Sarge

Huperoptik is generally regarded as the best tint out there. It's ceramic, so it doesn't interfere with cell phones or radar detectors, and provides the most resistance to IR light (heat) with the least amount of visible light loss.

It's what I'll be installing on this car (had it on my X5), as I don't like dark tint (loss of visibility), but I need the greatest heat reduction possible with this black interior. I've seen other brands touted as 'great', but nothing that rises to the level of this stuff. The color is also very neutral. It can be tough to find an installer, as they do more business with architectural glass. The company (via the link) is VERY responsive with helping you find a dealer though. They make a few different levels of tint, so you may want to look at samples first...

Sarge

Thanks for that HPFP info. I will definitely inquire next visit to the dealer. I still have 15k miles/24months of CPO warranty (which I'll blow through in about 9 months). I'm also going to ask about the turbos (p/o says they were replaced).

What fails on chipped cars, if not turbos? Intercooler and IC hoses? Other issues? Breather hoses, vac lines, head gasket? Those were all common items on my Audis and Saabs... If my car does turn out to have newly replaced turbos, I may in fact be tempted...

norsecarnut

I've driven about 10,000 miles since the Dinan tune. With an empty roof, I get 25-26 mpg at 65-70 mph. The blessing is not the +84 hp, it's the +120 lb-ft of torque!!!

However, the Audi S4 v8 still seems better. I guess it's hard to beat displacement and the 4.2 is an awesome pulling engine right from the start and it revs as high as the N54. Actually it doesn't rev, is screams. I have bigger down pipes and full exhaust and high bias center diff too which all combine for quite the fun driving experience. More raw than the BMW however the BMW is far nicer for long trips.

norsecarnut

I ride a LOT. Both road and mtn but more mtn lately and when I have to bring a bike somewhere, it's generally mtn bikes. Some trips I bring my xc bike as well as my DH bike. The DH is annoying to remove the front wheel. But it fits great on a Thule style two arm hitch rack. The xc bikes generally fit too. Yes, I do have wheel holders for the roof and can put it all up there, having 2 fork mount holders and one upright. I don't like muddy mtn bike wheels inside the car, nor do I like large objects such as that where they can fly around inside a car, ideally.

There is a convenience to the roof route, it's pretty easy, with the above parts. However, I am lately a little addicted to the mpg info on the car and see a huge benefit of having nothing on the roof. For my solo trips, I can get away with bikes on the hitch, and everything else inside including a sleeping section down the right 1/3 lengthwise behind the passenger seat, for during cool temps anyway. Mainly if I'm making time cross country and just want to nap for 6 hrs at a rest area or a hiking trail head, etc.

The hitch two arm hanging style rack also doubles as a work stand allowing adjustment of shifting and/or easy cleaning. It keeps them bug free but there is grime out back, no worse than up top really though. You could get crunched if hit from behind, but how often does that happen on the highway?

When there are more people, like going to a race, or worse, when a camping weekend, then the roof gets the cargo box, and I can still put 4 bikes on the back! Remember, I leave a full size spare standing in the cargo area which takes up about 2 square feet of lateral space and up to just under the roof liner. Deflated slightly, the seats lock up fine and the inside of the wheel is very usable still. Then I have a new style ARB fridge back there too.

In this case I mostly prefer the hitch mounted swing out bike carrier., Thule specifically because it's arms are more versatile in size to fit more bikes with full suspension and weird new frame designs.

Lotus99

Huper is on my shortlist, as I've read many good reviews of them, though I think they're almost double the cost of the others, and I've heard that it's a thicker film, so can be harder to work with and that if the installer is not very good, the tint might not come out great around the window edges... Any feedback?

Otherwise, I'd heard to stick with ceramic film and not metallic, to make sure no interference with NAV, radios and comfort access. Llumar is another good brand a few I know have used.

Lotus99

Thanks J for the last reply. Got some thinking to do...

Sarge, if you get the hitch, give us an update!

Sarge

That's all true. With a good installer, it's worth the money. The optics are superb, visible light loss is minimal (you can opt for darker shades), and it's fairly durable. Cost should probably be in the $500-$600 range for this car, doing everything but the windshield.

Lotus99

Yeah, that's the cost I'd heard, though I wouldn't do the front doors, as it's illegal here, even though it looks MUCH better all around... I had that on my old black 2000 A4, and it looked beautiful. Then cops pulled me over twice in 3 months for it, and I gave up.

Sarge

If you go with the lightest shade of huperoptik, you might get away with it. A note from an eye doctor usually helps, too. It also depends on your interior color. Black interiors make tint appear darker than say tan interiors. In a lot of places, you can have some level of tint on the front windows, it's just usually very minimal.

norsecarnut

for visual reference, mine is 32% all windows. I think it's the top grade 3M product but on our Audi I think we have Venture shield