Cracked Windscreen! D'oh!

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sfh3l
Joined: Fri 02 Sep, 2005 16:07
Posts: 588

  Z1 roadster
Location: Buckingham

Cracked Windscreen! D'oh!

Post by sfh3l »

I appear to have picked up a crack in my windscreen! Currently about 6 inches long, running parallel with driver side windscreen pillar, and about 4 inches in from the pillar. It has not formes from a chip of any kind, so all I can put it down to is a stress crack from one of the bloody bumps on our fantastic roads.

I have bought a set of Spax springs (I know lowered/firmer springs can stress the shell), but I haven't even fitted them yet!

I am off to the lakes this week, but need to get onto the insurance company later to bully them into letting me go to the right place to get it done.

Bearing in mind the particular situation of the Z1 - the fact that it is a bonded screen, crucial to the car's rigidity and also includes the aerial for the radio. Added to that it is a car I don't want someone else to bugger up!

Any recommendations as to where I should go to get the new windscreen fitted???? I am erring toward my dealer, North Oxford Garage, who are very good, but not exactly specialists in the Z1!

Any help would be appreciated, and thanks in advance.
Best regards,

Sam Lever.

Anyone who says money isn't everything hasn't found the right classic car yet.
Z1 - 3.0csl - 987 Boxster - Austin 7 Special - Rolls 20 - '72 911 - '95 318is
Black Sport Evo M3 & SG M3 CSL - now someone else's pleasure
Blue 2800cs - now someone else's pain
Old cars - the original "Not for Profit" organisation
Independent Financial Adviser in Buckingham
My Financial Blog
senna
Joined: Tue 21 Feb, 2006 13:33
Posts: 489

  Z1 roadster

Crack

Post by senna »

Lots of Z1s have stress cracks in their windshields. My theory is that the A post is fundamentally weak despite what the original adverts said. I posted the torsional rigidity of the car previously and other Z1 owners said I was wrong to think the car is floppy.
Fitting the Spax springs won't help in this speed hump loving country. As soon as I fitted ACS to mine one of my wings cracked and needed to be repaired.
Engine Transplants by Night, Heart Transplants by Day. "you own the best Z1 in the world"
andyhallas
Joined: Wed 22 Sep, 2004 15:48
Posts: 140

  Z1 roadster
Location: Oxford

Post by andyhallas »

Sam,

I had my windscreen replaced last year due to a crack spreading from a large stone chip. I just put the claim through my insurance company in the normal way and they put me in touch with their preffered outfit (Auto Windscreens I think).

I was a bit apprehensive at first but the guy I spoke to knew what a Z1 was and set me at ease a bit. Obviously it wasn't a screen they stocked so one was ordered from BMW Germany and took about 2 weeks to arrive. I had to take my car down to their site as they wouldn't risk transporting it and fitting in situ due to its value.

The positive side of this was that due to the value of the screen they put their best man on it. He did a good job, looked after the car well and I've had no issues since. I used the time whilst the screen was being fitted to blag a test drive in a VX220 at the Vauxhall garage opposite.

Hope that helps.

Andy
Nik Rite
Z Register member
Joined: Mon 10 Nov, 2003 22:20
Posts: 109

  Z1 roadster

Post by Nik Rite »

Sam, some guy lobbed a brick at mine last year. Long storey short. I insisted on bringing the car to the local BM dealers(a mistake). It took them three goes to get it right!!!! they broke the first one, positioned the second one in wrong place and third ok. The side verical seals were set in too short, and they put in tiny scores on the inside leather surround and never reset the aerial tuning to the windscreen ariel.The had never seen a Z1 before. If it was me I'd take plenty of digital photos of before, noting details of the paint work, inside surrounding leather and the position of the vertical seals. There are also plugs or clips that they had trouble replacing at the bottom of wind screen . Need also good photos of the two screwed on plates on the a pillars at the top.Get the photos done in Boots and have the job done by Autoglass. Discuss the job with them before hand so that they know your on the ball. NIK
sfh3l
Joined: Fri 02 Sep, 2005 16:07
Posts: 588

  Z1 roadster
Location: Buckingham

Post by sfh3l »

Thank you for your advice chaps. I had a feeling the Z's screen wouldn't be a simple one to sort.
I will gat onto the Insurance Co and find out what the deal is wih them.
Got back from the lakes on Wednesday night. The car was faultless both ways, and for the time we were on Ullswater. Such a fun car for a few days away......

Thanks again for the pointers
Best regards,

Sam Lever.

Anyone who says money isn't everything hasn't found the right classic car yet.
Z1 - 3.0csl - 987 Boxster - Austin 7 Special - Rolls 20 - '72 911 - '95 318is
Black Sport Evo M3 & SG M3 CSL - now someone else's pleasure
Blue 2800cs - now someone else's pain
Old cars - the original "Not for Profit" organisation
Independent Financial Adviser in Buckingham
My Financial Blog
sfh3l
Joined: Fri 02 Sep, 2005 16:07
Posts: 588

  Z1 roadster
Location: Buckingham

Post by sfh3l »

Just a quick update:

Used RAC Autowindscreens in Banbury, who were very helpful and sorted the job for me in a little over an hour. All done now, and with a genuine BMW screen. No scratches, no chips and everything fine.
Best regards,

Sam Lever.

Anyone who says money isn't everything hasn't found the right classic car yet.
Z1 - 3.0csl - 987 Boxster - Austin 7 Special - Rolls 20 - '72 911 - '95 318is
Black Sport Evo M3 & SG M3 CSL - now someone else's pleasure
Blue 2800cs - now someone else's pain
Old cars - the original "Not for Profit" organisation
Independent Financial Adviser in Buckingham
My Financial Blog
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