Rear door window smashed!

[Finglonga]

A neighbour knocked on the door this morning to inform me that one of the windows on my X6 had been smashed.

Luckily I have a video camera watching the front and it turns out while the council workmen were strimming the grass across the road the flicked up a stone and put the window through. Thanks to the evidence I can claim my £75 excess back but it is the inconvenience of removing glass from the car for the next few years at least.

Another thing I am not happy about is the alarm did not even sound when the glass was broken so will be having a word with BMW about that.

Apologies for the crappy pic it was taken from the video camera as I was moving it down the drive out of the rain.

[pvr]

Good result on the camera though, better than thinking criminals.

Better the glass than a dent in the car though ...

[X5Sport]

That's a bummer!  Still at least you can claim off them.  The interior alarm is a concern too.  Did you by any chance press the lock button twice (possible even in a pocket which is why I have the BMW key covers) as that disables the interior sensors?

FYI BMW Key covers discussed and with piccies on this thread from when I got my car.

R

[Finglonga]

[quote="X5Sport"]
Did you by any chance press the lock button twice (possible even in a pocket which is why I have the BMW key covers) as that disables the interior sensors?

FYI BMW Key covers discussed and with piccies on this thread from when I got my car.

R
[/quote]

Always make sure I only press it once and watch the car lock because of the OBD concerns at the moment. The key is always kept where it can't be accidentally pressed again as the range is so good with these keys. Looked into those covers before, still not sure if I like them though.

The alarm has not gone off once all morning even though there there was a loose swing bin liner loosely taped on to stop the rain getting in until I found something better, that's even with the wind blowing and the alarm fully armed. I will test just how far I can get into the car before the alarm goes off when the weather is better. Still got to get the huge amounts of glass out of the car when/if it ever stops raining.

[X5Sport]

I know what you mean about the glass going everywhere!  I had a rear screen go once and still kept finding bits even after thoroughly hoovering the car and for months afterwards.  All our later issued cars had anti-smash film installed on the side and rear windows by Pentagon Glass.

Have you tried sticking an arm through the hole and waggling it to see if the alarm triggers?  Unless the interior unit itself has indeed failed, or been permanently disarmed, I can only think it's 'seeing' the broken window and not arming fully.  That doesn't explain why it failed to go off though. 

The book says that the red interior lamp keeps flashing for 5 minutes after the car is unlocked to tell you the car has been 'disturbed'.  It might be the siren that's not working?

R

[Finglonga]

Well I just been outside and wiggled my arm and the alarm didn't go off until I was elbow deep into the car. Tried the other side as well and the same happened, both headrests are high so could be along with the seats blocking the sensors. The front works almost as soon as you have got your hand through the open window. The light on the mirror wasn't flashing after unlocking yesterday as I checked, plus after watching the video I couldn't hear the alarm.

I "Think" I have got all the glass apart from the bits that have fallen inside the door. Will endeavour to get them out tomorrow when the door panel is off as the new glass is fitted. It was everywhere even in the passenger foot well. Also found the culprit stone as well.......

[pvr]

I trust you checked the paintwork on that side to ensure no other stones had been flicked that way ...

[Finglonga]

Yes checked the paintwork and the roof and all clear luckily. The Autoglass lad said that there are more and more damaged being caused by these strimmers and he has been out to a few himself.

All fixed now, just stopped raining as he got here and started again as he left. He said it was the first one they had done in his area apparently and he has to report how easy the job is. Surprisingly easier than he and I imagined it would be as I was thinking it would be like the old Cortina windows I had to replace years ago.

Oh and it was the Highways department, as the Council never work bank holidays I was informed. Just waiting for the claim form to arrive, not mentioned the video to them yet, I will see if they try to wriggle out of it.

[X5Sport]

Glad it's sorted....

It'll be their Contractor then, who does work on a Public Holiday and charges accordingly!

[carlos50]

If it were me id want compo not just the insurance excess. You cant tell em they didnt know they did it, more like they saw what they did and fu*ked off sharpish.

Demand some compensation for the glass inside the car, the time taken having it fixed and the fact they werent even good enough to tell you they did it.

If they do say it wasnt them you will have a field day when you tell them its on camera  )

Bummer about the glass though, did you insist on BMW glass?

[X5Sport]

That last point about BMW Glass is important.  If the car is under warranty, BMW may decide not cover any of the area of the car where non-OEM glass has been fitted, and that can include 'not fitted by BMW' glass.  I had two windscreens replaced under warranty on my E53, and BOTH had to be done by BMW themselves at a cost to the insurer of over £700 each.  This was done as BMW GB warned me that the vehicle warranty would be affected if I did not have OEM glass fitted 'in accordance with BMW's own published standards'.  RAC Windscreens could not comply and my car insurer paid for OEM with no quibbles - although I had to pay and claim it back (no claim recorded though as it was only glass).

BMW can refuse cover to paint, glass, trim, corrosion and any parts in or on the door, or damage caused to any parts around the door on the interior by leaks where the window is at fault.

Beware!

[Finglonga]

Yes BMW glass fitted, when I asked they said they only supply BMW glass for the X6 as their supplier doesn't make/stock it yet. Was expecting to have to pay extra for it but no extra was charged. Gave the car a good clean and polish today so that I could make 100% sure there was no other damage.

As for the workmen hearing, they had a petrol strimmer, wearing ear defenders and helmet followed by a chap with a petrol blower wearing ear defenders and both on the opposite side of the road. They were both walking away from the car doen the street and I believe genuinely oblivious of what happened.

Still waiting for claim form to come, I will give it until Wednesday then ring again quoting my reference number.

[X5Sport]

I suppose given the numbers around (5,139 in all variants now) that seems reasonable.  Not enough breakages to warrant patterned parts and the first ones not long out of OEM Warranty.

Good thing you do have the video though.  Given the PPE these guys have to wear now, you're right, they wouldn't have noticed a thing.

[Finglonga]

Had a letter from the "Highways department" today saying it has been passed to their insurers.

Here is the video (22 seconds in) . . .

[youtube]http://youtu.be/P16VfKyscWU[/youtube]

[Finglonga]

**Update**

After a few phone calls the cheque arrived today from the contractor for "alleged" damage to car window.

Renewed the insurance recently and noticed that most companies now include asking if you have made any glass claims in the last 3 years so should have claimed for the price increase as well.