Re: BMW Windshield Installation Views

["Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

James,

One minor correction....the BMW glass is also made by those same glass 
companies (e.g., SEKURIT, SICURSIV, SIGLA, SPLINTEX, etc.), and includes 
their name AS WELL AS the BMW logo.

The OEM glass only has the name of the glass company (no BMW logo).

Thanks for passing on the info about windshield moldings.  Safelite didn't 
tell me about this, but I just called them to check, and they did use BMW 
original moldings.  I figured that they did, since the quality of the 
moldings is at least as good as the moldings that were on the car prior to 
windshield replacement.

Regarding the airbag issue and allowing the adhesives to set...several years 
ago I saw a Mitsubishi 3000GT parked at a gas station, the victim of a 
front-end collision.  Both front airbags deployed, and the passenger side of 
the windshield had a large outbound (from the interior) bump (pushed 2-3" 
out!) that perfectly matched the shape of the cover for the passenger-side 
airbag.  The airbag cover is hinged at the windshield side, and flips up 
toward the windshield when the airbag deploys, and it does hit the 
windshield.  So yes, if the adhesive wasn't set, and a front collision 
caused the passenger-side airbag to deploy, there is the possibility that 
the windshield could be forced off of the car.

- -rb


>
>Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 08:57:51 -0700
>From: James Lofgren <lofgren@domain.elided>
>Subject: BMW Windshield Installation Views
>
>Recently Ron (see July 1 Digest) posted some great information on BMW (with 
>logo) vs. OEM windshields (e.g., SEKURIT, SICURSIV, SIGLA, SPLINTEX, etc.), 
>stating that there is no difference between the glass on each, but the logo 
>version takes longer to order.
>
>Yes, Ron is correct; my BMW windshield took about a week to get to the 
>shop.
>
>And, another replier said that a professionally installed windshield needs 
>to be clamped in place for six or eight hours.
>
>I took my M3 in this morning for the replacement (a shop that does the 
>local BMW dealer's replacement) and this is what he claimed:
>
>1.  The OEM and aftermarket windshields are identical.
>
>2.  However, the moldings are not.  The BMW moldings are of better quality 
>than aftermarket.  (And, guess what?  Because I didn't specifiy BMW 
>moldings, they would have used aftermarket quality except for the fact that 
>afternmarkets are not yet in production.  I lucked out here.)
>
>3.  The clamping time depends on how quickly the adhesives (I think he said 
>resins) set; this shop requires about three hours.  The real issue is 
>safety and liablity; if the windshield has not had sufficient time to dry, 
>an accident setting off the airbags would pop out the window (they are 
>supposed to first glance off the window before protecting the passenger) 
>and not provide adequate protection.
>
>At least this is what I was told.
>
>Jim

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