Is Glass Like Gas In Humboldt?
Anybody ever have a window on their car replaced outside of Humboldt County? I'm wondering if it's any cheaper than having it done here.
The side rear window on the wife's Geo Metro got shattered a week or so ago. Unknown just how it happened. About the only shopping around I did to find a replacement was calling the auto wrecking yard out on Jacob's Avenue, in Eureka, to see if they had a used one. They didn't.
So I called K&M Glass to see if they had one. They didn't but could order one and it would cost something like $260 installed. Yipes! That much for just a small window? Oh well. I went ahead and had them order it.
It came in after a few days and Connie takes the car in only to have them tell her they needed a seal, or some such, and would have to order that. I believe they said the seal would cost an additional $160, or thereabouts.
This is getting ridiculous, I'm thinking. All this for just a small window? I couldn't help but wonder if we pay more for some things up here, just like we do for gas.
Just out of curiousity I tried seeing if I could get some estimates online from various places around the state. No luck. I found some auto glass places but none had any of those spiffy online programs where you could get an immediate quote.
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Years ago vandals broke two windows on my old Ford Ranger pick up. That cost me $400 out of my own pocket to buy the replacements at K&M Glass and install them myself.
Some time later vandals once again broke one of the windows on my truck. Someone suggest I try the wrecking yard for a used window. Great suggestion. I ended up buying a window for $40- a bit cheaper than the $200 I paid before.
But, sometimes our small wrecking yard doesn't have what you need. In fact, from the size of that place, I'm surprised they nearly always have what I do need.
But what about these prices up here? Are they higher than elsewhere? I suppose one could say there's no competition, but there are a few different glass places listed in the Yellow Pages. Maybe this is part of The Conspiracy, those glass folks working together with Da' Man to put us all down?
Or maybe it's just life behind the Redwood Curtain?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:43 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Anybody ever have a window on their car replaced outside of Humboldt County? I'm wondering if it's any cheaper than having it done here.
The side rear window on the wife's Geo Metro got shattered a week or so ago. Unknown just how it happened. About the only shopping around I did to find a replacement was calling the auto wrecking yard out on Jacob's Avenue, in Eureka, to see if they had a used one. They didn't.
So I called K
It's designed to be more expensive in humboldt.
everything is more expensive in Humboldt County, that is what "progressives" are all about.
Fred, why didn't you get a second estimate?
Silly me; I just figured it wouldn't be too much different from Eureka Glass, or probably any of the others.
I did almost call some small outfit out of Fortuna, though, that did house calls.
Had to get the front window of my Jeep repaired a few years ago down south. Jeep Wrangler = Flat Winshield. Call all around, every one was exactly $200. So had the mobile guys come do it in my driveway for $200. At least it saved me gas $$...hehehe
No Fred, there is no Conspiracy. Just keep saying it.
Fred maybe you should get your wife something a little more classy than a geo metro to putz around town in.
Just cruising through... had a good experience with Safelite Auto Glass... I would try safelite.com next time.
Two weeks ago I traveled down to Windsor and had the windshield replaced in my Honda Civic for $120. It took under an hour.
Low Price Auto Glass
707-838-1966
People in Eureka are complacent. Thats why everything is so goddamned expensive here.
9:24 wrote, "windshield replaced in my Honda Civic for $120.".
Woohoo. Sounds like a bargain! Problem is, I don't trust the wife's car to make that long a drive. I might look into seeing if I can order a window from them and having it shipped here next time a window is needed.
Or, if nothing else, pick the window up on the way back from San Francisco.
Done Deal now. Picked her car up at K&M Glass yesterday afternoon. Nice work, but just under $400 for a window that's probably around two foot high and no more than two and a half feet wide at the bottom.
Carol wrote, "that they should have quoted you the price of labor as well.".
They did, I guess. They said something like $160 for the window, $260 installed- so that makes $100 for labor. I really don't have a problem with the labor costs, just the window, although I'd love to shave the labor costs as well.
Redding Auto Center 800-424-2400 and it is called Viking or something else now-is probably cheaper and they have a much bigger inventory. They also deliver. You are a handy fellow Fred-can't you take off a door panel and replace the glass yourself? You'd be able to tell about the seal yourself and IF its actually necessary you'd notice right away.
800-424-2400 Delivery is FREE too.
"can't you take off a door panel and replace the glass yourself?".
This is a two door metro, so there's no door to take the panel off of on the rear seats.
I've taken door panels off to replace windows on my old Ford Ranger, but I could never get them back on right again after I took them off. Not only that, but I could never get the windows in right, either, although I did it well enough for an old rust bucket like that.
Besides being lazy, I'm not all that competent as a do- it- yourselfer.
Didn't know Metros had real glass.
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