1991 535i manual - windshield woes

[Thanos]

Dear All,

I put a few hairline fractures in my windshield while futzing around with a right wiper blade. The armature slammed down and hit the windshield. The longest is 12", and none can be felt either inside or out. So...

1) Is it safe to drive around with this, or might it shatter at some point?

2) How do I go about replacing the windshield (NYC)?

PS The wiper blade has slipped 2-3" out on the left, and I can't seem to get it back in place; are these units typically replaced whole, or just the plastic blade part?


Thanks in advance. Hugely appreciated.

Thanos

[Springfield1952]

Windshields, which are two sheets of glass with a plastic layer in between, don't really shatter. The crack will probably get longer with driving, changing temperatures and other stresses put on the glass. Often your insurance policy will replace the windshield because they don't want any glare from the crack to bethe cause of an accident.

Curt.

[uscharalph]

Dear All,

I put a few hairline fractures in my windshield while futzing around with a right wiper blade. The armature slammed down and hit the windshield. The longest is 12", and none can be felt either inside or out. So...

1) Is it safe to drive around with this, or might it shatter at some point?

2) How do I go about replacing the windshield (NYC)?

PS The wiper blade has slipped 2-3" out on the left, and I can't seem to get it back in place; are these units typically replaced whole, or just the plastic blade part?


Thanks in advance. Hugely appreciated.

Thanos
Did you just scratch it or is there a crack in the windshield?

[Thanos]

Do I want to have my insurance go up for a windshield replacement?

[Thanos]

They are hairline fractures, not scratches.

[uscharalph]

They are hairline fractures, not scratches.
That sounds like they will spread. I think here in California you can get a ticket for driving with a craked windshield.

[SRR2]

Glass is covered under comprehensive. I've never heard of an insurance company, outside of abuse, raising rates for ordinary comprehensive claims.

[DanDombrowski]

Depends on the direction of the crack. If the crack is horizontal, you'll probably be fine, although a BMW with a cracked windshield is an eyesore.
If the crack is vertical, you'll have much more of a chance for it to propogate. Chances are, the windshield doesn't see much stress anyway (since there is little mass in the roof), but the strain it does see is going to be a tensile strain horizontally from when you turn. This will cause a vertical crack to propogate. If it grows at all, it will continue growing continuously faster until catastrophic failure.

[uscharalph]

"although a BMW with a cracked windshield is an eyesore."

You are right about that!

[Alexlind123]

My brother got his e28 with a cracked windshield, the first thing that was done to it was a new windshield.

[Kalevera]

Mine will charge me the $250 deductible to change the damn thing.

It might still be worth it, seeing as the OEM glass is ~ $700, and I wouldn't put anything else on it.

By the way, this is why the wiper arms need to be set carefully back down on the glass when the blades are removed ;) Too easy to knock an arm and kill a windshield.




****ing insurance. Biggest racket ever. I hit a deer about three years ago. Never had an accident or ticket otherwise (knock on wood). Those *******s still won't leave me alone about it, and they really started reaming me when I bought the BMW....it's a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD CAR....argh.


I hear the department of transportation will replace the windshield for free in South Carolina.


best, whit

[Gayle]

Mine will charge me the $250 deductible to change the damn thing.

It might still be worth it, seeing as the OEM glass is ~ $700, and I wouldn't put anything else on it.



Why would you not use anything except oem?


We have probably had 5 different windshields put in our various cars over the last 8 years. $100 deductible and no increase in premiums.