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      08-06-2015, 10:28 AM   #1
fusion0389
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2016 X3 Window Tint % Settled (Pics)

I took the liberty of doing some before and after tint metering on a couple new X3's that made their way into the family. My wife and brother both got new 2016 X3 28i with M Sport. As we all know, they come tinted from the factory.

My goal was to #1 ascertain what level the factory glass meters at and #2 determine what tint combination would achieve the best reduction in heat while also matching the color\hue between the front and rear windows.

Window Tint Meter

MFG: Laser Labs Inc
Model: TM100


Tint Film Used

Front Windows: 3M Crystalline 40
Rear Windows: 3M Crystalline 70


Stock Tint Findings (Before)

Front:83%
Rear:42%


3M Crystalline Tint Findings (After)

Front Windows: 37%
Rear Windows: 26%



Notes:
Let me make a couple of disclosures here. The meter I selected for this test is commonly used by state troopers I have encountered in Georgia and in Virginia. It comes certified with known test samples in the box to ensure accuracy. There may be better units out there, but I figured let’s use what the police uses since they're the only organization that’s likely to give us flack for tinting our windows. The unit cost me $97 on amazon.

Lastly, I chose 3M crystalline film for the whole car. I allowed a full week and a half for the tint to cure before rolling widows down or attempting to measure the tint. Everything but the windshield is done in crystalline film, including the panoramic roof. At 97% IR rejection 3M Crystalline rejects IR better than any other film on the market. I have used 3M Crystalline on my previous car for over 3 years and can attest to its heat rejection capabilities. I chose 70% for all of the windows that are tinted from the factory and 40% for the front since they do not come tinted. If I was to do this again, I would do one thing differently. I'll get to that later.


Comments:
I absolutely love this tint; it works very well at rejecting the heat. The panoramic roof can be open during the day without frying the few brain cells I have left. Sitting in the back seat is cool and comfortable regardless of where the sun is shining. The added privacy of slightly darker tint is also nice for when I've got a laptop or other miscellaneous electronics in the trunk or backseat area. The tint in the front, although 11% lighter, does an impeccable job at blocking heat and adding privacy without impeding my ability to see out of the window at night. Ideally, I'd like it if it was slightly darker, but that’s just nit picking at this point.

I do have one observation about the tint that has annoyed me so much that I have decided to replace the two front windows with 3M Ceramic film. If you look closely at the exterior pictures i took, you will notice that the front windows have a slight blue\purple hue when compared to the dark earthy tone of the rear windows. I asked my tint professional about this and he states that all Crystalline film has the same blue\purple reflective hue to it. However the reason that it didn’t show up on the rear windows is because the factory tint blocks it. The 3M Ceramic film has the same dark earthy tone that the factory tint has. Even though I lose some IR rejection I get tint that has the same tone as the rear windows and about 5% darker than the crystalline. In the grand scheme of things, should I care so much that I’m going to have it replaced? Probably not, but I’m a very particular person so it is what it is. I hope this will help others when making a decision to tint their cars.

***SEE POSTS BELOW FOR UPDATED TINT PICTURES***
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Last edited by fusion0389; 09-09-2015 at 09:19 AM..
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      08-06-2015, 02:22 PM   #2
Max Well
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Excellent presentation, fusion - thank you for sharing. Although I've never considered tint, I can see how it should certainly help to keep the inside cooler.
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      08-06-2015, 02:59 PM   #3
fusion0389
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Well View Post
Excellent presentation, fusion - thank you for sharing. Although I've never considered tint, I can see how it should certainly help to keep the inside cooler.
Thanks for the positive feedback! I was once part of the crowd that thought dark tint blocked heat better than lighter tint. Once I found out that you can get 70% films that block 97% of IR radiation (the heat we feel from the sun) I started to focus more on aesthetics and what complements the look of the car. My goal was to find a combination that will reduce heat while matching the look of the front\rear windows, im getting very close. I think that by going with ceramic on the front windows I'll get a very close tint match between the front and rear. I'll obviously post results when i have them.

Last edited by fusion0389; 08-06-2015 at 03:07 PM..
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      08-06-2015, 05:57 PM   #4
evilken
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Awesome post, I am about to tint my car and was wondering how tinting the back with the privacy glass was going to look. Do you have any more pics, maybe in the sun comparing the front/back window contrast?
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      08-06-2015, 10:35 PM   #5
fusion0389
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evilken View Post
Awesome post, I am about to tint my car and was wondering how tinting the back with the privacy glass was going to look. Do you have any more pics, maybe in the sun comparing the front/back window contrast?
Thank you for the kind words! The pictures I listed show the rear windows with Crystalline 70% on top of the factory tint. The pictures you see in my previous post were taken with my windshield sunshade up. The reason I did that is because if i set it in the sun without a sunshade, the light that pours in through the windshield will make the front windows look lighter than they actually are. This is valid for pretty much any tint combination.

I do plan on adding more pictures within the next couple weeks. As i mentioned in my previous post i plan on replacing the crystalline tint on the front windows with ceramic which will match the rear slightly better in both darkness and color.
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      09-09-2015, 09:04 AM   #6
fusion0389
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evilken View Post
Awesome post, I am about to tint my car and was wondering how tinting the back with the privacy glass was going to look. Do you have any more pics, maybe in the sun comparing the front/back window contrast?
I ended up changing out the tint on the front windows to ceramic, I left the rest of the windows alone with the 70%. I couldnt get used to the blue\purple hue. I'll post some pictures shortly.
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      09-09-2015, 09:15 AM   #7
fusion0389
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As promised, here are some updated pictures. As i mentioned in the original post, the purple\blue hue of the tint on the front windows bothered me, there was also a bit of a difference in darkness between the front and the rear that I wanted to reduce. The result is PERFECTION! The only change I made to the list is the type of film used on the front driver\passenger windows. I had the tint changed to 3M Ceramic 35% film. This allowed to match the same earthy tone of the factory tinted glass. I think the results speak for themselves. Let me know what you think!
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