"A windshield is an important, integral part of vehicle safety and if it's put in incorrectly, it can be dangerous," says Alan Eggers, owner of AutoGlass Express in Lake of the Pines, Rocklin and Yuba City. "The airbag on the passenger side, when it's in an accident, deploys into that windshield at 200 psi, and if that windshield is installed improperly, people are going to get hurt."

Eggers and his staff of Certified Master Glass Technicians repair and install glass in all makes and models of cars, trucks and yes, motorhomes. "A lot of auto glass companies will not do motorhomes just because they don't have the where-with-all to do it," Eggers said. "They don't want to take the time; there is a little more involved (with motorhome glass)." Much of his work with motorhomes involves insurance claims, allowing Eggers to say, "We've become motorhome specialists."

No stranger to insurance claims, Eggers worked in the insurance business until about 15 years ago, when an injury necessitated a change in occupation. A client with an auto glass shop offered to make Eggers a partner in the business and he jumped at the opportunity. Nearly four years later, Eggers decided to go into business for himself, starting up at the current location on Streeter Road, off Highway 49. Shops at other locations followed and Eggers employs only experienced, dedicated workers.

His technicians go through a number of special programs before being hired, including tests at the shop "to make sure they know what they're doing," Eggers says. "One thing I require is that, first of all, they have experience and second of all, that they have good experience." Annual certifications are part of the job and Eggers belongs to PPG Prostars, an alliance of independent glass shops nationwide that offers tips and updates to familiarize members with new technologies and new vehicle glass installation requirements.

While all of their work can be done in the shop, many customers opt for the mobile on-site service offered by AutoGlass Express. The mobile glass installation concept started on the west coast 15-18 years ago, according to Eggers, offering the convenience of having glass installed where the car is, rather than dropping it off at a shop for service. That advantage works both ways, Eggers says. "It's much more efficient for us to go to somebody instead of waiting for a customer to come into a shop; it's much more convenient for a customer for us to come to them," he said. "By going to somebody, whether they're at work or home, we find you can get much more work done."

The actual windshield installation takes approximately one hour and most windshields are glued in with urethane, which requires several hours to dry, according to Eggers. When that drying time takes place at a customer's location, it negates the need to return to the shop hours later to pick up a vehicle; the customer can drive away as soon as the drying time has passed.

All of his service trucks are self-contained, with all of the necessary tools onboard, Eggers says. They are also equipped with inverters for power tools and compressors, to allow for potential pneumatic work on-site. "The misnomer is that people like to bring their vehicle into a shop because they feel they're going to get a better job," Eggers said, "and that is not necessarily the case anymore because the technology, the urethanes, the techniques have all changed and, quite frankly, it's very efficient to go out and do a mobile job."

In addition to glass installation, AutoGlass Express offers chip repair, a preventative measure that Eggers says is "a functional repair of the windshield", a proactive measure that can save a lot of money for both consumers and insurance companies. The crack or chip never goes away, according to Eggers, but can fade away until it is practically invisible. "The crack is always going to be there, so all we can do is drill the windshield, in most cases, and we inject a ultra violet curing resin and that's what fills the crack in the windshield and prevents it from splitting anymore," he said. Eggers offers a 'rock chip repair' card, also available at most insurance agencies, that contains small, round protective patches ("bandaids") to stick over rock chips, keeping the damage protected until a repair can be made.

With three active shops, Eggers is able to cover mobile repairs over a large area, ranging from North San Juan, Oregon House, Dobbins, Marysville, Colusa, Georgetown, Sacramento and Baxter. The shop in Truckee, now owned by a former employee, handles Service calls between Baxter and Truckee. Picking the right shop to install glass is an important decision, Eggers says.

"There are a lot of people out there selling windshields at a very cheap price, they're cutting corners and they're not putting them in properly," Eggers said. "That's the one thing that we are very serious about: This is not just a matter of putting something there to stop the rain from coming in, it's part of the structure of the vehicle." As part of that dedication to quality, AutoGlass Express offers a lifetime guarantee against leakage and workmanship; defects in glass are also warranted.

The Lake of the Pines location is at 10101 Streeter Road, Suite G, off Highway 49 and can be reached at 530-268-3838 or toll free at 1-888-268-3838. The Rocklin shop is located at 4300 Anthony Court, #K and the Yuba City shop can be found at 1600 Starr Drive, #D. Information is also available at www.autoglass1.com.

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Upcoming event: Off-roaders take note Ð The 4th Annual Four-Wheel Drive Swap is being held this Sunday, April 29, from 8am-3pm, in front of Central 4-Wheel Drive, 4445 Granite Drive (916) 625-9355, in Rocklin. Eggers, part owner of a company called Blending Plant, will be introducing a new, environmentally friendly product called the "GOOR Kit" (Get Oil Off Rocks), described as a 'complete oil spill solution' that will clean oily residue off rocks without harming the environment. More product information is available at www.BlendingPlant.com.