Windshield replacement

[ard]

Welp, there are only a few (1? 2? 4?) companies that make glass in the USA for X5s.


The BMW branded OE glass is made for BMW by Pilkington, Sekurit or SG or PPG.


(Note: Not sure who is making E70 glass now.... it may actually change over the years. You may have been able to buy Pilkington 2018 to 2022, now someone else..)


any one of these also makes an OEM version. ie they make the OE, so they are the OEM for this item, and a therefore their own version is an OEM glass.


This little quibble is why when people insist "I want OEM" they get a pilkinton (or whatever), and not BMW.


(NOTE: I am not 100% sure it is Pilkington- my info is a bit stale on this)



I do not know who makes the Safelite branded glass.


Oh, and then there is the specifications and QE for these different product streams. Some say the BMW OE glass is subject to tighter qualify control.


FInally, the glass is only part of the equation.... If you do not follow the procedure that BMW has defined, from the adhesitve to the moldings to the little bits and fittings- then the resultant repair WILL INVALIDATE the car's safety ratings. Safelite makes a really big deal to say "our adhesive meets all federal standards", but thats only part of it.



You should call a small, independent glass installer and just ask them who makes a glass- they should have access to any company that makes a compatible glass. My local guy is pretty good about quality. He was doing a glass on my M5, didnt like an optical defect and strong-armed my insurance into a BMW branded glass since the car wasnt driveable. (I didnt mind, buy he spun it up... )
GL!