How the driver will save money on windshield replacement
Dirty roads and an abundance of debris on the side of the road often cause forced windshield replacement. A chip is still half the trouble, but a crack can greatly interfere with both the review and the passage of technical inspection. And many, of course, are trying to make this operation cheaper. How will stinginess end in such a scrupulous matter, the AvtoVzglyad portal explains.
Replacing the front end is one of the most common repair operations in Russia, so the offer is so wide that it makes your eyes run wide. Someone covers up the high price with words about quality and comfort, and some craftsmen, without hesitation, immediately take the Russian driver "for the living" - they give an initially low price.
Comfort is comfort, but money loves the bill, so a cheap offer will always score more whists than an expensive one. It would seem, well, what can cost money here: cut out the old and pasted in the new. I would have done it myself, but it's business. However, not all so simple. The cost of a windshield replacement procedure consists of three large elements: the dismantling of the old one, the price of a new one and its installation. Let's take a look at each one and see what you can save on.
Let's start with a simple one - with a "triplex". There are indeed Chinese glasses on the market that cost several times less than the original or a high-quality analogue, but have their drawbacks. They are soft, crack at the slightest chip and rub off very quickly. And most importantly - they "goats", refract the "picture" and the sun's rays.
If the driver correctly assesses his needs (he moves a lot by car and “catches” a stone at least once a year), then there will not be much difference if he is ready to put up with image distortion and, therefore, refuse to move at high speed.
The second item on the list is demolition. The string will be cut in any service, but then the little things begin, in which, as you know, the devil lies. The layer of paint and varnish on the bodies of modern cars is very thin, so the removal of old glue residues should be done using a special tool, as well as with the obligatory presence of experience in such work. A cheap service is unlikely to keep an experienced master, so the lowest paid employee will deal with the uninstallation of the frontal one. What will this mean for the car owner?
Let's assume that the apprentice is attentive, so the heating wires and other "harnesses" can be saved. But cutting off the old glue - usually done with a chisel - it will almost certainly damage the paint on the frame, where the water will definitely get, and then there will be a show with horses. Rust on the edge of the glass is a very expensive and difficult repair, which not everyone will undertake. So-so perspective, in a word.
The third step is installation. Its quality depends not only on the master installer, but also on the components. Glue, in the first place, and the gun that feeds it. Even automakers have “overlays” - the owners of Volvo XC60 cars will not let you lie - and it’s almost impossible to stick it evenly in the garage, and even put the right amount of adhesive. Yes, and on the "consumable" itself they will definitely save, not at a loss to themselves.
After such an installation, the glass will begin to flow, sending the entire braid of wires to "nirvana". Things are especially sad if the lower corners of the “triplex” start to leak: on many car models there is a thick bundle of wiring going to the brains.
At one fine, and, of course, the most unexpected moment, all possible errors will be displayed on the dashboard, and the car itself will not go anywhere without a tow truck. In the service, the mechanic will find smudges and a slide of blue vitriol - what the wiring has turned into. Repairs will take time and, of course, money. But just a couple of thousand saved on glass replacement. Indeed, the miser pays twice.
