Is finding a solution to the cracks on the windscreen of your Volkswagen Golf getting you down?
Are you wondering how exactly this happened? How can I stop it from happening again? Where do I go to get these damn eye-sores fixed?
In this article, I’ll be going over all the facts that lead to your Volkswagon Golf windscreen needing a repair or replacement, and what your next course of action needs to be.
What makes the Volkswagen Golf so iconic?
The Volkswagen Golf revolutionised the entire hatchback genre. They may have existed before, but the Golf is what brought them into fame around 1974.
Over the years it has developed a premium feel, facilitated in part by its high-quality materials and aesthetic popularity on the road. Many of its leathers and plastics are comparable to those of high-end luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz or Audi.
The Volkswagen Golf provides a fun ride and smooth sailing with its 8-speed automatic transmission. With Triptonic driving and sport mode features, there’s very few terrains that this car can’t turn into a party.
What causes my Volkswagen Golf to need a windscreen repair or replacement?
We’ve all been there, casually driving down the road, enjoying the beauty of the day when WHAM.
You spot it – that insidious little crack or dent that is marring your perfect vision.
Where did this bugger come from? Why is it here? Who can I blame?
Here are some factors you can point the guilty finger to:
Small pebbles and rocks thrown up from the road
You’ve probably heard or even felt this occurrence happen before, especially when driving nearby roads that have been freshly paved or had a pothole fixed. Or when you’ve been a naughty little driver and didn’t actually leave enough distance between yourself and the car in front of you.
The impact from these small and tiresome pieces of debris can cause a crack in your windscreen if it comes in from the right angle and with enough force—a small problem, and typically the most common cause to a windscreen-related grievance.
When it gets too hot and too cold
What an absolute joy it is to experience both sides of the spectrum in terms of weather, hey? Freezing winds and direct sunlight giving off intense heat means that our poor Volkswagen Golf is ever-so-slightly contracting its framework due to the shifts in temperature. Thermal changes by shifting winds are also to blame.
This causes something called a stress fracture, which is ironic since the windscreen is not the only who feels like it’s about to crack under pressure, but also its driver. So whenever you have what appears to be a completely random crack appear suddenly for no reason – its all the fluctuating temperatures your Volkswagen Golf has been going through.
The weather patterns
As discussed above, hot and cold temperatures from the weather can lead to cracks, such as ice forming on a windscreen, or having the sun beat down on the framework all day.
Storm debris, such as hailstones or flying tree branches, are also cumulative culprits who keep adding and adding damage to your vehicle.
Badley done framework and sub-par car glass installations
Whenever you give over your car to a poorly trained car glass technician with worn-out tools and non-OEM materials, you’re bound to find further problems down the line. Parts can grind badly against each other, other types of stress fractures from the framework not meshing well with the windscreen can appear… the list is truly endless.
And the worst of all; car crashes
This cause is the number one fear of every driver on the road; a non-stop collision course with another car. At best its a slight fender bender that requires an insurance exchange, and at its worst its a write-off of your precious Volkswagen Golf.
Even a medium-sized car crash can lead to you needing to replace entire sections of car glass and all the interconnecting parts that work with them.
What can I do to prevent cracks from appearing on my windscreen?
So we’ve gone over all the main reasons that your cars windscreen might suddenly develop issues. But what are some precautions we can put in place to delay or entirely prevent these problems from ever rearing their heads?
Provide proper shelter for your car at all times
Hot sunlight, freezing ice, fluctuating winds throwing around debris and hard objects; these are all matters that you can prevent from interacting with your car by making sure that when you aren’t driving it on the road, you have it parked somewhere safely, away from the elements.
Do not attempt to remove ice from your windscreen with boiling water
This de-thawing method is a speedy way to get your windscreen to crack or even shatter. Remember how we discussed fluctuations in alternating temperatures could cause stress fractures? There is no subtle fluctuation here, its pure whiplash for your poor Volkswagen Golf.
Do. Not. Do. This.
Keep your Volkswagen Golf windscreen clean at all times
Leaving dirt and tainted water on the windscreen of your car seems like a viable thing to do; isn’t that why its there in the first place? But leaving it dirty for too long can allow for erosion to take place, along with weakening the structural integrity of any existing cracks or dents. It’s best always to wash your windscreen regularly and especially if excess mud or dirt is exposed to your car for whatever reason.
A clean car is a healthy car.
Pay attention to your surroundings while driving
A lot of the time when accidents occur, it is found that it could have been avoided if one of the guilty parties had been paying more attention while driving. Never text-and-drive, make sure always to leave a decent amount of space between yourself and the car in front of you, and always act like everyone on the road is an idiot trying to kill you.
This way, we all get a better chance to make it home alive and unscathed, as well as crack and dent free!
Get your windscreen examined and repaired by proper technicians
It’s easy to sometimes go with the cheapest option when trying to find a place to repair or replace your windscreen. Unfortunately, going to these establishments might end up costing you more in the long run, due to poorly installed car glass and sub-par materials used.
Always do your research, and make sure to ask around properly for the best deals with accredited professionals to work on your car.
What happens when I drive around with cracks on the windscreen of my Volkswagon Golf?
Maybe you’re still not convinced at this point that windscreens are important. That your car’s glass isn’t something, you should be checking and wasting mental energy on.
Let’s go over some of the consequences of driving around with a cracked windscreen for your Volkswagen Golf, shall we?
Your safety could be compromised
Windscreens and other forms of car glass keep your car’s framework in place. Without them, you are exposed to the elements and face a greater chance of damage upon any kind of impact.
With cracked car glass, the odds of danger happening to you and other passengers goes up by quite a bit.
You also rely on this section to observe the outside world clearly. With cracks or dents in place, your ability to notice possible dangers is lessened, which might be the hairline difference between avoiding an accident and writing off your car.
Problems with the law
Operating a vehicle in the UK with a noticeable crack on your windscreen is labelled as risky driving, and can result in three penalty points being added to your license, or being forced to pay a hefty fine. Replacing or repairing your windscreen in time will save you several headaches with the law that could impact your future permanently.
What are the features that affect the cost of a windscreen replacement for my Volkswagon Golf?
The Volkswagen Golf has some incredibly useful features that can help with everyday driving. Many of these interact directly with the windscreen of the Golf itself, which may impact costs due to more refined tools being needed and replacing said equipment with each service.
Here are the main ones that you will need to know about before calling a technician over to sort out your windscreen replacement.
Rain sensor
A rain sensor is located behind the windscreen, as well as the rearview mirror. It begins when any rainfall or massive amounts of liquid comes into contact with the windscreen. It will start the windscreen wipers automatically, thus assisting the driver with any water distortions on their field of vision caused by the falling rain.
Green tint on your windscreen
When you check your windscreen closely, you will notice it might be tinted slightly green. If you look near the top, you’ll the tint being more pronounced.
This tint is there to block the sun rays from hurting your eyes or interfering with your vision while driving (especially during sunrise and sunset).
A noise reduction windscreen
An acoustic windscreen contains an extra layer of vinyl between the glass layers that make up your windscreen. This layer has soundproofing qualities that block the outside worlds noise levels, providing more comfort and a sense of peace to your car’s interior.
Camera on windscreen
A camera on your windscreen is in place to help the driver with parking and rearview vision. It can also store footage for the scene of a car accident and present evidence that you were not responsible.
Interesting FACT:
The Volkswagen Golf is the second best-selling automobile model ever!
From 1974 to 2013, the Volkswagen Golf has produced over 30,000,000 units! This means that it is only second place to the Toyota Corolla, which boasts creating over 40,000,000 in the same time period.
Talk about mister popular!
UK Car Glass for windscreen repairs and replacements
Your Volkswagen Golf radiates a sophisticated and timeless picture. We want to help you keep that image going, and that’s why it’s our pleasure to provide professional services at affordable prices for such an icon.
Here are some reasons to choose us over our competitors:
We are mobile and offer nation-wide-coverage for your Volkswagen Golf
Gone are the days where you’ll need to drive your car with its chipped windscreen to the nearest car repair centre, which puts you at risk on the road. And we travel wherever we can within the UK, as long as it is accessible by land.
An easy-to-use online booking system
Our website is a hassle-free and easy-going experience, designed with your comfort in mind. Book today at a time and date that works best for your schedule, and have one of our licensed technicians come over to your location.
Pay through insurance
We accept most UK providers of car insurance. At checkout you can opt for “Insurance Case” instead of entering your card details. Select your insurer and schedule your appointment with us. We will then assistyou through the process of appealing to your insurance company.
Article by UK carglass
