How do I assess a mobile windshield replacement van’s tools and adhesives?

Begin with a full walk-through of the van. Take everything out and lay it on a bench: cutting tools, lifters, tape, glass handling gear, primers and the tubes of adhesive. Look for worn blades, cracked suction cups, damaged cables and tools that have been repaired with tape. A neat kit usually means careful habits.

Adhesive deserves close attention. Check the dates on every tube, how it is stored in hot and cold weather, and whether anything has been opened and left. Ask how the shop decides when a tube is too old to use. A van with a large stock of questionable material tells you something about quality control and about waste.

Next, look at the vehicle. Ask for the service history, tire and brake condition, any damage, and how the shelving and racking have held up. Ask whether the van is owned, leased or financed, and what the insurance arrangements are. Your insurer and lawyer can answer the questions that sit outside the van. Finally, ask how many jobs one van handles, what a technician does to restock, and whether the work depends on one skilled person. Your accountant can help you judge how the van is carried on the books and what to set aside for replacing it.

Key takeaways

• Lay out every tool and tube of adhesive and look for wear, damage and old stock.
• Check the van’s service history and whether it is owned, leased or financed.
• Ask who restocks the van and how much depends on one technician.