Chips in windscreen- to fix or not to fix?

Dont know what the costs are there in Mackay, but down here the first repair is $50 then about $35 for the next, $30 and so on and son, however, the same company can replace the screen for $180 fitted, so if I had multiple repairs to do I would consider an new one.

apparantly if you run your fingernail accross the chip and it gets caught the chip is to big to fix anyway.

The two factors (no doubt there are others) that i have seen that turn some chips into cracks are:

1. Stress. Our WRX experienced this quite often as the design of the vehicle made any little chip seem to crack. The forces acting on the windscreen might have been more due to various factors including low profile tyres and all the potholes in Mackay!

2. Weather extremes. Got a chip in the windscreen driving down to rocky, and thought i would patch it when i got back the next day. Overnight temperatures extremes in rocky, and some light dew, made the screen crack in a major way. Don't let moisture get into the chip, as that is probably a major cause of cracking.

I would suggest that you clean the chip with metho and place a patch on it. Depending on where it is, it may be illegal to drive.

Andrew (mackay)

Probably false economy, but I get mine fixed as soon as they happen, becasue everytime I get a new windscreen it is chipped the next day, whereas my repaired one seems to go a year or so between chips...just another of Murphy's laws I guess

Check the insurance policy Brian,

Most policies these days include one free windscreen a year (no excess) so I would just ring O'Briens or whoever and let them take care of it - many of the big glass mobs bill the ins co direct.

I got a chip on way to Qld last year and by another 300km it was 6" long crack. Whilst up there I rang O'Briens and they came out to where I was and changed the screen in about 40 minutes and billed my insurer. No hassles at all and I now have a nice new clean screen with no pits or scratches.

Cheers
Muddy

I get them repaired if they are not too big and as quickly as possible.

Pressure from high speed driving (I mean 100kph - I have a 1HZ!) makes them turn into cracks and often a lot of them, and that quickly.

The repair process is generally to drill them out with a router style tool that the repairers have, then to put some sort of resin into it with a plastic sticker over that until it cures. Then they polish it back and you would hardly know it is there.

Works well for me. I have about 10 on my windscreen now and still no cracks - only one of them is noticeable. That is a lota windscreens if I had to replace them - not to speak of the bother and PIA of getting them replaced.

Ciao for now
Andrew.

I replace them as the windscreen is a major component in vehicle strength.
On one 12000 k journey across Oz I got a chip when a truck came flying around a bend (one lane road), and had to get off in a hurry. Then no chips till I hit the end of my street, buggar! Left the screen for a while till a hail storm smashed it. THEN I got it repaired for free :))))))

Hi over here in WA I get small patches from Winscreen O'Briens, as soon as you get a chip give it a clean peel the adhesive of the transparent patch and place it over the chip and it prevents it from furhter cracking, prevents dust etc from getting in. I have had them like that for months before I/ve gone in and getting the chips repaired about $30 bucks I think from memory.
EricM WA

I've carried chips in windscreen for years without problems... but every so often one of them has decided to travel right across in a dramatic way. Essentially... if they are in front of your line of vision or really annoying... get em fixed ... otherwise don't worry too much.

I guess some little moncoque body softroaders have some of their structural integrity in the windscreen.... not many of the bigger ones do.

I got a crack in screen,bott L/h (no effect vision) and,thanks to this magic forum,I bought a 40pce drill/etc set Dick's place about $19.95 or $29.95 (?) and had five diamond tip drills in it..Drilled it with LOW SPEED batt drill and kero for cutting fluid..As wise members here said,only drill the outer layer (laminate) till the adhesive between the two comes out..I just put some clear sticky tape over it..A smarter guy would put a dab of 2-part epoxy like Araldite™ in the hole.Looks like it will ,last for years..Was almost fun to do it anyway,being slightly "green" I saved some re-sources as a new screen would only get me where I am now..No advantage,except I almost look frd to getting a big rock hit to get it replaced some time,possibly just before trade in time :-)

What happens with repairs if you have a tint in the windscreen?

Had mine patched a fwe times by Novus, and the job was crap.. You could see every crack, and star.. But at the time, was broke, so couldnt afford new one.

had screen replaced 2 weeks ago for $185. Cost me mroe in repairs.

I agree replacement is the way to go....but unfortunately for me I must have run over a chinaman or something...had the screen replaced on a Tuesday and a bloody rock destroyed it again on the following Sunday....I guess as Forest Gump would say Sh*t Happens.

New screen one is the only way to go..!