[Blind Squirrel]

When I approach a used car or reconditioning manager I make it known that I fully understand that their only reason for spending money on any used car is to make it cosmetically marketable. Therefore, if I can't make a rock chip "practically unnoticable" then I don't bill them for the repair because I haven't "helped them to sell the car". This is my only purpose and value to them. On any car in the 20K and up range, I believe that all components of the car must equal in "condition" proportionately to the price. I look at it as though I'm the potential buyer.

Any one of you experienced techs should be able to look and tell which ones should simply be left alone and replaced.

I've spoken in the past about how, in all types of fleet and consumer situations, that it's good to know when to walk away. My first year as a repair tech, I drove myself crazy trying to make every repair absolutely perfect. I would agonize over every one that I felt had any flaws. I also suffered from the "I can save everybodys windshield" syndrome. Thank goodness I got over this. I figured out that I had to lighten up with myself because the self inflicted stress was taking all the fun out of it.

The normal purpose that repairs are done for "end users" is preventive maintenance.

No used car dealer or manager cares about the normal reason we repair windshields. Their reconditioning and prep budget is for what helps sell the car and nothing else.

So, I tell dealers when I've walked the lot and made my list if any should be replaced. My procedure when repairing a marginal one is the walk around the car and get inside and determine if it is or is not "practically unnoticable". Maybe one out of 25-30 I will tell the manager that I'm not billing for a repair because I couldn't make it look good enough to help him sell the car.

Second to this, if a windshield that I've repaired ever has to be replaced to "close a deal" then my policy is to credit them for that repair. I've never had to do this though.

As for as the original question is concerned, I honestly can't say what I would have done because there are so many variable and perspectives. I do however maintain a "zero BS tolerance" policy that I've excersized only 3 times in nine years. I am very proud of the excellent rapport that I've built up with dealers, fleets, and retail customers. I treat everyone with dignity and respect and I quietly demand the same in return. When this policy is violated as it is most likely to be by some of the flaming aholes that tend to populate the ranks of car dealer management, I politely inform them that I don't see how I can be any help to them.

This brings up the issue that it appears to have been a high end dealer where windshields, especially the new ones, are dealer net price. This might explain why the dealer was "upset" and trying to avoid having to pay for it himself.

It seems our poor friend didn't have his policy properly explained and understood. More likely, in 11 years, that dealers management had to have turned over several times. Our guy may wonder why he wasn't booted long before when a new manager brought in one of his cronies.

I have a Mercedes dealer in my area that I've done 3 repairs for in 5 years. Their policy is that EVERY car that comes into "preowned" inventory that's less than 10 years old gets a new windshield! The ones I repaired were very small "batwings" while the rest of the glass was pristine.