subject: How To Buy And Safely Install Auto Glass For Your Windshield [print this page] If you have any kind of damage to your windshield, even a small crack from a rock, chances are you will need to have it repaired or replaced before further damage can occur. If you choose to replace it, you need to know exactly what kind of glass to get, and how to safely install it to ensure that it will keep you safe during an emergency.
During a front-end collision, your windshield should stay in place, protecting you from debris and keeping you in the cabin. An improperly installed one could pop out, leaving you unprotected. In a rollover, your windshield helps keep the roof from crumpling and crushing you or your passengers.
A windshield that is of inferior quality or badly installed could buckle instantly, allowing the roof to cave in more easily. Assume the safety of your vehicle is at stake when you are shopping for a new windshield, and make sure you hire a reputable auto glass shop.
Getting several quotes will help you to understand the price range for your windshield or other auto glass. Like so many products, high-volume glass is priced lower.
Beware of prices that are outrageously low. For example, just like you can't buy a genuine Armani suit for $25, you can't get a safe windshield installation for $99.
Shortcuts will be taken somewhere-either in quality of auto glass, or in the auto glass installation, or both. The range for fair auto glass pricing for windshields or door glass is about $200 - $250.
Of course it can go higher for foreign cars such as Mercedes, BMW, and Acura, or for very rare vehicles. Rarely replaced glass, such as vent glass (that small triangular piece of glass next to the front or rear door window) or quarter glass (the piece of glass on an SUV between the rear door window and the tailgate) can be more expensive.
Your vehicle's auto glass is a safety feature. Like a seatbelt or horn, like airbags, bumpers, all-wheel drive, or crumple zones.
All these systems work together, actively and passively, to keep you safe in your vehicle. The windshield is a key component in the Safety Restraint System (SRS), which also includes the airbags and seatbelts in a vehicle.
Most drivers don't know that in modern vehicles-with huge, sweeping windshields-auto glass makes up 45 - 70% of the strength of the passenger cabin. If your windshield is damaged, it can't protect you like it should.
Maybe you only think about your windshield when a huge insect splats on it right in your line of sight, or a passing truck tags it with a chunk of gravel. Now that you're in the market for new auto glass, however, it's a good idea to learn enough about auto glass installation that you'll know how to find an auto glass shop that offers the right mix of price and quality.
Many people only look for the lowest price when they shop for auto glass. But there are varying qualities of glass, and levels of installation quality.
An improperly installed piece is virtually useless at protecting you during an accident. That's why it's very important to choose a reputable installer.
In a rollover, this helps the cabin maintain its rigidity, protecting the passengers-which is especially important in minivans with huge windshields. In a front impact, the windshield assists airbag deployment and keeps passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle.
The piece you will purchase is laminated-a piece of vinyl sandwiched between two pieces of specially strengthened glass. A good windshield matches your old windshield exactly in tint, size, and extra features such as a rain sensor.
Cheap installations often use thinner, badly-fitting glass, which is manufactured to a different size and thickness to avoid infringing on the copyright of the companies that make the original glass. Look at your windshield and you'll notice that there's a rubber seal that wraps around all or part of it.
Most of the time, the molding is replaced with a windshield replacement. Urethane is used to bond the piece to your vehicle. After an installation, the urethane must have enough time to cure and create a strong bond before you can drive your car. A weakly attached one may pop out or buckle in an accident.
Once you know what kind of equipment you want and how to safely install it, you can begin right away. Ensure that it is done safely and professionally.
by: Jack Landry
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