Parked my car in the Mission for ten minutes Saturday night; someone promptly smashed the passenger side window.

What should I know about getting it fixed?

If you're a member of AAA, they can put you in touch with people who won't scam you.

Ah, that's a good idea that I hadn't thought of , brujita. Thanks.

Getting a car window fixed is pretty easy in my experience. I've had to have it done three times, once because of a break-in and twice from gravel on the road. I just called up a glass place from the yellow pages and arranged a time that they could come out and meet me at work. They came out and fixed the window in the office parking lot. My insurance paid for the window from the break-in but not the other two.

Can't your regular mechanic do it for you? Mine even tracks down used parts for me, 'cause I'm cheap that way.

My last smashed window cost me $70 about 5 years ago.

If you're doing it yourself, junkyard glass is cheap. Like $40 for a 1997 Dodge Intrepid passenger side rear door window, here. Took me about an hour and 15 minutes to put it on, 2 years ago. Mine old one shattered when a neighbor's mower kicked a chunk of curb concrete through it accidentally.

Sweet, the dude is coming out tomorrow to fix it, it's going to cost about $50 less than it would have to drive over and wait to get it done at any of the other 3 places I called.

I don't have a regular mechanic; this car has never had a mechanical problem in the 9 years I've owned it.

ikkyu2 - your car insurance company may pay for it, if it was in the process of a break in. I dunno, you might have to file a police report or something.

I don't have a regular mechanic; this car has never had a mechanical problem in the 9 years I've owned it.

Out of curiosity, what make/model of car?

I don't have a regular mechanic; this car has never had a mechanical problem in the 9 years I've owned it.

You still have the same brakes, clutch, tires and exhaust? Wow!

It's an automatic, octothorpe, and it had new tires when I bought it. They've got about 30000 miles on them and they look to have another 5000 or so in them.

I do the every-so-often "inspection" thing at the dealer when the light comes on and tells me to get the fluids changed; last time the brakes were still new-thickness in the back and 75% in the front.

The reason the car doesn't break, I think, is because a) it's not a lemon, b) I've always kept it garaged out of the elements, c) I don't drive it very much, but I make sure to drive it every week, and d) I am very gentle on a car, I don't drive it like a maniac and I have a light foot on both the gas and the brake. Also, it's a '95 BMW M3, which means that a lot of its parts were designed for heavy-duty use, and they just don't wear out very fast. In fact if you go online and look at BMW E36 series maintenence threads, the usual advice is that there are about 10 parts that should be replaced with the M3 part. I don't have to do any of that :)

When I do the tires, I'm also probably going to do the shocks and the suspension bushings, but that's a while yet.

Is getting insurance involved even worth the trouble?

Oooooh! Pre OBD-II, the hot-rodder's friend!

I've been happy with Columbus Autobody on VanNess, should you ever need further glass/body work.

The combinations of rain, snow and salt tend to destroy car parts in these parts way before 9 years. I'm lucky if I can get 5 years out of an exhaust system. By ten years, cars around here are usually ready for the junk heap.

Yeah, when I lived in Jersey I would take a minute after a long winter drive and hose down the undercarriage before I drove it into the garage. Kind of a pain but it seems to have prevented a lot of salt buildup.

The guy AAA recommended showed up today but he couldn't get the aftermarket window to install. He told me that I'd need an OEM window.