E53 Windscreen

[dirtymonkey29]

What windscreen do i need to request for replacement. Driving down M62 today i noticed a very nice crack that has appeared since yesterday.

Its an E53 facelift with rain sensor. Obviously want the best screen i can get but dont know what different types there are. Also the sreen is not an original BMW one so has been replaced by the previous owner at a guess.

[sapphireblack]

The excess will be higher i'm sure, but i'd get a quote from your dealer to fit what was originally there from new.

My car has comfort glass and i recall when it was replaced, Autoglass (or whomever it was) were full of BS because they basically couldn't supply (then anyway) an OE spec option. They tried to convince me theirs was the same but it obviously wasn't!

BMW will probably do a better job anyway based on my personal experience of so called glass specialists

[dirtymonkey29]

What is comfort glass?

[sapphireblack]

It blocks/reflects UV, supposedly keeping the car cooler and protecting the occupants from harmful rays. You can see it on approaching cars as the screen has a purple-ish hue to it.

[dirtymonkey29]

Worth having?

[X5Sport]

In a word, yes. Might be also worth having a look to see if you already have it. It shows a slight purple tint from in front in the right light. It definitely reduces the amount of heat through the screen when driving into sun. I specked it when doing mine in 2004

You can also look to see if there is a sort of aperture either side of the mirror mount and bottom dead centre of the screen. This is to allow GPS devices like safety camera detectors to work.

I had two broken screens on my E53, both on the M6! The first time the lot in the Orange Vans came out with the wrong replacement but failed to spot their error until AFTER they'd cut the old screen out!

The car was under warranty and BMW warned me that they would no longer warranty the screen, paint, dash and interior both around and below the screen. I took this up with my insurer and BMW changed the screens on both occasions at no extra expense to me other than I had to pay up front (Dealer Policy) and claim it back from Aviva. If memory serves a new Climate Comfort screen is about £700 fitted.

OEM Screens are made by Semperit. All the replacement boys seem to use Pilkington.

[dirtymonkey29]

It's already got a non oem windscreen from a previous owner

[Raj]

Just ring your local dealer and ask what glass was originally fitted with which options, etc and then let the company know. I too would speak to your insurance company though about getting BMW glass even if fitted by an independant company.

[dirtymonkey29]

They wasn't much help. Gave me price and part number for the basic screen.
Don't know if I should request the comfort glass or not or wether to get the screen with sun strip or not. Currently got a plain screen. Does comfort glass affect mobile signal? I imagine not but want to be certain.

[sapphireblack]

Drop your chassis number into realoem and see what your's is supposed to have

I would always have the top tint sun screen and the rain sensor is on most cars? If you can swing it and pay the insurance excess i would have the Comfort glass which has 'windows' to receive external signals. Both in the centre, one surrounding the interior mirror, the other right at the bottom centre.

[dirtymonkey29]

Yup done that too but gives all the options. Doesn't state what was originally fitted... Unless I'm missing something

[sapphireblack]

[quote=""dirtymonkey29""]Yup done that too but gives all the options. Doesn't state what was originally fitted... Unless I'm missing something[/quote]


As i've edited, go for what you want then bearing in mind costs, obviously. Green glass and top tint as minimum imo and i thought all cars had it originally? Rain sensor type if applicable of course.

[X5Sport]

No effect on mobile signal, but it does knock out GPS devices (not the Satnav as the GPS antenna is in the boot lid spoiler) and this is why there are three 'windows' in the covering. I had a Road Angel with a separate GPS antenna stuck to the screen bedside the mirror mount. The unit was only an inch square and about 3/4" deep with a very thin wire to the main unit.

Realoem page for a 2005 3.0d including rain sensor.

2005 MY Part number: 51317064863. Part 01, 4th line down.

If BMW do get to fit it, and realistically anyone else really, you cannot use the car for at least 6 hours! It takes that long for the glue to safely set. I was told to use comfort closing (hold the lock buttond on the remote pressed) to close the windows so that I shut the doors with the windows open slightly and then close it up. Saves the screen getting 'popped'.

The weirdest part with both my broken screens was that it was right by the Tax Disc holder where a stone struck both times, On the same part of the M6 near Jcn 19 and almost exactly a year apart! Spooooooky!

[dirtymonkey29]

Comfort glass with sun strip it is then... I will notice the massive crack tomorrow morning and give insurance a ring.

[sapphireblack]

[quote=""dirtymonkey29""]Comfort glass with sun strip it is then... I will notice the massive crack tomorrow morning and give insurance a ring.[/quote]


8-)er, literally