Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Auto Glass Company

Most people pick an auto glass company the same way: they search, call the first number, and ask one question. “How much?” It is a fair question, but it is the least useful one. A windshield is not just a pane you look through. It is bonded to the car with adhesive, and it plays a part in how the car holds up in a crash. The company you choose matters more than the glass in the box.

Here are the questions we would ask if we were hiring someone to replace the windshield on our own vehicle. Use them on us, and use them on anyone else you call.

Ask what kind of glass is going in

There are three kinds of replacement glass. OEM glass is made by a supplier that works under contract with the carmaker, and it often carries the carmaker’s logo. OEE glass, short for original equipment equivalent, is made to match the original specification but without the carmaker’s license. Aftermarket is the wider group of other makers. MOTOR’s glass comparison lays out the same split and notes that thickness, shape, fit and tint can differ between OEM and the rest.

So the first question is simple: “Which one are you quoting me, and can I choose?” A good company tells you what is in the quote and what the other options are. We install all three types, so you can pick, and we have a fallback if the one you want is not available. Our page on OEM vs OEE vs aftermarket glass goes through what each one means.

Do not assume the lower quote and the higher quote are for the same thing. Ask for the glass type in writing. A National Insurance Crime Bureau representative quoted by NBC News advised drivers to read the paperwork and warranty terms, and have the glass type explained, before saying yes.

One more point on glass. An advisory from IIHS, reprinted by Safelite, says its testing found negligible differences in driver assistance performance between original, OEM replacement and aftermarket windshields once the systems were set up properly. That does not mean every glass is the same. It does mean the label on the box is not the whole story, and the install and the setup afterward count for a lot.

Also ask whether they need your VIN. A real estimate for a windshield needs it, because one vehicle can have up to about 15 windshield versions depending on the option package. A shop that quotes a number off the make and model alone, with no VIN, is guessing. If your car has a rain sensor, a camera bracket or an acoustic layer, the wrong glass will not fit the way it should. We ask for the VIN on every windshield quote for this reason.

Ask about the adhesive and who is doing the work

The adhesive is the part you never see, and it is the part that holds the windshield in. Most windshield adhesives are urethane, and the way they cure depends on temperature and moisture in the air. Pilkington’s adhesive page says the safe drive-away time varies by product and by installation conditions. Auto Glass Dixie, a glass shop, describes it the same way: humidity and cold change how the adhesive cures, so the person doing the job has to account for them and tell the customer what to expect before the car is released.

That gives you three good questions. “What adhesive do you use?” “Is your technician trained on it?” “When can I safely drive the car, and who decides that?” Our technicians are graduates of the Equalizer Auto Glass Academy and are DuPont adhesive certified. The founder, Tim Morrell, also holds an automotive engineering degree. If a company cannot name its adhesive or its training, that tells you something.

There is also an industry standard for how glass should be installed. The Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standard, or AGRSS, is an ANSI-accredited standard that covers procedures, education and product performance for glass replacement. CollisionWeek reported that the Auto Glass Safety Council approved a major update to it in 2022. You do not need to read the standard. You can simply ask, “Do you follow a written installation standard?” and listen to whether the answer is specific.

Need a windshield and want straight answers? Text us a photo and your VIN for a free quote. We come to your home or work, and we reply within an hour during business hours. Get a free quote

Ask what they do about camera calibration

Many newer vehicles have a camera mounted behind the windshield. It feeds features like lane departure warning and automatic braking. When the glass changes, that camera may need to be set up again, which is called calibration. The IIHS advisory above says most manufacturers recommend recalibrating after a windshield replacement.

This is where we think you should expect a plain answer. We do not do calibration. If your vehicle needs it after a windshield replacement, we refer it to the dealer. Tim’s reasons are simple. Manufacturers recommend dealer calibration. Third-party tools reach the vehicle computer through a “back door” that has caused system issues for some vehicles. Dealers do not share their equipment or access. And makers call for a controlled indoor space, which cannot be done from a van in your driveway. Our page on whether your car needs a camera recalibration explains more.

You might hear a different answer from another company, and that can be fine. What is not fine is a vague one. Ask: “Do you calibrate? Who does it? Where? Is it in the quote, and will I get a printout or report?” If the answer is “it should be fine,” keep asking. Safelite’s scam alert page, written by a glass company that has its own interests, makes the same point from the other side: shops that skip required recalibration can leave safety features not working.

Ask what the warranty covers and for how long

Every company says “warranty.” Few say what it covers. Ask for the terms in plain words and ask whether you will get them in writing. Safelite’s page above advises confirming that the shop guarantees its repairs and backs its replacements with a warranty. The NBC News report above also advises reading the warranty terms before you agree.

Then ask the specific things people run into: wind noise, water leaks around the glass, and a windshield that was set wrong. Ask, “If it leaks in a month, what happens?” and “Is it the workmanship that is covered, or only the glass?” Our workmanship warranty lasts for the life of the vehicle. You can read how it works on our guarantee page.

A warranty is only as good as the company standing behind it. A shop that has been around since 2009 has been answering the phone for a long time, and one that opened last spring may not be around next spring. We have been in business since 2009. Ask any company how long it has operated under the same name.

Look at reviews the right way

Reviews are useful when you read them the right way. Do not stop at the star rating. We are rated 4.9 on Google from 110 reviews, and we still tell people to read a few of them.

Read the middle of the pack, not only the top. Look for a few things. Do reviewers mention the technician by name or describe the work in detail? Do you see the same complaint more than once, such as no-shows, leaks or surprise charges? How does the company answer a bad review? A calm, specific reply tells you more than a perfect score.

Look for details that match your job. A back glass job on a vehicle with a rear defroster, for example, has one more step than a windshield. A customer review confirms we reconnect rear defroster connections on back glass jobs. If you are in the Cumming area, look for reviews from people near you. A glass company with customers up and down GA-400, from Forsyth County to Alpharetta and Roswell, has a track record on the roads you drive.

Be careful with a company that has no reviews, or only a handful that all read alike. And be careful with anyone who finds you first. A person who walks up to you in a parking lot, offers a free gift card, or says your chip needs replacing right now is a different thing from a shop you looked up yourself. Our post on auto glass scams covers that.

Ask the insurance questions, too

If you plan to file a claim, ask the shop how it works with your insurer. We are a preferred insurance vendor for all major insurance companies. You can give your insurer our number when you file, or we can file the claim for you if you give us the information. Most people file in their insurer’s app. Our page on whether insurance covers a windshield repair or replacement walks through it.

Two cautions. First, you do not have to sign over your claim rights to anyone. Safelite’s page lists signing “insurance rights” over to a shop as a tactic to watch for, because it can let a shop inflate a claim in your name. Read what you sign. Second, check your own policy. Coverage and deductibles differ from one policy to the next, and your insurer is the one who can tell you what yours says.

A short list to take with you

If you only remember a few questions, make it these.

• Which glass is in the quote, and can I choose between OEM, OEE and aftermarket?
• Do you need my VIN to price it?
• What adhesive do you use, and who sets the safe drive-away time?
• Is my technician trained and certified?
• Do you calibrate the camera, and if not, where will it be done?
• What does the warranty cover, for how long, and is it in writing?
• What do recent reviews say about leaks, noise and no-shows?
• How does the insurance claim work, and what will I be asked to sign?

A company that answers these without squirming is one you can trust with the glass in front of you. If you want to see how we answer them, call or text with your VIN and a photo. If it is only a chip, see our page on windshield repair, where a flat $85 covers up to 3 chips on the same windshield, with mobile service included. If it is a crack or a bigger break, we will tell you honestly when it needs windshield replacement. For pricing details, see our pricing page.