[ironxcross]

I just did Xpel and it looks great! Color and clarity are excellent. I don't notice any of the ceramic haze.

Front side windows are XR 30% (the shop didn't have the XR Plus 30% in stock at the time and I didn't care to wait for it, or the negligible difference in heat rejection along with increased price.. but if it was in stock I probably would have just done it)

Rear sides and back window are XR Plus 70%

I spent a long time at the shop looking at different films against the window.. While I wanted to get the front and rear to be close, I wasn't hellbent on matching transmission level exactly, but color yes. And I didn't want to go too dark in the front just to match the rear, which would have required something like 3M CIR 15% as far as I could tell.

I have Suntek CXP 35% all around on my 235i which I thought was pretty perfect so wanted to stay around 35%. (FWIW that Suntek still looks great 6 years later.. slight brown color sometimes but mostly neutral charcoal.. I just wanted to try something different)

Anyway, when I walked in I was 99% sure I wanted to get 3M Ceramic IR 25% in the front and a light CIR in the back for heat rejection, but then I looked at the other options, including Crystalline, Color Stable, Xpel, another the name of which escapes me, and I was blown away by how good the Xpel looked on the glass.

3M CIR has a bit of blue to it with our glass, which honestly doesn't look bad in any way, especially with Carbon Black paint, which I thought I might want, but at the end I really liked the very charcoal color of the Xpel.

Also, 3M CIR in the front and back ended up giving different colors that didn't match too well... 3M CIR in the front and 3M Crystalline in the back were very close to color match, but again I didn't want the blueish tint, and Crystalline is more expensive for marginally better thermals. So Xpel it is! Will take pictures when I get a chance.

[Score04]

I’m doing xpel xr plus for my ‘23. I was searching for a while and hoping to get a more concrete answer. Which percentage will not affect this dimming of digital cockpit? I’m between 15%, 20%, 30% or 35%? Will all of these be safe? Can anyone confirm having 15, 20 or 30 and not having dimming issues of any kind? Thanks! I would like to decide. I’m torn on this topic.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by Score04

I’m doing xpel xr plus for my ‘23. I was searching for a while and hoping to get a more concrete answer. Which percentage will not affect this dimming of digital cockpit? I’m between 15%, 20%, 30% or 35%? Will all of these be safe? Can anyone confirm having 15, 20 or 30 and not having dimming issues of any kind? Thanks! I would like to decide. I’m torn on this topic.

I'll tell you my perspective on this...

I don't have tinted windows but have read a lot of the opinions which are all over the place on this. After all that and my personal experience with how the cockpit dims even under natural light, under any shadows or even a smidge of darkness, there is absolutely no way that tint won't affect it. It's just a reality... it seems to me many people have either gotten used to it or dimming to them is different than dimming to someone else may be.

[Score04]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I'll tell you my perspective on this...

I don't have tinted windows but have read a lot of the opinions which are all over the place on this. After all that and my personal experience with how the cockpit dims even under natural light, under any shadows or even a smidge of darkness, there is absolutely no way that tint won't affect it. It's just a reality... it seems to me many people have either gotten used to it or dimming to them is different than dimming to someone else may be.

Gotcha. Still left wondering on the direction here. HAHA

[Alias1431]

I'd go 35%. I have 25%.

[Score04]

Originally Posted by Alias1431

I'd go 35%. I have 25%.

I didn't see 25% as an option. I see 20, 30, and 35% for xpel xr plus.

[tpatte02]

What was everyone paying price-wise to get the sides/rear windows tinted on their X3s? I've never tinted my windows but will be doing so on our new M40i so I'm curious about pricing.

[glennbk]

Between $329 to $429. $429 is for ceramic tint.

[tpatte02]

Thank you! That's very helpful

[X6DividedByTwo]

I’ve owned 3m film before on two vehicles and never thought of using anything else, but, I hear folks on here naming xpel and some other films. Am I just throwing money out the window by being loyal to 3M?

[climbbike]

Originally Posted by trail hopper

How dark did you go on your tint? Just curious as obviously you have/are experiencing dimming issues post-tint.

I am just trying to figure out a "reasonable" baseline to minimize issues with interior light sensor dimming. I don't mind it being a little more sensitive in certain scenarios, but would like to try to avoid constant frustrations.

You can fix the dimming problem with BimmerCode. See my post under the coding thread.
https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=29662818

[glennbk]

Originally Posted by X6DividedByTwo

I’ve owned 3m film before on two vehicles and never thought of using anything else, but, I hear folks on here naming xpel and some other films. Am I just throwing money out the window by being loyal to 3M?

I think both are excellent. I am using CTX from LLumar.

[tpatte02]

Originally Posted by glennbk

I think both are excellent. I am using CTX from LLumar.

How do you like the CTX? Did you consider IRX?

[glennbk]

Originally Posted by tpatte02

How do you like the CTX? Did you consider IRX?

Yes, but chose CTX this time. It was $100 more than IRX. The X3 has more surface glass and was looking for a way to keep more heat out. Hence my purchase.

[tpatte02]

Originally Posted by glennbk

Yes, but chose CTX this time. It was $100 more than IRX. The X3 has more surface glass and was looking for a way to keep more heat out. Hence my purchase.

I thought IRX kept more heat out than CTX and was more $$$ - the quotes I'm seeing locally indicate that's the case

[glennbk]

What difference are you seeing price wise?

[tpatte02]

Here is one quote

The Ceramic film (LLumar CTX) offers about 60% heat rejection. To tint all side windows and back glass, that is on special for $500.
The Ceramic Plus film (LLumar IRX) offers 80% heat rejection. This is on special for $700.

[glennbk]

Originally Posted by tpatte02

Here is one quote

The Ceramic film (LLumar CTX) offers about 60% heat rejection. To tint all side windows and back glass, that is on special for $500.
The Ceramic Plus film (LLumar IRX) offers 80% heat rejection. This is on special for $700.

Ok, I got CTX for $429.

[tpatte02]

Originally Posted by glennbk

Ok, I got CTX for $429.

Are you happy with the heat rejection and appearance?

[glennbk]

yes. The appearance is probably the best. I've always had darker tints to combat Texas heat. Downside is of course night vision. I'm almost 50 and super dark tints just aren't an option. Hence why I chose ceramic.

[nbrewno]

Has anyone heard of or had experience with Global Window Tint? The best tinter in my area says he's used XPel and Suntek but always goes back to Global due to it being a superior product.

[HeatJoey]

hi new here. just got my 23 x3 (sold my hellcat 2 days ago, long story lol)

getting tint today. I measured the back factory tint with my meter and it showed 22% so the previous estimates are correct.

I am going 20% front as I'm getting old and below that is hard to see at night and this car will be going to my wife soon I'm sure LOL.

as for calculating the tint, it's very easy, you simply multiple the %'s. i.e. the back is 22% so I'll put 70% above that which will get it to 15.4%. .22 x .70 is .154.

makes sense if you use an easier example, let's say you had 20% and you install 50% above it. remember this is the amount of light that comes through so you are taking a film that is 20% and blocking half (50%) of the additional light so it ends at 10%.

I'll do a front strip because that's where the sun comes in early morning or late day, at 20% so it's not black lol.

these windows are big and there are a lot of them (compared to my hellcat) so I'm actually thinking about doing the front 15% too but again at night 15% sometimes is hard to see out of and probably not worth it. I should end at 20% front 2 and 15.4% back windows.