As a professional glass company, we do want to let our customers know that when it comes to a chip repair, if you want the best results, it is best to take it to the experts. However, we understand that for some people, the low price point of a DIY chip repair kit can be appealing. You can also do it on your own time and not have to take your car anywhere. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know we do offer a mobile service along the central coast, and we do not charge anything extra than the cost to repair the chip. However, if you are not in our service area and/or want to consider using A DIY kit to repair your chip, we will give our expert opinion on if it is worth it or not.
The Pros
As far as cost, the DIY chip repair kit will be the lowest cost option for fixing a chip in your windshield. The average DIY kit will typically cost around $25 and the average repair from a professional can cost anywhere from $60-100. This is a significant difference in price, an important factor in the decision-making process. The next benefit is having the flexibility to do it on your own time. However, it is important that you do not wait too long as each day presents the opportunity for the chip to spread further and develop into a much larger crack.
The Cons
Using a DIY kit can be tricky. The kits are only able to repair certain types of chip patterns (starburst, flower, or bullseye), but it will not repair chips that have spider webbing or long cracks. This method also takes more time than it would take a professional. The DIY kit could take you 1-2 hours to complete, whereas a professional could complete the job between 20-30min. Additionally, if you attempt a chip repair while using a DIY kit and the repairs don’t work or the cracks continue to spread, the option of having a professional complete a chip repair has now passed. From this point you may have to do a full windshield replacement, which will result in a much higher cost than having the chip repaired professionally.
What We Recommend
For best results we recommend using a professional glass shop that has years of expertise. If you are on the Central Coast between Paso Robles and Santa Barbara, consider using our mobile chip repair service. At Apex Auto Glass & Tinting, We will come to your location during a time that works best for you, and have your chip repaired between 20-30 minutes of arrival. It is much better to spend a little more to know that an expert will be repairing your chip, which makes it highly unlikely that the repair will cause further damage leading to a full windshield replacement. Let the experts take care of this issue so that you don’t take on any of the stress associated with chip repair.
