znod

I was up to ask the same question!

I have tinted windows and I have the halo effect. Don't like it but still, the car looks better with dark windows..
Attachment 12984
You are talking about this?
[/quote]Maybe that is what he is talking about. If so, it doesn't bother me. The halo was there before tinting too, right?

Roleez

Nice discussion going on. I've tinted all my previous cars with reflective tint, but I'm a bit hesitant to tint my new 550i. I actually like the thought of being seen (haha) driving this beast around. Yet why tint when you ordered the rear sunshades? On the other hand, protecting the interior from UV penetration with window tint is a plus.

Then there's the safety factor: tint holds the glass in place in an accident. However I noticed something interesting today while cleaning my car: ALL the windows (and windshield) are labeled "BMW Splintex". This implies (to me) that all windows have protective film embedded in the glass to keep the glass held in place if shattered. On my previous Hondas and GMs, only the windshield was labeled "Lamisafe" while the others were not. Does BMW actually have laminated windows all around???

Anyway, hard to decide what I want to do. My immediate concerns:

a) Has anyone had any problems with scratch lines on their E60 window tint (despite the "anti-scratch" features that most modern tint films have nowadays)? I've seen quality tint get scratched/grooved over time in MB cars. But has this happened to anyone's 5?

b) Any problems with the Anti-Trap kicking in after getting your E60's windows tinted?

znod

We noticed a scratch in our X5's tint yesterday. It looked like a ring might have made it. I have no idea how common scatches are these days.

gamehaus

yes! that's precisely what i was talking about. i agree the tint in general looks fantastic, especially on the side windows where it looks totally clean. 20% is too dark, 35% seems about right.

znod

yes! that's precisely what i was talking about. i agree the tint in general looks fantastic, especially on the side windows where it looks totally clean. 20% is too dark, 35% seems about right.
[/quote]OK, but don't you see the halo when there is no tint? I actually don't remember.

gamehaus

lemme share a few things that i know about windows and window tint:

• the "matrix" is the border between the black border frame and the window, where you see small circles blending the black area into the clear glass. because this area has texture it conflicts with tint film's requirement for a flat surface and when tint is applied leaves small, microscopic gaps of air that when lit almost always look silver-white. this is known as a halo effect, and is particularly bad on hatchback cars that have huge matrices. the e60's have a relatively thin matrix but imho that still leaves a thin halo when dark tint is applied.
• i believe the oem windows on most cars already block uv rays, otherwise our exposed skin would be sunburned after prolonged exposure (even in an air conditioned car). so any added uv protection advertised by tint manufacturers is, humbly, bogus.
• all window tint, no matter what the brand, will scratch since it is installed on the inside of the window. an easy, practical example is a diamond ring accidentally slamming the window.
• most tint can be damaged by ammonia-based cleansers (and if you dare wash your car in a car wash, you can bet the owners are not concerned about the proper chemicals needed to wash your windows... heh).
• adhesives used to adhere the tint to the window will lose grip over time which explains why most installers offer lifetime warranties. tint typically wears toward the edge where it is constantly in friction with other items.
• tint applied to a rear window that has a defroster towards the inside of the car typically means that the tint can never be removed without damaging the defroster wires. some cars have the defroster wires inside the glass, but most don't. the removal process for tint involves spraying a solvent on tint and pulling it back, it's possible to not damage the defroster wires but you would have to be lucky and even if it worked you would still have to remove the adhesive from the window. (this point may be old-fashioned, please correct me if i'm wrong)
• all windows are designed to shatter outwards and into small pieces as a safety measure
• it is illegal in california to tint the front side windows and front windshield (more details here)
• tint is sold and described as a percentage of light that is allowed to pass through. so for example, 20% means once applied 80% of the light will be restricted. 20% effectively means "dark." 50% is common, 35% is typical. 5% is what most limos apply.
• tint reduces night vision

i can see and understand the "tint looks cheap" argument. but i can also sympathize with the "tint looks sleek" argument too.

perhaps the only argument for tint that holds water on all fronts is increased privacy. for me, personally, that is not important. some things to consider if you plan on tinting your windows.

Centurion

lemme share a few things that i know about windows and window tint:

• the "matrix" is the border between the black border frame and the window, where you see small circles blending the black area into the clear glass. because this area has texture it conflicts with tint film's requirement for a flat surface and when tint is applied leaves small, microscopic gaps of air that when lit almost always look silver-white. this is known as a halo effect, and is particularly bad on hatchback cars that have huge matrices. the e60's have a relatively thin matrix but imho that still leaves a thin halo when dark tint is applied.
  
• i believe the oem windows on most cars already block uv rays, otherwise our exposed skin would be sunburned after prolonged exposure (even in an air conditioned car). so any added uv protection advertised by tint manufacturers is, humbly, bogus.
  
• all window tint, no matter what the brand, will scratch since it is installed on the inside of the window. an easy, practical example is a diamond ring accidentally slamming the window.
  
• most tint can be damaged by ammonia-based cleansers (and if you dare wash your car in a car wash, you can bet the owners are not concerned about the proper chemicals needed to wash your windows... heh).
  
• adhesives used to adhere the tint to the window will lose grip over time which explains why most installers offer lifetime warranties. tint typically wears toward the edge where it is constantly in friction with other items.
  
• tint applied to a rear window that has a defroster towards the inside of the car typically means that the tint can never be removed without damaging the defroster wires. some cars have the defroster wires inside the glass, but most don't. the removal process for tint involves spraying a solvent on tint and pulling it back, it's possible to not damage the defroster wires but you would have to be lucky and even if it worked you would still have to remove the adhesive from the window. (this point may be old-fashioned, please correct me if i'm wrong)
  
• all windows are designed to shatter outwards and into small pieces as a safety measure
  
• it is illegal in california to tint the front side windows and front windshield (more details here)
  
• tint is sold and described as a percentage of light that is allowed to pass through. so for example, 20% means once applied 80% of the light will be restricted. 20% effectively means "dark." 50% is common, 35% is typical. 5% is what most limos apply.
  
• tint reduces night vision

i can see and understand the "tint looks cheap" argument. but i can also sympathize with the "tint looks sleek" argument too.

perhaps the only argument for tint that holds water on all fronts is increased privacy. for me, personally, that is not important. some things to consider if you plan on tinting your windows.
[/quote]
Great bulleted summary.

Welcome to the forum.

cory.wingerter

I had a problem twice with the anti-trap function. The first time the dealer said that it was just a bug in the s/w and it needed to be reset. The second time I made him look in the doors to make sure that nothing was getting caught down there. Sure enough, some of the rubber from the frame had been getting caught on the underside of the window and it was making the s/w think someone's hand or finger had been caught in the window!

I had my windows tinted (35% front, 15% back) for the main reason that I had to park my car on the street for the first month that I was in DC and I wanted the protection so people wouldn't walk by and see something in my car and be tempted to take it.

I never think that tinting "cheapens" a cars look but everyone has their own opinion to it.

I have also been pulled over 2 or 3 times in Jersey (where I am originally from and where front window tinting is illegal) since I've had my windows tinted and they've never said anything. I just roll my front windows down immediately and they never seem to notice.

I had my windows tinted for $220 and they came with a lifetime guarantee against everything (fading, scracthing, bubbling, peeling) and it was carbon-fiber kind of tint that doesn't interfere with my Navigation.

I'd post some pictures but I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet.

Jeez, I think I pretty much answered every type of question from this post.

cory.wingerter

I had a problem twice with the anti-trap function. The first time the dealer said that it was just a bug in the s/w and it needed to be reset. The second time I made him look in the doors to make sure that nothing was getting caught down there. Sure enough, some of the rubber from the frame had been getting caught on the underside of the window and it was making the s/w think someone's hand or finger had been caught in the window!

I had my windows tinted (35% front, 15% back) for the main reason that I had to park my car on the street for the first month that I was in DC and I wanted the protection so people wouldn't walk by and see something in my car and be tempted to take it.

I never think that tinting "cheapens" a cars look but everyone has their own opinion to it.

I have also been pulled over 2 or 3 times in Jersey (where I am originally from and where front window tinting is illegal) since I've had my windows tinted and they've never said anything. I just roll my front windows down immediately and they never seem to notice.

I had my windows tinted for $220 and they came with a lifetime guarantee against everything (fading, scracthing, bubbling, peeling) and it was carbon-fiber kind of tint that doesn't interfere with my Navigation.

Jeez, I think I pretty much answered every type of question from this post.

Bimmer32

lemme share a few things that i know about windows and window tint:

• the "matrix" is the border between the black border frame and the window, where you see small circles blending the black area into the clear glass. because this area has texture it conflicts with tint film's requirement for a flat surface and when tint is applied leaves small, microscopic gaps of air that when lit almost always look silver-white. this is known as a halo effect, and is particularly bad on hatchback cars that have huge matrices. the e60's have a relatively thin matrix but imho that still leaves a thin halo when dark tint is applied.
  
• i believe the oem windows on most cars already block uv rays, otherwise our exposed skin would be sunburned after prolonged exposure (even in an air conditioned car). so any added uv protection advertised by tint manufacturers is, humbly, bogus.
  
• all window tint, no matter what the brand, will scratch since it is installed on the inside of the window. an easy, practical example is a diamond ring accidentally slamming the window.
  
• most tint can be damaged by ammonia-based cleansers (and if you dare wash your car in a car wash, you can bet the owners are not concerned about the proper chemicals needed to wash your windows... heh).
  
• adhesives used to adhere the tint to the window will lose grip over time which explains why most installers offer lifetime warranties. tint typically wears toward the edge where it is constantly in friction with other items.
  
• tint applied to a rear window that has a defroster towards the inside of the car typically means that the tint can never be removed without damaging the defroster wires. some cars have the defroster wires inside the glass, but most don't. the removal process for tint involves spraying a solvent on tint and pulling it back, it's possible to not damage the defroster wires but you would have to be lucky and even if it worked you would still have to remove the adhesive from the window. (this point may be old-fashioned, please correct me if i'm wrong)
  
• all windows are designed to shatter outwards and into small pieces as a safety measure
  
• it is illegal in california to tint the front side windows and front windshield (more details here)
  
• tint is sold and described as a percentage of light that is allowed to pass through. so for example, 20% means once applied 80% of the light will be restricted. 20% effectively means "dark." 50% is common, 35% is typical. 5% is what most limos apply.
  
• tint reduces night vision

i can see and understand the "tint looks cheap" argument. but i can also sympathize with the "tint looks sleek" argument too.

perhaps the only argument for tint that holds water on all fronts is increased privacy. for me, personally, that is not important. some things to consider if you plan on tinting your windows.
[/quote]

Thank you for the bullets on tintings. This thread is one of the most comprehensive facts and opionion so far . . . and I keep getting new information day by day. I love to see the pics submitted too as it will help me to decide the percentage when I when tinting.