Mobile or workshop windscreen replacement?
For the overwhelming majority of jobs a mobile replacement is as good as a workshop one, because the things that determine quality are the technician, the urethane and the preparation — not the roof over the car.
That said, there are three situations where we will tell you to bring the car somewhere, and we would rather say so than pretend a driveway is always the right place. Here is the honest version of the comparison, written by someone whose whole business is the mobile side of it.
What actually differs
Six things people assume are different, and whether they really are.
| Mobile | Workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality of the bond | Same urethane, same bead height, same primer | Same |
| Cure time before driving | Same — set by the urethane, not the location | Same |
| Glass options | Same parts, same suppliers | Same |
| ADAS calibration | Done on site where space allows; dynamic calibrations are a road drive either way | Static calibrations easier in a controlled bay |
| Your time | None — you carry on with your day | Two trips and a wait, or a courtesy car |
| Weather dependence | Real. Heavy rain or high wind stops us | None |
| Suitable ground | Needs a reasonably level, sheltered, safe spot | Always suitable |
Three jobs we will not do in a driveway
If your job is one of these, we will say so on the phone rather than turn up and improvise.
Heavy rain, or wind carrying grit
Urethane and primer need a clean, dry bonding surface. Water or dust in the pinchweld while the bead is going down is the one thing that genuinely compromises a mobile fit. If the forecast is bad we reschedule, or work in your garage or a covered car park if you have access to one.
A rusted pinchweld that needs real treatment
If we cut the old screen out and find corrosion in the bonding flange, that has to be cut back, treated and primed properly — which is not a driveway job. We will tell you what we have found, seal the car so it is weathertight, and arrange the right fix rather than bonding new glass onto rust.
A static calibration with nowhere to do it
Some vehicles need targets placed at measured distances on level ground with even lighting. A sloping driveway or a tight car park will not give a valid calibration. Where that is the case we tell you at booking so it is one appointment, not a surprise.
The van is not the compromise. The rush is.
A windscreen fails because someone skipped the primer, used the wrong bead height, or drove the car before the urethane cured. None of those are caused by being outdoors — they are caused by being in a hurry.
How to judge either kind of fitter
The same five questions separate a good job from a bad one, in a workshop or a driveway.
What urethane are you using, and what is the safe drive-away time?
A specific answer with a number is a good sign. “An hour or so” for every car in every condition is not — safe drive-away time depends on the product and the weather.
What happens if the pinchweld has bare metal or rust?
The right answer is that it gets primed, or treated properly if it is corroded. “It will be fine” is the answer that leaks in two years.
Is the glass the right part for my build?
Sensors, heating, acoustic interlayer, camera. Anyone who has not asked for the model year, and ideally the VIN, is guessing — see what moves the price.
Who does the ADAS calibration, and when?
The best answer is same technician, same visit. The next best is a named place with a booking already made. “You will need to sort that out” is not an answer — see ADAS calibration.
What is the warranty on the fit, not the glass?
Glass warranties cover defects in the glass. What matters more is who stands behind the bond and the seal. Ask specifically about leaks and wind noise.
Places we fit glass every week
Mobile is not just driveways, and some of these are the reason mobile exists at all.
Home driveways and street parking
The bulk of the work. A level driveway with a bit of shelter is ideal; we work in the street where we have to and set up safely.
Workplace car parks
Booked mid-morning, finished before lunch, and you never leave the building. The most common arrangement for city and office-park customers.
Transport depots and yards
Trucks and buses, where the vehicle earning is the whole point and moving it to a workshop costs more than the glass. See fleet work.
Caravan parks and storage yards
Motorhomes and campervans, which frequently cannot get into a workshop bay at all because of height.
The roadside
Breakdown and emergency work. Not our preference for a full replacement, but sometimes the only option — and better than a truck sitting on a shoulder overnight.
Keep reading
Is a mobile windscreen replacement as good as a workshop one?
For most jobs, yes. The quality of a windscreen fit comes from the technician, the urethane, the bead height and whether the pinchweld was properly prepared — none of which change with location. What does matter is weather and a level, sheltered spot, which is why we will reschedule rather than fit glass in heavy rain.
What happens if it rains on the day?
We reschedule, or move the job into your garage or a covered car park if you have access to one. Water or grit in the pinchweld while the urethane bead is going down is the one thing that genuinely compromises a mobile fit, so it is not a risk we take.
Can you do ADAS calibration in my driveway?
Often yes. Dynamic calibrations are a road drive and are unaffected. Static calibrations need level ground, space for the targets and even lighting — if your spot will not support that we will tell you at booking rather than turn up and find out.
Do you charge more to come to me?
No. There is no call-out fee anywhere in Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan or Bayside, and the price is the same at your address as it would be anywhere else.
How much space do you need?
Room to open both front doors fully and to walk right around the vehicle, on reasonably level ground. A standard single driveway or one car park bay with an empty bay beside it is plenty.
We come to you
Home, workplace, depot, caravan park or the roadside, anywhere in Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan or Bayside — with no call-out fee. Tell us where the car is and we will tell you whether the spot works.