Imagine that you are driving down a highway and you suddenly find yourself stuck behind a large 18-wheel semi truck hauling a load of gravel. As disconcerting as such a proposition may seem, you find the situation significantly worsened when a pebble flies out of the back of the large truck and strikes your front windshield. What starts off as a ding – which is troubling enough by itself – gradually develops into an eye sore of a crack spanning the length of your entire windshield. Needless to say, you know fixing this crack could end up costing you a lot of money. So how much does it cost to fix a windshield crack? You need to armed with the facts and know what your options are, so the key is to do your homework to avoid paying more than necessary for the repairs.
The cost of fixing a windshield crack will vary significantly depending on how much damage is done to the windshield in the first place. The key to cutting your costs is to take care of the problem as soon as you notice it, rather than waiting for the chip to turn into a crack and have the crack grown into something quite unmanageable. If you have a crack that ends up spanning the length of the windshield, your only option may be to replace the windshield, which could cost hundreds of dollars (or even more). The cost of windshield replacement varies greatly, and for the most part, depends on the type of vehicle and the kind of glass used. In general, you will almost always pay more to have a windshield replaced by the dealer than if you take your vehicle to an independent repair shop.
If you do find yourself having to replace the entire windshield, your insurance may cover the cost if you have comprehensive coverage, requiring you only to pay your deductible. But this simply depends on the type of coverage you have. However, sometimes insurance companies will waive the deductible and pay to repair a crack (if it can be repaired without replacement), simply because it is more cost efficient for them to pay for a relatively small crack than it is to let the problem become more sever and end up having to pay for total replacement.
On the other hand, there are also other, more affordable options available to you if you are able to catch the problem before it gets out of hand. A number of do-it-yourself windshield chip repair kits are available on the market which allow you to take care of the problem yourself without the hassle of having to take your car in to a specialist. These kits, for the most part, are recommended for repairing chips before they turn into unsightly cracks. You can purchase these kits for anywhere between $8 and $20 at a local auto parts retailer or via mail order and the internet.
What does it Cost To Fix A Windshield Crack
If a crack does develop before you have a chance to fix the windshield chip, you will likely have to take your vehicle to an auto glass specialist. The cost to fix a windshield crack will likely be between approximately $40 and $60 if the crack is three inches or less. These same businesses will also repair chips for around the same cost, with each additional chip repair costing an extra $10. However, for longer cracks (such as those between six and 12 inches), you could be charged $70-$80. With any cracks that are much longer, you could be looking at windshield replacement.
Remember, the key to cutting costs is catching the problem before it gets out of hand. Small dings and cracks are relatively inexpensive to repair. But these chips and cracks can rapidly escalate into expensive situations. As such, it is always best to take care of these problems as soon as you become aware of them.