XSeries-forum

Our windscreen has one chip in it and a few long scratches on it . It ll be done through our Insurance but Im just wondering if theres any other infor mation that they need over the phone apart from its a 55plate and X5 ,

If you have auto lights/wipers make sure they know that. There are two different shaped sensors - yours is most likely rectangular as mine was. When they turn up to do the job, get them to check it first!! They'll also need to know if it was the special heat protection screen with IR filters in it. It's called the Climate Comfort Windscreen and was a factory option. Looks purple when viewed from outside and has a special gap in the protection either side of the mirror mount and at the bottom centre. If those areas aren't there then you have the normal screen.

I had a couple of broken screens and the first one was fixed by the RAC lot but the cut the old screen from the car before spotting the one they had brought out was for the rounded sensor and I had the rectangular one. The fitter scraped the sensor mount off and tried to refit it to the new screen - it didn't work!! They never got a second bite as BMW replaced the screen with the approval of my insurer due to BMW refusing to provide warranty if a non-OEM screen was fitted. The car was less than a year old at the time. They paid £700 for that new screen!! Went through the same rigmarole a year later.

If you have an BMW AUC Warranty covered car, check you won't fall foul of the warranty too. BMW refused to cover the paint, electrics, dash & its electronics and anything that lay around or below the screen area if a non-OEM one was used or fitted other than in accordance with their requirements.

BMW should be able to tell you the exact spec of the screen on your car. Ideally a user friendly parts desk will do this, failing that it will be on spec sheet which BMW can send you if you call the premium number details in E53 buyers faq.

If it's a small chip expect a free repair in 1st instance, if it's minor cosmetic scratches insurance might not cover same.

Thanks guys , will get it sorted before our holidays in march , cheers.