Buying a Windshield or Auto Glass?

Don't know where to find a new windshield or auto glass? A great place to start your search for a local shop or franchise is online or in the yellow pages. One advantage of choosing Glass.net is that most partner shops will complete the insurance paperwork for you leaving you hassle free. All the shop should need is your insurance company name and policy number.

If you are looking for a cheap auto glass alternative and have some do-it-yourself skills, the nearest junkyard with used auto glass will be your cheapest option. Remember, to finish the installation job, you will need windshield tools and molding strips. Keep in mind vehicle safety concerns when servicing the installation yourself.

Want white glove auto glass service, consider buying online from a local shop. Almost every auto glass shop offers mobile service so you can stay home or even have the installation completed at your workplace. You can always take your car to a shop if that fits your style better.

Many people only look for the lowest price when they shop for auto glass. But there are varying qualities of glass, and levels of installation quality. An improperly installed windshield is virtually useless at protecting you during an accident. Click Here to Learn More About Safe Auto Glass Installation

Ask your auto glass company if the installer who will be working on your vehicle is certified. Here are some windshield replacement certifications to ask about. Click Here to Learn More About Auto Glass Installer Standards and Certifications

Many people shop for a new windshield or other auto glass as if it's an in-dash stereo–treating it as a standard part and all they need to do is find the lowest price. Click Here to Learn How to Shop for Auto Glass

You may not realize that if you have comprehensive auto insurance, there's a component of your policy that can help you pay for a new windshield. In some states, it can even pay for it completely. Click Here to Find Out If Your Insurance Can Help Pay for Auto Glass Replacement

Are you looking for auto glass but don't know where to start? Search Glass.net's local pages to find an auto glass shop located near you. Then you can be back on your way in no time. Find auto glass in Los Angeles

There are many new features in today's windshields. Below is a glossary of terms that can be useful in understanding some of these features.

Glass having a thicker than normal vinyl laminate for noise reduction.

Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards. Safety standards widely accepted by the auto glass industry. Visit the AGRSS website.

Vehicle glass that is made of laminated glass and tempered glass sandwiched together to help prevent smash & grab theft.

An adhesive/sealant that was the primary material used to bond car windshields in the 60's and 70's. It achieves lap shear strengths of only about 13 psi.

Combines the reception from two or more antennas on the vehicle. They work together to archive superior radio reception. They usually appear as a thin brown or orange line inside the glass.

The traditional gradient shade band in the laminate is replaced by a dot matrix frit across the top of the windshield. These little black dots are painted onto one of the glass surfaces.

Also known as an auto-dim mirror. A rear view mirror that senses light and automatically dims.

A glass part that has a molding attached. Sometimes at the top only, or around three or four sides of the glass.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards: ie FMVSS #212 the barrier crash test, and #216 the roof crush resistance test. Visit the FMVSS website.

The black painted border around the perimeter of the auto glass. This painted area serves two purposes. First, is aesthetics, it just looks better. Second, it blocks the sun's rays from deteriorating the adhesive that structurally bonds the auto glass to the vehicle.

A windshield contains heater grids across the lower part of the glass where the wipers rest. Usually visible as a brown or grey lines running horizontally at the base of the windshield.

High modulus is a rigidity requirement of cured adhesive. It measures the ability of the adhesive to withstand a variety of stresses and still return to its original form. High modulus adhesives are stiffer than normal adhesives.

Heads up display. Some of your vehicle's key instrumentation is flashed up onto the bottom of the windshield. This allows a driver to check speed, etc. without having to take their eyes off the road.

A term used in the auto glass industry to describe solar coated glass.

A sandwich of two pieces of glass with a PVB layer between them. All front windshields are made of laminated glass. Properly installed windshields cushion an occupant's head during impact, act as a backboard for the airbags, and provide structural roof support in an accident.

A sensor usually located on the windshield that senses the absence of light and turns the headlights on.

An infrared camera mounted on the vehicle which detects objects further ahead than the headlights reach, and displays the images on a section of the windshield.

Standard auto glass adhesives are inherently conductive due to the presence of carbon. Nonconductive adhesives are low in carbon and change high frequency antenna impedance. Sensitive electronic signals in some luxury cars require specialized nonconductive adhesives to maintain optimal operating levels.

Original Equipment Manufacturer. Learn more about OEM auto glass.

Polyvinyl Butyral. The vinyl layer between two pieces of glass that make up the front windshield.

A sensor usually located near the windshield's rear view mirror that senses rain and activates the windshield wipers.

The elapsed time after a front windshield installation that a vehicle would safely pass all the appropriate rollover and roof crush requirements. One hour minimum.

Auto glass that blocks out harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays thereby reducing the sun's damage and keeping the inside of the vehicle cooler.

During the manufacturing process, the inner layer of non-solar glass is coated with UV reflective film before being attached to the PVB and second layer of glass to form the windshield.