Windscreen chip or crack: repair or replace?

A stone flicks up on the A180, there is a sharp crack, and you are left with a small mark in the glass. The question everyone asks is the same: can it be fixed, or do I need a new windscreen? The honest answer is that it depends on what the damage is and how quickly you deal with it.

Chips - usually repairable

Most stone chips can be repaired, and repairing early is nearly always the cheaper option. We inject Esprit resin into the chip under pressure so it penetrates right to the tip of the damage, then cure it with UV light in around 20 minutes. The repaired area ends up stronger than the surrounding glass, and you keep your original screen and its factory seal.

• Book in at our Scunthorpe or Rotherham workshop - around 30 minutes
• £30 + VAT at the workshop, or £45 + VAT mobile at your home or workplace

Cracks - act fast

A crack is a different story. We do not repair cracks - once the glass has cracked, the screen needs replacing. Vibration, temperature changes and potholes can turn a small chip into a long crack with no warning, which is why we always say the same thing: get a chip looked at now, not next month.

Too far gone? We replace it

If the glass has cracked, the screen needs replacing. We fit the correct glass for your exact vehicle using our dedicated part-sourcing system, and the adhesives we use have you safely back on the road in under an hour. If you are claiming on insurance, we are insurance approved and handle the paperwork from first call to finished claim.

Does a new windscreen need calibrating?

On most modern cars, yes. The forward-facing camera for the safety systems sits behind the windscreen, so once the glass is replaced the camera has to be recalibrated to the manufacturer's specification. Our sister company ACC ADAS Calibration & Coding does this at our Scunthorpe ADAS Centre and in Rotherham - read more on our ADAS calibration page.