Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
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    e46 glass: What to look for

    BP talking about e46 glass and DOT numbers got me thinking that we really need to have some info on this. IDK if there is a thread about this as I'm not on here as much as I used to be but I found this thread on an auto glass industry forum that talks about the DOT numbers and how horrible the glass coming out of China is... an older thread but some good information I want to share...

    http://pub24.bravenet.com/forum/stat...99142&cmd=show
    Dinan CAI &Throttle body, ESS Tuning TS2, Bimmerbrakes gen3 headers, UUC SSK & DSSR. Achilles oil pump, VAC oil pan baffle
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    H&R sport springs,
    UUC sway bars, BMW Perf. Rotors, UUC SS brake lines, Hawk HPS pads, CSL replica wheels,
    Rotora strut bar, FXR HID conversion, M3 Mirror conversion, BSW stage 1 speakers

  2. #2
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    Thanks Rob.

    Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  3. #3
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    Apr 2012
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    Are we "safe" if we buy from BMW directly? I always assumed when it came to auto glass I would just go to BMW to ensure good quality.
    2005 BMW 330i ZHP 6MT. Built 11-19-04. Bought 4-2012.
    Stock: Nav, leather, PDC, Xenon
    Added by me: OEM Alarm, OEM heated seats, OEM aux kit, OEM Bluetooth, intravee, M3 strut brace, BMW Performance Intake, Nappa leather arm rest, updated LCM (triple blink, euro hazards, trifecta lighting, 3 stage brakes), temp gauge

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by NorCalZman View Post
    Are we "safe" if we buy from BMW directly? I always assumed when it came to auto glass I would just go to BMW to ensure good quality.

    It depends. My glass that I ended up with as the final one is a BMW branded glass made by Pilkington, made in the UK.
    I've heard of new F30's coming with glass made in China, with a BMW logo and everything. I don't know how reliable that information was, but the official answer to your question is: "anything aftermarket is a crapshoot". I'd rather have an OE glass made in China than an aftermarket made there, because the manufacturers have to meet the quality specifications that the car maker specifies. Always buy OE glass with a BMW logo on it whenever possible.



    Rob, that is the site I was extracting lots of info from when I was doing my research.

    Here is a listing of DOT codes and where they're made:
    http://www.carwindshields.info/dot_db

    It may be slightly incomplete, but you get the gist of it.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  5. #5

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by cakM3 View Post
    according to the list there are 904 different vendors on the DOT list...
    It's not 904 different vendors. Note that there are multiple entries for some of the vendors on there because they have glass made in different places.

    Pilkington, for example, makes glass in Mexico, the U.S., China, the U.K., Australia, Sweden, and some other places I'm forgetting.

    Each location of manufacture AND brand has its own DOT code. So, taking the example above, Pilk has at least six DOT codes to its name. Doing a quick search in that list I linked to, I counted two dozen before I gave up counting.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    So what DOT codes should we be looking for if we want good glass?

    I've heard of some pilkington that isn't good?
    2003 BMW 330i ZHP
    ESS Twin Screw Stage 2 - Wavetrac - Headers - Borla - BMW Performance
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    Wheelwell: 2003 BMW 3 Series
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by rkneeshaw View Post
    So what DOT codes should we be looking for if we want good glass?

    I've heard of some pilkington that isn't good?
    Pilkington has some sub brands that are garbage. When I had my glass replaced, I specifically asked for Pilkington. What I got instead was some shitty sub brand of Pilkington that was made in China. There were ripples all over the glass and was nauseating to look through.

    The second time around, they gave me real BMW branded Pilkington glass. Some minor rippling was still present on the very edges where the glass curves, but the rest of the glass was fine.

    After noticing this even on my OE BMW replacement glass, I started paying attention to other cars, even my loaner BMWs. They all had the slight rippling on the edges, so it's something I've come to expect as normal. Rippling through the normal viewing area, however, is NOT normal, which my first glass (PGW branded, Chinese DOT code) had.

    For BMW, actual Pilkington or Sekurit branded glass should yield you good overall results.

    Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  9. #9
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by ELCID86 View Post
    Mine is DOT 177 (hecho en Mexico)
    Mine is DOT 177 too.
    I'm confused by the listing

    DOT177L-N SAFETY GLASS S.A.DE C.V. OF MEXACALITOLEDO, OH, USA

    Do what is in Toledo Ohio?

    Mexican company owning a plant in Toledo?
    Dinan CAI &Throttle body, ESS Tuning TS2, Bimmerbrakes gen3 headers, UUC SSK & DSSR. Achilles oil pump, VAC oil pan baffle
    M3 Motor mounts, UUC Trans mounts, Modified clutch style LSD 3.15, TMS front subframe reinforcement, Koni Yellow sports,
    H&R sport springs,
    UUC sway bars, BMW Perf. Rotors, UUC SS brake lines, Hawk HPS pads, CSL replica wheels,
    Rotora strut bar, FXR HID conversion, M3 Mirror conversion, BSW stage 1 speakers

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