FAQ

What to do when You’ve gotten a stone chip on your glass?

In case of damage try to cover the chip with a see through sticker that stops moisture and dirt from entering the chip. Contact an Autoklaas1 agency as soon as possible and make an appointment for repairing the stone chip.

Do I have to inform my insurance company in case of slight damage to the glass?

No, You do not. Autoklaas1 agencies will inform the insurance company for you.

Which documents are necessary for replacing the glass with casco insurance?

You should bring along the car pass and your driver’s license. In case your name is not in the car pass, please bring along a letter of authorization.

How long does it take to replace a glass?

Replacing a glass with adhesive takes up to 3 hours, drying included. Replacing the side glass takes about an hour.

Does modern carglass attached with adhesive break easier than traditional glasses replaced with seal?

Yes, they do, because glass attached with adhesive are important parts of the structure of the car. The body’s dynamic and static weights reach the glass, having a serious effect on the driving performance and resistance to car accidents. Because of this even the smallest forces, like stones or studs from studded tires can easily damage the glass. Bending of the body or the force of the wind from driving on the highway can increase the damage.

Are modern windshields more prone to damage than they used to be?

Yes, because modern glass are larger and the material that they’re made of is thinner than before. Car manufacturers use these techniques to make the cars weigh less and reduce petroleum intake. Despite this the glass withstands very strong mechanical forces and temperature fluctuations.

Has the material of the windshield become more easily erosive?

The materials and manufacturing techniques used in Pilkington’s after-market glass are the same as in the original glass sent to the car manufacturers. All glass offered by Autoklaas1 meet the standards of the international R43 erosiveness’ test.

What makes it seem that modern windshields seem to wear down and get damaged a lot easier than they used to?

A lot more stones, studs, dirt etc hit the windshields nowadays.

  • This is due to:
  • The decrease in splash guards on cars
  • The ongoing shortening of maintained distance in traffic
  • The bigger lamellae and tire pattern on tires

Other causes:

  • People drive a lot more often and the maintained distances are a lot shorter
  • Newer windshield wipers press down on the windshield harder, increasing the friction
  • Modern cars have bigger windshields, making the chance of getting hit by a stone that much bigger

Subjective reasons, why the glass wears down quicker:

  • When comparing a new and little used glass (10.000 km) the difference is easily visible to the eye. When in return compare the glass of cars that have driven 10.000 km and 50.000 km the difference is harder to spot.
  • When buying a new car people don’t turn much attention to how much the glass has worn down
  • The glass of an used car is already worn down though so it’s harder to notice the extra erosion
  • When replacing an old glass for a new one the difference is clearly visible

How can I slow down the erosion and decrease the probability of damage to the glass?

 

Here are some suggestions on how to spare your glass:

  • Keep a safe distance while driving, especially on gravel roads.
  • Use wiper fluid as necessary and replace the wipers regularly.
  • Don’t forget to clean your windshield of sand and other rubbish after driving to minimalize the damage when removing ice from the glass in the morning.