Why Windshield Replacement Should Be Your Last Resort!
#1 Windshield Is An Important Safety Feature
The windshield is the third most important safety devise in your vehicle. Think about it - What saves your face, head and neck when there is an accident? Your windshield. In fact there are three Federal Safety Standards governing the installation of windshields at the factory. There are NO governmental safety standards governing the replacement of a windshields in the aftermarket. Investigations by ABC and Fox News found 80% of replacements were done so poorly that there would be permanent injuries and deaths if the vehicle was in a crash. See the ABC 20/20 video "Danger Before Your Eyes" on YouTube. Repairing your cracked windshield instead of replacing it will preserve your Federal Safety Standards when you need them most - if you are in a crash. Safelite was one of the improper installs in this report.
#2 Aftermarket Installers Can't Meet Factory Specs
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) windshields have to meet strict specifications from the vehicle manufacturer. Those specs are not shared with aftermarket windshield manufacturers. Aftermarket windshields are defective with a "weak spot" around the edge area causing them to edge crack easier and more often than OEM windshield. Even the OEM manufacturers relax these specifications in order to decrease their cost for aftermarket windshields. These aftermarket windshields by the same OEM manufacturer also edge crack easier than the OEM because of a greater "tension bulge" at the edge area. Repairing your cracked windshield instead of replacing it will preserve a higher quality windshield. Windshields with cracks up to 14 inches long should be repaired, not replaced per the United States Auto Glass Industry Standard - ROLAGS.
Here are just a few samples of long edge crack repairs . At most of the the angles in your vehicle you cannot see the crack in the windshield. There is a hairline visible at one angle which we check before repair when it is in front of the driver. These images are from our Grand Junction, Colorado shop. Click are call below to schedule an appointment, we will have you in-and-out in under 30 minutes!