Dealerships Vs. Auto Glass Repair For Windshield Replacements

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!

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Easy Auto Glass’s Free Rock Chip Repair Program Guidelines and Answers

In March of 2016 we became the 1st Canadian Auto Glass company to provide FREE Rock Chip Repairs on any installed windshield done at our location in store.

It’s that Easy!  There are NO timelines or limited time specials you, as our customer, need to be worried about. Phone and book in for an appointment for the repair and we will take care of the rest.

  1. Once we have replaced your windshield in store, whether by customer pay or insurance company (not mobile installations) we will repair the rock chips for the life of the windshield if YOU (the customer) are the original owner and the windshield we (Easy Auto Glass) have installed. We record which brand of manufacturers windshield was used at time of installation. (Original Equipment, Original Equipment Equivalent)
  2. The FREE Rock Chip Repair Program is NOT transferable to another individual or to be used as a selling tool if the vehicle is sold or traded in.
  3. The FREE Rock Chip Repair Program DOES apply to immediate family members living in the same residence using the vehicle. (ie: spouse, children, etc.)
  1. If we at Easy deem the rock chip is beyond repair ( structural integrity of the windshield ) or if the windshield is cracked, we DO have the right to cease any further repairs on the windshield. We will attempt every course of action to save the windshield but at a certain point in time there is only so much our trained technicians can do. Customer safety is the 1st
  2. If the windshield is changed by another company, such as a body shop, dealership, hail repair company, the FREE Rock Chip Repair program ceases to be offered on said vehicle.
  3. We provide at time of pick up the EASY Rock Chip Repair Stickers. Once you get a rock chip, cover the rock chip on the OUTSIDE of the windshield, like you would a band aid on a cut, to keep the dirt and moisture out of the chip.  Water and dirt getting into the chip itself can alter how the repair structurally turns out and for clarity. If you don’t have EASY Stickers than Scotch tape or clear packaging tape will do in a pinch.

The program speaks for itself.  We’re doing our part to keep the windshield in your vehicle as long as we can, and we all know that can be challenging living in Calgary. Thousands of customers whether it’s their personal vehicle or fleet companies, use the FREE Rock Chip Program.

We’ve done the hard work so now it’s up to you to come back to see us, and why wouldn’t you?

The repairs are FREE!