Important Things We Forget…Changing your Wiper Blades Can Save Lives!

Are you as conscientious about your windshield wipers as you are about your car’s engine? Car safety is a critical concern for everyone. Worn wiper blades are dangerous. Because 90% of your driving decisions are based on a clear, unobstructed view of the road, it’s a critical safety concern that your car’s wipers provide you with the cleanest windshield possible. Ozone, airborne contaminants, oil, sunlight and dirt all act to weaken and reduce your wiper blades’ ability to keep your view unobstructed. And exposure to sunlight and ozone cause the wiper blades to age, even if they’re not used much. Weather also plays a critical role in your windshield wiper blades’ deterioration. Freezing temperatures make the rubber in your wiper blades hard and brittle, which increases their tendency to crack or tear. Hot weather warps the rubber and prevents the blade from wiping your windshield cleanly. Heavy use is hard on the wipers because dust, abrasives, road grime and bug juice wear away the cutting edge the blade needs to wipe cleanly. Even road dirt acts like an abrasive to wear away the flat surface necessary for a good squeegee effect. Rubber also deteriorates over time. As blades age, they lose their flexibility and are less able to wipe cleanly. They may develop a permanent set or curvature, which prevents full contact with your windshield. Your blades’ ability to clean the glass depends on: The slope and area of the windshield: Today’s windshields are more sloped than ever before for improved aerodynamics. But a sleek “cab-forward” windshield with a lot of glass area directs more wind against the wipers, which can force the blades away from the glass at high speeds unless the wiper system is designed to resist lift. The amount of spring tension on the wiper arm: This is important to keep the wiper refill in tight contact with the windshield and provide a superior squeegee effect. The number of pressure points or claws holding the blade: The more claws a blade has, the broader the area over which the pressure of the wiper arm is spread. More claws also provide increased flexibility so the blade can more easily follow the curvature of a large, sloping windshield for full side-to-side contact. The material used in the blade itself: Most wiper blades are made of natural rubber, but some of the newer performance blades have a composite structure that combines a soft, pliable rubber on the squeegee surface for good wiping characteristics with a firm rubber in the blade body for improved support and durability.   Important Things to Remember Heed the following maintenance tips for optimum wiper blade performance and driving visibility: Tip #1: Replace your wiper blades every 6 months or 6,000 miles – even if you live in a “dry” place like Arizona. Tip #2: Consider your options when replacing your windshield wipers: Option 1 You can replace just the refills (squeegees), which are the rubber wiping components installed into the vertebrae. This is your most economical option. Option 2 You can replace the blades, which is the complete assembly composed of the metal frame and the refill. Although slightly more expensive, this option is faster to install and provides you with the benefit of improved windshield contact and, hence, wiping efficiency.   Windshield Wiper Maintenance Shopping List

Whenever you replace your wipers, don’t forget to also check your: - Rear Wipers – - Headlight Wipers – - Wiper Motors – - Windshield Washer Pump – - Windshield Washer Hoses – - Windshield Washer Fluid – - Windshield Washer Fluid Tank (Reservoir) -

Don’t Forget: Repair articles are added regularly. Come back often to check for new maintenance topics. These repair tips are designed only as a starting point. Please seek the assistance of a professional mechanic for all repair problems beyond your capabilities. Source:  http://www.autohausaz.com/html/wiper_blade_safety.html

Oregonians love talking car windshields. Really. So by popular demand a few more thoughts on winter upkeep | OregonLive.com

Oregonians love talking car windshields. Really. So by popular demand a few more thoughts on winter upkeep | OregonLive.com.

Just a few more tips on windshields!

 

Winter Car Care Tips for Your WIndshield

When people think of winter car care, they usually think about flushing the radiator and buying snow tires.

But your car is also at risk of getting a cracked windshield during the cold winter months. Once nighttime temperatures start dipping into the twenties, it is important to think about caring for your windshield!

To protect your windshield in the winter, follow these tips:

Avoid sudden temperature changes. Do not use boiling water to defrost your windshield. Turn on the defroster and let the windshield warm up slowly.

Use an ice scraper to remove ice. You can scratch or chip your windshield using table knives or metal spatulas to remove ice. Plastic ice scrapers are cheap. The investment of a few dollars is worth it to save your windshield. Or try spray de-icer such as Heet or Rain-X De-Icer to melt ice on your windshield…you may not even need to use a scraper.

Keep the Glass Clean. Running the wipers or using an ice scraper over stuck-on dirt is a common cause of windshield scratches. It is also easier to see small rock chips on a clean windshield than a dirty one.

Replace Old Wiper Blades. Worn out wiper blades often fall apart in the winter, exposing the glass to the metal or plastic clips. Running the wipers in this condition can severely scratch the glass. If you live in a cold climate, try winter wiper blades…they are more durable and are made to handle clearing snow and ice.

Check that the washer fluid reservoir is full. I recommend using a winter washer fluid that has anti-fog and ice mix in the solution.

Get rock chips repaired. That rock chip you got last July could very well crack out your windshield in December! Sudden temperature changes may cause small chips to start cracking. Once your windshield cracks out, it is too late. You will be looking for someone to replace your windshield.

These simple and inexpensive tips can save you hundreds of dollars on the cost of a new windshield. If you need small cracks or rock chips repaired, or even a new windshield, call Accurate Auto Glass at 916-488-2626

Volkswagen testing ice- and fog-free windshield technology

Volkswagen testing ice- and fog-free windshield technology.

I don’t think this will fly in California–at least until they figure out how to get your radio and cell phone working with this windshield!  Imagine, NO CELL PHONE in your car?  Absurd!  Also, this would interfere with GPS.  So, overall, this is Not Ready for Prime Time.

 

 

 

When Should I Get a Rock Chip Repaired?

When should you get a rock chip repaired? As soon as possible!

Understand, rock chips are quirky little things. You can have one on your windshield for months or years, and nothing happens. It just sits there.

Then, all of a sudden, BOOM! It has spread into a crack. Now you must get your windshield replaced.

Some of the things that cause a rock chip to spread are:
- Going over a bump
- Running the heat
- Running the air conditioning
- Washing your car

Also, there are a few restrictions on repairing rock chips:
1. When a crack is more than an inch (the size of a quarter), then the repair has a higher likelihood of failing; so high, in fact, that we recommend you replace the windshield.

2. If there are more than 3 rock chips on a windshield, we recommend (as do the insurance companies) you replace the windshield.

3. If a rock chip is in the driver’s line of vision, we cannot repair it due to safety reasons.  It works like this:  When a rock chip is repaired, we have to drill the windshield. This removes a tiny amount of glass. This can cause a flare when the sun or other bright light hits it. Thus, if a rock chip is directly in the driver’s line of vision, it cannot be repaired.

Tips: The best ways to de-ice a windshield » Local News » San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

Tips: The best ways to de-ice a windshield » Local News » San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX.

Even though this is from Texas, it still applies here in Sacramento.  With Christmas just a week away, the ice and snow are on the way!

 

World’s oldest car sells for $4.6 million – Oct. 10, 2011

World’s oldest car sells for $4.6 million – Oct. 10, 2011.

All that money, and NO glass on the car!

Could you imagine someone driving around in that today?  It would cause a real traffic problem–people would stop and stare at it.

 

 

 

 

Auto Glass in the Fall

The fall is a great time of year to get auto glass done! When you live in an area that gets cold and snow, like Sacramento, you want to make sure all your windows work and there are no chips in the windshield. If any of your door glasses don’t go up and down, or are off track, now is the time to fix them, before the rain and snow really start!

Rock chips are best done in the fall and the spring; better than the summer, when the heat from the sun can cause that chip to spread; and better than the winter, when the car’s heater can cause that chip to spread!

Finally, when we do go out to you, please make sure you can put the car under cover from the rain. If we are working on your windshield, the rain will interfere with the adhesion, and if we are working on the door glass, the rain can interfere with the work. Not to mention getting the inside of the car – and the outside of the technician – wet!

It’s Labor Day!

Well, it’s now Labor Day.  By the end of the month the bathing suits will be put away until Memorial Day and the warm jackets will come out.

As summer turns into fall, you need to see if your windshield has any chips.  This is a good time of year to get them done.

You also want to ensure your windshield and other glasses don’t leak.

Accurate Auto Glass has good prices on rock chip repairs, windshield replacements, and other auto glass-related services.

 

 

 

Bugatti’s $1.4 Million, 800-hp Sedan A Hybrid?! – Yahoo! Autos

Bugatti’s $1.4 Million, 800-hp Sedan A Hybrid?! – Yahoo! Autos.

I doubt I will see any of THESE in my shop looking for a windshield!