[Zandar]

I just drove my 230i home this afternoon. I will be getting the windows tinted and was wondering what brand of film to go for. Any inputs?

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Zandar

I just drove my 230i home this afternoon. I will be getting the windows tinted and was wondering what brand of film to go for. Any inputs?

Nope. Never have, never will. I prefer Ray-Ban Sunglasses.

[pz619]

Yep. 3M ceramic and went 50% to not darken it up too much. Really helps with the heat.

[BarryJI]

I will always tint here in Los Angeles, it's a godsend. I learned the hard way: never go for the cheaper options and always ceramic. Cheaper tints cannot handle curvatures in the glass and will "ghost" or warp/deform.

[petegtsv10]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

Nope. Never have, never will. I prefer Ray-Ban Sunglasses.

I suggest Ceramic tint.......it will keep the interior much cooler than Ray-Bans will.

[EuroDude]

Yes, I tinted down here in Florida with 3M

[wntrsnowg]

Ceramic tint 3M. I've never had a problem with brand name non-ceramic tints though

[Zandar]

Ceramic it is, then! Thanks all!

[StarMan]

I have Suntek CXP 45 (which meters out to about 35% on our windows), helps a lot. You can still see inside, but you would only see my shadow. Has a classy look and a slight green hue to it. Heat rejection is good enough for NC summer and it won't break your bank. 30%-40% is the sweet spot i think because you are still able to see fine at night time

(on a really sunny day)
)

(On a cloudy day, taken before i did all the exterior mods)


My other car has 3M color stable (a good budget film that won't discolor). That tint has more of a smoke color. It's fair with heat rejection. I'd get this if you care about looks, without loosing quality. These tint run fairly dark.

Lastly my friend has Formula1 Pinnacle series (which if I had to do it again, id get this one) Has the most heat rejection (up to 55% heat rejection with 35% tint) when comparing to the two I listed above (and 3M ceramic). It looks great too. Nice smoke color to it as well.

3M Crystalline is arguably one of the best without going too dark. I'd get this if you live in a state that has a high percentage legal limit. It has the highest heat rejection (up to 60% heat rejection with 40% tint) than any other make and model tint for cars (including F1 but not by much). It is also the most expensive of the lot (easily over $500 in my area). However my problem with it is that it has a brownish hue to it which Im not a fan of.

More 2er forum users pics here > http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showt...=955086&page=1

[mfeld]

Had windows tinted yesterday with Winco solarceramic. They claim up to 65% heat rejection. A must here in TX. Looks great with mineral grey metallic paint.

[StarMan]

Originally Posted by mfeld

Had windows tinted yesterday with Winco solarceramic. They claim up to 65% heat rejection. A must here in TX. Looks great with mineral grey metallic paint.

I had never seen nor even heard of Winco, but their specs look pretty good for their Onyx Series. You must have gotten their 20% or below as that is the one that has 65% heat rejection.

Winco Onyx Series 35% tint competes with F1 tint which both block 55% heat rejection

How much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

[mfeld]

Cost was 350 for all windows, not windshield. Not certain about exact specs. Asked for darkest allowable by law for front windows & one shade darker everywhere else.

[RoundelM3]

Pinnacle F1 ceramic at 35% (maximum allowed in NC).

[BM235iW]

I tint/film my vehicle windows for three reasons.
1. Main reason is to reduce the UVA rays on both the vehicle interior and my and my passengers exposed skin.
2. Tinting the rear windows make it more difficult for people to see if there is anything inside the vehicles.
3. If something should hit and shatter, the window tint/film will help keep the glass together and reduce the amount of glass into the interior.
Just and FYI, my family is prone to skin cancer. This is a link to an article by the Skin Cancer Foundation regarding this very subject.
I agree with the postings above, you get what you pay for. As for me, expensive cars, expensive leather interiors, and my own skin issues purchase a quality film/tint with the better UVA blocking properties. As a by product, the cool factor is up to you. Enjoy.

http://www.skincancer.org/Media/Defa...indow-film.pdf

[msej449]

Can I just clarify, out of interest? Here in the UK (and I assume the rest of the EU) you order tinted as a factory option and the glass itself is dark i.e. not a film tint, but part of the glass. It's often referred to as 'security tinting' (as least in the UK) as it's great at hiding what's inside the car (excessive sunlight not really being any sort of problem here :-). We also have a factory option for a graduated tint on the front windscreen, again, not a film, but part of the glass manufacture.

I assume that state regulations vary so much that BMW just doesn't bother to offer 'integral' tinting as an option in the USA, because there'd be too many combinations?

[Zandar]

Originally Posted by BM235iW

I tint/film my vehicle windows for three reasons.
1. Main reason is to reduce the UVA rays on both the vehicle interior and my and my passengers exposed skin.
2. Tinting the rear windows make it more difficult for people to see if there is anything inside the vehicles.
3. If something should hit and shatter, the window tint/film will help keep the glass together and reduce the amount of glass into the interior.
Just and FYI, my family is prone to skin cancer. This is a link to an article by the Skin Cancer Foundation regarding this very subject.
I agree with the postings above, you get what you pay for. As for me, expensive cars, expensive leather interiors, and my own skin issues purchase a quality film/tint with the better UVA blocking properties. As a by product, the cool factor is up to you. Enjoy.

http://www.skincancer.org/Media/Defa...indow-film.pdf

Exactly! I live in Florida so I can add reducing the heat inside the vehicle, especially in the summer.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by msej449

Can I just clarify, out of interest? Here in the UK (and I assume the rest of the EU) you order tinted as a factory option and the glass itself is dark i.e. not a film tint, but part of the glass. It's often referred to as 'security tinting' (as least in the UK) as it's great at hiding what's inside the car (excessive sunlight not really being any sort of problem here :-). We also have a factory option for a graduated tint on the front windscreen, again, not a film, but part of the glass manufacture.

I assume that state regulations vary so much that BMW just doesn't bother to offer 'integral' tinting as an option in the USA, because there'd be too many combinations?

BMW glass in the USA does have a mild tint to it - very low, but noticeable compared to completely clear windows. And yes, there is a lot of variance between states, particularly in the much warmer climates like Texas, Arizona, Florida, etc. When I relocated from Texas to North Carolina, I had to remove the 30% tint which was legal in TX and replace it with 35% tint to conform to North Carolina laws for non-commercial passenger vehicles.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Zandar

I just drove my 230i home this afternoon. I will be getting the windows tinted and was wondering what brand of film to go for. Any inputs?

Check the Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications subforum for more threads on tint - though this thread (which will likely ultimately be moved there by a mod) has some good advice on it. Basically:

- Check your state's laws on tint, and do some research. The tint industry has a lot of smoke and mirrors (pun slightly intended) working in it. This is mandatory, because you'll arrive at the installer armed with enough knowledge to make it think twice about trying to upsell you.
- Find a reputable installer locally who carries your tint brand of choice and guarantees the installation -- not the tint itself: the installation. Do not go with the best price; that's usually a bad sign. In this situation, you will almost certainly get what you pay for.
- I personally use Huper Optik tint, which is generally the best you can buy at heat rejection vs. tint shade. Its warranty is also transferable. However, its difficult to work with; the installer really has to know what it's doing. A good alternate brand is 3M, which is a relatively new maker of tint but is basically making all other brands squirm with nervousness due to a superior product and a well-thought-out product line.

[BM235iW]

Originally Posted by Zandar

Exactly! I live in Florida so I can add reducing the heat inside the vehicle, especially in the summer.

I reside in Southern California. My 4 door is grey and the coupe is black, both have black leather interiors. For my 4 door I installed LLumar Formula One Pinnacle, 50% on the front side windows and 50% on the rear side and back windows.
On my coupe I installed Prestige 55% on side and back windows.
In hindsight, and I'm no expert on this subject, I would possibly install the LLumar Formula One Pinnacle on the coupe to save a few dollars because personally I cannot tell any difference in cab temperatures between the two.
So many really good tint/film products on the market now I find it difficult to choose a product for my cars but I'm happy with all my choices.
There are picture of the coupe in other sections of these forums.

[DF]

I have 3m. I've had it on a half dozen cars. Always perfect

[omera60]

I had the option for darkened rear side windows out of the factory. After my break in, I got Ziebart window tint at %35 for my side windows. I've been advised that the rear and front windows are not a necessity, the main reason me getting these tints is to prevent thieves. They told me that front and rear windows are already stronger then the side ones, so it's really hard to break them to steal something and it would be loud. It was illegal to tint real dark here until very recently, now we can do whatever we want. I'm pretty happy with the results as there is almost no noticeable change in color but the interior is kept cool during hot days.

[arts711]

3M, the one right below the Crystalline line.