Car glass replacement and repair: how to order at a good price
Repair or replacement: the size of the damage decides
A small chip or a short crack in the windscreen can often be repaired with resin: this is faster and cheaper than replacement. But if the chip is in the driver's line of sight, the crack is long or reaches the edge of the glass, replacement is usually needed. Side and rear windows are usually toughened and shatter when damaged, so they are, as a rule, only replaced.
The longer you wait, the smaller the chance of getting away with a repair: a crack grows from vibration and temperature changes.
What to put in your request
- what to do — replacing the windscreen, a side or rear window, repairing a chip, polishing;
- make, model, year and body type — for example Tata Nexon, 2021;
- glass options — rain or light sensor, heating, camera bracket, head-up display, acoustic glass;
- the damage — the size and type of the chip or crack, and where on the glass it is;
- original or aftermarket — or the manufacturer you prefer;
- whose glass — the technician's or yours;
- mechanic call-out, city and budget.
Example: “Windscreen replacement for a Tata Nexon, 2021, with a rain sensor and camera. I need a good-quality aftermarket or original glass, supplied by the technician. Delhi, Dwarka, preferably with a visit to me. Budget up to ₹10,000 including fitting.”
How to compare offers
Prices most often differ because of the type of glass: original, good aftermarket and a cheap unmarked one can differ greatly in price. So write the exact options in the request and check them in the offers. Glass without the right bracket or without heating may not fit, and you will pay extra later.
On BlaBlaPrice technicians reply to one request in the chat, naming the glass manufacturer, the price and the cost of fitting, timing and warranty. The site shows the best offer by substance first, with reviews next to each. Technicians see their place among the others, so they compete on terms. Your phone is hidden until you choose a technician.
What to clarify before the replacement
- which adhesive is used and how long after fitting you must not drive or wash the car;
- whether the seal and mouldings are replaced or the old ones are put back;
- whether calibration of the camera and sensors is included, if you have them;
- what the warranty on watertightness looks like and what it covers;
- whether the technician takes away and disposes of the old glass.
If the glass is expensive and the damage is small, ask about repair first: it keeps the factory glass and its adhesive seal.
Common mistakes
People put off repairing a chip “for later”, and the crack spreads. They order glass only by the car's make, without checking the options, and the wrong one arrives. They forget about calibrating the driver-assistance cameras, if the car has them. They also do not ask for the warranty in writing.
After replacement, do not wash the car under strong pressure or slam the doors until the adhesive has cured: ask the technician how long to wait. If you plan to fit tinting or sun film, it is better to agree the order of work in advance. Other services are in the section “Car & motorcycle servicing”, and more about the service is on the page “How it works”.
