It’s something every driver dreads. You’re driving down the highway or road and out of nowhere something dings your windshield or side windows. The tell-tale sound of that ding averts your eyes to its source, praying there’s no chip or gosh forbid a crack. If you see either, you’ll sigh or curse, frustrated that you must deal with repairing or possibly replacing the window.

Maybe you don’t have time to deal with car window repair, or you don’t have the money to afford it now. Let’s look at how long you can wait for car window repair and what to expect along the way, so you can make an educated decision on what to do next.

So, How Long Should You Wait for Car Window Repair?

Depending on where the chip or crack is, your car window may need to be repaired right away. If it’s shattered the glass or has obstructed your view when driving, you’re going to need to get it fixed or replaced right away. Your safety, and the safety of others, on the road must be the first thing you think about. In some states, you can be ticketed or fined for driving with an obstructed view form a cracked or chipped windshield or window.

Ideally, regardless of where the crack or chip is, if you need a car window repaired, you should bring it to an auto glass company like Bear Creek Auto Glass to evaluate. The longer you wait to have it looked at or taken care of, the more you risk the chip shattering the glass in your car window or windshield. You also risk a crack spreading and leading to the same catastrophic failure in the glass; you don’t want to be driving when and if that happens.

For some, for whatever reason, they wait to have a crack or chip looked at. This leads to an even costlier repair, and sometimes the car window glass can’t be repaired – it must be replaced. In the long run, you’ll spend more money dealing with replacing car window glass versus repairing it from the start.

If you can’t afford to have it fixed upfront, at least get an estimate of what it will cost to get it replaced so you can begin budgeting for it now.

Waiting to have your car window repaired should never be the first option. At the very least, you should have a company like ours look at the damage. We can advise you on the timeframe before things get worst and the cost to take care of your car window repair now to avoid issues today.