Good Tint place in Austin [Archive] - bimmerfest

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afshawnt

04-25-2005, 08:17 PM

Greetings Austinites,

Summer is approaching and I am considering tinting my car. All other cars I have owned have had tint, but its kind of hard deciding wether or not to tint my car. Opinions from all are appreciated and local places woul be helpful.

Main Reason not to tint.
1) Not sure I will like the look on a white car. I think the non-tinted windows gives a very 'euro' look.

If I do tint, I really want it to look perfect so I won't regret it.
1) Legal Light tint 35% all around or even lighter (my previous car had 20 all around it was a pain to see out at night)
2) Something silverish, greyish, reflective(where from a distance it appears the car has no tint); I think I read a post where someone called it neutral reflective. 100% sure I wouldn't want the black tint (I don't think it looks good on a white car).
3)A good tinter that can handle the dot matrix.
4)Costs?
5)Heat effectiveness? (I'm temporarily living in Austin, and to make it better I return to So. Florida)

Sorry for the long post, I just wanna get it right. I searched but was looking for something in the area. Any of you IBMers, maybe we can meet during luch so I can check out your tint.

Thanks

Mr. The Edge

04-25-2005, 09:03 PM

sunbusters, FormulaOne Pinnacle Ceramic tint

sunbusters does a GREAT job on BMWs

icemanjs4

04-25-2005, 09:59 PM

I just got my windows tinted last week at SunTint. This is the place that BMW recommeds for all of their cars so I figured they'd be good enough for me. I went with the 3M graphite 35% on the sides and 20% on the rear. This film is non-metallic so it doesn't mess with radio or GPS reception. They did a pretty good job with the dot matrix in the back. I have to go in for a 10 minute checkup on the weekend. There's one spot on one of the side windows that needs some touching up, but otherwise no real complaints (they have everyone come in for a followup).

OK one question/maybe complaint. The rear windshield distorts headlights wherever the tint meets one of the horizontal lines for the defogger. Is this normal with tint or do I need to have them fix this?

The car is Silbergrau (surprised?!) . If you want to see it, lemme know and I can drive it by sometime.

LDV330i

04-25-2005, 10:37 PM

This film is non-metallic so it doesn't mess with radio or GPS reception. A decision needs to be made first on the kind/brand of film is going to be installed, then try to select a good installer. Just like when one buys a car. One first decides on a brand (BMW) and then finds a good dealer for that brand and not the other way around.

I would agree that a good quality non-metallic fillm should be installed, these are not to be confused with the spun dyed polyester films which are the cheapo crap. The list of good quality non-metallic film includeds the 3M film, Madico CharcOOl (not Madico CharcOAl), Huper Optik Ceramic (Stark), and FormulaOne Pinnacle (ceramic film). The ceramic films will be the most expensive running in the $400-500 range but they will also have the highest heat rejection. I have HO Ceramic 35 installed on my car and very happy with it. :)

LDV330i

04-25-2005, 11:29 PM

Main Reason not to tint.
1) Not sure I will like the look on a white car. I think the non-tinted windows gives a very 'euro' look.

You can keep your non tinted look by using V-Kool film (http://www.v-kool-usa.com/technology.htm#perf).

V-Kool® is spectrally selective and allows in 73% Visible Light, while blocking over 90% infrared spectrum. This means your window remains Visibly Clear but cuts out 55% of the Solar Heat. No other product can match V-Kool®'s performance. When applied to your windows, V-Kool® forms a virtually clear barrier. That means less need for expensive air conditioning and electric lighting, making V-Kool® a great way to help control soaring energy costs. V-Kool® is spectrally selective and allows in 73% Visible Light, while blocking over 90% infrared spectrum. This means your window remains Visibly Clear but cuts out 55% of the Solar Heat. No other product can match V-Kool®'s performance. When applied to your windows, V-Kool® forms a virtually clear barrier. That means less need for expensive air conditioning and electric lighting, making V-Kool® a great way to help control soaring energy costs.

afshawnt

04-26-2005, 06:54 AM

I'm really interested in the V-Kool and the HO. If I purchased the HO it would have to be 50 or 60 % i think. I'm going to check how expensive each will run me in the austin area.

afshawnt

04-26-2005, 07:52 AM

I really like this look. In maybe a 50% :dunno:

Opinions?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38269&highlight=50%25+tint

LDV330i

04-26-2005, 10:49 AM

I really like this look. In maybe a 50% :dunno:

Opinions?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38269&highlight=50%25+tintThat is a metallized film that may interfere with Sat radio antenna on your rear deck.

BTW: Here (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54562) a pictures when I got my tinting done.

afshawnt

04-26-2005, 11:58 AM

That is a metallized film that may interfere with Sat radio antenna on your rear deck.

BTW: Here (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54562) a pictures when I got my tinting done.

I just went to check out the HO. I was quoted $399. They had a heat display there. It makes a huge difference. The display had Ceramic 30 (I believe you have that). From your pics, its a little dark for my taste on a white car. What if I went with a ceramic 50% they also have a 40%. From all my posts what do you think i'll be satisfied with in the long run?

Thanks

LDV330i

04-26-2005, 08:47 PM

I just went to check out the HO. I was quoted $399. They had a heat display there. It makes a huge difference. The display had Ceramic 30 (I believe you have that). From your pics, its a little dark for my taste on a white car. What if I went with a ceramic 50% they also have a 40%. From all my posts what do you think i'll be satisfied with in the long run?

Thanks That is a pretty good price for HO. That is what I paid after shopping around and being asked up to $500.

My tint does look dark because I have a dark interior. That is why I always recommend that people look at cars with similar interiors to better gauge how their car might look.

The HO 40 might not be that much lighter than mine. My HO 30 has VLT of 34% (for legal reason my receipt say HO 35) while the HO 40 is true to its name with a VLT of 40%. The best thing is probably is to go back to the installer and asked them to cling a piece of HO 40 to the rear door window and HO 30 to the front door. You really are only than can make a decision of how dark is too dark.

BTW: I was going to respond to your post earlier but the IT nazis at work have finally caught up with me. They have disabled the ability of my web browser to store BF cookies. I was in the middle of a session at lunch and I go to the next page of a thread and I am no longer logged in. I have tried everything but no luck logging in. :mad:

afshawnt

05-01-2005, 07:39 PM

We'll this weekend I did some research. I actually convinced myself not to tint at one point. I found out that the only place in Austin that carries Huper is Mothers Window Tint. I was quoted $399 for the lightest that the carry Stark 40. However, I am not satisfied with them as far as install. I really dont think that they handle the dot matrix very well. They said we try our best, and if Its bad we might have to sand :eek: So I've heard great things about Sunbusters. I'm going to pay them a visit tomorrow and check out the formula one pinnacle 50 and 35 . Does anyone know if they have computer cut tint?

LDV330i

05-02-2005, 08:49 PM

hockeynut

05-04-2005, 08:57 AM

sunbusters, FormulaOne Pinnacle Ceramic tint

sunbusters does a GREAT job on BMWs

I had mine done by Sunbusters, as did another bimmer pal. Highly recommended!!!

afshawnt

05-05-2005, 07:20 AM

I had mine done by Sunbusters, as did another bimmer pal. Highly recommended!!!

I went ahead and got formula one pinnacle 35% done at Sunbusters. Looks amazing. Originally, its too dark for my taste, but I think it looks awesome now, good quality film.

My only problem was with the dot matrix. I went back a day later, and told them they did a great job, and I was amazed with the compter cut but I was worried about the dots and think they could do a little better job getting them to stick "make it look uniform". They gave me a hard time. Basicaly what I wanted them to tell me was come back in a few days and we'll press down on them again, and he finally did that. So, Monday I will pay them a visit.

If sunbusters does a great job on BMW's has anyone else had the dot matrix problem with them, or am I being too picky? :dunno:

icemanjs4

05-05-2005, 11:10 PM

Afshawnt,

I had my car done at SunTint (since BMW recommended them). Anyway I went back after a week, and the guy literally just wiped his finger over the dot matrix, and it became perfectly smooth. It didn't take him any effort. Of course for other reasons, it looks like he might have to peel off the film and reapply it - but that's a whole other story.

But I'm sure the dot matrix problem will go away pretty quickly.

LDV330i

05-06-2005, 05:16 PM

My only problem was with the dot matrix. I went back a day later, and told them they did a great job, and I was amazed with the compter cut but I was worried about the dots and think they could do a little better job getting them to stick "make it look uniform". They gave me a hard time. Basicaly what I wanted them to tell me was come back in a few days and we'll press down on them again, and he finally did that. So, Monday I will pay them a visit.

If sunbusters does a great job on BMW's has anyone else had the dot matrix problem with them, or am I being too picky? :dunno:
One way for you to minimize the problem is for YOU to gently press the film against the dot matrix with your finger wrapped in a towel. This needs to be done evey day during the first week. Do not rub the film.