If you’ve been driving on state highways or rural roads recently, chances are you have driven over a stretch of recently laid road chip surface……..and got a stone chip on your windscreen, which will require fixing promptly to save a full glass replacement.
Usually, that means calling a professional mobile repair service and if your area is not within their range then it’s a trip to the nearest automotive glass repair business. And worse, there will be a charge if you don’t have full insurance.
Now there is an alternative – fix it yourself with a new DIY Windscreen Repair Kit made by the trusted windscreen people at Rain-X.
Recently introduced to the New Zealand market by leading automotive accessory company Griffith Equipment Ltd, the new kit is based on similar technology used by the professionals and it can be done at home, thereby saving time and money if you only have basic car insurance.
“Most drivers will probably suffer a stone chip to their windscreen at some time, usually during the summer and autumn, where road repairs are at a peak and it can be more than just an inconvenience – you could end up having to pay for a whole new windscreen if you don’t attend to it straight away,” says Bruce Walker, National Sales Manager with Griffiths Equipment.
“The sooner it’s repaired the better and that is where the Rain-X Windscreen Repair Kit really comes into its own. If you keep one of these at home you can get onto the repair very quickly and save a lot of time and possible expense. It’s simple to use and only takes a few minutes.”
The Rain-X Windscreen Repair Kit comes complete in a handy blister pack, with all the ingredients and instructions on how to make a repair.
It can be used to effectively and permanently repair most type of chips, from the round ‘bulls-eyes’ and the ‘stars’, to fine cracks, leaving the surfaces almost blemish-free and preventing the crack from spreading, which could require a full replacement if it interferes with driver vision.
The Rain-X kit works just like those used by the professionals, by removing air from the break, filling it with durable resin and it even makes the repaired area stronger than before. For best results, repairs should be made as soon as possible after the damage occurs and before the break is contaminated by dirt or water. The kit works best on round damage not more than 25mm (one inch) in diameter and cracks not longer than 152mm 6 inches). It can be used on all types of laminated windscreens, although it will not repair damage to more than one layer of glass. But it can be used for multiple repairs.
The kit consists of a 1gram bottle of advanced resin repair liquid, a repair device for injecting the liquid into the chip/crack, curing strips, a sleeved razor blade to clean off residue and a full instruction sheet.
Mr Walker says that a handy tip for those making a repair to a chip is to remember to have someone apply a little pressure to the inside of the windscreen, to open up the crack or chip more to improve the repair job.
For the last 40 years, Rain X has provided drivers with products to help them outsmart the elements, ranging from the original Glass Treatment water beading technology, to wiper blades and glass cleaners. More recently, the Rain X portfolio has expanded to include other types of car care products such as car washes, waxes, bug & tar removers, headlights restoration kits and now windscreen chip repair kits.