[Silver bullet]

I'm thinking of tinting the windows in my 330i. Need some suggestions.

How dark, I know it's not legal in California to tint the front windows but how dark can I go without attracting a ticket?

I have a Titanium Silver, what color should go with?

Would like a recomendation for a installer in the Inland Empire if someone has had good luck with one.

Last but not least, is the AM antena in the rear window? If so I heard that you cant use metal film, is that true?

[Caster]

I'm pretty sure it is illegal to tint your front window in cali, but cops don't care too much, just as long as you're not going limo tint in the front (I think thats 5%). I went 15% all around, and its fine, it looks great, you can still see out of it, but at night you can't see inside. I wouldn't of done anything lower then 10% on my front if I didn't go 15%.

I've heard that there is problems with tinting the rear window, but usually the places you go to tint should know how to get around that, they use a special type of tint.

[just4kickz]

all depends on where you live and how anal the cops are that day (in cali at least). my friend got pulled over for having 20's all around and i have 30's all around but i havent been pulled over yet. plus if you have the aluminum trim, that reflects alot of light so your fronts might seem a little lighter and the cops wont care as much.

[BarelyFitInCar]

I tinted my fronts 35% and the back 17% and it creates a contrast. I have a titanium silver as well and it looks pretty good. there is no legal tint for the front windows in California, so you just have to be careful when you are around cops.

[KL2DC]

Along the same line, would like to add a question...

I know that non-metallic (read: more expensive) tints is recommended due to various electronics but would a quality metallic-tint be ok on a car without i-drive, navi, bluetooth, OEM alarm and comfort access. Had planned for ceramic tints from the beginning but the cheaper side of me is coming out, also diverting funds to much needed wheels budget

[SnEeKy4LiFe]

I have 5% it super good keep car cool all day..look very nice but only suck when it rains can't see that good.. other than dat go 5% all around

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by SnEeKy4LiFe

I have 5% it super good keep car cool all day..look very nice but only suck when it rains can't see that good.. other than dat go 5% all around

lol... darker cars absorb more light anyways so it wont cool down ur car much... when thats the case tinting is only for show.

[tl_boy]

I have TiAG as well. I went with Huper Optik 40% windows and 35% rear (no you cant see much difference from windows and rear).

I think the lighter tint is a bit 'classier.' however, in retrospect, I would have gone as dark as I could, because even the HO gets hot, really hot here in Houston.

Heck, I may have even paid extra to get the metallic Drei series, which blocks out the most heat possible afaik. just one caveat, that the drei series is metallic (not ceramic like HO Stark), and so may result in a loss of some AM reception and very slight FM.

[Carnage]

I've got 35% on the sides and 20% on the back and it works very nicely. It's dark but not too dark.

[dejav0o]

Do the shops usually have to take apart your body panels to get the tint to cover the entire window? This is my first time taking a car in to get tinting, so I have no clue what to look for.

I've seen some bad tinting (distorts sight even in daylight, doesn't cover top 1mm of window) and those are the obvious signs, but any other advice would be helpful.

Thinking of doing 35% in the back and 40% fronts... trying to avoid the contrast effect...

[Ryan@Motorwerks]

To avoid a ticket for tint, just roll all of your windows down when you get pulled over. (Assuming you're getting pulled over for something other than tint)

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by 335e90

To avoid a ticket for tint, just roll all of your windows down when you get pulled over. (Assuming you're getting pulled over for something other than tint)

they sometimes tell you to roll down your window... my suggestion would be to put on ur inner lights if you see cops and you got hella dark tints.

[aphall]

Originally Posted by dejav0o

Do the shops usually have to take apart your body panels to get the tint to cover the entire window? This is my first time taking a car in to get tinting, so I have no clue what to look for.

I've seen some bad tinting (distorts sight even in daylight, doesn't cover top 1mm of window) and those are the obvious signs, but any other advice would be helpful.

Thinking of doing 35% in the back and 40% fronts... trying to avoid the contrast effect...

A good shop will not need to take apart anything to get the tint right. I went with Huper Optik 40 ceramic tint. I have black on black, and for me, HO 40 looks plenty dark due to my dark interior. I didn't want to risk metallic tint due to the radio signal thing, but don't know if it would really be a factor. I like the ceramic tint too because it reflects a good deal of heat. The difference is incredible.

[just4kickz]

well fer one thing if you have titanium trim. the trim is gonna reflect alot of light from the front windshield, so your fronts might seem a lil lighter than ur backs.

[Silver bullet]

Thanks for all the help!!!! I think I will go with 35% or mediem all the way around. I found a shop recomended by the dealer. Thay gave $65 off for customers frefered buy BMW of Riverside. They recomended Formulaone brand ceramic film. They said it was equivalent to Huper Optic and a little less exspensive. The place is called Sundown Window Tinting. They were recomended by the dealer and have been in business since 1978. Thay are going to charge me $300, is that a good price?

[just4kickz]

it's a pretty good price if they do cars for BMW of Riverside (or any dealership)... but I'm sure you can bring that down a little more. i got mine done for 270, but i think i coulda got it down to 250. its only like 1-2 hours of work for 7 windows depending on the person/people who work on it.

[shragon]

i went with 35% all around, excluding the windshield. to me, it's dark, but not too dark.

also keep in mind when you have a light colored car, the tint will look darker due to the contrast. also dark interiors will make tint look darker than it is.

i also agree with the statement that it depends on the area you're around in terms of cops really being anal about it.

[bilbarstow]

Silver bullet - I think you are going to like the FormulaOne - I also have the 35% and it is just dark enough. Great heat rejection - believe me, very important here in Houston. Because you can still see through the 35%, especially up close, I don't think you will have much problem with the police - just keep your hands in plain sight

[COOLHAND]

Silver:

$300 is about twice as much as I paid to have a completely pro tint job done on my TiAg 330. Can't remember the manufacture of the tint these guys use but they are very, very good. Were recommended by Bob Smith BMW. Matt or Robert at Tint Master in Canoga Park. website: www.tintmastercity.com

check 'em out. lifetime warranty on their work.

[Jesse Wilson]

I went 20% all the way around on my TIAG and love it. It's just dark enough without being to dark. My last car was 5% all the way around (in fact my last 5 cars have been) which looked sweet on a black car but no matter what anyone else says, IT IS hard to see out of.


Jesse

[Silver bullet]

Coolhand, Was the tint you had done ceramic film? Matalic is not an option with all the electronics.This place I contacted will do a non-matalic dyed polyester film for $160. The FormulaOne, ceramic is $300 an if I wanted Hoper Optic ceramic I got one quote for $700 and decided to go with the formulaOne ceramic.

[Silver bullet]

Bilbarstow, Thanks for the input! That makes me feel better. Pinnacle is the FormulaOne style that they quoted. I'm glad it works in Huston, Southern Cal. has a bit of sun issues and it's good to know that it works in Texas.