How to Choose an Auto Glass Company
Choosing an auto glass company to fix your glass can seem overwhelming if you haven't done it before.
Our windshield experts put together the basics on this page so you can get up to speed fast on the important factors to know when looking for a glass company, plus the basic steps to follow.
Important Factors to Consider When Choosing a Company
Here are some helpful things to know when you're selecting an auto glass replacement company:
- Deal availability
- OEM (original equipment manufacturer) or OEE (original equipment equivalent) glass
- Availability of same day service
- ADAS
Deals & Incentives: Not all auto glass companies offer deals, but sometimes they may run promos or special discounts. Deals available can change at any time so it's always worth asking about any available deals when you speak with windshield companies.
OEM or OEE: OEM glass means it's made by or for the manufacturer of your car, i.e. Ford or Toyota. OEE glass means it's made to the same specs as OEM but it's not an officially branded part. OEE glass is typically about half as much as OEM glass.
Same Day Availability: Some companies will be able to schedule your appointment within a few business days, or even the same day you call them, but others might not have schedule availability near you for weeks.
ADAS: Some modern vehicles come with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) like night vision, automatic rain sensor or head-up display (HUD). Replacing an ADAS windshield is a more complicated process than a regular one, because of the additional features like cameras, sensors, etc. of the ADAS system.
Basic Steps to Find the Best Company for You
Follow the steps below the find the best auto glass company for your needs in your area:
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Determine if you need an auto glass repair or replacement.
There are several different types of auto glass:
- Front windshield
- Quarter glass (sometimes called quarter window glass)
- Car door window glass (sometimes called side glass)
- Rear window glass (sometimes called back windshield glass)
Your front windshield is made of laminated glass, which means it has multiple layers. Laminated glass is repairable in some cases if the damage is minor and doesn't go through the outer layer of glass.
The other glass components on your vehicle are made of tempered glass, which means they are just 1 layer treated for strength with a tempering process. Tempered glass is not repairable, so any damage will require a complete auto glass replacement.
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Determine which companies provide what you're looking for to fix your glass.
Here are some questions to answer when you're narrowing down the list of potential companies to work with:
- Do they work on the type of glass you need fixed? All auto glass companies will replace windshields, but not all of them offer windshield repairs or replacements for other types of glass like rear window glass.
- How is the warranty coverage for the type of service you need? Some companies offer the same guarantee on all types of new glass, but others will offer shorter warranties for car door glass or back window glass.
- How fast and easy is it to schedule an appointment with them? Some companies will offer mobile service throughout your metro area and have multiple shops you could come take your vehicle to, whereas others might just be a small, one shop location with a limited mobile service area.
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Contact company(s) for quotes.
Once you've narrowed down your options, contact the company(s) for quotes to check pricing.
There are 2 ways to get a quote:
- Calling the company directly,
- or filling out a quote form.
In most cases, the fastest way to get a quote is to call. You can normally get an exact quote for your specific vehicle and type of glass service in just a few minutes.
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Set up an appointment for your auto glass service.
After you've gotten quotes and you know who you want to work with, then schedule your appointment! It's normally fastest to do this over the phone, but some companies also offer an online scheduling process if that's more convenient for you.