From digest.v6.n552 Fri Apr 18 17:38:32 1997
From: Jake Leverett <jacob.leverett_at_gtri.gatech.edu>
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 17:51:06 -0400
Subject: Re: E30 M3 Front Windshield

Sharon,

When I first looked at the 88 M3 I purchase almost 3 years ago the front windshield was cracked. I negotiated the repair into the purchase requirements of the car. When the seller went to get the windshield replaced he found out the M3 windshield was different than the other E30 windshields. All other E30 shields use a rubber gasket seal. The M3 bonds or glues the windshield in using a polypropylene(?) resin. The M3's windshield has a black "painted " out edge. This area should be cleaner and a special resin primer used to insure adhesion between the glass and the resin. Likewise a special primer is used to prepare the body seal. Then a decorative trim is installed around the outer edge of the windshield. Once again parts used only on M3 are adjusted accordingly when priced.

I recall some information on the digest back a year or two about windshields with regions of distortion in the glass. I thing that the information claimed that US companies that manufactured replacement windshields had a higher ratio of windshields with distortion regions than did German glass. But even the german glass occasionally had these bad regions.

Hope some of this is useful,
Jake

the disussion:
Dennis A. Blair wrote:

>Having the same problem with my 88 //M3 and was told it would cost about
>$500 for a new windshield. Someone told me later to be very careful about
>American vs. German glass, and to make sure there was no markup because its
>an M3 and a standard 3-series windshield would work. My solution so far
>has been to not look out that side of the windshield :)

As I recall from training back in '87, the E30 M3 had a bonded in windshield and I doubt it is the same as any other E30. Anyone who's had to replace one, please correct me if I'm wrong. (The bulb connector on the fiche machine fried itself so I'm trying to see what it will be like without fiches anymore) On the bright side of windshield replacement, the E12 and E28 windscreens are the same, making it one of the cheapest BMW replacement glasses available. Don't always figure the glass shops to be cheaper than the BMW dealer. I was recently quoted $544 for an '02 Cabriolet windshield from a "wholesale" supplier when the BMW dealer "list" price is about $270. The 700 Cabriolet price was too scary to write down.

• - - -Phil Marx BMWCCA #6021

I don't have the cloudiness problem with my '90 E30 M3 windshield but it is *very* pitted. So bad that the visibility is poor when driving into the sun or if the glass is at all dirty. What do you mean the windshield is "bonded" Is that the same as laminated? or the way it's installed? I just assumed that any E30 windshield would work. Is that right? And how much again? $500? woooooo.. but I really shouldn't be surprised

On another note, *thank you!* Lisa for bringing a more positive note to this digest. Your exploits have encouraged me to go forward and drive this car the way it was meant to. As it is, I have to alternate weeks with my DH for the M3. Wotta car!

How do you say "cheers" in German?

Sharon Oblinger
BMWCCA #A139760
c340808_at_is6.mdc.com