Windscreen OEM -vs- Aftermarket

Z

ZedPhwoah

Member
Hey all...

I need to have my windscreen replaced on the E89 under insurance, so there will be an excess.

The question is, is an aftermarket really inferior these days, would I notice a difference? I’d rather pay a £100 excess than £200+ :tumbleweed:

Also, anything I should look out for with regard to workmanship... I hear seals have been displaced etc for others on here?

Thanks!
 
I had the windscreen on my previous X1 replaced after a stonechip grew into a crack.

Don’t know about the glass etc, but was made to feel like I was stupid by the auto glass call centre for asking for an original one...they said they made in the same factory and the ONLY difference was the BMW logo.

So had the non-bmw one fitted. What was definitely different was the black dots around the rear view mirror bit. On the original this was perfectly level but on the new one they were raised, dimpled. This was a big deal for me due to the way I mount my dash cam on a bit of black vinyl so it looks like an extension of the black bit where the rain/light sensors are.

I doubt there’s any real difference though, they will have to meet certain standards and specs.
 
I can’t speak for the e89, but I had an aftermarket one fitted on my f30 via auto glass when a truck decided to use my screen as a dartboard.

The quality was pretty poor to be honest, and the screen seemed to have a haze to it in direct sunlight. Almost like there was a corrugated film attached to it.

I ended up parting with the pennies and had an OE one fitted as I couldn’t live with it. Night time driving seemed to bring out the worse in it.
 
Push for your insurance to fit an OE replacement screen and new rubber.

I wouldn't settle for OEM.
 
This is a great indication of how good your insurance company is - most will fit a BMW screen and gasket (seal) if you ask but it does take longer as they are not stock items. If you went for a company online based on cost you may be disappointed.

I did two screens in three months and Aviva OKed BMW screen and seal both times.

Keep asking and even if they won't do glasa you want a BMW gasket/seal - don't know about E89 but on the E85 after market OEM are not as good - they are less flexible and the fitters have more of an issue getting an acceptable fit.
 
My insurance company would not allow me to get BMW to replace the screen with oem..£1400. apparently... So they sent an experienced guy to fit from their pet fitters (well known national company). I told the guy i wanted him to be careful..and i wanted the screen in the center of the opening as much as possible... Left him to it. He knocked on the door about an hour later and told me the job was complete.... it was P*^£**ng it down when he left...so went out later to look...to find he had broken the end of the valance off and tried to cover it with tape and mastic.... rang the company who agreed to replace the valance...£140, and a return visit...windscreen not in center of opening... Looked at my house CCTV and watched him use a screwdriver with a square shank to lever the valance clips off... Company returned to fit the new valance to find that the previous guy had removed the paint down to the primer whilst levering off the clips. Area manager offered to get a company to fix it for £200 or nothing... Called the MD and told him what i thought and he agreed to pay BMW £950.00 to repaint the affected areas to keep up the corrosion warranty and remove and reposition the screen after.... wonder if they wished they had let BMW do it :? :o
 
My glass cracked and my insurance company uses Autoglass..a top rated chap came out with a BMW OE screen..

He said it was a very techy fit so he didn’t send minions and they didn’t use copies..

He was very very careful..reset the rain sensor, pointed out how easy to damage the GPS aerial and made a first rate job..

Not easily impressed but I was this time..
 
When looking for an E89 last year I rejected one good looking car that had had a replacement (aftermarket) screen as the Sat Nav didn’t function properly. The garage wasn’t interested in solving the issue and I moved on but my suspicion was that the two were connected.
 
I have had copy aftermarket glass installed before and the quality was just rubbish I made them remove it and install an original BMW one. Since then I have had to replace the glass twice once on my Ford and once my F20 both times I insisted that whatever glass company the insurance company used fitted a OE screen.
 
Just to add, I had Auto glass replace mine on the E89, they used pilkington glass and I supplied an OEM seal which cost me about £25.

Bloke done an absolutely fine job and window was fine.
 
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