New Guy
04-16-2013, 10:41 AM
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My Ride: 2008 535i sport
New Guy
Hi. Brand new to the forum. I have a 2008 535i sport. Its metallic navy blue (sorry I don't know the official BMW name for the color) with white interior (not leather I think). I bought it in 2010. I think it was built in May of '08. It has a full sized spare, navigation, 18" wheels. A very pretty car. I joined the forum because my windscreen is cracked. I got the name of a windscreen guy from BMW of Palm Springs and hired him to replace the original glass with "premium non-OEM glass", that is, German-made without BMW logo. He told me I would need a new condensation sensor which I ordered from BMW.
When he shows up he has a 535i windscreen but after inspection concluded that it didn't match what was on my car. The glass he brought expected a square rain sensor but mine is round. Also the condensation sensor on the existing windshield was detachable and reusable while the existing round rain sensor adheres to the windshield and is not reusable. So then he tries to order the right windscreen and finds that there is no German-made non-BMW glass available at all, basically just Chinese-made glass.
I thanked him and declined to order that. His lame explanation was that a design change happened somewhere near when my car was built and I have the new design while all the available premium glass is for the previous one. There is something fishy about all that. Surely there would be sufficient demand for the three model years like my car to warrant producing the part. Around here the windscreen replacement bill of materiel from BMW is over $1000, including the $159 condensation sensor that I bought and don't need, but not the rain sensor.
I am going to go to the dealer and try to return the part and see if they can give me any insight into the story I was told. In the meanwhile does anybody out there have an experience to relate that might be helpful? Thanks all.
When he shows up he has a 535i windscreen but after inspection concluded that it didn't match what was on my car. The glass he brought expected a square rain sensor but mine is round. Also the condensation sensor on the existing windshield was detachable and reusable while the existing round rain sensor adheres to the windshield and is not reusable. So then he tries to order the right windscreen and finds that there is no German-made non-BMW glass available at all, basically just Chinese-made glass.
I thanked him and declined to order that. His lame explanation was that a design change happened somewhere near when my car was built and I have the new design while all the available premium glass is for the previous one. There is something fishy about all that. Surely there would be sufficient demand for the three model years like my car to warrant producing the part. Around here the windscreen replacement bill of materiel from BMW is over $1000, including the $159 condensation sensor that I bought and don't need, but not the rain sensor.
I am going to go to the dealer and try to return the part and see if they can give me any insight into the story I was told. In the meanwhile does anybody out there have an experience to relate that might be helpful? Thanks all.
04-18-2013, 03:30 PM
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My Ride: 2008 535i sport
So the dealer did take back the condensation sensor. I also learned that the windscreen for my vin # includes the rain sensor which explains (I guess) why glass makers are not supplying it. So I guess my only option is to buy the BMW part assembly.
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