{"id":1282,"date":"2015-02-18T18:45:42","date_gmt":"2015-02-18T18:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/?p=1282"},"modified":"2015-02-18T18:45:42","modified_gmt":"2015-02-18T18:45:42","slug":"whats-cost-repair-replace-chipped-windshield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/?p=1282","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Cost To Repair Or Replace My Chipped Windshield?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Diamond Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A chipped\u00a0windshield is the same as a cracked smartphone, right? Annoying, sure, but not really vital. If you can stand it, why replace it? Even the name makes it sound unnecessary: wind-shield. If push came to shove, you could just drive with those old-timey goggles, like a 19th<\/sup> century Thomas Edison.<\/p>\n

But really think about that for a second. Think about what it would be like driving without a windshield. Bugs squirshing into your face. Rocks crashing into your neck. And if you got into a crash? Well, here\u2019s hoping you can raise your arms\u2014those organic limbs that can get scraped by reaching too fast for another plate of nachos\u2014fast enough to ward off a two-ton vehicle sailing toward your face.<\/p>\n

You see where we\u2019re going with this. A windshield does a lot more than turn away the wind politely. Its primary purpose doesn\u2019t have anything to do with wind at all: it\u2019s actually the most crucial structural support you have<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing I wish that drivers knew was that the windshield is the No. 1 safety restraint in your vehicle.”<\/p>\n

That\u2019s David Beck, a windshield installer of 18 years in Salt Lake City, Utah. An expert installer will tell you that the windshield reinforces the roof pillars, and therefore the roof. If the windshield\u2019s structural integrity is weakened, that compromises the strength of the entire passenger compartment. In the event of a collision, that difference could literally have life or death implications.<\/p>\n

Simply put, your windshield keeps the roof from crumpling and crushing the passengers.<\/p>\n

In addition, airbags deploy with such explosive force that they could blow out or shatter a compromised windshield. And obviously, flying shattered glass could negatively impact a bag that is filled with air. It\u2019s best to think of a windshield as a wall that supports the roof and protects your passengers. It\u2019s just a wall that you can see through.<\/p>\n

When you need a repair or a replacement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The conventional wisdom says that any chip bigger than a quarter or longer than 12 inches means you need an entirely new windshield. Anything smaller can be repaired. But\u2014and this is crucial\u2014repair is only possible if you act immediately after the chip happens.<\/p>\n

The reason is that dirt, water and other foreign matter will quickly infiltrate that hole. Think of it like a cavity in your tooth. Nip it in the bud and you\u2019ll be fine. But let it sit for a while and a simple filling will no longer be possible<\/a>. You\u2019ll move onto less pleasant procedures like root canals and even\u2014gulp\u2014extraction, and you don\u2019t want that.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, insurance companies will often pay for your repair free of charge. They\u2019d rather do that than pay for a replacement. And even if you don\u2019t have insurance, a repair typically won\u2019t exceed $75.<\/p>\n

The most important factor in repair or replacement, however, is the installer. Check online for a shop with impeccable certification. Make sure they let your car sit for at least an hour (some cars might require as many as 12 hours) before driving. A shop that says the glue sets in any less time is not one you want handling your vehicle.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

We hope we\u2019ve impressed upon you that a damaged windshield is a vital part of your vehicle\u2019s safety system, and should not be ignored, under any circumstances. To avoid death and serious injury, for you and your passengers, get it taken care of immediately.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A chipped\u00a0windshield is the same as a cracked smartphone, right? Annoying, sure, but not really vital. If you can stand it, why replace it? Even the name makes it sound unnecessary: wind-shield. If push came to shove, you could just drive with those old-timey goggles, like a 19th century Thomas Edison. But really think about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[291],"class_list":["post-1282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1282\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.leithcars.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}