Well, some of you followed my "Purchase Advice Needed" thread regarding the 240D. I, of course, bought the car and am really starting to like it.
This morning however, the dangdest thing happened. Driving down the road in the middle of rural nowhere I heard a loud BANG and my rear window had shattered for no apparent reason. I haven't had time to inspect for a possible impact point but at any rate I am left with a window that is in a grillion pieces and still in place. I guess the combination of window tint film and defroster wire held it together.
I do wonder what caused it but I mainly want to get it fixed. Anybody have a rear glass for a 1983 123? You don't want to know what the local glass shop wants.
I'll post on "Parts" also. Thanks for any and all help.
Chuck.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

"Grillion" That's a new one to me. Sounds like a lot, though. I hope nobody was shooting at you! The window didn't fall down into the door and break, did it?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

It was the back window, not one of the door windows. It's still intact and relatively solid. Looks kinda cool actually. If I knew it wouldn't collapse on the first set of railroad tracks I crossed I'd drive it as is, especially knowing what a new one costs.
I also hope nobody was shooting at me. Got to be some fluke.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

Awww man, sorry to hear that Chuck - glad to hear it hasn't dampened your affection of your new purchase too badly.

Dee8go - he's referring to the rear glass (with the defroster) not anything in the door......you got too hot and bothered with grillion to notice

If you don't like the local glass price......do you have any local junkyards nearby? Might be the cheapest but a pain.

Check out www.junkyarding.com if you haven't already.....

I've never replaced mine but I have heard of members buying the seal themselves (and giving it to the installer) to cut down on the markup and sticker shock?

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1981 240d - 135k - Arlene

Make sure you didn't have some kind of suspension failure that caused the body to flex, that happened to me once (on an old ford) when a spring broke. Is the car still sitting level?

Call you local junkyard and see if they can get a glass for you, try the local glass places too (it may not be as expensive as you think).

Interesting ... there have been a few posts recently on exploding windows. I'm starting to think the "compressed seal" theory is accurate.

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Chad
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys

The problem with using glass from an old parts car is that it is just as old as the one that broke...glass does get brittle with age and exposure to sunlight... almost no one will promise they can remove it from the parts car without breaking it.... this has been the situation for many years....so if you are going to keep the car you may want/have to go for the new glass...

Check your insurance, you may have glass coverage even if you don't have comprehensive.

AFAIK the other windows that have broken were door windows and thus have a different type of seal.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Putting in a front or rear windshield in an MB is not a job for the "new guy" at the glass shop, thats one of the jobs I pay too have done at a good place.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

As Craig said, look it over (but don't dare touch it!) to see if theres a bullet hole or impact point in it, if not check the suspension and body seams for any signs of failure, body flex can pop glass.....(A fellow classmate back in college learned this the hard way with his 280Z on the frame rack-as the windshield exploded and fell out like a limp rag onto the hood....)

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Chris
64 190D R.I.P.
80 240D W/617 engine -for sale
82 240D -for sale

Paid $75 and dang glad to do it. Couldn't find an impact point at all. And have been driving it a little bit with no fallout. Going to the glass shop this week to get it replaced. You guys are right, I'm not gonna tackle that mess of trim and gasket.
Thanks for the replies.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

Yeah, I'd rather have a new one also but the only glass shop I could find that could get one quoted $1350. Fergit that.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

Make sure the glass shop guarantee's breakage of your glass. Some don't if you BYO. Also ask to make sure they won't damage your headliner in the process.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012