Should I peel my tint?

[SchnellE34]

My main question is... I haven't fixed my A/C yet and the car is f'in hot after sitting in the sun while i'm at work, does having black windows heat the cabin up more while sitting in the sun (black car)? Obviously black attracts heat but the tint lets less light into the car. I know its the heat that is the problem but would pealing them heat the cabin less while sitting?

Reasons to:
-I put it on with a friend of mine, with an employee discount from another friend, it only cost me $30, not much of a loss if peeled
-of course becuase we did it ourselves, its not perfect, it looks ok but could be better, next time I want to take the door panels off to do it
-questionable legality in PA, Its not state law but, I was pulled over by some ******* cop once for my 5% on my 89 535i, the cop told me that in PA its only legal to tint the rear window 30%, but SUV's have passenger rear tint so my opinioin is if you leave the front drive/pass untinted you are ok
-no longer participate in things I don't want other people to see me doing in the car
-i'm always up for change, no tint may look more classy on the car

Reason not to:
-It looks soooooooooooooo good

Opinions please...

[Triton540i]

Sun=Hot. I would assume that the tint will keep the seats from feeling like they're on fire when you get in, but that's about all. When your car sits in the sun like that, it's like a greenhouse affect, heat goes in and it's kinda trapped in there. I think regardless if you take it off or leave it on, you'll probably still have the heat problems. Crack open the moonroof and when you leave, open the windows, that's about it.

I know, dumb response, but I know what you mean... it gets pretty hot in there!

-Eric

P.S.: I don't have any tint on my car. Yes, I'm probably going to tint it with a very light tint and leave the back window alone.

[SchnellE34]

No thats not a dumb response, I do leave the moon roof open when there is no rain in the forecast, but it doesn't help much and was thinking no tint would be better.

[fkong777]

you definitely need to have tint to keep interior cooler. I actually need to get my 540i tinted..

I have 50% on all windows on my 525i, Never got pulled over even in So. Cal. I usually use a windshield sunshade along with tinted windows to keep the interior cooler. Crack open sunroof at tilt up position to let heat out also.

[JD525IA]

It's going it be 110 degrees F, today. (43.3 C for Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia, or 316.4833 Kelvin for our truly nerdy coharts). I don't have tinted windows, yet. My car definately feels hotter that my truck that has dark tinted windows. In the summer, the A/C is pretty much cranked up all summer long.

I know it seems that the dark would make it hotter, but it doesn't. The tint actually prevents some of the UV from coming in, thus keeping it cooler. What I am also considering is a film that is clear, but keeps out 95% of the UV. A lot of cop cars here have it and it is supposed to work well. Limo tint is only legal in the back windows. I was quoted about $200 USD a while back for it.

The rule of thumb that the police in Phoenix use for the drivers window is that if they can read your licsense through the glass and tint, then you are good.

I see tons of vehicles here, though, that are completely blacked out and you can't tell who is in there. Imagine being a cop on a traffic stop, especially at night, and trying to tell what you are dealing with. What a nightmare!!

They are pretty forgiving here because they understand the effect of the heat (seatbelt buckles or steering wheels so hot they burn you), but take your Arizona car up a few states and their such a-holes about it.

JD

[TheEndIsNear]

Yeah, tint is on my to do list as well... Helps keep the sun out of my toddlers eyes.

[SchnellE34]

Yeah, tint is on my to do list as well... Helps keep the sun out of my toddlers eyes.

He's cute man, thats a friggin awesome pics also.

[SchnellE34]

It's going it be 110 degrees F, today. (43.3 C for Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia, or 316.4833 Kelvin for our truly nerdy coharts). I don't have tinted windows, yet. My car definately feels hotter that my truck that has dark tinted windows. In the summer, the A/C is pretty much cranked up all summer long.

I know it seems that the dark would make it hotter, but it doesn't. The tint actually prevents some of the UV from coming in, thus keeping it cooler. What I am also considering is a film that is clear, but keeps out 95% of the UV. A lot of cop cars here have it and it is supposed to work well. Limo tint is only legal in the back windows. I was quoted about $200 USD a while back for it.

The rule of thumb that the police in Phoenix use for the drivers window is that if they can read your licsense through the glass and tint, then you are good.

I see tons of vehicles here, though, that are completely blacked out and you can't tell who is in there. Imagine being a cop on a traffic stop, especially at night, and trying to tell what you are dealing with. What a nightmare!!

They are pretty forgiving here because they understand the effect of the heat (seatbelt buckles or steering wheels so hot they burn you), but take your Arizona car up a few states and their such a-holes about it.

JD

Yeah I guess in my OP by 'light' I meant 'UV' rays. It does make sense though.

[TheEndIsNear]

Thanks bro, I brag about him till my friends want to kill me...

[ericcamaro]

I think its time for someone to design something to go up in the sunroof in the vent position. I am thinkin of a couple CPU fans attached to a couple of those solar battery maintainers sold at harbor freight. So the more the sun is beating down on em the faster those little fans will spin. Anyone else think this sounds like a good Idea, If so I will make one and post a write up if not. I just may do it for shits and giggles when I get a couple extra bux.

[SchnellE34]

I think its time for someone to design something to go up in the sunroof in the vent position. I am thinkin of a couple CPU fans attached to a couple of those solar battery maintainers sold at harbor freight. So the more the sun is beating down on em the faster those little fans will spin. Anyone else think this sounds like a good Idea, If so I will make one and post a write up if not. I just may do it for shits and giggles when I get a couple extra bux.

Thats sounds very interesting Eric. Maybe a switch on the console to control the device, but that would be require removing the headliner. I guess I should also research performing the VENT timer using OBC upgrade on bruno's site.

[632 Regal]

why dont you use the auto venting system???

If your going to ask WTF is that... read your manual, it's one of the coolest options.

[KenB]

My manual mentions it but doesn't mention that it is not a standard feature. I punched buttons until I was ready to puke when I first got my car. There is a mod on Bruno's site to make it work. Easier to tint the windows.

[SchnellE34]

My manual mentions it but doesn't mention that it is not a standard feature. I punched buttons until I was ready to puke when I first got my car. There is a mod on Bruno's site to make it work. Easier to tint the windows.

I haven't actually looked into the parked ventilation from the owners manual. I would think it runs off of battery power, any negative effects with this? My '95 should have it. The car came stock with the upgraded package of cd changer, heated seats and bbs wheels. But I've never tried it. I will look into it tonight and report back.

[Alexlind123]

why dont you use the auto venting system???

If your going to ask WTF is that... read your manual, it's one of the coolest options.

Some/most(?) e34s do NOT have the parked ventilation feature. According to the website mentioned earlier, you can activate the feature with only minor wiring changes.

Also, i would think that it would be VERY helpful to have a semi-reflective tint on the windows. I know the idea probably sounds kinda ricey, but it looks really good in actuality. Its not a silver, but just a shiny black that reflects light. The reflective tint also increases the effectiveness of the tint for looking good and keeping cool without raising the tint percentage. A 15% percent reflective tint will look closer to 5%, while keeping the interior cooler than a 5% tint would.

Just a thought.

[SchnellE34]

I was actually thinking about that for my next tint job, like a light silver 50% close to plain clear. Pulling up next to the car you can see through ok, but from farther away it just looks like a shinny glare on the windows. Semi-reflective sounds good.

[KenB]

I haven't actually looked into the parked ventilation from the owners manual. I would think it runs off of battery power, any negative effects with this? My '95 should have it. The car came stock with the upgraded package of cd changer, heated seats and bbs wheels. But I've never tried it. I will look into it tonight and report back.

I would hope that the system is smart enough not to kill your battery while parked. Don't know for sure how it manages the operations. I looked at the instructions for upgrading and it was too much to take apart for my undertaking, although the wiring itself looked easy enough once you got the dash taken apart....worse than changing the cabin filter and I wouldn't attempt that. But that's me.

On my e30 I had black tint on a black on black. Looked great and kept the seats from searing my flesh. Definitely worth keeping.:D
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