Windscreen Chip Repair
Mobile stone-chip and short-crack repair across Johannesburg. Around 30 minutes, no glass removal, and zero excess on most comprehensive insurance policies.
What windscreen chip repair actually is
A windscreen is two sheets of glass bonded around a plastic interlayer. When a stone hits it, the outer sheet fractures and air fills the cavity — that's the white star or bullseye you can see. Chip repair removes the trapped air under vacuum and injects a clear optical resin, which is then cured with UV light and polished flush.
The result restores the structural integrity of the outer layer and stops the damage from spreading. It does not make the mark completely invisible: expect roughly 70–90% cosmetic improvement, with a faint shadow often still visible under certain light.
When a chip can be repaired — and when it can't
Repairable: chips smaller than a R5 coin and single cracks shorter than about 150mm, anywhere on the windscreen surface — including directly in the driver's line of sight. Position on the glass does not rule out a repair.
Not repairable: cracks reaching the edge of the glass, damage that has penetrated the inner layer, contaminated chips that have been open for months, and anything longer than about 150mm.
If you're unsure, send a photo on WhatsApp with a coin next to the damage for scale. We'll tell you honestly whether it repairs — we'd rather turn down a repair than take your money for one that fails.
How fast you should act
Chips spread because of movement and temperature. Gauteng's day-night temperature swing is the single biggest cause of a stable chip becoming a running crack overnight, and a pothole or slammed door will finish the job.
As a rule: a chip repaired within 48 hours has the highest success rate. After a few weeks the cavity fills with dust and moisture, the resin can no longer bond cleanly, and the repair quality drops. Once a crack runs past 150mm you're into full replacement.
Two things to avoid while you wait: don't run the demister on full heat onto cold glass, and don't take the car through a high-pressure car wash.
Chip repair vs full replacement
A repair takes about 30 minutes, keeps your original factory glass and factory urethane seal, and costs a fraction of a replacement. Keeping the original bonded glass is a real advantage: no fitment risk, no calibration required, no cure time.
A replacement takes 60–90 minutes — and you can drive away immediately, and on ADAS-equipped vehicles adds camera recalibration. It's the right answer when the damage is in the driver's view, has reached the edge, or has already run.
We quote both where both are possible and recommend the cheaper one when it's genuinely the correct one.
Insurance and chip repair in South Africa
Most comprehensive motor policies in South Africa cover windscreen chip repair at zero excess, precisely because insurers would far rather pay for a repair than a replacement. That typically includes Santam, Discovery Insure, OUTsurance, MiWay, Hollard, Old Mutual Insure, King Price, Bryte, Auto & General and Naked.
We submit and follow up the claim ourselves. In most chip-repair cases there is nothing for you to pay at all, and on many policies a zero-excess repair does not affect your no-claim standing the way a replacement claim can — confirm the specifics with your insurer or ask us and we'll check on the call.
Mobile chip repair across Gauteng
Our mobile unit carries the full vacuum-injection kit, UV curing lamps and resin grades for different damage types, so the repair happens wherever your car is parked — home driveway, office bay, basement parking or a mall parking lot.
We cover Randburg, Sandton, Fourways, Bryanston, Rosebank, Midrand, Roodepoort, Honeydew, Soweto, the Johannesburg CBD, Kempton Park, Bedfordview, Edenvale, Krugersdorp and Boksburg. Mobile chip repair is free within 20 km of Craighall Park; further away we repair at our workshop.
FAQs
How much does windscreen chip repair cost in South Africa?
Chip repair costs a small fraction of a full replacement, and on most comprehensive insurance policies it's covered at zero excess — meaning nothing to pay. Send a photo of the damage on WhatsApp and we'll confirm the exact price before we book.
How long does a chip repair take?
About 30 minutes from setup to polish, and you can drive away immediately afterwards. There's no adhesive cure time because the original glass is never removed.
Will the chip disappear completely?
No. A good repair restores structural integrity and stops the damage spreading, with roughly 70–90% cosmetic improvement. A faint mark is usually still visible at certain angles — that's normal and is not a sign of a poor repair.
Can a crack be repaired, or only a chip?
Short single cracks under about 150mm that are not touching the edge of the glass can often be repaired, wherever they sit on the screen — including in the driver's direct view. Longer cracks and edge cracks require replacement.
Will chip repair pass a roadworthy test?
Yes. A correctly repaired chip restores the strength of the glass and is acceptable, wherever it sits on the windscreen. Unrepaired damage, long cracks and edge cracks are the common roadworthy failures.
Do you come to me for a chip repair?
Yes. Mobile chip repair is free at your home, office or parking bay within 20 km of our Craighall Park branch; further away, the repair is done at our workshop.
Is it cheaper to repair than to claim for a replacement?
Almost always. A repair is typically zero excess on a comprehensive policy, while a replacement carries a windscreen excess of roughly R500 to R2,500 depending on your cover and vehicle.
Find your windscreen instantly · Get a free quote · Call 073 225 4809