What's the verdict on windshields?

[rowsdower]

I was chasing down an F80 M3 at the track this past weekend and he put a wheel in the grass, kicking up a huge rock and denting my hood and breaking my windshield. I did catch him so it was worth it.

Anyway what is the consensus on the best glass replacement - both vendors and the glass itself. I replaced the windshield about 5 years ago at a Safelite but I don't remember if it was an OE windshield. Are aftermarket worse than OE? I'm guessing yes but how much worse is the question.

[Tommm]

i spoke to a local shop owner. he will install a Pilkington for a little under $300. I have the base model with no options. My factory windshield is a Pilkington.

[chris_flies]

Sorry about the hood and windshield, and sorry to the M3 owner about getting passed by a "base model" BMW (not really sorry, 'cause we have to listen to that horrid S55).

When I go off track, I do it with no one behind me

No knowledge on glass sources...

[tock172]

Safelite uses Chinese glass by manufacturer Fuyao, or American-made glass by PGW in my experience. At some point during the past five years, Fuyao surpassed French glassmaker Saint Gobain as the world's largest.

As far as BMW's are concerned, modern ones (up until a few years ago) use Saint Gobain Sekurit (as they have for decades), Guardian, and Pilkington. My windshield is a Pilkington, and a genuine BMW one with a Roundel on it. I specifically noticed this when I was buying my second 135i, because my first one had a replaced windshield, but the glass was Saint Gobain, so I knew it was good--then it got a fat chip by some bitch who wouldn't let me pass for five miles from my home street, half way to my office.

Anyway, if I ever have to replace my windshield, I know I'm gonna have to shell out for a quality replacement by either Pilkington or Saint Gobain to feel good about it. Not only, but I have heard of the xenon light sensor and windshield wiper sensor having trouble if they're not seated correctly against the replacement glass.

It should be noted that during the last few years, BMW has switched to using glass from Fuyao, along with European AGC Splintex and one other manufacturer I'm forgetting the name of.

[NVHoo]

Insurance will only pay for generic windshield glass. I've replaced the windshield on a prior Audi 5 years ago and last year on my wife's MB E350. I went with generic on the Audi and immediately noticed significant distortion near the edges of the windshield which was very distracting. I would probably gotten used to it but I complained and they replaced it with a better generic but it was still not free of distortion compared to the Audi glass it replaced. I've seen on several forums that this is a frequent complaint when using non-OEM glass, even if it is the same manufacturer as OEM. IMO, the OEM glass companies sell their seconds to the replacement market sans logo.

Based on that experience, I wanted MB glass for my wife's car. I called several local and national chain companies for MB glass replacement but Safelite was the cheapest by far and I paid about $75 extra for the MB glass with logo that was free of distortion.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

I was chasing down an F80 M3 at the track this past weekend and he put a wheel in the grass, kicking up a huge rock and denting my hood and breaking my windshield. I did catch him so it was worth it.

Anyway what is the consensus on the best glass replacement - both vendors and the glass itself. I replaced the windshield about 5 years ago at a Safelite but I don't remember if it was an OE windshield. Are aftermarket worse than OE? I'm guessing yes but how much worse is the question.

I had insurance replace the glass in both my 1ers with what they covered, which was whatever generic non-OEM glass they had on hand. In both cases they eventually got stress cracks down the middle. I had my windshield replaced with glass from BMW last time and the quality difference is surprisingly noticeable. No issues over a year later.

[rowsdower]

Thanks guys. That's what I thought. I'll have to price it out and see how much more the roundel will cost.

Follow up question here. Since this was a track day and anything can happen, I didn't approach the M3 driver about it. Was that the right call? Or would you expect someone else at a track day to compensate you if they go off track and mess up your car? My feelings are that once you enter the racetrack, anything can happen and unless it is intentional, no one is really at fault for these types of random occurrences. Just interested if that is in line with generally accepted track etiquette.

[duder13]

Originally Posted by rowsdower

Thanks guys. That's what I thought. I'll have to price it out and see how much more the roundel will cost.

Follow up question here. Since this was a track day and anything can happen, I didn't approach the M3 driver about it. Was that the right call? Or would you expect someone else at a track day to compensate you if they go off track and mess up your car? My feelings are that once you enter the racetrack, anything can happen and unless it is intentional, no one is really at fault for these types of random occurrences. Just interested if that is in line with generally accepted track etiquette.

I'm likely a lot less experienced at the track vs. many here, but I'd never consider going after someone for that kind of thing. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd consider most accidents at a track faultless, and I'd get track insurance if I was worried. I mean, if some guy was driving around trying to collide with others, that would be an exception, but I've never seen such a thing.

[ejm3]

I've had a small chip in my windshield for a few years now and have just not gotten it fixed.

Its not in my field of vision and I want to avoid getting a lousy second-rate windshield and/or fighting with my insurance company over it.

Unless it gets bigger I'm just going to live with it.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by ejm3

I've had a small chip in my windshield for a few years now and have just not gotten it fixed.

Its not in my field of vision and I want to avoid getting a lousy second-rate windshield and/or fighting with my insurance company over it.

Unless it gets bigger I'm just going to live with it.

They're supposed to get bigger if not attended to and then it might be too big to repair and you'll have to get a new windshield.

According to Safelite commercials, anyway.

They actually came out a few years ago and repaired my wife's windshield on her 370Z. Did a good job too!

[JimD]

I have had a chip in the middle of my windshield where I do not normally see it for several years. I've had similar chips for extended period of time in other cars. I think chips in windshields are like battery lifetime and other things (possibly water pump lifetime). General rules do not predict individual circumstances well. Chips sometimes grow into cracks and sometimes don't. In SC, our normal insurance is required to cover glass replacement 100% - so a repair or new one is not a cost issue. But I don't think I need it so I am not getting it done. I've had sales people approach me in parking lots trying to get me to schedule it too but I just refuse.

My vote has been consistently to ignore small chips until and unless they grow into cracks. A lot of the time mine have not.

[smrtypants44]

My insurance pays a certain amount for a windshield, and I can pay the difference to get OEM- usually $60 or so.

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by JimD

I have had a chip in the middle of my windshield where I do not normally see it for several years. I've had similar chips for extended period of time in other cars. I think chips in windshields are like battery lifetime and other things (possibly water pump lifetime). General rules do not predict individual circumstances well. Chips sometimes grow into cracks and sometimes don't. In SC, our normal insurance is required to cover glass replacement 100% - so a repair or new one is not a cost issue. But I don't think I need it so I am not getting it done. I've had sales people approach me in parking lots trying to get me to schedule it too but I just refuse.

My vote has been consistently to ignore small chips until and unless they grow into cracks. A lot of the time mine have not.

The P.O. of my car did the same thing. Instead of paying $25 to have the chip in the corner fixed, I deducted $500 from the price of the car because of the crack that goes halfway across and then down.

[blue135]

Check with your insurance company. Many will repair chips free of charge to you as it can put off the development of the crack for a few years.

[Mineral///M4]

You have to ask your insurance agent to only replace your windshield w/ a BMW WINDSHIELD. a couple of things. Who ever does the install has to use enough glue so there is no wind noise. And for the rain sensor. OEM For The Win. I had mine replaced and requested OEM. No issues after a yr.

[Tommm]

Originally Posted by Alpine1

You have to ask your insurance agent to only replace your windshield w/ a BMW WINDSHIELD. a couple of things. Who ever does the install has to use enough glue so there is no wind noise. And for the rain sensor. OEM For The Win. I had mine replaced and requested OEM. No issues after a yr.

OEM or OES?

[champignon]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

Insurance will only pay for generic windshield glass.

Not universally true. Within the last 2 years I have replaced the windshield on both my 135is Convertible and on my new M2, due to rock damage. Safeco contracts with a division of Safelite, however if you are insistent, they will let you take the car to your dealer and have BMW glass installed there. You have to pay out of pocket, but then they reimburse you within 2 weeks with a paper check, once receipts have been emailed to them.

I have full glass coverage on all of my cars, which makes the deductible $0, and which costs roughly $25/year per car, in my my locality and with my cars. A friend of mine who also owns a BMW, but who has other insurance, had his windshield replaced by the BMW dealer and was out $500 or $700, I forget which. He thought it was worth it.

It seems to depend on your insurance company and on your coverage level.

[ejm3]

Originally Posted by Esteban

They're supposed to get bigger if not attended to and then it might be too big to repair and you'll have to get a new windshield.

According to Safelite commercials, anyway.

They actually came out a few years ago and repaired my wife's windshield on her 370Z. Did a good job too!

Yeah they came out and tried and failed to repair the chip (no charge via insurance).

Rather than get into a big deal with the insurance company trying to put in a cheap windshield I said I would live with it until it became a full-fledged crack.

So far that hasn't happened and the chip has been there for a couple years now. Fingers crossed.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by ejm3

Yeah they came out and tried and failed to repair the chip (no charge via insurance).

Rather than get into a big deal with the insurance company trying to put in a cheap windshield I said I would live with it until it became a full-fledged crack.

So far that hasn't happened and the chip has been there for a couple years now. Fingers crossed.

This would not be a "problem" where I live; I need to replace at least one windshield a year due to gravel and rocks getting kicked up by other vehicles during the winter. So in another year or two I'd have another reason to replace the windshield anyway.

[ejm3]

Originally Posted by champignon

This would not be a "problem" where I live; I need to replace at least one windshield a year due to gravel and rocks getting kicked up by other vehicles during the winter. So in another year or two I'd have another reason to replace the windshield anyway.

Yeah same here, I just don't drive my 135i that much as its not my main car.

Though you're right there an equal chance I get a new chip that causes me to get a new windshield as the old chip growing until it needs to be replaced.

My wife's car is in the same position; a tiny chip way at the bottom barely noticeable that I'm not replacing yet because its a matter of time until another chip happens.

So far so good on my MDX though...

[TridenTBoy]

Just had a rock chip happen in my car. Super disturbing.

We'll see what happens with the rock chip repair that Geico does. Anyone have good experiences with it? I feel like I'll always notice and just want new glass.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by TridenTBoy

Just had a rock chip happen in my car. Super disturbing.

We'll see what happens with the rock chip repair that Geico does. Anyone have good experiences with it? I feel like I'll always notice and just want new glass.

You'll forget about it after a while. Like mentioned above, my wife got her windshield repaired a few years ago and she's totally forgotten about it. And she loves her Z like we love our 1ers.