Stone chips - should you repair stone chips or replace the windshield?

Suddenly it happens, to quote an old famous advertising slogan. You are out on the roads and driving. Maybe you get overtaken or have a meeting - then the windshield slams. You have just received a stone shot. We take a look at what is happening at the glass workshop. And: is it a smart idea to prepare stone shot yourself?

The most common cause of rockfall is flying pebbles – they get stuck in the car tires and fly away due to the force of the rotation. This is especially common at the edge of spring when the snow has melted and before the gravel has been swept up from the streets and country roads. The accident can occur at any time, but you can reduce the risk of rockfall somewhat by keeping a slightly greater distance than usual to cars ahead.

4 important points about stone shooting

• It is possible to fix stone shots and avoid the windshield cracking.

• It is not possible to fix it without it showing afterwards.

• How nice the repair will be depends on how the damage looks and how long you drove with the damage without fixing it

• There is a small risk that the stone shoot will worsen during repair. Then you may have to replace the windshield, with higher costs as a result.

Order stone chipping directly

If the accident is imminent, it is important that you contact a workshop as soon as possible. It's easy to drag it out, thinking there's no rush. But a rock shot can actually be a safety hazard. It can interfere with the view through the windshield, but above all, a stone throw can turn into a crack in the windshield, and then it's too late to do anything about it.

Therefore, you should book a stone chip removal with a specialist in car glass as soon as possible. Here is a simple little checklist if you are hit by stone chips:

1. Put something over the stone shoots as soon as possible. It prevents rain or dirt from leaking in. Use transparent tape or a so-called stone chip patch.

2. Book an appointment with an auto glass company. You can also often pick up a stone chip plaster from them free of charge.

3. The workshop manages the contact with your insurance company.

What is a stone chip plaster?

A stone chip patch is a type of adhesive patch that you put on top of the stone chip. It prevents dirt and water from penetrating. Ideally, it should be put on immediately after the injury has occurred. Therefore, it is good to always have one or more stone chip patches lying around in the glove compartment, they can often be ordered free of charge from several car glass specialists.

How do you prepare stone shot?

When repairing a stone shot, a diamond drill is used to remove the damaged glass. A special repair fluid is then used to fill the hole that has occurred, using a special tool. Finally, when the liquid has dried, the surface is sanded and polished until it is shiny and smooth.

Then you can prepare stone shots

A windshield consists of different zones. They can be divided into ia) field of vision, b glass edge of the windscreen, c) the area for rain sensor and other driver support and d) other zone.

It is only in what is called the "other zone" that it is possible (or wise) to prepare a stone shot. You do not drive in the field of vision in front of the driver, on the outer edge of the glass or in front of the camera area/sensor area. However, this means that the largest part of the windshield allows you to prepare a stone shot.

Fix stone shots - price depends on your insurance

Maybe you think that the stone shot will come very untimely and that you can't really afford to fix it right now? But you can be calm. Fixing stone chips is arranged through your insurance, and the only thing you need to pay is the deductible. And in this context it is not a major concern.

Depending on which insurance company you have and what type of car insurance, the deductible is rarely higher than SEK 200 - in some cases you don't have to pay a deductible at all! Many have, especially on older cars, only traffic insurance. It does not cover damage to glass, so in that case the price tag ends up being about a thousand to fix a stone shot.

When do I have to change the windshield?

There are times when it is not possible to mend a stone shot or it is not a good idea because the mending may obscure your view through the window, for example.

If the windshield has started to crack, you need to replace it. The same applies if there are more than 3 stones, if it is closer than 5 centimeters to the edge or if the stones are in front of the car's sensor area at the top of the windshield (the area where the camera, rain sensor, etc. are located). Finally, the stone shot should not be larger than about 3 cm if it is to be repaired.

Making stone chips yourself

There are many people who wonder how to prepare stone shot yourself. You have probably seen various kits, both on Swedish and foreign sites. But even if you're handy and know what you're doing, it's not really a big deal - unless you love tinkering yourself.

A repair kit costs roughly the same as the garage's deductible, which is usually up to SEK 200. There are also risks in fixing the stone chip yourself. Should it not be repaired correctly, the work cannot be redone. The pane simply needs to be replaced. So in conclusion, it is not a good idea to try to prepare a stone shot yourself.

Repair a crack in the windshield - is it possible?

First of all, you "don't" have to do anything about a crack in the windshield, as long as it doesn't pose a traffic hazard. And if you still turn to an auto glass specialist and want to repair a crack in the windshield, they will surely say no.

This is because there are no guarantees that a fix would last. A cracked windshield is irreversibly weakened, and since the windshield is part of the load-bearing structure of the car, you don't want to risk anything. That is why you always choose to replace a cracked windshield.

Change windshield without insurance

Replacing a windshield without having insurance that covers glass can be costly. How much depends on what car you have and what type of windshield it is. It is not unusual to have to pay between SEK 6,000 and 10,000 to change the window at a car glass specialist.

However, it is possible to lower the price if you put in a little effort. In many cases, you can find a windshield at your local junkyard for a few grand or less. If you're really handy (and know what you're doing!) you can assemble it yourself - otherwise you can get help at a workshop for a couple, three thousand Swedish kroner. Note that these numbers are estimates and may differ depending on where you live.