rights were sold to Dave Schuh, a former manager of Novus. Dave operated the company until the late 1990’s when Belron purchased it back.
Belron was repairing Windshields in Europe before it was embraced by the US Glass Industry.
quote:
By the year 2000, significant changes occurred in the repair versus replacement marketing. Although repair had been done by independent replacement dealers, and to a limited amount by some of the larger US retailers, many replacement dealers, and most large retailers did not devote a major effort towards repair. While repair was being done by leading replacement companies in Europe, such as Belron’s Carglass and Autoglass divisions, it was not done to the same extent in the U.S.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
|
tcope
Premium
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT
·Comcast
| I can tell you that Safelite did repair windshields way prior to 1998. I understood it as they formed a special unit as in, that unit was now dedicated just to windshield repairs. Insurance companies around that time were really pushing windshield repairs vs replacements. As I mentioned, I worked for USAA around 1985 and I had two responsibilities at the time... taking new loss reports and paying glass bills. I paid thousands of bills from Safelite. |
|
sailor
Merry Whatever ..R.I.P. dadkins
Premium
join:2003-10-21
Long Island
| reply to haroldo
A Safelite tech just left my house. I had gone down to the local office late last week to price out a windshield replacement for a 1981 Lincoln Town Car I recently purchased. Was quoted same as online quote ( $282.95 ) installed and with the installation being done at my residence. I paid and had an appointment for today after 1 PM.
The tech called early this morning due to we have been having days of on and off rain and asked me if it would be ok for tomorrow afternoon if the rain doesn't stop this afternoon. I said no problem and it continued to rain and I was working using my computer in my kitchen facing my back yard like I do mostly every day and around 4pm the phone rings and it was the tech...sitting outside on the street in his van.
To make a long story longer, the rain held up for the most part but did rain some but not enough to hurt anything..I was using a dry rag to wipe down the dashboard while he did his thing. The tech was very professional, personable and even with the rain starting, he didn't attempt to rush any of his work. He noticed my other Town Car and my Firebird and we shot the breeze for awhile and then the rain came again.
A very excellent experience with Safelite even though I had used them before but that was many years ago. I tipped the tech $20. and he really appreciated it as well as I appreciated the quality of his work...even when it started to rain a bit.
I did ask him about small chips and he said they have one employee down at the shop who does chips and he went on to say he does very good work with high customer satisfaction.....He went on to say if someone has a chip in the windshield to bring their vehicle to their local Safelite shop and they will tell you if it is worth fixing or leaving alone or replacing the windshield.
Based on my experience today I highly recommend Safelite. |
|
haroldo
join:2004-01-16
united state
·Comcast
| reply to haroldo
Wow, that was painless.
They showed up at my office, it took the guy 15 minutes to complete.
It looks great, you have to know where to look to see the mark. It's a pencil point with a few very faint lines.
Total cost $0.
Very happy.
Thank you GEICO! |
|
