OEM Windshields Now Available Through BMW

[HayekFan]

So what’s the secret handshake?
I ordered a windshield with the superseded part number thru GetBmwParts.com and got an email the next day asking if I wanted expedited shipping for an additional $22.00 because it was coming from Germany. I replied that I did and thought I was good to go. Two days later I received an email saying the order was cancelled because its a Euro only part. I tried my local dealer (same place as GetBMWParts.com but different section) and they were also told it’s not possible. They’re gonna look further into it.

Your dealer will need to order the Euro part number using a non-US BMW parts ordering form. On the form (in the area for typed comments) they'll need to note that the US part number has been superseded by the Euro number, and they'll need to include both numbers. According to the guidance from BMW corporate, this should suffice to get the order approved.

[wholepailofwater]

My Windshield has arrived! The best parts crew around, Humboldt Bay BMW, hooked it up and got me a Beautiful New Green Band Windshield. I went by to check it out, awesome packing job, Opened the box and took a quick look. Didn't get any pics, I was working and just stopped by for a min. Gonna pick it up tmrw morning, I'll take some fotos and post them.


JP

[HayekFan]

My Windshield has arrived! The best parts crew around, Humboldt Bay BMW, hooked it up and got me a Beautiful New Green Band Windshield. I went by to check it out, awesome packing job, Opened the box and took a quick look. Didn't get any pics, I was working and just stopped by for a min. Gonna pick it up tmrw morning, I'll take some fotos and post them.

Congrats! How long did it take to arrive after you placed the order?

[HayekFan]

Well, my windshield arrived today at the dealer. That makes 18 calendar days between placing the order and arrival -- not too bad.

BTW, my dealer has advised that the expedite option won't work on windshields. According to them, BMW won't ship a windshield separately. It has to go in the shipping container with the other orders, which means it won't go out until the container fills up.

[BMWCCA2]

I checked with the dealer and the price of the Euro windshield is $326.60. I've corrected it in the OP.

Checking today, the BMW parts system showing $302.93 as BMW NA MSRP. I guess it's not surprising the dealer quoted you a roughly 5% markup. Hopefully they honor some Club pricing discount to save you a bit.

Showing none in USA but 63 listed as available at the CDC (Central Distribution Center) which I believe is Dingolfing.

Just reporting what I'm seeing.

[HayekFan]

I checked with the dealer and the price of the Euro windshield is $326.60. I've corrected it in the OP.

Checking today, the BMW parts system showing $302.93 as BMW NA MSRP. I guess it's not surprising the dealer quoted you a roughly 5% markup. Hopefully they honor some Club pricing discount to save you a bit.

Showing none in USA but 63 listed as available at the CDC (Central Distribution Center) which I believe is Dingolfing.

Just reporting what I'm seeing.

Thanks for the heads up! I'm looking at my receipt (from my Jan. 10 order) and sure enough it shows a list of $302.93, same as what you're seeing. And I did get a CCA discount which put the sale price below list.

The $326.60 I mentioned earlier was the number I was given in December. BMW usually does price updates around the first of the year, and sometimes the prices go down. I'm guessing this explains the change.

I'm going to correct the OP with this info and delete my edit notes that show the old price.

BTW, it's interesting that the current number of windshields in the warehouse is 63. When I started this thread I think it was 72.

[stuartinmn]

Has anyone installed one of these windshields? I'm curious how well they fit. I had the windshield on my car replaced some years back with OEM glass, and the installer had a bear of a time with it. Apparently the curvature didn't match up very well with the opening, and they had to really push to get it in.

[HayekFan]

Funny you would ask. I'm in the middle of installing my new windshield. I put the gasket and glass in yesterday and hope to get the trim in later today. So far everything is fitting fine. I will add that a couple weeks ago I temporarily reinstalled the original windshield to make the car drivable after a paint job while I waited for the new windshield. This means I've experienced installing both the original glass and the new glass close together in time and using the same (new OEM) gasket -- a pretty good A/B comparison. So far I can't tell any difference between the two. Maybe I'll notice a difference when I install the trim and locking strip but so far they seem to have gone in the same. The new windshield is a real-deal St. Gobains Sekurit, btw.

[stuartinmn]

I'd have to go out to the garage and look but I think the glass in my car is Sekurit as well. As I recall, it had less curvature from side to side than the body opening, so the installer had to push hard to get it to 'engage' at the A pillars. I always wondered if that was the way they all were, or if it was peculiar to the batch of glass, or what.

[Adam W in MN]

My windshield came in last week and I just need to get over to Bluntech to pick it up.

[HayekFan]

I'd have to go out to the garage and look but I think the glass in my car is Sekurit as well. As I recall, it had less curvature from side to side than the body opening, so the installer had to push hard to get it to 'engage' at the A pillars. I always wondered if that was the way they all were, or if it was peculiar to the batch of glass, or what.

I finished the install yesterday with no issues. As far as I can tell the curvature of the glass fits the opening normally. Both windshields took some finagling but I never had to force anything. The cynical part of me suspects your windshield was fine and the installer just got things in a bind, but I also know that manufacturers don't always hit the spec and batch variation is real.

[stuartinmn]

I have a lot of trust in the restoration shop that put my windshield in, so I don't doubt there was a fitment issue. It could have been the glass, or possibly there was an issue with the shape of the glass opening in the body, but in any case it got installed and is still fine years later, so it's more a case of curiosity than anything else.

I'm in no immediate need of fresh glass, but I still may order another one. Chances are I'll be driving this car until they put me in the home so it won't hurt to have one on hand.

[HayekFan]

I have a lot of trust in the restoration shop that put my windshield in, so I don't doubt there was a fitment issue. It could have been the glass, or possibly there was an issue with the shape of the glass opening in the body, but in any case it got installed and is still fine years later, so it's more a case of curiosity than anything else.

I'm in no immediate need of fresh glass, but I still may order another one. Chances are I'll be driving this car until they put me in the home so it won't hurt to have one on hand.

Yeah, I just had a reputable shop break my windshield, so I guess I'm in skeptic mode. They blamed it on the OEM gasket I provided to them, but then I turned around and installed it just fine using the same gasket.

I agree it's good to have a backup. Apparently there are only about sixty something of these windshields left in the world.

[HayekFan]

My windshield came in last week and I just need to get over to Bluntech to pick it up.

Okay, so that was about three weeks in your case from order to delivery, but a big chunk of that was getting the order approved. Overall I'm pretty impressed with how quickly BMW is fulfilling these orders given that they have to ship in from Germany.

[acfetch]

Anyone having luck still ordering these? I tried last week and was told NLA....

[HayekFan]

Anyone having luck still ordering these? I tried last week and was told NLA....

The US windshield has been NLA for nearly a decade. That's probably what your dealer is seeing. You need to order the Euro windshield using the procedure in the OP. It's the same windshield, just a different part number. Previously BMW wouldn't let dealers order the Euro windshield for US cars, but now they're allowing those orders.

[Johnled]

Update. Following the OP procedures, it took a few days, but my order was approved today. 3-4 weeks delivery.

[hunneman]

Anyone having luck still ordering these? I tried last week and was told NLA....

I tried ordering through BMW in MA, they told me that they are available, accepted payment only to get a call 2 days later telling me that is not available for the USA market.
I also contact 2 other dealer in MA & NH same thing not available for USA market.
after Adam's suggestion I contacted Blunt tech, I placed the order waiting to hear back if they approve it.
will keep you posted

[hunneman]

question for those who replaced their windshield, has anyone used the URO windshield gasket https://www.ecstuning.com/b-uro-parts/w ... 22185~uro/

if you can comment on quality and any issue with tolerances..
thanks

[HayekFan]

I tried ordering through BMW in MA, they told me that they are available, accepted payment only to get a call 2 days later telling me that is not available for the USA market.
I also contact 2 other dealer in MA & NH same thing not available for USA market.

Did you let the dealer know they need to use the procedure in the OP?

If they don't use that procedure, the system will automatically flag the order as invalid when they go to place it. It's a system generated flag with no human in the loop.

[Mike W.]

question for those who replaced their windshield, has anyone used the URO windshield gasket https://www.ecstuning.com/b-uro-parts/w ... 22185~uro/

if you can comment on quality and any issue with tolerances..
thanks

I used one in my E12 around 2008, sold it last year and never had any issues, it didn't leak a drop. I may be a little less sensitive than others on the cosmetic end, as usual I used the 3M sealant, but again, no issues. E12 and E28 same windshields, same seal.

[John in VA]

question for those who replaced their windshield, has anyone used the URO windshield gasket https://www.ecstuning.com/b-uro-parts/w ... 22185~uro/

if you can comment on quality and any issue with tolerances..
thanks

The gasket has been discussed - you might find threads by putting Uro windshield gasket in the search box at the top right side of the page. For 2002 owners, we know the Uro rubber parts are garbage & save to afford the genuine dealer gaskets.

[acfetch]

Man, I can't even get a dealer to listen to me about this request. "If the system flags it as Euro, then they won't order" Won't even entertain the notion of a non-standard order. I've called three dealers in DFW and nothing!

Those of you that have ordered, can you share with me a contact number, name? Maybe someone can help these guys in Dallas get on board.

[Mike W.]

Man, I can't even get a dealer to listen to me about this request. "If the system flags it as Euro, then they won't order" Won't even entertain the notion of a non-standard order. I've called three dealers in DFW and nothing!

Those of you that have ordered, can you share with me a contact number, name? Maybe someone can help these guys in Dallas get on board.

Might, or might not, work better if you make an appearance in person. Butter them up a bit about how this is kind of weird and I'm sure a PITA, but multiple people have told me this procedure works.

[vinceg101]

Man, I can't even get a dealer to listen to me about this request. "If the system flags it as Euro, then they won't order" Won't even entertain the notion of a non-standard order. I've called three dealers in DFW and nothing!

Those of you that have ordered, can you share with me a contact number, name? Maybe someone can help these guys in Dallas get on board.

It's strange you're getting this response as, at the moment, the part (pn: 51311848431) is listed as the ONLY windshield available for ANY E28 in BMW's system. From appearances and from my calling & asking several Parts Departments, BMW has lifted the EU only restriction for 431 and made it a universal part. All I had to do was give them the part number and they told me the cost, how many were listed in Germany (+/-63) and lead time (2-3 weeks).
(There is some question as to whether or not the other Green Band and Clear EU specific units are still available since US Parts systems can't look for them. I know from Schmiedmann that they are indeed still available, however just unobtainable for me here. Incidentally those are 51311853771 and 51311820502 respectively).

My only problem right now is the cost: I have contacted two local dealerships (CenterBMW in Sherman Oaks, fairly local to me and Irvine BMW, very not local to me) and was quoted wildly different prices. Both told me the list price was $454.xx; the best Center would do was $408 plus tax (that's $446.76 out the door) and the best Irvine would do was $352.93 (that's $380.93 with the tax). Ouch.
I asked Center about the CCA Discount and she kind of shrugged and said I would have to talk to the Manager about that (usually they laugh out loud when you mention the CCA discount for anything other than coolant. So much for club membership ).
There are about 8 other dealerships in the wide circle of greater LA around me but I honestly don't think I'll do better. Maybe it's worth a shot in the morning to keep calling.

FYI for anyone remotely close to Silver Springs BMW in Maryland, you can't beat their price: $218.11 plus tax. It's worth the drive up/down there if you're in that area. Too bad they don't ship windshields.