# Question About Window Tint



## Mickey33 (Jan 8, 2002)

First, thank you for opening this post. I have been a lurker on various BMW boards since I [somewhat impulsively] decided to buy a BMW on 16 Oct 2001 (picked it up 29 Oct!) - and I have been lurking on this board since its second day. The amount of information, and the quality, that I have gleaned is phenomenal and I truly appreciate everyone's attempts to help and/or pass on tips and hints. Oh - and I love my car!!

Now, with the "required" de-lurking done, on to the question:

I've always been instructed to not roll down the windows of a car that has just had the windows tinted until 2-3 days have passed (to give the tint a chance to "cure"). However, BMW has the window up/down feature when you open/close the doors. Has anyone that has had their windows tinted noticed a problem with this feature - as in, has it messed up the seal on the tint at the top of the window(s) during/after the cure time?

Just need to make an informed decision - nothing I hate worse than tacky-looking tint!!

Thanks [in advance] for the help!


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

never noticed and problems. Enjoy! :thumb:


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

It's really not that big a deal if you go to a good tint shop that knows how to tint BMW coupes. There is a way to fool the door into thinking the door is closed, so that the window extends to the full upright position. If they don't do this there is a tendency for the tint to not extend far enough down into the door, sometimes causing a gap in the tint at the bottom of the window. They then tint the window as usual, paying particular close attention to the top of the window (they usually will use a hot air gun to speed up drying up there).

The instructions are then to get in and out of your car at little as possible. Generally, if the tint job is quality, then you will have no problems. Most reputable tint shops will fix the window tint if you do have some problems that occur such as peeling and bubbling.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

If you get tint, you can never use glass cleaner on your windows' interior, can you?

How do you get it clean? I mean, really, really clean, with no streaking? Can you?


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

Sure, you can clean your windows. I would go nuts if I wasn't able to clean my windows. I do them everytime I wash the car. You have to find a window cleaner that contains no ammonia. The ammonia is what breaks down the glue in the film. The use of ammonia will generally cause bubbling and peeling of the tint film. 

I found the aresol can cleaner at Trak Auto that works great and is safe for tinted window. It is cheap too at 1.99 a can.


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## Jason 325i Step (Dec 25, 2001)

I need to convince my mom to let me get tints...what arguments do I have that are good besides "I like the way they look!"? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:


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## ALEX325i (Dec 19, 2001)

Jason 325i Step said:


> *I need to convince my mom to let me get tints...what arguments do I have that are good besides "I like the way they look!"? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: *


I can't think of one persuasive enough... It's not like you live in FL...

The best argument I can think of now is... If you only had your own money... No offense bro... :thumb:


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## evilfactoryowne (Dec 24, 2001)

Hey ben. what % do you have on that 330ci? I got 15% on the rear windows and back windows and 35% on the front windows. I wish i would have got 15% all around...


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

> Hey ben. what % do you have on that 330ci? I got 15% on the rear windows and back windows and 35% on the front windows. I wish i would have got 15% all around...


My car has 20% all around. My last car was a black on black 323i and I tinted that one 30% all around. I wanted to go a little darker this time so I went with the 20%. 15 is way too dark for me and I think it would be hard to see at night when backing up and what not. Keep in mind that the factory glass has about a 8% tint in it already, so a window that is tinted with 20% will actually be 12%. Conversely, if you tint a window 15% you are actually going to be running about a 7% tint which is way past limo tint. Just my two cents.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Jason 325i Step said:


> *I need to convince my mom to let me get tints...what arguments do I have that are good besides "I like the way they look!"? :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: *


The best argument is that the tint will cut 100% of the UV light that destroys the leather and interior. It will also cut the UV light that hits you, and makes the car warm. In addition, tinted glass tends to stay together after an accident and is less likely to shatter in your eyes.

Are these good enough?


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

Ben Chou said:


> *
> 
> My car has 20% all around. My last car was a black on black 323i and I tinted that one 30% all around. I wanted to go a little darker this time so I went with the 20%. 15 is way too dark for me and I think it would be hard to see at night when backing up and what not. Keep in mind that the factory glass has about a 8% tint in it already, so a window that is tinted with 20% will actually be 12%. Conversely, if you tint a window 15% you are actually going to be running about a 7% tint which is way past limo tint. Just my two cents. *


Ben, your car looks so damn good !!!!

I love those wheels (I think you know that already) !!!


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

Alan F said:


> *
> 
> Ben, your car looks so damn good !!!!
> 
> I love those wheels (I think you know that already) !!! *


Thanks Alan. So when you going to make the leap and get some wheels? Still waiting to help you get a good deal. Let me know.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

Who knows Ben . . . I ended up getting a set of non-sport 330Ci wheels and am using them for the winter to help get through the snow . . . if it ever snows . . .


I was thinking of selling them at the end of this season but then figure I'll onyl keep my car for the most another year. 

Is it really worth buying rims for just one year ?


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## Wingboot (Jan 8, 2002)

*Question for Ben*

Ben, can you email me the name and phone number of the shop where you got your windows tinted? Your car looks real nice in the digital photo. Would you recommend that shop? I live in the D.C. metro area and I'm considering tinting. If I do tint my car it will mean that I wasted my money on my electric sunshade but maybe that's the price for looking slick. Thanks, [email protected] ---o-O-o---


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

Alan F said:


> *Who knows Ben . . . I ended up getting a set of non-sport 330Ci wheels and am using them for the winter to help get through the snow . . . if it ever snows . . .
> 
> I was thinking of selling them at the end of this season but then figure I'll onyl keep my car for the most another year.
> 
> Is it really worth buying rims for just one year ? *


Sure, why not. Depends on what type of rims you get. If you get another German car, BMW or Audi, they rims will fit. You can then put the rims on that car. If it is a BMW then it will definitely fit. Put it this way, you can always sell the rims if you don't want them. I can help you get some good prices out there. Come on, join the fun. 
:thumb:


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## ride365 (Dec 19, 2001)

*compound percentages*



Ben Chou said:


> *
> Keep in mind that the factory glass has about a 8% tint in it already, so a window that is tinted with 20% will actually be 12%. Conversely, if you tint a window 15% you are actually going to be running about a 7% tint*


sorry to be a math dork, but i don't think that's quite how it works. by that reasoning if you start with 50% tint and add 50% tint then you'll get 0% tint, or zero light getting through -- which isn't true (unless you have opposite polarization).

tint percentages refer to amount of light getting through. so when you say it comes with 8% from the factory, you really mean that it's a 92% tint rating. if you put 20% on top of that, i think you multiply to get about 18% tint. 15% on top of 92% would be about 14%.

i think


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## Ben Chou (Dec 24, 2001)

*Re: compound percentages*



ride365 said:


> *
> 
> sorry to be a math dork, but i don't think that's quite how it works. by that reasoning if you start with 50% tint and add 50% tint then you'll get 0% tint, or zero light getting through -- which isn't true (unless you have opposite polarization).
> 
> ...


I am not quite I understand you, but.....you are right when you said tint percentages are the amount of light getting thru. I guess what I was trying to say was factory window tint is 92% as you said. So to add 20 percent on top of that would get you to around 12%. I get this from my last car, which I tinted 30% all around. When I sold it to my friend he had to get it inspected to register the car. Well he failed inspection from the tint and it came out to be around 22%. So from that standard I was assuming that factory tint blocks out about 8%.


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## ALEX325i (Dec 19, 2001)

Alan F said:


> *if it ever snows . . .
> *


Hey Alan,

Looks like you're getting some at the moment...  Time to test the snows... :thumb:


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

oh yeah Alex . . . it was a crazy night, we had to go to a dinner out by exit 68 and it was one scary drive home. The LIE was snow covered. 

We had taken the Honda because there is no way I wanted to drive the Bimmer in that weather.

Even the Honda was havivg some trouble and we saw a few cars that had passed us skid out . . . 

I was just happy we made it home . . . 

The good news is I got to test out my new snowblower !!!


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## ALEX325i (Dec 19, 2001)

Alan F said:


> *oh yeah Alex . . . it was a crazy night, we had to go to a dinner out by exit 68 and it was one scary drive home. The LIE was snow covered.
> 
> We had taken the Honda because there is no way I wanted to drive the Bimmer in that weather.
> 
> ...


Glad you made it home safely. I know the feeling...

Hope the snowblower's doing a good job 

I gotta confess. I'm so happy I moved to FL. Cost of living is a joke compared to NY. No state tax (got a "raise" by moving down here ). The weather is great (76F yesterday). Of course, I cannot even start to compare Tampa to Manhattan, but overall I'm happy.


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