General front & rear windscreen removal - BMW
BMW recommends the use of the Roll Out 2000 for R&R and the Fein tool for general windscreen replacement. As always wire removal tools reduce the chance of glass damage and scratching during the removal process.
Service 8 Auto Glass technicians use the GlassBot system even though we believe the Roll Out is a better designed and made tool. However like any tool there is a learning curve, technicians must use the tool often to increase skill level and efficiency. With this in mind its possible to make good use of the GlassBot system and save over a thousand dollars or so compared to the Roll Out. Just for the record we are not receiving cash for comments from GlassBot either.
We may be stating the obvious here but wire tools are specifically designed for windscreens that have naked edges and manufactures that encourage the use wire tools generally design their vehicles to suit the wire removal method.
Quality manufactures tend not to use windscreen locators and have a larger pinch weld to work with. This helps with the windscreen removal when using a wire method. In addition they do not paint the bonded surface area. These manufactures include BMW, Audi, VW, SAAB, Mercedes to name a few.
A quality windscreen repairer has many removal tools in their arsenal to deal with many different makes and models. All too often we are all guilty of favouring one tool and discarding another. The truth is as auto glass technicians we require many tools if we hope to repair all makes and models. This also means occasionally it will take 15 to 30 minutes to remove a window correctly.
Although BMW recommends the use of the Roll Out 2000, for the skilled technician it is quite simple to safely remove a BMW front and rear bonded windscreen using a good old fashioned cold knife and long knife.
Being a prestige manu factor many BMW models have accessories attached to the windscreens. These include rain sensors, HUD (Heads Up Windscreen Display), Fogging Sensors or Light Sensors. BMW state that initialisation of the these sensors is required if they are replaced. From experience we have found disconnecting and reconnecting does not cause problems, however its always best to avoid disconnecting any electric accessories unless absolutely necessary.
If you do have to initialise one of these accessories it usually means a trip to the dealer unless you posses an OBD11 scanning computer with the necessary resetting functions.
Other special tools for replacing BMW windscreens include a windscreen height setting tool. These tools are placed on the top of the windscreen and give you a height measurement from the windscreen face to the turret.
This may all sound like its a bit over the top and unnecessary, however BMW claim that an incorrect windscreen height setting can increase external wind noise and we have to agree. Modern BMW vehicles are particularly quite inside this means even the slightest noises can be detected. Now we are not suggesting every technician should rush out and purchase a height setting tool from BMW, but the technician with an eye for detail should take note of the windscreen height prior to removal, this goes for all window replacement.
Revisit our technical pages for frequent updates for general and specific windscreen and auto glass information.
Back to windscreen technical page.