I'm getting my first oil change done in a couple of days and I also need to get my windshield replaced. I was just wondering if its better to have my dealership change the windshield or have a place like JN Philips to do it?

 

my car is in for windshield change also due to a crack i got that i didn't cause but hey sh*t happens. Its in for a new windshield, 16.2 upgrade, new leather on the passenger seat, and new wiper blades

Its going to be tough driving without my own car for the next 3 - 4 days :'(

IMHO, much better to get the windshield replaced from a dealership

 

Some local Auto Glass shop do the switch pretty good and much cheaper than dealer, what it care is the seal used around the windshield must be OEM quality or the OEM one, make sure the one who do the job are familiar with BMW windshield, specially the rain sensing one.

 

More than likely, the dealer does not replace the windshield.... but rather calls in a windshield replacement company who makes an on-site visit.

My dealer uses SafeLite.


Honestly.... replacing a windshield is not rocket science, and companies to do the work are a dime-a-dozen. The only thing to be concerned about is to make sure the company gets new mouldings along with the glass. You don't want to reuse the rubber mouldings after they've been taken out. But some companies try to, to keep costs down for insurance companies. (Hence, they get more insurance referrals) Demand new mouldings EVERYTIME a windshield is replaced.

 

Thanks for the tip.

The dealership uses a third party to change the windshield... my service advisor did say that he needed to schedule the winshield replacement company to come the same time my car is in for service.

 

When I had to repalce my windsheild becasue of rock hitting it and cracking it. My insurance company recommended using safelite. I did and was please with service. Be sure to ASK FOR Orginal BMW glass. If you dont ask for this, they sometime do a switch with an aftermarker brand.

 

Mine is also replaced by SafeLite with $100 deductible. OEM part was used because no aftermarket windscreen was available then especially the one with rain sensor.

 

Honestly.... I think aftermarket glass would be better than BMW. The BMW windshield on our E60s is absolutely the lowest quality I've ever encountered on any vehicle ever. No joke. Never in my life has a windshield cracked from the heat of having window tint applied.... but our E60 glass does. It can't handle much heat at all. Its not even summer here yet and my windshield cracked from the heat.

 

In my opinion... It Depends. if you can find a aftermarket company that does BMW windshield replacements then go for it. If not I perfer to take it back to the dealer. If they screw up. Meaning if its not seated properly and then develops a stress crack, or if it leaks, or has wind noise at speed you have a place to go back to. Joe Smoe Window replacemnt will tell you to go away after they're done with their work and collected their money. As subterFUSE said.. they are a dime a dozen but are ALL of them just as good?

I priced couple of places for windshield replacement on my MINI and lowest I got was $330 and this was Joe Smoe, I'm sure there must have been lower but thats just what I found;

$350 + tax = $378 was a place that does windshield replacement for another MINI dealer and this was an aftermarket windshield by PPG


but Long Beach MINI (*where I got the car*) Dealer was $405 out the door so for the price and piece of mind I went with the dealer.

 

Dealer did not do mine, they had a local shop do mine. Talk about expensive though. :'(