Crystal Glass

Rock chips are a fact of life for anyone driving Highway 97 or the hill routes out of Kelowna, where gravel, winter grit and summer construction each take a turn at a windshield. The name here points toward glass work, which sits slightly apart from the rest of the vehicle trades. It is measured, ordered and fitted rather than diagnosed, and a shop that does it well is usually the one that gets the sizing and the adhesive right the first time.

If you are calling about a chip or a full replacement, have the year, make and model ready, along with a note of anything mounted on or behind the glass. A rain sensor, a lane camera, a heated wiper park or a head up display all change the part required and can call for recalibration afterward. Ask how long the adhesive needs to cure before the vehicle can be driven, and check whether the work can be billed to your insurer directly, since that varies from one shop to another. Glass is also a household trade, so if you have a cracked window or a broken shower panel at home, it is worth asking whether that side of the work is handled here too.