2001 BMW 525iA Sport Touring (E39)

[tobinen]

Nothing much to report. Nothing has fallen off and it seems to running all OK.

Today I bought Bosch wiper blades all round for £20 from ECP. Horrible judder now gone.

[tobinen]

I was topping up the coolant today and I noticed how poor the windscreen moulding is. I think this will have to be done by autumn

[d_a_n1979]

tobinen said:

I was topping up the coolant today and I noticed how poor the windscreen moulding is. I think this will have to be done by autumn

Get it done ASAP. They’re £35 from BMW and it takes 10 mins to swap out Did mine the other day, it was severely perished and non existent in some places, probably due to the heat in Japan

[Max M4X WW]

That really is bad, I swear mine is almost as new. Very odd!

Handy to know it is cheap and easy to replace though.

[tobinen]

I've watched a couple of YouTube videos and it does look pretty straight-forward. I think this could be a job for next weekend if the weather is dry

[matthias73]

I'd recommend an android head unit.

Looks the same as the OEM one but you get Bluetooth, GPS, DAB, DVD, CD, FM, plus all the apps a phone can get. Some will even do diagnostics.

I've got Tom Tom go, Spotify, iplayer, YouTube on mine. Makes a huge difference.


Would recommend getting a pro to install it though- half the interior needs to come out because of the awkward boot mounted radio set up.

[tobinen]

The standard stereo is crap, no doubt. I've had the BM54 repaired and upgraded to 30W but it's just awful sound however you cut it.

I'm not throwing a load of money at it as I don't like it enough, but for a estate hack it will do.

After this I'd like something else for an estate. If someone offered me what I paid or close to it, I'd sell this as I just can't gel with the steering weight

[tobinen]

Not going so well. The side bits removed easily but the top part is a bd. Could the screen be bonded over the top of the seal in a previous life?

[helix402]

As far as I’m aware the seal is fitted to the screen and then the screen is fitted to the car. Hence the seal can only be replaced if the screen is replaced.

[tobinen]

Most YouTube videos I've seen show it being replaced in-situ but mine has a metal piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6YTW4_cqpw

This bloke misses the part I wanted!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hde5_PilnGI

Edited by tobinen on Saturday 30th March 15:15

[d_a_n1979]

You need to get in there with a plastic levering tool; or a flat head screwdriver with some tape over the end, prise it out and then grip it with pliers and pull it free from there

It's not bonded in (well; it shouldn't be); but it is in snug

Follow the above and it'll soon come out

[d_a_n1979]

helix402 said:

As far as I’m aware the seal is fitted to the screen and then the screen is fitted to the car. Hence the seal can only be replaced if the screen is replaced.

No it's not; it's a finishing seal, so it's fitted after the screen has been bonded to the car

[d_a_n1979]

tobinen said:

Most YouTube videos I've seen show it being replaced in-situ but mine has a metal piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6YTW4_cqpw

This bloke misses the part I wanted!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hde5_PilnGI

Edited by tobinen on Saturday 30th March 15:15

This is correct; there is a metal piece through it, it's that, that you need to grip with needle nose pliers and then pull free... Bend it up and out at one end, go from there

[tobinen]

Righto, I will persevere

[Max M4X WW]

I guess (assuming the screen is not original) it could have been fitted slightly in the wrong place making things more difficult.

Will look great if you can get it sorted though.

[tobinen]

No further progress other than scratching the roof, FFS.

I've put duct tape around the danger areas now, after a scrape. Gave up for this afternoon, I'll try to muster enthusiasm tomorrow but I suspect a call to my garage is imminent

[helix402]

d_a_n1979 said:

No it's not; it's a finishing seal, so it's fitted after the screen has been bonded to the car

If the screen has been previously replaced and excessive sealant used it could be bonded to the seal making removal difficult with the screen in situ. If you can remove the seal with the screen in, great, I wouldn’t try due to the likelihood of scratches and ensuing rust.

[d_a_n1979]

helix402 said:

If the screen has been previously replaced and excessive sealant used it could be bonded to the seal making removal difficult with the screen in situ. If you can remove the seal with the screen in, great, I wouldn’t try due to the likelihood of scratches and ensuing rust.

Mine came out last week with no issues. No scratches, no damage to the paint & no rust.

It’s not bonded to the screen, it’s simply pressed in, after the screens fitted.

As I said, get hold of the metal part, carefully, then remove in one go. Rubber bits will fly everywhere, but it’ll come out in one piece

[tobinen]

It's finding enough purchase on the metal part which is the tough part, for me anyway. I think I'll go down to Halfords and buy some better needle-nose pliers.

[d_a_n1979]

tobinen said:

It's finding enough purchase on the metal part which is the tough part, for me anyway. I think I'll go down to Halfords and buy some better needle-nose pliers.

Wise thing to do; as I said, try and get one end of it levered up so you can get good purchase with your pliers, it'll pull out easy enough then

Just take your time, but be confident with it

When fitting the new one; if you've got a spray bottle, have that with a lot of fairy liquid in and water so make a super soapy solution, spray this on the trim and in/around the gap where it slots into and you'll find fitting of the new trim easy