DIY Glass/Windshield Repair?

[99Saturn]

Last week, our '13 Cruze took a rock to the windshield. Damage appears to be very minor, no crack of any type, just exterior surface damage on the windshield. It was described as a fine layer of (glass) dust coming off around the impacted area.

Is there any good option for DIY repair that someone has experience with that would actually come out looking good? It is smack in the center of windshield, doesn't impact visibility really but clearly there when sitting in the car, so it's fine to leave it but I'd like to clean it up if possible.

 

[AandPDan]

Call a glass company. It's a new vehicle it must be covered.

Anything you do can distort your vision in the area of the damage. The "spot" repairs are pretty good.

 

[mikefxu]

In Florida its covered in full by your auto insurance. They would replace the windshield but since the car was a new generation I had them repair it expecting that replacement glass would be inferior.

 

[Nick1994]

You don't have glass coverage on your insurance?

 

[raytseng]

It's an artform, and the results depend on the skill of the technician.
So unless you're going to start up your side business doing this, I would suggest just pay a glass guy who's highly rated, and has all the tools, use yelp or other sources to find a lead.
Out of pocket expect $50-$60 or so.


If you cheap out you get bad results, just like attempting to retouch a paint scrape yourself, and all you want to spend is $20 for 1 bottle of touch up paint, and not a couple hundred for all the pro-level tools and accessories.

If you still want to go that route, then there are plenty of windshield repair kits for under $20, but you risk making things worse

 

[99Saturn]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
You don't have glass coverage on your insurance?

We do - actually this is the only car we carry glass coverage on.

Honestly it didn't even cross my mind because it is not a crack. If it was either of our other cars I would have looked and been happy I didn't see a crack and move on. I was thinking of it as normal wear and tear. I'll have to read the policy and see what explanation I get for glass.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
You don't have glass coverage on your insurance?

We do - actually this is the only car we carry glass coverage on.

Honestly it didn't even cross my mind because it is not a crack. If it was either of our other cars I would have looked and been happy I didn't see a crack and move on. I was thinking of it as normal wear and tear. I'll have to read the policy and see what explanation I get for glass.
That being tyhe case, call the insurance company. If it's fixable and not in your line of sight, they'll fix it, if not, you get a new windshield.

 

[CT8]

Call the insurance company . the cost of having some one with experience do it is reasonable.