I took the liberty of doing some before and after tint metering on a couple new X3's that made their way into the family. My wife and brother both got new 2016 X3 28i with M Sport. As we all know, they come tinted from the factory.
My goal was to #1 ascertain what level the factory glass meters at and #2 determine what tint combination would achieve the best reduction in heat while also matching the color\hue between the front and rear windows.
Window Tint Meter
MFG: Laser Labs Inc
Model: TM100
Tint Film Used
Front Windows: 3M Crystalline 40
Rear Windows: 3M Crystalline 70
Stock Tint Findings (Before)
Front:83%
Rear:42%
3M Crystalline Tint Findings (After)
Front Windows: 37%
Rear Windows: 26%
Notes:
Let me make a couple of disclosures here. The meter I selected for this test is commonly used by state troopers I have encountered in Georgia and in Virginia. It comes certified with known test samples in the box to ensure accuracy. There may be better units out there, but I figured let’s use what the police uses since they're the only organization that’s likely to give us flack for tinting our windows. The unit cost me $97 on amazon.
Lastly, I chose 3M crystalline film for the whole car. I allowed a full week and a half for the tint to cure before rolling widows down or attempting to measure the tint. Everything but the windshield is done in crystalline film, including the panoramic roof. At 97% IR rejection 3M Crystalline rejects IR better than any other film on the market. I have used 3M Crystalline on my previous car for over 3 years and can attest to its heat rejection capabilities. I chose 70% for all of the windows that are tinted from the factory and 40% for the front since they do not come tinted. If I was to do this again, I would do one thing differently. I'll get to that later.
Comments:
I absolutely love this tint; it works very well at rejecting the heat. The panoramic roof can be open during the day without frying the few brain cells I have left. Sitting in the back seat is cool and comfortable regardless of where the sun is shining. The added privacy of slightly darker tint is also nice for when I've got a laptop or other miscellaneous electronics in the trunk or backseat area. The tint in the front, although 11% lighter, does an impeccable job at blocking heat and adding privacy without impeding my ability to see out of the window at night. Ideally, I'd like it if it was slightly darker, but that’s just nit picking at this point.
I do have one observation about the tint that has annoyed me so much that I have decided to replace the two front windows with 3M Ceramic film. If you look closely at the exterior pictures i took, you will notice that the front windows have a slight blue\purple hue when compared to the dark earthy tone of the rear windows. I asked my tint professional about this and he states that all Crystalline film has the same blue\purple reflective hue to it. However the reason that it didn’t show up on the rear windows is because the factory tint blocks it. The 3M Ceramic film has the same dark earthy tone that the factory tint has. Even though I lose some IR rejection I get tint that has the same tone as the rear windows and about 5% darker than the crystalline. In the grand scheme of things, should I care so much that I’m going to have it replaced? Probably not, but I’m a very particular person so it is what it is. I hope this will help others when making a decision to tint their cars.
My goal was to #1 ascertain what level the factory glass meters at and #2 determine what tint combination would achieve the best reduction in heat while also matching the color\hue between the front and rear windows.
Window Tint Meter
MFG: Laser Labs Inc
Model: TM100
Tint Film Used
Front Windows: 3M Crystalline 40
Rear Windows: 3M Crystalline 70
Stock Tint Findings (Before)
Front:83%
Rear:42%
3M Crystalline Tint Findings (After)
Front Windows: 37%
Rear Windows: 26%
Notes:
Let me make a couple of disclosures here. The meter I selected for this test is commonly used by state troopers I have encountered in Georgia and in Virginia. It comes certified with known test samples in the box to ensure accuracy. There may be better units out there, but I figured let’s use what the police uses since they're the only organization that’s likely to give us flack for tinting our windows. The unit cost me $97 on amazon.
Lastly, I chose 3M crystalline film for the whole car. I allowed a full week and a half for the tint to cure before rolling widows down or attempting to measure the tint. Everything but the windshield is done in crystalline film, including the panoramic roof. At 97% IR rejection 3M Crystalline rejects IR better than any other film on the market. I have used 3M Crystalline on my previous car for over 3 years and can attest to its heat rejection capabilities. I chose 70% for all of the windows that are tinted from the factory and 40% for the front since they do not come tinted. If I was to do this again, I would do one thing differently. I'll get to that later.
Comments:
I absolutely love this tint; it works very well at rejecting the heat. The panoramic roof can be open during the day without frying the few brain cells I have left. Sitting in the back seat is cool and comfortable regardless of where the sun is shining. The added privacy of slightly darker tint is also nice for when I've got a laptop or other miscellaneous electronics in the trunk or backseat area. The tint in the front, although 11% lighter, does an impeccable job at blocking heat and adding privacy without impeding my ability to see out of the window at night. Ideally, I'd like it if it was slightly darker, but that’s just nit picking at this point.
I do have one observation about the tint that has annoyed me so much that I have decided to replace the two front windows with 3M Ceramic film. If you look closely at the exterior pictures i took, you will notice that the front windows have a slight blue\purple hue when compared to the dark earthy tone of the rear windows. I asked my tint professional about this and he states that all Crystalline film has the same blue\purple reflective hue to it. However the reason that it didn’t show up on the rear windows is because the factory tint blocks it. The 3M Ceramic film has the same dark earthy tone that the factory tint has. Even though I lose some IR rejection I get tint that has the same tone as the rear windows and about 5% darker than the crystalline. In the grand scheme of things, should I care so much that I’m going to have it replaced? Probably not, but I’m a very particular person so it is what it is. I hope this will help others when making a decision to tint their cars.
2016 X3 Window Tint % Settled (Pics)
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