[bladeomatic]

I went out to my 2014 M235i and found some small cracks near the passenger side close to the rear-view mirror. No idea how they happened. Don't remember a rocks being thrown nor pissing off any drivers recently. This has slowly been getting bigger almost daily and needs replacing. Went to Century West BMW in North Hollywood and they want over $2k to fix it (Cough!)

Am wondering if this is insane or expected? I have insurance that will cover some but this feels crazy high. I know the cheepos that my ins company may steer me towards may not be best and could screw up the antennae, rain sensors or other delicate connections to the car.

Thoughts?

[drivethemachine]

This should be covered by your insurance, in many states with zero deductible. You might have to massage them to pay for OEM work but if it's a first time on a new car they usually agree.

[TiM235i]

You're correct -- that's insane. I had to get a windshield replaced in my 335i within 100 miles of picking it up when a rock hit the windshield. It was $1,500 but that high price was because of the HUD option. Had it not had that, they said <$800. That was about 9 months ago and the work was done at the dealer.

Insurance did cover it.

[Cyberdemon]

FWIW Glass coverage is part of your comprehensive insurance which is usually very cheap to lower the deductible on. I have a $0 glass deductible through Geico and it was about $2/month more than a $500 deductible. I've had 2 pieces of busted glass in my life so it's already paid for itself.

The OEM windscreen is very expensive, I replaced my F30 windshield with an aftermarket safelite windscreen and I had no issues with it. The only potential complaint could be the rain sensing wipers responded slightly slower afterwards, but they were finicky to begin with so it was not enough to sway my decision over the much more expensive OEM glass (the F30 glass is more expensive due to the heads up display option).

Since the F2x doesn't have the HUD I would not worry about it. Get the aftermarket safelite windscreen and be done with it. There were a ton of arguments about "aftermarket glass being soft" but the reality is soda lime glass is as hard as soda lime glass. Something hard enough to scratch glass will scratch glass regardless.

Also, as I found out (because I called to check on OEM pricing) my local BMW dealer outsources their windscreen replacement to a third party. So you may be paying BMW for them to give it to a guy from safe lite or some other contractor anyways.

People who replace glass do it for a living, I would not be overly concerned about it and you'll have a chance to inspect the car before and after to ensure there is no damage.

[sstarrx3]

The windshield is a little over $200 for the part. BMW dealers are crazy!!

[CreativeFuel]

I also just got a crack in mine. Kinda hurts with only 2,000 miles on the odometer. My dealer (who does it in-house, not outsourced) wants $1,500 and State Farm won't pay that.

Any experiences with Safelite? I'm a little leery of them, but haven't found many good options. I'm not worried as much about the glass, but the installation and service.

[overcoil]

I wouldn't use Safelite on my 2-series.
Do research because some aftermarket windshields are quite a bit different then car manufacturer OEM dealer provided glass.

[Luminous]

This happened to me a few months ago. Dealer quoted me around $1700. The car was so new I really wanted oem glass, geico ended up paying for everything except the dealers inflated labor charges, I ended up paying about $350 out of pocket. For me it was worth the hassle to get oem glass.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

I wouldn't use Safelite on my 2-series.
Do research because some aftermarket windshields are quite a bit different then car manufacturer OEM dealer provided glass.

I manufacture products for a living and have worked with a number of vendors who are the same guys making tempered car glass like Pilkington and Saint Gobain.

There are certain windshields that may have things like acoustic modifications which are specific to a certain car (AFAIK BMW does not do this), but the reality is there are multiple suppliers of OEM glass for all car companies and you should really decide what "secret magic" is involved based on more than just internet hearsay and snake oil.

Here in LI a windshield will not last me more than 3 years regardless of the car due to rock chips in winter and sand blasting in summer . There are no magic strengthening products in OEM glass vs a safelite replacement part. I replaced my F30 HUD windscreen and had no issues with the service or installation and it was all done in an hour in the parking lot while I was at work vs having to take a day off to bring it into the dealer.

I could not see myself paying a hundreds of dollars out of pocket (vs $0) especially on a lease. Even when I owned my cars and had to replace the windshield I used aftermarket glass and it had the exact same life span.

If it makes you feel that much better and you've got the cash to burn go for it. But people have been manufacturing safety glass for a long time now, it is not nearly as complex as people make it out to be.

Additionally an aftermarket windshield does not change anything with a lease return - that has come up a few times on these types of threads.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by sstarrx3

The windshield is a little over $200 for the part. BMW dealers are crazy!!

You must be stuck in time. No way the replacement is $200 you are clearly mistaken.

[CreativeFuel]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

You must be stuck in time. No way the replacement is $200 you are clearly mistaken.

Correct. Here is the OEM parts list.

[sstarrx3]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

You must be stuck in time. No way the replacement is $200 you are clearly mistaken.

Yep... Could have sworn I saw the price list for my 228i with the glass being a little over $200...any way once you add all the other stuff its considerably more. There is premium non OEM replacement glass out there which would be less expensive and comparable quality...as long as the installer is reputable. $1500 to $2000 is rediculous. If I was an insurance company I would cry foul too!

[sstarrx3]

Originally Posted by CreativeFuel

I also just got a crack in mine. Kinda hurts with only 2,000 miles on the odometer. My dealer (who does it in-house, not outsourced) wants $1,500 and State Farm won't pay that.

Any experiences with Safelite? I'm a little leery of them, but haven't found many good options. I'm not worried as much about the glass, but the installation and service.

I have used safelite before...it was fine. If they have options...go with the most expensive glass.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by sstarrx3

I have used safelite before...it was fine. If they have options...go with the most expensive glass.

You have to always get an approval from insurance for the OEM Piece. I just had a OEM Nissan windshield replaced on wife's car. 350 aftermarket 750 OEM and that's a bloody Nissan. I have an exclusion for OEM parts on my policy also the car is less than one year old which usually is a huge deciding factor as you said earlier.

[pruettfan]

OEM windshields are really expensive. I would never not have zero deductible glass insurance, it costs me about 12 dollars a year and in AZ we are lucky to get two years out of a windshield, my E90 has had 6 over the past 7 years.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by pruettfan

OEM windshields are really expensive. I would never not have zero deductible glass insurance, it costs me about 12 dollars a year and in AZ we are lucky to get two years out of a windshield, my E90 has had 6 over the past 7 years.

Is it because the heat and running A/C that causes cracks so fast ? I am assuming so.

[hyperzulu]

I have windshield coverage added to my insurance. It's cheap and paid for itself (I think?)... the insurance company at first wanted to send out a "repair" guy to fix the chip in the glass, but I told them that BMW will charge me at lease end because the chip is on the windshield wiper blades path. Then I told them I want it done by a BMW service center. They approved the $1900 charge and I was good to go. I have to believe I scored some points with my service advisor... at least I hope I did.

[delvec03]

I also got a crack and am paying out of pocket. safelite quoted me $430. sucks, but it ain't no 2k!

[pruettfan]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

Is it because the heat and running A/C that causes cracks so fast ? I am assuming so.

Actually it is because of the environment, there are very small rocks that make it to the roadways after monsoons and wind storms which usually pit the windshields and the front of our cars. Of course where there are small rocks you occasionally get a slightly larger one and the most common cause for me has been on a two lane road someone is approaching from the other lane in the opposite direction and their car launches one of these little rocks right into my windshield and it causes a star, then as you predict the heat and cooling tends to stress that crack to grow pretty quickly.

[DSTR]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

I manufacture products for a living and have worked with a number of vendors who are the same guys making tempered car glass like Pilkington and Saint Gobain.

There are certain windshields that may have things like acoustic modifications which are specific to a certain car (AFAIK BMW does not do this), but the reality is there are multiple suppliers of OEM glass for all car companies and you should really decide what "secret magic" is involved based on more than just internet hearsay and snake oil.

Here in LI a windshield will not last me more than 3 years regardless of the car due to rock chips in winter and sand blasting in summer . There are no magic strengthening products in OEM glass vs a safelite replacement part. I replaced my F30 HUD windscreen and had no issues with the service or installation and it was all done in an hour in the parking lot while I was at work vs having to take a day off to bring it into the dealer.

I could not see myself paying a hundreds of dollars out of pocket (vs $0) especially on a lease. Even when I owned my cars and had to replace the windshield I used aftermarket glass and it had the exact same life span.

If it makes you feel that much better and you've got the cash to burn go for it. But people have been manufacturing safety glass for a long time now, it is not nearly as complex as people make it out to be.

Additionally an aftermarket windshield does not change anything with a lease return - that has come up a few times on these types of threads.

+1 unless you can prove you are losing specific functionality vs OEM. Best to do some research. Nice post.

[shark715]

I used Safelite for the windshield replacement on our HUD equipped X5 about 1 year ago, and have had no issues at all. The HUD works just as well as with the OEM windshield. It was raining the day of my appointment with the Safelite tech, so he replaced the windshield in my garage. I watched him do the job, and was very impressed. He obviously knew what he was doing, had the right equipment to the job (without a helper), and was familiar with HUD windshields.

I had visited or called all the other glass shops in my area, and they all told me they could not source a windshield with the HUD option except by ordering it from a BMW dealer at a much higher cost versus their usual suppliers. Safelite ended up being about $400 less than any of the other quotes I received.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

I manufacture products for a living and have worked with a number of vendors who are the same guys making tempered car glass like Pilkington and Saint Gobain...

There are certain windshields that may have things like acoustic modifications which are specific to a certain car (AFAIK BMW does not do this), but the reality is there are multiple suppliers of OEM glass for all car companies and you should really decide what "secret magic" is involved based on more than just internet hearsay and snake oil...
.

1) Safelite has there own glass manufacturing plant
2) Glass production is rather magical, from the quality and type of oxides, the chemical or heating method for tempering, the quality of slurry for polishing and the specs determined by manufacturing, thickness and rejection rate.

I'd never use Original Equipment Equivalent OEE but would use OEM.