Good auto glass repair shop in L.A.?

May 11, 2008 6:55 PM

Anyone have a recommendation for a good auto glass repair shop in L.A.?

The front passenger window in my Hyundai Elantra was smashed in a few years ago (I had cleverly left my iPod out as an enticement). I got the window replaced, but within a week had problems with it coming off the track and getting stuck whenever I rolled it down. I had to have it fixed again, twice (so don't want to go back to the original auto glass shop, obviously); since then, the window has come off the track slightly a handful of times, but I could always guide it back in while lowering/raising it slowly.

This week, though, it's come off the track worse than usual. I've managed to get the window all the way up, but it's clearly not aligned where it should be (it's partially on the outside of the weather stripping), and is rattling when I drive.

Any recommendations for an auto glass place that does good, affordable repair work? I don't need the glass itself replaced -- just need it to be put back on track. (I live near North Hollywood/Studio City and work in Miracle Mile, so neighborhoods reasonably close by either area are preferable.) They're automatic windows, not manual, if that makes a difference. Thanks!

posted by scody to travel & transportation around Los Angeles, LA (5 answers total)

Your window regulator is either broken or not installed right. Glass shops tend to replace glass and not worry too hard about mechanical stuff, which might be why you're not getting it fixed right. Consider going to a regular repair shop that specializes in Hyundais and see if that works better.
posted by drmarcj at 8:59 PM on May 11, 2008

I told ikkyu2 sometime ago on mecha that AAA can put you in touch with a place that won't scam you--if you're a member.
posted by brujita at 10:48 PM on May 11, 2008

Do you have Your Regular Mechanic? If so, I'd give it to them to figure out.

Glass shops concentrate on glass -- the reason being that auto glass is a fairly picky problem. It has to be very strong, curved into odd shapes, and for front windshields, laminate glass. All of it is tempered, so you can't cut to order, so even the very few flat glass applications are tricky.

Then, of course, you have each manufacture coming up with a different way to seal the glass in, often different ones in each model.

So, what auto glass shops are good at -- stocking and getting auto glass, getting it into the mounting frame correctly, and the better ones are good at vacuuming up glass. That's pretty much it -- it's a specialized shop, and the ones that don't suck will do that job.

However, I don't think they'll help you with this problem.

I suspect your problem is that your window mechanism isn't right -- action arms are bent, track is misaligned, etc. A regular mechanic is probably going to be able to handle this better than a glass shop will.

This is actually one of though tetchy problems that a good dealership is the best answer for, esp. if you are dealing with common problem on a model.

I'm presuming you have a relation with a good mechanic. If you don't, I'd really suggest your next drink from the AskMeFi well be "do you know a good auto mechanic in XXXX." That mechanic will either be able to fix it, or will say "You'd really be better off taking this one to FooCo, they're really good at sorting that out."

Finally, the answer to "bent arms" or "bent track" is "replaced arms" or "replaced track", not "straightened arms" or "straightened track." It's *possible* to reform these correctly, but that's done by a real metalwork shop, not a car mechanic.
posted by eriko at 8:24 AM on May 12, 2008

whatever shop you end up CHECK THEM OUT FIRST. call the better buisness bureau. LA has more mechanics than anywhere ive ever been. ergo: more crooked mechanics as well. i speak from experiance. if you are not carefull you may get seriously screwed.
posted by swbarrett at 9:01 AM on May 12, 2008

Yep, I have a good mechanic (an Asian car specialist) who I used before I got the Hyundai, plus the dealer. Sounds like I should be making some calls to them instead. Thanks!
posted by scody at 10:35 AM on May 12, 2008