Windshield or Auto Glass Savings - Discount Applied

I have a story for you. If you read the story, you will discover at least three different ways on how to save on windshield replacement and the next post, will have ways to repair, and a comparison of repair products. 

The first story I have is kind of an interesting one. God had His hand in it and it happened during the first year of my divorce. I was of course hurting financially having to pay lawyers, mediators, special masters and all sort of bills. I needed a new windshield before I could get my car inspected. I was out of money and wasn't sure what to do to get the windshield replaced as it is a few hundred up front. I always pray and ask God for help when I need it and I put it into His hands when it is something I can't fix myself. 

If it is something I can fix, I do all I can and pray for guidance in getting the materials and inspiration on the best way to do it. I have gotten used parts to replace sinks, tile, and other items I need. Click here for a post about that. 

I have also gotten inspiration on the best way to fix something that may not be fixable in the traditional sense. This usually happens when I am doing plumbing projects but it has happened with electronic items that I have had inspiration on and at other points in my life. Here is one example on the plumbing fix.

I also get inspiration when I pray for health guidance. Here is a link about how I came up to use the hydrogen peroxide for my parasites.   I have learned to be very specific for what I need when I pray due to all the trials I have had.

Back to the story, I prayed for help fixing the windshield and I received a call at my home from a windshield repair company.  They were calling to confirm our replacement of the back window to our minivan for the next few days. I told them I wasn't the right person for the repair as my children told me that their dad's golf clubs had broken the back glass of his minivan so I knew what they were talking about but I guess since we had had a window repaired in the past, they still had our old information for my ex in the system. 

While I had them on the phone, I asked for a quote to get my windshield repaired. It was around the regular sum..... Since I was technically still married, I asked if they gave multiple car discounts..... YES they did!!

I scheduled my car to be done right after his car and because he was paying full price for his window, I got the discount on my window! Who knew they will give a multiple car discount. So, the lesson here is, if you know someone that needs their windshield repaired, get them done together. Even if they have insurance on their car, the windshield company will get full price for the window and may give you the discount for the second car!!! Check around the parking lot at church or work to see if anyone else needs a repair and you can split the cost of both repairs if neither of you have insurance! That way you BOTH get discounts.

The picture near the top is a piece of the windshield glass from that repair in my gratitude frame so I could always remember how God answered that prayer by sending a phone call my way! 

The second repair is no less miraculous. I had a crack in our little metro windshield. "Someone" had keyed a not nice word into my windshield and I think subconscious I wanted to replace the windshield to remove that unkind word from my view as I drove. The windshield cracked and I never have extra cash around with all those court dates and five kids so paying for a new one before the inspection on the car is always tricky. Luckily, I have God in my corner. I was parked at the elementary school. When I got back to my car, the note on my gratitude frame was taped to my car. "I backed into your car." with her name and numbers on it stuck to my windshield wipers. 

There was a little square pushed in on my bumper where her hitch had hit it. It wasn't completely gone but it did crack the bumper. I called the woman and she said her insurance guy asked me to get several bids. I got three and they were all over $300 to fix as they said the integrity of the fiberglass was compromised. I went back to her with those but told her I would leave the dent/small crack in my bumper if she would replace my windshield. She was thrilled with that as her insurance company had someone that did all of their work, they gave her a cash deal of around $100 to replace my windshield on that car and she didn't have to make a claim to her insurance saving her "points" so she didn't show any accident. For me, I just painted the crack in the bumper with the similar color of fingernail polish after pulling the crack out the best I could. It is noticeable if you are looking for it but it saved me paying out a few hundred on my car windshield. My car would pass inspection with the bumper but not with the windshield so it was another answer to my prayers so I put the note on my gratitude frame for sure.

Fast forward to this week. I needed to get my windshield replaced as last winter it cracked with the cold and heat. It wasn't as bad as it is in the upper picture but I will share that stuff in my next post about repairs on windshields. I called my dad to thank him for the lovely note I posted about a few days ago (Click here for that) and here is a quote from that post. "I need to get a new windshield for the car to pass inspection so I stopped at a place in the city where the art show was to see if they could do it for me but they didn't have one and since they don't manufacture Suzuki cars anymore, it is expensive. I had the though about getting one from a junk yard and looked down and saw a penny so I will be trying to find one cheaper there."

This is how that all came to be. I called my dad and while speaking to him asked if he had a "window guy." He said he didn't but knew they had places in the city that did them for $140. Since I wasn't going to be in his city until after Christmas, I thought if I knew anyone in the city I was visiting that may have a window guy. I have a friend and called him. He gave me the name of the guy that I was talking about in the other post where I found the penny. He gave me a card with the quote of $175 I posted a picture of that card quote. 

When I got home, I called a junk yard and they said they have one with a chip. I asked if it was small enough it could be repaired. In the mean time, I call the glass place asking how much to install a used one, $140. I asked about a new one and he told me that his distributor doesn't have it and it wouldn't be worth him to try and get one as they aren't made anymore and it would be more for him to do it. I told them thanks but I didn't want it for $140 used and dinged plus the cost of the window if I could drive to the city and get it for $175. 

I then remembered the woman that hit me and called an insurance company asking if they had a guy or place that gives discounts. Unfortunately, they use anyone that the customer wants but gave me the name of the place that comes to your house to do it that did my car all those years ago. 

I call them and the quote was $286. At that point, I thought driving to the city would be cheaper but I asked them if they matched quotes. It didn't take him a second to drop the price to $2 above the $175 quote. Of course there were taxes but for the extra $15, I saved $30 in gas and 4-6 hours driving time and a day away from home. I couldn't believe how quickly they will drop the price. It was near $100 less than the quote and as you can see by the bill at the end, the "List" price is $281.20 plus there would have been tax on that so I saved over $100 just by getting a quote from another city. And, I got it done in my driveway so it took NO time verse an entire day of my time with driving and gas. 

I HIGHLY recommend that you make a few calls before committing to having one person do it. Check in with family, friends and neighbors to see if you can get multiple car discounts as well. I didn't even have to show a quote or anything, I just said I had a quote and he took it at my word. Lastly, call the insurance company and see if they have someone they use as that could be your cheapest option for cash. 

I hope this post helps someone save a few dollars as I know we can always use a little more. I have to thank my Heavenly Father for the penny reminder at the windshield place and for all the wonderful times He blessed me fixing my windows for cheap! Prayer works!!! Princess Five thanked me today for her new windshield telling me it was like someone "cleaned her glasses!" I am grateful that she remembers to give gratitude as well. We are both truly blessed!