What's the difference in windshields...?
 

I need to get a new windshield for the X5. Apparently there is a new part number for the 02's and up...Solar with rain sensor. Price of the windshield installed is just over 2X the price at the local auto glass places. What's the difference?? Am I just paying for the BMW name? The stealer wants 3hrs labor to install it and I have to leave the vehicle there for 2 days! The local shop needs it for the afternoon only. :dunno:

It sounds like the Climate Comfort windshield. What is the part # ??

I had mine replaced about a week after I got my X.
(A rock from the freeway caused the failure)

What I was told is that the installation process requires a heat process and it also must be clamped into place, and it must stay clamped for 24 hours.

My insurance company was not happy about my decision to use the dealer but I reasoned that out of all the windshields I have had installed not one of the independants installed a windshield without, nicking, cutting, bending, scraping or otherwise messing something up including getting broken glass in places where it did not belong. Knowing that glass places have to do a lot of glass replacements to make money you can see how they will either cut corners or rush thru a job. I'm not saying they are all like that but if the work they do affects other areas that are covered under BMW's warranty how difficult would it be to get that them to resolved an issue down the road. I just coulden't and woulden't deal with that. As it was I still had to go back to the dealer because the auto light sensor was not installed properly at the completion of the winshield install. The windshield install was just one of those things I refused to bend on even if I had to pay for it myself. The insurance company agreed to cover it all. Keep in mind the X was very new. That was a plus in my favor.

[QUOTE=As it was I still had to go back to the dealer because the auto light sensor was not installed properly at the completion of the winshield install. [/QUOTE]

I know about the rain sensor, but where is the auto light sensor??

Same place as the rain sensor.

The auto-light sensor is built into the rain sensor and they're all in one module that attached to the windshield. My X5 is scheduled to have another Comfort Glass (aka Climate Comfort) windshield to be installed next week. This is the 3rd windshield that they have to replace. The previous two had bubbles in the rain-sensor area and they replaced them under BMW warranty. I think it's a manufacturing defect in these windshields because the bubbles started to appear about 2-3 months after installed.

As a result, I've been driving with a new windshield every 2-3 months :)

I am thinking of buying the windshield & moulding at the dealer and having the local glass shop do the installation. That way I have the original OEM windshield AND I save over $200 on the install!

Has anyone installed the aftermarket glass, and if so how does it compare??

After market glass is probablly fine what I would be concerned about is the quality of the installation. What I was told is that the installation process requires a heat process and it also must be clamped into place, and it must stay clamped for 24 hours.

Most dealer’s don’t do glass installs; instead they have a contractor come by and perform the work. If your insurance wont cover installation from your dealer you could probably save some bucks, find out whom your dealer contracts out the work to, and go directly to them. Personally I would have the dealer take care of everything. Should there be any problems your dealer will most likely resolve them in a fashionable manner. I’ve had my dealer replace my windshield on my ol’X 3 times and was trouble free every time.