Where I parked last week apparently was too close to the highway. a passing car tossed up a rock and broke the drivers side read window (the 3 part back window with the sliding center pane)

is it possible to replace this or do I really have to replace the entire unit?

 

The sliding back glasses are a single unit. You can't just replace one panel as they are encapsulated with a molded urethane rubber. There's no way to take the frame apart without destroying the encapsulation.

 

****. I was afraid of that. I am betting they are not cheap.

is it something that bolts ins or is it glued in like a windscreen? ie how hard to goto a P&P and nab one?

 

They are a glue-in. Also they have 4 metal tabs that bend down over the pinch-weld to hold it in place while the glue dries. I found one at a u-pull place and installed it on my own, but I was an auto glass installer for too many years.

I would suggest going to a u-pull it yard and take a close look at one. If you can get it out without bending it or breaking the glass and slicing up the encapsulation, you should be able to find a glass shop that would install it for labor + materials.

If you do that, cut from the inside. If you take a blade to the outside, you will only end up cutting the encapsulation and not the glue. Some of the factory installs had such poor paint and primer that you can sometimes just push on the window frame from the inside and the glue will just separate off the glass. I got about 2/3rds of mine loose that way. Then I had to cut the rest of the glue.

If you can get electricity out to the donor truck, you can use one of these to cut the glue:

 

I had one replaced several years ago and I seem to recall a number around $200 but I can't be positive. I was NOT over the top in pricing, but then again, expensive can sometimes be a matter of where you are sitting too.

 

Totally agree.. As far as replacements go, this one isn't the easiest to learn on. If you can afford to pay someone to do it, it is well worth the money to avoid the headache.

Plus most glass shops warranty against leaks. The way this one is designed, even the slightest mistake while dropping the glass in the hole can cause it to leak.

 

Any auto glass shop should be able to fix it how much $$ I dont know.