Choosing an Insurer, The Shop’s Point of View

Auto Insurance is big business, and now more than ever consumers are doing some serious shopping around when it comes to choosing an insurance company.  One thing that everyone is looking for is polite and courteous treatment by the company’s agents.   All companies are at their best when you’re calling around to shop for rates, but what will happen when you have a problem?  The best place to ask this question is at your local auto repair shop, since no other group of  people spend more time dealing with insurance companies and filing claims.

Saving with Windshield Repair

We came across this article from the Sammamish Reporter that echoes the sentiments of the auto glass community regarding the importance of prompt repair of chips and nicks in you auto glass.  Thousands of windshields are replaced nationwide every year that should never have needed it.  Which means that not only are consumers spending money that they don’t need to spend, but tons of non-recyclable glass is being unnecessarily thrown into landfills.

There used to be a time when the only thing to do was to either ignore them or replace the whole windshield, an expensive undertaking which can set you back $300 to $400.

Dick Walker, owner of Eastside Mobile Auto Glass, said that he had seen quite a few people bring their cars in over the past few weeks to have their windshields repaired, before they needed replacing.

“It makes a lot of sense,” Walker said. “If you get the chip while it is still small, we can repair it before it spreads and cracks. A repair job costs about $40, but if you wait and the windshield needs repairing, then it will cost hundreds.”

Walker, who has been in business for 29 years and in Issaquah for 18, says that this time of year, a lot of the cracks start to grow.

It’s the warmer weather – the glass starts to slowly expand and the cracks that were made in the winter put strain and stress on the windshield.

The good news for motorists is that most insurance companies will pay for a windshield repair.

“A lot of them will even waive the deductible,” said Walker.

And if you are in the Rochester, NY area, repair is FREE with a small donation of pet supplies to help support our community animal shelters.  As little a five pounds of cat or dog food could save you a windshield replacement a few months down the line.

Even for those non-New York-ers the cost, time and materials saved should be a big enough motivator to get you down to your local NGA Certified glass shop for a quick easy and painless repair to your chipped windshield

Removing Tough Stuff From Your Glass

Got stickers on your mirror or windows?  Old bumper stickers on the rear windshield or side windows?  Ten year old tape on the kid’s windows?

When adhesives and tough gunk gets stuck on glass, people can do some serious damage trying to remove it.  We hate to see that red faced customer who tried to remove bugs from the windshield with steel wool or took a sticker off a window with an old razor.  We know that paying for replacement glass can be all the more painful when you have no one to blame but yourself.

NY State Police Now Required to Note Cell Phone Use

As all New Yorkers know, it is illegal state wide to use your phone while driving, except for hands free devices.  But yesterday NY State Senate passed a law requiring all police to note whether a cell phone was in use at the time of the accident.  The intention of this law is to allow the state to collect data on the dangers of cell phone use while driving, but it may end up making a difference in the liability of drivers in accidents.

Replacing Antique and Classic Car Auto Glass

With the sun showing it’s face, many classic car enthusiasts are rushing to get their most precious antique in mint condition before spring arrives.  Often though, owners have damaged glass that is keeping their fine specimen of an automobile from looking it’s best.

Any number of things can go wrong when you are talking about glass that is 40,60 sometimes 80 years old.  Some of these cars have been through a dozen owners and inevitably someone along the line has scratched the glass.  From body work accidents to old belt moldings to someone cleaning it with steel wool, rarely does a car make it five decades without glass damage.  Sometimes age can even cause the glass to delaminate, where the inner and outer layers of glass separate from the polyvinyl laminate layer that holds them together, which is quite unsightly.

Ray Sands Glass is the People’s Choice – For the 7th Year

Our local Rochester newspaper, the Democrat and Chronicle, runs a poll every year to get reader’s opinions on their favorite local businesses.  And we are proud to announce that Ray Sands Glass has won the People’s Choice Award for the 7th consecutive year.

It is really an honor for our shop to be chosen by our community as the favorite glass shop, year after year.  Even more so, because it isn’t a ballot style poll, businesses are written in by the readers – a true people’s choice.

The Democrat and Chronicle goes to great lengths to ensure the integrity of the contest.  Since the first year, when they were overwhelmed with ballots, they have hired a independent specialty company to handle the balloting process and monitor for dishonest practices for which businesses can be disqualified.

With over 30,000 ballots turned in this year, it’s great to know that Rochester appreciates Ray Sands Glass, as much as we appreciate all the loyal and friendly customers in our community.

Thank You Rochester!

http://democratandchronicle.com/ads/choice/2007/categorized.html

Winter Application of Aquapel Rain and Ice Repellent

We already know that Aquapel makes it a lot easier to remove ice and snow from your windshield.  But PPG, the makers of Aquapel, specifically requires that this product be applied between the temperatures of 50 and 80F.  Which for most of us northerners means that unless you applied Aquapel in September, you’re out of luck now.  But just leave it to our customers to get creative and find a way to get things done.

We should start out by saying that 50F degrees is a rather conservative number,  as long as the air temp is a safe distance from freezing you shouldn’t have a problem.  But even with a somewhat warm (for New Yorkers) air temperature, you still have to make sure that the glass to which you are applying the product is warm enough.

Usually this can be accomplished by turning on the car and running the defroster for a few minutes.  But our customers have shared some very interesting methods for achieving this result.  We have heard of some folks using the hair dryer to warm the outside of the glass while the defroster runs inside.  One customer even applied Aquapel to his car in sub-freezing temperatures by putting the car in the garage and laying an electric blanket over the windows.

While we can’t say we officially recommend these methods, they are  a great example of creativity in the face of adverse conditions.  So fear not, Aquapel fans!  You don’t have to put that application up until next year,  just be prepared to pounce when conditions are right.

Need Help Clearing That Icy Windshield?

As winter hit us hard this week in Rochester, many drivers were faced with the problem of clearing the snow and ice off their windows. Since we already discussed some of the things that can go wrong with this process in  How to Destroy Your Own Auto Glass, today we will discuss some things that can make clearing ice and snow easier without damaging your windshield.

Aquapel is your best defense if you don’t have a garage or car port to protect your vehicle from the elements.  The same chemical bond that causes the rain to roll up and fly off at high speeds, also helps prevent ice and snow from sticking to the windshield.  The windshield  isn’t going to be cleared and shiny when you come out in the morning, but the ice will certainly be a lot easier to clear, you can often use a squeegee instead of a scraper.

It’s important to make sure when applying Aquapel that you lift the wipers and make sure to treat the entire windshield, even under the wipers.   This is essential for winter application because you NEVER want to turn on windshield wipers that are frozen to the glass.  This could bend or break the wipers or wiper arms, or worse, blow out the windshield wiper motor – which would be a big punch in the pocket, especially during the holidays.

We also found  this article on Freep.com that discusses some other ways to help deal with ice on your auto glass.  In the article, author Matt Helms mentions windshield covers, sold at many auto parts stores which cover the entire windshield and are held tight with straps that close in the doors.  And while not nearly as nice looking, we have found that a basic waterproof tarp can work well too.

But however you manage it, remember that it is absolutely imperative that your windshield, as well as side and rear glass, be completely cleared for safe winter driving.

Gold Star Families Host Benefit for Vets

The Gold Star Families of Rochester, those whose loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives for our country, are hosting Rock Out for Vets, presented by Impact Technologies, a concert event that will both honor their sons’ and daughters’ memories and raise money for Veterans Outreach Center, Inc. (VOC), a non-profit organization that provides programs and services free of charge to veterans and their family members. The concert, featuring local headliner Uncle Plum, will be held Friday, November 7, 2008, at Waterstreet Music Hall. This is the second year the Gold Star Families of Rochester have put on a show of this kind for VOC, and this year promises to be an even bigger event.

“It’s so wonderful that these Gold Star Families would do this for us,” said Betsy Ross-Lombardo, Veterans Advocate at VOC. “It is such an unselfish act—their sons are not returning home, and yet they’re putting this concert on that will benefit those who do make it home.”

Doors open at 6pm, and the first act will begin around 7pm. There will be a live auction in between acts, featuring guest auctioneer Brother Wease. Tickets are $10 and are available at VOC’s STARS & STRIPES The Flag Store, as well as ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations.

The concert is being sponsored by Impact Technologies, 95.1 The Fox, Ray Sands Glass, and Rochester Red Wings.

Veterans Outreach Center, a not-for-profit charitable corporation, has been helping local veterans and their families since 1973. It is the oldest, community-based veteran outreach effort in the nation. Services include mental-health and substance-abuse counseling, vocational training and housing for homeless veterans. For more information about the agency and its programs, please call 585.546.1081 or visit www.veteransoutreachcenter.org.

Thanks to All Who Participated in Strive to Survive

Ray Sands Glass in their employees would like to send out a special thanks to all the folks in our community who helped with the Strive to Survive Fundraiser for Thomas Hill.

The fundraiser was a complete success with the help of all those who donated items to be auctioned as well as the time donated by all.  We were able to raise over $8000 for Tommy and his family through the Strive to Survive Fundraiser with the help and determination of the Rochester community.

For those who aren’t farmiliar with his story, Tommy is a gentleman from the Walworth area in Wayne County who has unfortunately been fighting melanoma.  He and his wife and children are currently going back and forth from Bethesda, Maryland to seek further treatment to help him in his battle.  The  cancer has now spread to his brain but Tommy and his family will not give up hope, and they are willing to fight to beat the odds.

Those interested in donating to Thomas Hill and his family can do so via pay pal or credit card by visiting our site at the link above, or contacting Patty Heagle at pheagle@raysandsglass.com.