Winter is coming. Fortunately, that doesn’t imply the rise of any draugrs or any other Game of Thrones reference I’m attempting to make. What it does mean is the rise of danger towards your windshield. While the summer’s blistering heat can detriment to existing auto glass damage, the winter can cause absolute havoc. So, do the costs of windshield repairs and replacements differ by season?
As an auto glass replacement company, it’s our job to keep an eye out for all the fluctuations in the market. Consequently, we believe and stand by always using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) products and materials. Therefore, we know when a price increase happens. But does the season make a difference? Do prices of products and services increase when danger is greater?
Is there actually a better time of year to get a windshield replacement?
Let’s see.
Why Would Costs Differ by Season?
A gallon of milk is a gallon of milk. Right? The cost of an oil change won’t fluctuate depending on the weather outside. Why would the costs of auto glass work differ by season? Why even ponder this question?
The answer involves the prospect of risk and demand.
We have broken down the different risks and dangers of the seasons on your auto glass for summer and winter. At the end of the day, the two drastic seasons have different effects, and winter stands to be the harsher of the two.
While summer rays may increase the damage on your windshield, it only really affects pre-existing cracks and chips. On the other hand, winter can cause cracks and chips. Firstly, winter mornings may result in extremely cold temperatures and ice. When the temperature rises drastically (something Colorado is known for), the shift causes glass to expand. This quick expansion can cause the windshield to crack under pressure.
Not only do Colorado winters have a dramatic temperature shift, but there is a plethora of other debris that comes with the impending snow. For example, salt and ice are commonplace on winter highways. Flying dirt, ice, and bundled salt can hit your windshield at any time. While there is a chance of flying debris in the summer, the risk becomes exponentially larger in the winter.
What Does this Mean?
What are you getting at?
If the demand for new windshields is higher during the winter due to more damage, then wouldn’t the prices be higher? Wouldn’t they differ by season?
Furthermore, if the chances of damage are higher during the summer and winter, wouldn’t windshield replacements be cheaper in the spring and fall?
That’s the question we are here for.
The Main Cost Factors and Averages
To determine whether costs differ by season, we must take a look at cost differentials themselves. What is the average cost of a windshield replacement and what are the main factors that affect it?
Chase has the average cost of a windshield replacement sitting at around $250 to $400. Ultimately, this depends on the windshield and state you are getting repaired. But what other factors affect the price?
1. Model and Make Are Key
As per any repair or mechanical work on a vehicle, the price starting point depends on the car’s make and model. Basically, the shape of the car, the size of the window pane, and the age of the exact vehicle all greatly affect the price of both windshields and auto glass.
If, for example, your car has a unique shape and is extremely old, it may be nearly impossible to find an OEM windshield on the market. Though nothing is impossible, it will still rise up the overall price. That’s just how the cookie crumbles, after all.
Luxury models (new or old) also call for a significant price hike. Their materials may only be available directly from the original manufacturer. A Mercedes may require that the auto glass shop gets the windshield directly from them. This supply and demand calls for a hefty premium.
2. Special Features
It may go without saying, but the features surrounding (or on) your windshield will ultimately affect the price of replacement.
As technology continues to grow and adapt, windshields have grown both smarter and safer. Take the night vision windshield, for example. With the magnificence of modern technology comes one of the most impressive and expensive windshield features.
Night vision is a result of an infrared sensor on the front of the vehicle. Through heat detection, the sensor can display surrounding objects on the car’s dashboard. This increased sensory allows drivers to see animals and vehicles in front of them clearly, regardless of the surrounding light condition.
While night vision is not a mainstay on modern vehicles yet, a mass amount of newer models have the feature and it’s based entirely through the windshield. Therefore, getting it replaced would require that exact windshield, an advanced technology. Obviously, they are way more expensive than regular auto glass.
3. Repair or Replacement
Typically, the auto glass repair process involves filling in the chip with a transparent resin and cementing the surrounding region in place. When this procedure is completed properly, the windshield is no longer susceptible to additional cracking in the same location. A pane that is no longer vulnerable in this manner is significantly safer. If you allow the chip or fracture to expand, you may lose the opportunity to restore the glass. It may necessitate a complete replacement.
The aforementioned repair is significantly cheaper than an entire replacement. Ultimately, whether or not the damage can be repaired depends on size and location.
Does Season Matter?
To answer the question simply: No. The cost of a windshield replacement does not differ by season.
Though it would make sense to put a premium on glass during more glass-dangerous seasons, it’s not the case. Overall, the cost of a replacement is only going to depend on the factors above (and the location you get it done at), not the time of repair.
There is a roundabout way that weather affects your replacement costs, though. If your insurance does not include full coverage on your auto glass, then winter and summer months may increase your auto glass prices. When the chance of getting hit by debris or inclement weather is higher, your chances of visiting an auto glass shop are higher. If your insurance does not cover these damage causes, then you may have to pay out of pocket for a full replacement.
Seasons Should Be Treated Differently
As we’ve stated multiple times, the summer and winter months do present more of a threat to your windshield than spring and fall.
If you have pre-existing damage on your auto glass, the drastically shifting temperatures and other weather factors in those months can expand damage, causing a full replacement to be necessary. Therefore, if you have damage, it’s cheaper to get it fixed as soon as you notice it. Waiting till after the winter may increase the damage, increasing the repair costs.
Furthermore, a damaged windshield affects your exterior integrity, your driving vision, and the deployment of your airbags. Though it may seem like a bit of self-promotion through scare tactics, it’s important to have a clean and sound windshield for your safety. Get your windshield repaired as soon as something occurs.