Whether you are a new driver or a seasoned veteran, a chip in your vehicle’s windscreen can happen at any time.
While these little chips may seem insignificant at first, they can easily turn from a chip to a crack with no warning at all.
In a recent O'Brien® Consumer Research study, from December 2021, where respondents were those that had had windscreen damage, the study revealed that almost half of respondents mentioned the crack in their windscreen started as a chip from that same location. This suggests that they knew the chip was there but didn’t get around to doing anything about it until it became a bigger problem by turning into a crack.
Here at O'Brien®, we always recommend repairing a windscreen chip over replacing the entire windscreen, but this relies on driver being proactive about getting their windscreen chip repaired early before it cracks.
That is why today, we’re going to outline exactly why you should look to get your windscreen chip repaired before it’s too late.
But first, what typically causes a chip in your windscreen?
Windscreen chips can be caused by several factors, the most common we hear about is loose gravel, stones, or debris on the surface of the road that flicks up from underneath the tyres of other vehicles and hit and chip the windscreen glass.
While a small chip may not seem like a big deal at first, all it could take is hitting a pothole or a bump in the road, or a sudden variation in temperature inside or outside your vehicle to cause the chip to become a large crack and a bigger hassle for you.
The benefits of repairing a chip vs replacing your windscreen
A windscreen chip may crack at any time, which can be a major hassle. Here are our top 3 reasons why it is better to get your windscreen chip repaired before it turns into a crack.
1. It’s faster
Repairing a chip in your windscreen chip typically takes thirty minutes compared to the 90 minutes it takes for O'Brien® to replace your windscreen. You can drive your car immediately after the repair is complete. So, we’ll have you back on the road fast.
2. It’s cheaper
Not only is it a quicker process to repair your windscreen vs replacing it with a new one, but it’s cheaper as well. Our expert technicians use our Advanced Repair Technology (ART) System to repair the chip in your existing windscreen. As your windscreen remains in place, the cost is much less than removing and replacing a new windscreen in your vehicle.
3. It’s greener
A chip repair is much more environmentally friendly as well, as there is no need to remove the old windscreen. Your existing windscreen remains in place while the chip is repaired. The repair process will strengthen your windscreen where the chip occurred and prevent the chip from cracking at that point. At O'Brien®, that’s why we always prefer to repair first where possible.
4. With car insurance the chip repair may be FREE
Some insurance providers include windscreen chip repair in their policies, meaning it may not cost you a thing to get your windscreen repaired. So, check with your insurance provider if this applies to you.
In the case of windscreen replacements, however, some insurance providers may require an excess, unless you pay an additional amount on your premium to buy out this excess. Even if your policy requires an excess for a windscreen replacement, then O'Brien® can help you with the insurance claim process. We act on behalf of many of the leading insurance providers and can help manage this process for you.
5. If your car has ADAS technology, such as auto braking and lane detection, replacing your windscreen could cost you more
If you’ve got a newer vehicle, chances are that it’s fitted with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). In other words, it is vehicle camera technology that looks through your windscreen to identify and alert you to such things as objects and markings on the road to help keep you and your occupants safe while driving.
When a new windscreen is replaced on a vehicle with ADAS, the front-facing camera usually requires recalibrating. O'Brien® believes the safest thing to do is recalibrate where required by the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the correct operation of the vehicle’s ADAS safety features. This is so important because if the camera is out of alignment by even a few millimetres it could mean the ADAS does not work as intended and could possibly increase the chances of a collision.
This extra step in the windscreen replacement process might cost more and take more time but it is important. If you have the chance to repair your chip before it cracks, then this process could be avoided.
O'Brien® can repair your windscreen chip in just 30 minutes
Using our exclusive ART (Advanced Repair Technology) System and specially formulated resin (our best ever!), our expert technician will repair your chip in just 30 minutes, so you’re back on the road fast. For a step by step on what happens when we repair a chip, view our video here.
With hundreds of locations around Australia, you can choose to visit one of our O'Brien® AutoGlass branches or choose our mobile service – whichever is more convenient for your chip repair.
So, if you’ve got a chip in your vehicle’s windscreen, don’t leave it until it’s too late.
Contact our friendly team of windscreen experts at O'Brien® AutoGlass on 1800 059 829 or book online today
