Austin Mini Windscreen chip repair

Can the chip in your Austin Mini windscreen be repaired?

You hear that striking noise and instinctively know a chip has just appeared in your Austin Mini's windscreen. It can happen anywhere, and you don’t even have to be driving to suddenly find yourself stuck with a chip.

A chip is created when an object under force comes in contact with the windscreen and removes or shatters a small section of glass. There may be small offshoot cracks that extend from the contact point.

Be it from a rogue stone, dropped object or from hitting a really tough bug, it happens. But what do you do about it once you’ve been hit?

If your Austin Mini windscreen is cracked, then it will probably need to be replaced. But if you escaped with just a small chip, it can usually be repaired.

Windscreen chips come in various forms and even come with their own names. You can get a combination, half-moon, star break or, if you get a lucky break, you could score a bull’s eye.

A chip will generally penetrate the top layer of the windscreen, leaving the bottom layer intact. A chip allows air to enter your windscreen which creates that darker shade you may see around or within the chip area.

The aim of repairing a windscreen is to remove any air pockets by replacing them with resin. Larger windscreen chips can’t be repaired but most of the small ones can as long as you get it fixed early.

It is advised to get a windscreen chip repaired as quickly as possible. If left too long, dirt and moisture will get into the glass and that chip will grow into a crack, potentially obscuring your field of vision and making it impossible to drive your Austin Mini.

A chip in the driver’s view needs to be smaller than a 5-cent coin and a chip outside of the driver’s view needs to be smaller than a gold coin to be deemed repairable.

if you see a chip or small crack in your windscreen, notice light deflection or diffraction from the windscreen or a distracting mark in your field of view then you should have your windscreen inspected and repaired.

It’s worth noting that even though you may have repaired a windscreen chip, if it is within the driver’s field of vision the Austin Mini might not pass a roadworthy inspection and the windscreen may need to be replaced.

As with many issues, if you ignore the little things they usually turn into much bigger problems later, so save yourself the cash and get that chip fixed pronto.

AutoGuru can connect you with mobile windscreen repairers quickly.