I did mine, it was very weathered and cracked. I bought mine off eBay. It's a easy to change part, huge improvement in appearance too.

Willie

 

Here ya go
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=373451&highlight=windshield+cowl

 

You're a legend. Thanks!

However, these websites all seem biased towards left hand drive models. I need one for right hand drive. Does anyone know where I can order one for right hand drive? Maybe I need to go to the dealership, but I suspect they would charge mega bucks. No harm asking for a price though.

 

you suspect correct but the part no shows up in cooper bmw parts search for 47 quid in the uk,they drive on the same side of the road as us(at least last time i was over there couple years ago they did!) maybe they will ship to australia?

 

51718232896 is the part number. or #5 http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN52&mospid=47620&btnr=51_3691&hg=51&fg=20

you can always use realoem to check for part numbers for your specific car

 

51718232896 is the part number. or #5 http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BN52&mospid=47620&btnr=51_3691&hg=51&fg=20

you can always use realoem to check for part numbers for your specific car

Bingo, 51718232896 is the correct RHD part number for the coupe. Below is a photo of it.

 

Yes it's called windshield cowl - I think we all gotta get one eventually - on my never ending to do list !

 

I did my 'windscreen cowl' with a UK one...second hand, but still cheaper than Oz with postage. Got hem to put a stick in the parcel so it didn't get bent! Easy DIY...just search forum for how to remove the wiper blade arms. To difficult for me to explain here! A little trick in doing the arms removal! From the UK they are OK as no ultra violet damage like Oz.

 

Just fyi, that's only an aesthetic issue. You don't have to worry about water seeping into the car from those cracks. If the hard plastic part below is cracked, though, then it can get into the car.

Don't drop wiper arm onto the glass without the blade on...that's my advice! (wd40...some firm wiggling...should get arms off. They'll come off a few minutes after you give up on them! Don't break your windshield is all I can say!

 

Its a big problem in places with lots of heat and sun. Mine is falling apart (mainly because I have gone through 2 windshields in the past 3 months) Here in SC they choose to not clean the roads as much, but offer a free windshield with full coverage? First one, I paid extra for the BMW glass, second one, I said no way because it happened 3 weeks after the first one. From here on out I will have a spare one of these laying around because the removal of the cowl is what can ultimately be damaging to itself.

 

Mine is almost completely gone and disenegrated, but I just bought the car and this is hot, sunny Florida. Thanks for the links guys.

 

I think it'd make a big improvement and freshen up the car, but it's about $80 it seems. Anyone every try repainting theirs? It seems like it'd be easy enough to do with some flat black.

 

Not painted, but I armor all'd it and it looks some bit better. After a week, it hasn't worn off yet.

 

KOPerformance has it for free shipping. Shipping on this is a bear because of how wide it is. They've got the best deal around on this part.

Tip: Regular door clips will fit into the holes. Do not use the white clips that come with it. They're way too strong and will even break the cowl clip holders.

Go get a pack of regular door clips. They'll make the cowl fit better and are easier to remove. Plus, they're readily available.

http://www.koperformance.com/part-number/51-71-8-232-894/GENUINE-BMW

 

Tip: Regular door clips will fit into the holes. Do not use the white clips that come with it. They're way too strong and will even break the cowl clip holders. Go get a pack of regular door clips. They'll make the cowl fit better and are easier to remove. Plus, they're readily available.

Good tip, was on way out door to see if door clips would work.

 

I walked out of my local dealer with mine for $58 including tax.

 

$250 postage?? Might as well buy it from the stealership locally :/

 

Exactly ... and I need two!

 

How much is it at the dealership? Or any local parts places we can get from?

 

going to phone motorline bmw on monday and price the part,guess i better be sitting down when i get the price:facepalm:

 

In Australia it should be called a robberyship as they quoted me 1 carpet clip for $70 bucks - and charged me $700 for a new key

 

you know i thought bmw australia had already been asked by the consumer affairs ppl to explain their pricing structure here in aus? obviously they are getting the same concessions the oil companys get here.
Now having said that,you should also check out kia/huyundai parts pricing, they must have gone to bmw aust for advice in setting up their parts pricing model

 

Please let us know what Motorline prices these units at. Will be keen to know. Thanks heaps!

 

As I said...I bought one RHD from a wrecker in the UK. They don't get ultraviolet damaged in the UK...cost was about GBP 30 + same for postage. Just get them to put a stick in the parcel so it doesn't get bent!

 

Who did you use over there?

 

Westside BMW just replied (calling me by my surname) - $216 (so they've rounded UP from Brisbane BMW's price). Looks like it's all coming from the same source anyway.

Quite interesting the way they write their responses, you can see the varying levels of professionalism and customer service coming thru how their emails appear and how they write it, lol.

 

$216! Canadian dollars, right? USD puts the price of that part at about $50, and you can easily replace it at home. Well, I can easily replace it at my house. I think it took me about 30 minutes, including the time to crack open a couple of beers and round up the screwdriver and one wrench it takes. Since I work for free, I take as long as I want. If I was on the clock, I could have this done in 15 minutes.

 

It's easy.

Remove the cover where the wiper arm connects to the shaft that makes the arm move back and forth. Remove the nut that is under the cover. Gently rock the wiper arm towards and away from the glass until it is loose, then remove it. Remove the cowling, install the new cowling. Reassemble.

FOR THE RECORD
You do not need a new cowling yet. That part does more to make the area look good than it does anything else. Those tiny cracks will eventually develop into chunks that have broken off, and then you can replace the cowling. I'd suggest you have about 2 or 3 more years on that cowling.

 

FOR THE RECORD
You do not need a new cowling yet. That part does more to make the area look good than it does anything else. Those tiny cracks will eventually develop into chunks that have broken off, and then you can replace the cowling. I'd suggest you have about 2 or 3 more years on that cowling.

Well, thread resurrection!

You were totally SPOT ON with your estimate of 2 or 3 more years on my existing cowl. Today, a large rectangular chunk has broken off so I guess I now need to actually do something about getting a replacement cowling whether domestically or internationally...

 

Make a link in your Favorites to www.realoem.com and/or www.penskeparts.com to find the actual BMW parts for your car. With the information you get, you can shop locally for the parts while using the actual BMW part numbers.

The pricing is in USD, and my limited experience here is that my local dealership will match or beat the price I get from these sites. If they come at me with a higheer price, I pull the printed page out of my pocket and show them the price I found, and they have always matched it.

For my car, the cowling you are looking for is $51.36 (USD). Your car is almost certainly a different price, but not by 400% more.

 

That's Australian dollars. I appreciate the cheap prices in the US, but LHD is no good for me in this case!

 

Interesting...

Motorline BMW eventually replied to my email today. They quoted $230! That's more expensive than both Brisbane BMW and Westside BMW.

 

Deutschland Autoparts in Hong Kong. Call +852 27746698. email kwan@dasp.corp.com.hk You want part number 51718232896. Fantastic source of parts for older BMW's (& Merc's) .

 

^ are you saying they ship to Australia for cheap?

 

I know this an old thread, but when I was out at KMJ Europarts ( Sumner Park in Brisbane ) this morning, I saw one of the guys working there bringing about half a dozen new E46 windscreen cowls ( both types ) into the office and I asked them how much, about $170 AUD. Please be aware that there is a slight difference in the length of this cowl between the E46 sedans vs the coupe/convert, hence the difference in part numbers. Hope this helps someone here out if you're in Brisbane.

 

That's excellent help, thanks Lok! :thumbsup: