[BM91]

Hey guys, I was wondering whether the quality/type of tints applied on the windows can make the tints look lighter. I got my tints done about 3 weeks ago and told the shop to do 35%. Since then they look extremely light, day and night. Ive seen 35% on other peoples cars and they look really dark compared to mine. Mine on the other hand looks as if they are 50/75%, Sometimes I cant tell the difference between a car thats parked next to me with no tints. im also wondering whether the shop accidentally applied a lighter film, then what I have asked for. Thanks

Heres a picture I quickly took, Tell me what you guys think.
I'll take some more pictures tomorrow outside.

[tizzyd]

Hey man, not sure if this helps but I have 35% on my side windows and 20% on my rear, I attached a picture below.

[Arben72]

These are my 35% window tints. Pinnacle f1 ceramics.

[BM91]

Originally Posted by tizzyd

Hey man, not sure if this helps but I have 35% on my side windows and 20% on my rear, I attached a picture below.

Originally Posted by Arben72

These are my 35% window tints. Pinnacle f1 ceramics.

Thanks for the pictures, Mine are no where near dark as you guy's.

[meshuggener]

Yeah mine are 35% and they dont look too much darker than yours... Could be a lighting thing. They look much darker when less light comes in the front windscreen

[tmdals0213]

wow... for 35 those are pretty light.. you should go back and compare it with the samples they have like on a paint card. and also it depends on what brand you got... if you got the ink ones.... then... you went the cheapo route... gotta go ceramics.

[BM91]

Originally Posted by meshuggener

Yeah mine are 35% and they dont look too much darker than yours... Could be a lighting thing. They look much darker when less light comes in the front windscreen

I paid around $200 and a quarter for the tints .. which around here is a average price/ up there price. BTW I also have a lot of scratches so I think the tints are low quality. They also charged extra for the back window, since apparently its difficult to tint

[BM91]

Originally Posted by meshuggener

Yeah mine are 35% and they dont look too much darker than yours... Could be a lighting thing. They look much darker when less light comes in the front windscreen

This was taken in a dim location, since my garage where I park doesn't have great lighting. My car looks lighter then yours when under the sun.

[meshuggener]

Originally Posted by YBMB

I paid around $200 and a quarter for the tints.. which around here is a average price/ up there price. BTW I also have a lot of scratches so I think the tints are low quality.

I found out the scratches are common for bmws because they neglected to put a felt protector layer on the interior until just recently. Are they vertical scratches? If so, it's not the tints, it's dirt caught in your seals

[meshuggener]

Originally Posted by YBMB

This was taken in a dim location, since my garage where I park doesn't have great lighting. My car looks lighter then yours when under the sun.

In that case, looks like they got the % wrong...although, there was an option of four different tints when i got mine, all were 35% but just the tone of some of them made them look much darker

[Dark_Knight_335]

There seems to be two camps of people who get tint- those that get it for looks, and those who get it for functionality.

Quality film doesn't actually have to be darker to be effective against heat and UV. Huper Optik ceramic tint is a great example of this. As a matter of fact, some dyes in some brands of tint can absorb energy and convert it into heat. Some of the cheapest brands I have seen have dark crappy dye ranging from smoke grey to almost purple that can even transfer to the windows should you ever want to remove it, making removal quite a trial.

Other factors, such as a light exterior, or a dark interior, can make tint look darker or lighter.

My SGM E92 had no tint (black leather interior), but yet everyone used to tell me how they liked the light classy touch of tint LOL.

If you have or get scratches, then your tint shop fucked up plain and simple- a reputable shop will install moleskin- and if you are not sure- ask!

Generally, unless you go to some half ass no name tint shop, most reputable tint places will use quality stuff- just a matter of how much you're willing to spend I guess.

[BM91]

Originally Posted by meshuggener

I found out the scratches are common for bmws because they neglected to put a felt protector layer on the interior until just recently. Are they vertical scratches? If so, it's not the tints, it's dirt caught in your seals

From my memory I think they are vertical.. Ill double check tomorrow to see. This place that I went say that they have "lifetime warranty", so hopefully they can do something.

[BM91]

Originally Posted by meshuggener

In that case, looks like they got the % wrong...although, there was an option of four different tints when i got mine, all were 35% but just the tone of some of them made them look much darker

In this situation I hope thats the case (I use hope very loosely, since its such a inconvenience). Im gonna have my friend take a look since he has a E92 with 35% tint.
Thanks for the feedback and love the E91 335. I hope you enjoy driving it over there! I have family in NZ, its such a beautiful country.

[BM91]

Originally Posted by Dark_Knight_335

There seems to be two camps of people who get tint- those that get it for looks, and those who get it for functionality.

Quality film doesn't actually have to be darker to be effective against heat and UV. Huper Optik ceramic tint is a great example of this. As a matter of fact, some dyes in some brands of tint can absorb energy and convert it into heat. Some of the cheapest brands I have seen have dark crappy dye ranging from smoke grey to almost purple that can even transfer to the windows should you ever want to remove it, making removal quite a trial.

Other factors, such as a light exterior, or a dark interior, can make tint look darker or lighter.

My SGM E92 had no tint (black leather interior), but yet everyone used to tell me how they liked the light classy touch of tint LOL.

If you have or get scratches, then your tint shop fucked up plain and simple- a reputable shop will install moleskin- and if you are not sure- ask!

Generally, unless you go to some half ass no name tint shop, most reputable tint places will use quality stuff- just a matter of how much you're willing to spend I guess.

I got it done at a car customization place, since they're close by and seem to cover anything I want done to my car. I feel like I should of done it somewhere which only specializes in tints. My car looks light despite having black interior. They also charged me extra since it was a E90 and apparently from experience its difficult to tint the back windows.

[Dark_Knight_335]

Oh yeah that dot matrix is a pain in the ass- most shops will just vinyl it.

[nyfg56]

Anyone here not use tint protector and have no problems with tint scratching? I just did mine 25 all around and am worried about scratching it. I bought tint protector but am unclear on how to install it and am wondering if I should not even open my windows until I install it

[Denny347]

Mine is 30% with a grey interior. My last car (Passat) had a black interior and made the tint look even darker.

[DF]

Originally Posted by Denny347

Mine is 30% with a grey interior. My last car (Passat) had a black interior and made the tint look even darker.

I was gonna say the same thing. I have 35% but a black interior so its looks darker. OP, I think yours looks good as is.

[BM91]

So I got my friend to take a look at my tints, turns out that they are 35%. I expected 35% to be darker after looking at pictures, but in reality they are light in person.

[joepa150]

I have dark interior and also bought 35% film. My film is Sungard Black Pearl NR. Not the best film but the installer had the best customer service and price.

These are the two problems with my 35% and probably yours
1) BMW factory tint is lighter than many other vehicles. The installer told me this and metered a Toyota and a Honda and my BMW without tint. The BMW had the lightest factory tint.
2) 35% varies per manufacturer and line. My 35% has about 37% VLT (pre installed).

My previous car was a Mazda6. It had another brand of tint that was 35% also but it had a VLT of 35% and had darker factory tint. So it really did look darker than my E90. Probably would have metered 5-10% darker!!

Here is my current E90 with "35%" Sungard. This was taken on a sunny day around 10:30 am. It looks darker at different angles and if it were cloudy out.

[oldbmwreader]

It looks good. If it was 50 or higher you wouldn't even be able to see it. I have 35 all around and looks just a little darker than yours because I have black interior. Also remember rolling with the sunroof open or with the roof sun blocker open makes the tints look a lot lighter.

I use 3M FX premium.

[whiteCanadian335xi]

I have tint on mine not sure what % it is because it was done by previous owner but its starting to peel. Im wondering the second time around If I should keep the same % or darker? It does fade over time right? Also i plan to get it to the edge this time unlike on my last car (G35) I told them not to do it because it woulda costed $60 more or something.