Deck, Campus Lot or Driveway: Planning a Mobile Auto Glass Visit

Space around the car

A windshield is worked on from outside and inside at once, with both front doors open, and the technician needs to reach both front corners of the car. A door window needs the door wide open and its inner panel off. A back glass on an SUV needs the tailgate area clear. A space between two parked cars can work if the doors open fully; a space against a wall or a pillar often cannot.

• End spaces, visitor spaces or an empty corner of the lot usually suit the job.
• In a deck, check headroom for the technician and for the new windshield going in at an angle.
• If you can, move the car the evening before so it is ready.

Permission to work there

Apartment complexes, employers and campuses sometimes have rules about repairs in their lots. A quick message to the leasing office or building manager saves an awkward conversation on the day. If the rules say no, a driveway, a friend’s place or another lot can be agreed instead.

Weather and adhesive

Door windows that wind up and down are not glued, so weather matters less for them. A windshield is different: it is bonded with urethane, and the bonding surfaces have to be clean and dry. AGSC, the Auto Glass Safety Council, says the safe drive-away time varies with the type and brand of adhesive and the weather at the time of the install. On a wet day, a carport, garage or the covered level of a deck can save the appointment.

Time to leave the car alone

Impex says a windshield install takes about an hour plus a short curing period, with most cars back on the road within two hours; a door window takes 30 to 60 minutes and can be driven straight away; back glass takes one to two hours. Plan not to need the car during that time, and for a windshield, plan on no car wash and no slammed doors for 24 hours.

The calibration drive

If the car has a camera behind the mirror for lane keeping or automatic braking, it may need calibrating after a new windshield. A dynamic calibration means driving at or below a set speed for a set time or distance, and I-CAR notes it may need roads free of rain or snow, heavy traffic and curves. Around Brier Creek and RTP that may mean waiting until rush hour has passed. Impex says calibration takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

Office lots around RTP and Brier Creek

A workday appointment in an office lot is often the easiest of all: the car sits still for hours anyway. Tell Impex the building, the lot and roughly where you park, and whether the lot is behind a gate or a barrier that needs a visitor pass. If the car needs a calibration drive after a new windshield, the technician will need the keys for that drive, so agree how to hand them over.

Driveways in Hillsborough and the country roads

Out in Orange County most cars have a driveway, which suits the work well. A level spot is easier than a steep slope, and a carport or garage helps if the weather is uncertain. Let Impex know about anything that makes the house hard to find, such as a shared drive or an unmarked turn.

A broken window in a public lot

After a break-in, the car may be stuck where it was broken into until the opening is covered. If the lot allows it, the window can often be replaced right there. Cover the opening with heavy plastic taped to the paint, take valuables out, and tell Impex exactly where the car is.

A short checklist

1. Car parked with room to open both front doors fully
2. Lot owner or manager told, if needed
3. Covered spot lined up if rain is forecast
4. Keys available, and the car unlocked when the technician arrives
5. Valuables and child seats out of the front of the car
6. No plans to drive until the technician says it is ready

For the job itself, see windshield replacement Chapel Hill NC, windshield replacement Durham NC or, for door and back glass, auto glass Durham NC. Out in Orange County, windshield replacement Hillsborough NC covers driveway jobs.

Questions people ask