A flying stone put a 1/2" diameter ding in our windshield, but so far it hasn’t cracked. I remember reading about windshield repair rather than replacement that will fill in the chip and prevent further cracking. I searched here, but didn’t find anything.
Is this worth it? Anyone have any experience with this kind of repair?
I’ve had the repair done a few times. I’ve also done it my self a couple times. My commute goes right through 3 construction zones so it happens about once a year to me. They work extremely well. Get it fixed sooner then later though. It may be a ding now…but it could start to crack. If that happens you’ll need a new windshield.
Agree that fixing it sooner than later is the best. But your ding may be too large for a good fix. There are many franchises that do this work; I had a small star fixed this summer by a guy who set up shop in a shopping center parking lot. Cost was $30 or so. So far so good.
Good luck!
This is the sort of thing phone directories are for. There are probably several businesses in your area who can repair your windshield. Don’t wait for it to start cracking. Fix it soon.
Check with your auto insurance company. Most use a national chain like Safelite and offer windshield ding/chip repair (not replacement) for free. If you wait too long and it starts to crack, and the crack gets big enough, you’ll need to replace the windshield, and that will end up costing you however much your deductible is.
Thanks, all. This happened about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and I definitely want to get it fixed before cold weather gets to Michigan within a couple more weeks. I was wondering if the repair was worth it vs replacement, and from what’s been said, it is. I’ll try the repair route.
I probably have it done two or three times per year to get rid of stone chips. I also end up replacing my windshield every couple of years (maybe every 100K miles) because it gets sandblasted. The place I bought my last windshields will repair chip free for one year, it’s normally about $30.
The repair is BETTER then replacing. Replacing has the potential of causing leaks or other problems. If you can get it fixed…do it.
I fixed a star a few weeks ago with a $9 kit from Walmart. Worked perfectly and I can’t even tell where the damage was.
It’s cheap and easy but also ugly, but it sounds like you are prepared for it. It will keep the glss from separating and looking even worse. It’s the type of job that you can try yourself. The repair person will come to your house or job and do it.