When something goes wrong with your car, one of the first things that you might usually do is head to a junkyard to look for used parts. This is usually an excellent way to save money on car parts, but not all parts of your vehicle should be purchased used. Auto glass, such as a windshield, is one of those things.

It Might Not Be Much Cheaper 

Junkyards often offer prices that are significantly cheaper than what you are going to find on car parts anywhere else. Paying for a used bumper is often going to be a whole lot cheaper than buying a brand-new bumper if your car needs body repair, for example. However, with many auto glass repair companies offering great specials on their auto glass, windshields are often cheaper than the average driver might think. If you price a new windshield and then find out how much a used windshield from a junkyard is going to cost, you might even find that the new windshield is cheaper.

The Glass Could Be Damaged

The primary reason why car owners generally shouldn't buy used auto glass is that they don't know whether or not the glass has been damaged. If a rock has hit a piece of auto glass, for example, it might have compromised the condition of the glass. Now, that glass might crack or shatter more easily than it would have. You don't want to replace your old windshield with a new windshield that might soon crack or shatter, of course, and buying new auto glass is really the only way that you're going to make sure that your auto glass hasn't been previously damaged.

The Installation Might Be More Difficult

When a used windshield is removed, it might be damaged in a way that makes reinstalling it on a different car a lot more difficult. If you buy a new windshield and have a technician from your auto glass repair company put it on, then installation is probably going to be easier, and the results might be better.

Don't buy a used windshield, even if you think that you have found a perfect match at a good price. Instead, buy a brand-new windshield from an auto glass company. You may not have to worry about buying either a new or used windshield, in fact, since your auto glass professional might just be able to repair the damage to your car's current windshield.