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Given how hot it has been this past weekend in the midwest, I will try to schedule to get my car tinted ASAP (front 2 windows, windshield, and sunroof)- especially the huge panoramic glass sunroof.
Just today we were out and about for lunch, the car was parked outdoors for about a couple of hours. On our way home, yes the car cooled down just fine while driving, but the fan was flowing pretty high just about the entire time. we pulled into the garage I shut the car off, immediately you could feel the interior gets stuffy and hot instantly. I reached up and could feel the radiating heat near the screen/blind. This huge pane of glass has to be a major factor.
My daily commute car has Global Ceramic QDP all around (42%). I could have gone 37% even a bit darker - but side by side 42% was more tea color vs. 37% which had a hint of blue. Plus I am not a big fan on ghetto dark. It's windshield has the Ceramic QDP 70% and the Sunroof had Ceramic QDP 50%. At first I was worried about the 70% tint - even though it lets in 70% of the light, I was afraid it may be too dark. Honestly. when the installer slapped it on, I could hardly tell the difference. Anyway. I am sold on the windshield tint. I drive east in the morning and west in the evening. before I could feel the heat on the hand when the sun is beating down on the steering wheel. Now I can hardly feel anything. a very very very minor down side is that at certain angle with the sun (Not when you're looking at it directly), you feel your windshield may be a slight haze like when you haven't wiped your windshied for months.
Questions on the table are:
1. will the windshield tint affect HUD?
2. Also is there any reason to add tint to the rear windows? I just want to block the heat and add the ceramic portion. I assume our dark tinted glass is just dark not as much of a heat blocker.
There are some bigger names of tint manufacturer, like 3M, Huber Optics, Sunteck?... my guy says QDP is one of the few that owns their manufacturing process from start to finish and its quality is either on par or better than the competitors (according to him) and the pricing is better. (I tinted my daily commuter) all in for $400. It's an icebox when the A/C is turned on :-). He did say 3M makes good product but for not worth the money when you only gain maybe 2% more heat blocking (there was some special term I couldn't remember) I did google and looks like he wasn't BSing me when comparing QDP to 3M Ceramic. I didn't compare anything else and since it was 400 and he was highly recommended in the local BMW forum.. anyway thoughts and tips would be appreciated.
I used solarguard ultraperformance nano-ceramic .
1. it dims HUD but not by much I think its worth it. Ive dont my last 3 audis with HUD like that at 70% and it works out nicely and way way cooler in the car
2. I went 20% ceramic all around because the factory privacy glass is simple color it doesnt reflect or absorb heat. So it doesnt do the same thing as tint. I wanted the cooler temps ..here in AZ 120 degrees routinely ceramic makes a huge difference.
what I typically do is nano-ceramic all around . 70% windshield , 20 to 30 % rest and 70% for sunroof. It reduces heat SO SO much that most of the time I keep my A/C on a low blower setting even in full AZ heat in summer.
70% you really barely can tell from the inside that its tinted. And its near impossible to tell 70% from outside. Its virtually clear but somehow just barely polarized type effect.
Its nice you wont regret it. just do it somewhere experienced because windshields are tough to do since you look through them and every imperfection can be seen if not done right also have them cover the full dash because the amount of water they spray can drain all into your dash and wreck electronics .
re your question for brand I have had huber optics and been happy , the solarguard is good , 3m is nice but over priced.. just make sure the roll of film is new not damaged and clean.. clean application is most important.. on this car we had a dust storm and we ended up have to redo the windshield 3x before we got it perfect.
I didn't compare anything else and since it was 400 and he was highly recommended in the local BMW forum.. anyway thoughts and tips would be appreciated.
I have used Huper Optik and found it to be amazingly effective. It's pricey, but you get what you pay for.
My understanding is that factory tint is only a dye that doesnt reject heat so we went with 3M Color Stable that rejects up to 57% of the heat coming through your windows.
- 35% on top of factory on rear and 20% on front. With 35% on rear is it way darker than the front. if you go 20% it may be hard to see at night.
I also heard that no one will tint a sunroof because it can crack from the film expanding and shrinking due to temperature changes..
As an FYI - my nephew told me that a customer came in with MMI issues on his A7 (if i recall correctly) from getting the sunroof tinted and water all over the MMI.
YES!! now I think about it, it would be a frigging mess for the Q7 sunroof... I need to ask him how they plan to cover everything....
When they tinted the windshield of my other car, that was one gripe I had afterwards - The dashboard of the MB E class and its entirety along the windsheld is giant piece of mesh of speaker grill. I am sure all that water and goo were raining down to the dash since I saw many "spots" through the mesh. I had to clean them up later to the best that I can. More annoyance than anything else. but the point of possibly damaging MMI is very valid.
YES!! now I think about it, it would be a frigging mess for the Q7 sunroof... I need to ask him how they plan to cover everything....
When they tinted the windshield of my other car, that was one gripe I had afterwards - The dashboard of the MB E class and its entirety along the windsheld is giant piece of mesh of speaker grill. I am sure all that water and goo were raining down to the dash since I saw many "spots" through the mesh. I had to clean them up later to the best that I can. More annoyance than anything else. but the point of possibly damaging MMI is very valid.
the solution is cover it all but the tint guys hate covering all your stuff with towels because of the so called "dust" but to be honest if you have a good guy its not that messy and you just get detailed after all the tint anyhow because no matter what tint is messy..im going with nano-ceramic detail too..no wax for 7yrs !
1. I installed Spectra PhotoSync 75% on windshield and 50% front windows, this is the best investment I had on my Q7 (In Texas heat)
2. I have Warm Weather package, which comes with rear and side curtains, which pretty much blocks heat and sunlight. (The only problem is that nobody can see my hand(finger :-) ) signals through rear window.)
My understanding is that factory tint is only a dye that doesnt reject heat so we went with 3M Color Stable that rejects up to 57% of the heat coming through your windows.
- 35% on top of factory on rear and 20% on front. With 35% on rear is it way darker than the front. if you go 20% it may be hard to see at night.
I also heard that no one will tint a sunroof because it can crack from the film expanding and shrinking due to temperature changes..
As an FYI - my nephew told me that a customer came in with MMI issues on his A7 (if i recall correctly) from getting the sunroof tinted and water all over the MMI.
I think that looks great - in Texas - legal for front two side windows is 25% VLT, so I am going to go with Huper Optik Ceramic 30 for the front two side windows. Knowing the back is tinted but not heat rejecting, I was thinking of going either same Ceramic 30, or possibly Ceramic 50 for the rear side windows and rear window.
We have the warm weather package, so also have sunshades, not sure if will still use them or not, won't know until after tinting...
How is daytime and nighttime visibility with your 35% tint on top of the factory dyed glass?
I'm planning on running Xpel Prime XR all the way around my car. 70% on the windshield, 20% on the front driver row, windows, 35% on the rear sides (usually makes it match pretty well) and 20% on the back.
Today I got Huper Optik Ceramic 30 on all side windows and rear window. Keeping pano and windshield stock/oem....
I like it - Looks like limousine for second row, and first row you see the person but it is silhouette-like....I'm considering now not using the second row and rear sunshades due to the increased visibility with them not being used - already have the darkness/privacy with the tint now.
Has tiny bubbles that appeared throughout all the windows, some that look like water, some look like has 'spec' of lint (hope not...hoping it is just soap??) later in the day...wasn't there when picked up car...will need a good month to fully cure(bubbles that exist to be gone, any haze/cloud that appear to disappear), so patience is required.
07-24-2016, 02:01 PM
Ceramic tinting sunroof and windshield
