Just broke my windshield - *don't do this*

zinger · 11-12-2011, 03:49 PM

I was trying to detach my rear-view mirror, attempting to follow the instructions where it says to snap out interior mirror from mirror mount towards front. I was basically pushing on the bottom of the mirror mount and heard 'crack', and now I have four large cracks around the mirror area. *sigh*.

inTgr8r · 11-12-2011, 09:54 PM

wow... that sucks

Finnegan · 11-12-2011, 10:51 PM

Ouch! Sorry to hear about this.

Smurfskier · 11-13-2011, 11:34 AM

call your insurance company. Mine cracked and they replaced it at no cost to me. Just make sure you get good glass. Stay away from safe lite they use Chinese glass that is crap.

craig147 · 11-13-2011, 02:59 PM

smurfskier is right. Make sure your insurance company pays for the OEM replacement windshield. Some of the non-OEM windshields have fit and finish issue which may cause excessive wind noise and water leakage. You also have to worry about distortion in the non-OEM product. You're always better off with a windshield that was made on the same tooling as was used for the vehicles on the assembly line.

The best way to tell if it's an OEM product is to look for the BMW logo on the glass.

zinger · 11-13-2011, 03:32 PM

Thanks for the sympathy and suggestions. I will make sure it's OEM. I have a $500 deductible, so I guess I'll end up paying for most of it out of pocket.

What sucks is I was trying to this service note about putting metal tape in the rear view mirror to stop the interference on remote convertible opening - but now I'm afraid to touch it for fear it'll shatter before I can drive it to have the windshield replaced. Guess I'll be talking to my local mechanic about doing it for me next during my next service.

zinger · 11-14-2011, 04:51 PM

Thanks to everybody for the tips. My insurance company directed me to Safelite, which wanted over $700 for it. I found a local company that told me they have the exact window matching specs from the same manufacturer either with logo for $540 or without logo for $340. Both including lifetime warranty and customer satisfaction. In this case, I'm going without logo but if I have any issues with wind, distortion, noise, leaking - I'll make them fix it.

iPhoneEngineer · 11-26-2011, 11:55 PM

Shit, sorry to hear--I just had my windshield broken a month ago by a large falling nut from a tree, hah! GEICO used a relatively low replacement cost to base reimbursement upon--$6xx, which would not cover BMW glass installation by the dealership. I have been told in my research that BMW has a relatively special process for installing the windshield to be up to their autobahn-ready standards of avoiding whistling at speed...perhaps that's bogus, but I certainly didn't want to risk having anyone else do it. I don't recall the exact amount, but since I had a $500 deductible and the total was something around $1000, and because of their cost estimate they paid less than $200 towards it...

I had to remove my mirror to get some digital gauges installed behind the mirror glass, and these directions, which are noticeably different, worked for me: http://www.radar-mirror.com/BMW_Mirror_Removal.html

XMetal · 11-27-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPhoneEngineer

I had to remove my mirror to get some digital gauges installed behind the mirror glass, and these directions, which are noticeably different, worked for me: http://www.radar-mirror.com/BMW_Mirror_Removal.html

That's what I thought you needed to do for removing the mirror (twist counterclockwise) instead of what the OP had described. In any case, most people crack the windshield when they try to reinstall the mirror, not during removal.

zinger · 11-27-2011, 12:15 PM

Thanks - those instructions make a lot more sense.

11-12-2011, 03:49 PM	#1
zinger New Member Drives: Silver 2005 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 14 iTrader: (1)	Just broke my windshield - don't do this I was trying to detach my rear-view mirror, attempting to follow the instructions where it says to snap out interior mirror from mirror mount towards front. I was basically pushing on the bottom of the mirror mount and heard 'crack', and now I have four large cracks around the mirror area. sigh. Attached Images
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11-12-2011, 09:54 PM	#2
inTgr8r Major General Drives: 07 M Coupe Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 7,116 iTrader: (6)	wow... that sucks __________________ Alpinweiss '07 M Coupe •Eisenmann Sport-Ceramic Black•Diablo-X•Fabspeed Headers•VRS Hyper-Narrow rear wing•Autosolutions SSK•APR splitter•Tekarbon headlights•StrongStrut STB•KW Clubsport•Poly FCAB/RTAB•Volk Racing G2•Direzza ZII•Stoptech BBK c/w Cool Carbon pads

11-12-2011, 10:51 PM	#3
Finnegan Major General Drives: Sapphire Black/Black Z4Mc Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: At the track..or wishing I were at the track Posts: 5,485 iTrader: (17)	Ouch! Sorry to hear about this. __________________ 2007 Sapphire Black Z4M / Apex EC7s / Eisenmann Exhaust / Euro Headers/Cat / Aero Sideskirts / DIY Stubby / Ultimate Pedals / AS SSK / RB Rotors / Other Stuff #1047

11-13-2011, 03:32 PM	#6
zinger New Member Drives: Silver 2005 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 14 iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the sympathy and suggestions. I will make sure it's OEM. I have a $500 deductible, so I guess I'll end up paying for most of it out of pocket. What sucks is I was trying to this service note about putting metal tape in the rear view mirror to stop the interference on remote convertible opening - but now I'm afraid to touch it for fear it'll shatter before I can drive it to have the windshield replaced. Guess I'll be talking to my local mechanic about doing it for me next during my next service. Attached Images

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11-13-2011, 11:34 AM	#4
Smurfskier Private Drives: 2003 z4 3.0 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Binghamton, Ny Posts: 74 iTrader: (0)	call your insurance company. Mine cracked and they replaced it at no cost to me. Just make sure you get good glass. Stay away from safe lite they use Chinese glass that is crap.

11-13-2011, 02:59 PM	#5
craig147 New Member Drives: 2008 Z4 3.0i. E85 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: So CA Posts: 12 iTrader: (0)	smurfskier is right. Make sure your insurance company pays for the OEM replacement windshield. Some of the non-OEM windshields have fit and finish issue which may cause excessive wind noise and water leakage. You also have to worry about distortion in the non-OEM product. You're always better off with a windshield that was made on the same tooling as was used for the vehicles on the assembly line. The best way to tell if it's an OEM product is to look for the BMW logo on the glass.

11-14-2011, 04:51 PM	#7
zinger New Member Drives: Silver 2005 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 14 iTrader: (1)	Thanks to everybody for the tips. My insurance company directed me to Safelite, which wanted over $700 for it. I found a local company that told me they have the exact window matching specs from the same manufacturer either with logo for $540 or without logo for $340. Both including lifetime warranty and customer satisfaction. In this case, I'm going without logo but if I have any issues with wind, distortion, noise, leaking - I'll make them fix it.

11-26-2011, 11:55 PM	#8
iPhoneEngineer Lieutenant Drives: 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: La Honda, CA Posts: 467 iTrader: (2)	Shit, sorry to hear--I just had my windshield broken a month ago by a large falling nut from a tree, hah! GEICO used a relatively low replacement cost to base reimbursement upon--$6xx, which would not cover BMW glass installation by the dealership. I have been told in my research that BMW has a relatively special process for installing the windshield to be up to their autobahn-ready standards of avoiding whistling at speed...perhaps that's bogus, but I certainly didn't want to risk having anyone else do it. I don't recall the exact amount, but since I had a $500 deductible and the total was something around $1000, and because of their cost estimate they paid less than $200 towards it... I had to remove my mirror to get some digital gauges installed behind the mirror glass, and these directions, which are noticeably different, worked for me: http://www.radar-mirror.com/BMW_Mirror_Removal.html

11-27-2011, 12:15 PM	#10
zinger New Member Drives: Silver 2005 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 14 iTrader: (1)	Thanks - those instructions make a lot more sense.