Free windscreen chip repairs - any good?

Sooler

Any one used a free windscreen chip repair offer you get sometimes in supermarket/DIY store car parks?


Is there a catch?

anewman

The catch is you have to have fully comp insurance which covers windscreens and they claim off that, so it may affect no claims bonuses or is not necessarily 100% free depending on your policy. That's all it is they claim from your insurance.

I have seen Halfords sell a tube of stuff that is supposed to repair cracks for about £15. No doubt these cowboys use something like this on multiple cars and charge the insurance companies about £80 a time.

saintjanet

If you have a crack in your windscreen and you dont have it repaired it may well crack all the way across and you will then need a new windscreen,this happened to me.

Most insurance companies would prefer you to have it repaired before this happens and will pay for this without it costing you anything,if you need a new screen they will only pay part of the cost,so if you have a crack have it repaired.That's always assuming you are fully comp.,check it out with your company if you are in any doubt about what i am saying.

I assume that is why these repair firms say it will be done free, coz it will!!

MarkyMarkD

I've had windscreen chips repaired very successfully. I think anewman is a bit cynical - the insurers obviously agree what they consider a reasonable rate with the windscreen repairers and it's irrelevant whether you can DIY it with something from Halfords for £15. When I've had them done, it's taken them quite some time to do the work, they've come to my workplace, they've done a quality job.

I don't believe that any insurer loads premiums for windscreen chip repair claims either. They are a trivial expense compared to a regular car accident-related claim.

alwaysonthego_2

we have had to have our windscreen replaced with autoglass. If it was a chip it would have been fixed free through our fully comp insurance without affecting our ncb. It cost us £50 to replace our windscreen, ins paid rest and it did not affect our no claims or premiums

arrowsmith

anewman wrote: »

I have seen Halfords sell a tube of stuff that is supposed to repair cracks for about £15. No doubt these cowboys use something like this on multiple cars and charge the insurance companies about £80 a time.

How do you know they are "cowboys" ?
The materials may cost very little, it's the time and additionals costs incurred that make a job expensive.

Jamp

Can they repair a chip that has small cracks around it like a star? The cracks aren't getting any bigger.

alwaysonthego_2

Jamp wrote: »

Can they repair a chip that has small cracks around it like a star? The cracks aren't getting any bigger.

check this

http://www.autoglass.co.uk/Windscreen.187.0.html

Wayne3765

anewman wrote: »

I have seen Halfords sell a tube of stuff that is supposed to repair cracks for about £15. No doubt these cowboys use something like this on multiple cars and charge the insurance companies about £80 a time.

I've seen Halfords selling spray paint for a few £'s too but I doubt anything you paint with it would compare to a finish a body shop would do.

swagman

Jamp wrote: »

Can they repair a chip that has small cracks around it like a star? The cracks aren't getting any bigger.

I had one of these, all told about the size of a pound coin, which is well within the repairable diameter.

But as soon as the Autoglass man put the repair tool on it the crack spread and it was a new windscreen job. What happens on attempting the repair depends, he told me, on which layers of the windscreen are cracked.

artic_fox_2

i've had two windscreans repaired the 1st did a brill job but the second not so good both claimed it off my insurance and i havent heard any thing since well worth it as its free