How much does a windscreen chip repair cost?
Matilda Douglas-Henry, 2nd January 2021
Having a clear, unobstructed windscreen is one of the most essential and basic measures to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive. For that reason windscreens are sturdy and hard to crack, but the occasional stray rock or piece of debris can flick up on any road and cause windscreen damage that might not look too severe, but can worsen over time if you’re not proactive.
Here we will break down everything you need to know about windscreen chip repairs, including:
Luckily, windscreen repairs—and even replacements—are a relatively straightforward fix, and often your car will only be offroad for a few hours.
Different types of windscreen breaks
Windscreen damage can vary from minimal to severe, which of course has a major impact on repair costs; fortunately windscreen chips are relatively cheap to fix, and the sooner you act on your chipped windscreen the better to avoid it turning into a crack. Your windscreen can chip in many different ways, and it’s important to be mindful of the distinctions between them.
Bullseye, Half-Moon and Star breaks look just like their names suggest. A Bullseye is a clean circular break on the outer layer of the glass; a Half-Moon is in the shape of a semicircle around the point of impact, and a Star is fractured into multiple points that jut out of the impact point like rays. You can also have a Combination break which is a combination of two or more of these.
Starburst, Angel Wing and Straight-line breaks are slightly more complex. While a Starburst retains many features of a Star break, the impact point is larger and the radiating rays are fewer and finer. An Angel Wing is a particular Combination break with two prominent rays that reach out on either side of the impact point like wings. Straight-line chips are long and clean with a left-to-right fracture that runs across the point of impact.
A crack looks like a line on the outer layer of the glass that runs from the surface to the lamination, and typically is more complicated to repair*.
One of the worst types of windscreen damage is a crater, which is when debris has hit your windscreen hard enough to leave a deep hollow hole with glass missing*.
How much do windscreen chip repairs cost?
The cost of repairing a windscreen chip depends on a number of factors, from the location and size of the chip and its complexity, to the state you live in.
On average, a basic chip, Bullseye, Half-Moon or Star can cost between $60 and $78, and a Crack can cost between $60 and $80. However, different states have recorded different quotes: in New South Wales chips are more likely to cost $99 - $120, and in Victoria $99 - $110*.
Unlike replacing a windscreen, the cost of repairing a chip isn’t influenced by the make or model of your car. Although many factors need to be taken into consideration you can safely assume that your repair will cost less than $140, no matter the vehicle, and possibly less than 30 minutes to complete*.
Should I repair or replace my windscreen?
Windscreen replacement is sometimes necessary, and this is usually for safety reasons. If a chip is located within the driver’s critical line of sight it could be fatally distracting, and the most preventative way forward is a windscreen replacement.
A Crack can be repaired if it’s less than 25mm in length when inside your critical vision area; outside of that area cracks can be repaired when they are up to 100mm in length.
A Bullseye can be repaired if it’s under 10mm inside critical vision, and up to 20mm outside. Stars and Half-Moons can be repaired if they are under 15mm inside your critical vision area, and 30mm or 25mm respectively outside your critical vision area.
Craters can detrimentally damage your windscreen, and can only be repaired if they are under 2mm inside your critical vision area and no larger than 5mm if they are outside of it.
The driver’s critical vision area can vary depending on the height of each driver of the vehicle; technicians take this into account, and therefore the critical sight area can encompass a large portion of the windscreen.
A windscreen replacement can cost anywhere between $200 and $2,000. This is because of the different technological abilities of the cars on our roads. The level of which your car relies on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology influences the cost of windscreen repair. ADAS technology includes sensors, speed zone recognition, and radars or lasers in the windscreen. A Toyota Prado, for example, might cost between $295 and $300; a Mazda 3 SP25 Astina would be more in the $1,000 - $2,500 range.
Windscreen insurance
If windscreen chip repairs or windscreen replacements are on your mind, it’s important to double check your insurance policy to see how they are covered.
In many policies, windscreen cover is not automatically included; if you think it’s included in your policy, go over the exact wording to clarify the distinctions between windscreen repair and windscreen replacement under your policy. In some instances, insurance providers might waive the excess entirely to opt for windscreen repair rather than replacement to ensure that drivers maintain their windscreens*.
If you are an NRMA (or state-equivalent) member, you will most likely receive a discount on windscreen repairs/replacements; in some instances the discount can be as high as 20%.
How to avoid windscreen chips
While it’s fortunate that windscreen chip repairs are not too expensive or time-consuming, they’re a good thing to avoid once you’ve already been through the process.
Be careful driving on gravel and other unpaved surfaces, and maintain a safe distance between you and other cars. If your car is parked in an area where vandalism might occur, or other vehicles can drive past and kick some debris onto your windshield, consider parking off the street or undercover.
Conclusion
Windscreen chip repair is a hassle, but it’s also a not-too-tricky fix. It’s important to remember that driving with a cracked screen is illegal in Australia, so any windscreen damage should be taken care of sooner rather than later.
DingGo can help with all your windscreen repair needs. Use our quick quote service, to get free advice from our network of highly reviewed local Windscreen Repairs specialists.
Matilda Douglas-Henry, 2nd January 2021
Having a clear, unobstructed windscreen is one of the most essential and basic measures to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive. For that reason windscreens are sturdy and hard to crack, but the occasional stray rock or piece of debris can flick up on any road and cause windscreen damage that might not look too severe, but can worsen over time if you’re not proactive.
Here we will break down everything you need to know about windscreen chip repairs, including:
- Different types of windscreen chips
- How much windscreen chip repairs should cost
- Whether you need to repair or replace your windscreen
- Windscreen insurance
- How to avoid windscreen chips
Luckily, windscreen repairs—and even replacements—are a relatively straightforward fix, and often your car will only be offroad for a few hours.
Different types of windscreen breaks
Windscreen damage can vary from minimal to severe, which of course has a major impact on repair costs; fortunately windscreen chips are relatively cheap to fix, and the sooner you act on your chipped windscreen the better to avoid it turning into a crack. Your windscreen can chip in many different ways, and it’s important to be mindful of the distinctions between them.
Bullseye, Half-Moon and Star breaks look just like their names suggest. A Bullseye is a clean circular break on the outer layer of the glass; a Half-Moon is in the shape of a semicircle around the point of impact, and a Star is fractured into multiple points that jut out of the impact point like rays. You can also have a Combination break which is a combination of two or more of these.
Starburst, Angel Wing and Straight-line breaks are slightly more complex. While a Starburst retains many features of a Star break, the impact point is larger and the radiating rays are fewer and finer. An Angel Wing is a particular Combination break with two prominent rays that reach out on either side of the impact point like wings. Straight-line chips are long and clean with a left-to-right fracture that runs across the point of impact.
A crack looks like a line on the outer layer of the glass that runs from the surface to the lamination, and typically is more complicated to repair*.
One of the worst types of windscreen damage is a crater, which is when debris has hit your windscreen hard enough to leave a deep hollow hole with glass missing*.
How much do windscreen chip repairs cost?
The cost of repairing a windscreen chip depends on a number of factors, from the location and size of the chip and its complexity, to the state you live in.
On average, a basic chip, Bullseye, Half-Moon or Star can cost between $60 and $78, and a Crack can cost between $60 and $80. However, different states have recorded different quotes: in New South Wales chips are more likely to cost $99 - $120, and in Victoria $99 - $110*.
Unlike replacing a windscreen, the cost of repairing a chip isn’t influenced by the make or model of your car. Although many factors need to be taken into consideration you can safely assume that your repair will cost less than $140, no matter the vehicle, and possibly less than 30 minutes to complete*.
Should I repair or replace my windscreen?
Windscreen replacement is sometimes necessary, and this is usually for safety reasons. If a chip is located within the driver’s critical line of sight it could be fatally distracting, and the most preventative way forward is a windscreen replacement.
A Crack can be repaired if it’s less than 25mm in length when inside your critical vision area; outside of that area cracks can be repaired when they are up to 100mm in length.
A Bullseye can be repaired if it’s under 10mm inside critical vision, and up to 20mm outside. Stars and Half-Moons can be repaired if they are under 15mm inside your critical vision area, and 30mm or 25mm respectively outside your critical vision area.
Craters can detrimentally damage your windscreen, and can only be repaired if they are under 2mm inside your critical vision area and no larger than 5mm if they are outside of it.
The driver’s critical vision area can vary depending on the height of each driver of the vehicle; technicians take this into account, and therefore the critical sight area can encompass a large portion of the windscreen.
A windscreen replacement can cost anywhere between $200 and $2,000. This is because of the different technological abilities of the cars on our roads. The level of which your car relies on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology influences the cost of windscreen repair. ADAS technology includes sensors, speed zone recognition, and radars or lasers in the windscreen. A Toyota Prado, for example, might cost between $295 and $300; a Mazda 3 SP25 Astina would be more in the $1,000 - $2,500 range.
Windscreen insurance
If windscreen chip repairs or windscreen replacements are on your mind, it’s important to double check your insurance policy to see how they are covered.
In many policies, windscreen cover is not automatically included; if you think it’s included in your policy, go over the exact wording to clarify the distinctions between windscreen repair and windscreen replacement under your policy. In some instances, insurance providers might waive the excess entirely to opt for windscreen repair rather than replacement to ensure that drivers maintain their windscreens*.
If you are an NRMA (or state-equivalent) member, you will most likely receive a discount on windscreen repairs/replacements; in some instances the discount can be as high as 20%.
How to avoid windscreen chips
While it’s fortunate that windscreen chip repairs are not too expensive or time-consuming, they’re a good thing to avoid once you’ve already been through the process.
Be careful driving on gravel and other unpaved surfaces, and maintain a safe distance between you and other cars. If your car is parked in an area where vandalism might occur, or other vehicles can drive past and kick some debris onto your windshield, consider parking off the street or undercover.
Conclusion
Windscreen chip repair is a hassle, but it’s also a not-too-tricky fix. It’s important to remember that driving with a cracked screen is illegal in Australia, so any windscreen damage should be taken care of sooner rather than later.
DingGo can help with all your windscreen repair needs. Use our quick quote service, to get free advice from our network of highly reviewed local Windscreen Repairs specialists.