Like most vehicle repairs, the first question asked is, should I go to the dealership or an independent repair shop to get it done? Many inexperienced owners tend to go to their dealership because they bought the car there, and you know for sure they have handled your type of car before.
Yes, dealerships are familiar with your car, and of course, they can get the job done. But that doesn't mean that they're going to do a better job than an independent repair shop that specializes in this need. Think of it as a dealership is a "jack of all trades and master of none," and an independent shop usually specializes in a specific service. The same goes for auto glass repairs.
So, you've decided that it is time to replace your damaged windshield, where should you go? A car dealership or an auto glass specialist. Car dealerships are capable of windshield replacements. Most likely, you will receive an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) windshield, which is the same glass that your car had when you first purchased it.
When deciding who to trust with your windshield replacement, there are a few things to consider:
- By going to a specialist, you are guaranteed that the technician working on your vehicle is an expert, and often it will be cheaper and more convenient.
- Dealerships, in most cases, subcontract the job to a specialist. Because of this, they charge that cost plus their mark up on top of it.
- If you go to an auto glass repair shop, they can provide OEM parts and OEE aftermarket parts, which generally are less expensive than the original parts. However, just because it is less expensive does not mean that it is of lower quality.
For quality & Precision, it is always better to visit an auto glass repair shop. They typically are easily accessible, and they get the job done quicker than a busy dealership working on many other repairs.
In short, if you need a windshield replaced, it is always better to visit a specialist than your car dealership, use a respectable independent auto glass company, who doesn’t attempt to fix brakes, transmissions or other add-ons to bring in business. Contact Easy Auto Glass; our highly trained experts can replace any windshield, and now offers calibrations as well.
As always, for any new windshield that we supply and install at our shop, we repair your rock chips for FREE!