Hey all, I have a black 2004 545i and am looking to get the windows tinted. After looking around on this site it appears the Formula One Pinnacle Series is the way to go. My question is what does everyone think about going with 15% all the way around? (thats all the windows excluding the windshield, doesn't seem worth the risk) Im not worried about having the front driver and passenger windows tinted dark as far as cops go, I have a way around the tickets at work. Would that be to dark in the front to be practical at night? Also, if I wanted to do a dark strip across the top of the windshield does that interfere with the censors located at the top? Lastly, I'm located in San Diego if anyone has any ideas for a good shop to go to. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

and im working on the signature with all my car info, just gotta figure out how. im new here

 

15% tint is dangerous IMO. It really does not matter if you can get around a ticket. 15% tint reduces night visibility significantly. If you get into an accident with that degree tint, even if the accident is not your fault, you had better hire an attorney.
Anything darker than 30% impairs night visibility.
I don't want to rain on your parade.... just trying to give good advice. By the way, I am an eye doctor.

 

I think 35% looks good: not too dark, not too light...

 

i personally don't like a dark tint in the front, and i don't have it so i can't really say how practical it is at night (but i gotta agree with the doc =P). what's your intention with tint? if purely for looks, i think 20-30% would look nice on a black car on the rear windows, and will do something lighter in the front (like 35-50%).

if you care being dark at the back (for kids), i would recommend 15-20% in the back. if you care about high heat rejection in the front, check out v-kool, i have that and it rejects heat even better than my 20% rear (the v-kool is 70%, so it's very light).

 

20% tint all around would be good, there's still some visibility and gives your car a stealthy look. If you want to lighter I suggest 30%. Then make the front's tint 50%

 

+1 for 35%

 

thanks to all for the input, I think i will try to go with something like 20 in the rear and 30 up front. any input on the front stripe on the windshield? and do we all agree that pinnacle is the best way to go?

 

As long as the front and rear doors are the same level of tint, then it's ok to go lighter than the rear windshield.
When the front door is one shade, and the rear door is darker... that looks bad, IMO.
I also do not like tint strips on the front winshield. Just tint the whole thing with a lighter shade of tint.
I have 20% tint on sides and rear, and 35% on the entire front windshield. Perfect setup for the Florida heat.
Have never gotten a ticket for the front tint. Have been pulled for speeding a few times and they never noticed the front tint. Day or night.

 

Its all a matter of what you can get used to. I had double layered 5% on my maxima, I got used to it after and while and seeing at night was fine. Only thing that is bad is when there are no lights outside and u are trying to back up.