135 Convertible Tinting - ADVICE

[Tlacerda]

Folks,

I am considering tinting my 135 convertible (blue water exterior, ivory interior) with ~50% Wincos or 3M crystalline.

Q1: one of the shops says they remove the windows to perform the tint. Is this a sign of good worksmanship or just risky and unnecessary?

Q2: is anyone familiar with tinting the vert's soft top rear window? Should I expect no gaps around the borders? Any other issues?

Q3: I was quoted $550 for the 3M crystalline and $475 for the Wincos (different shops). Are these prices fair? Which film should I go with? (I do have Confort Access)

Thanks!!!

[RoundelM3]

I had my wife's 128i Convertible tinted at a local shop and no window removal was necessary. Total cost was under $300 as I recall - not the top-of-the-line stuff, but one notch under. Removing your windows is ridiculous, as is $500 for a tint job.

[AW128i]

I've had several cars tinted, including a convertible, and the windows have never been removed. Also, all the cars were never more than about $200-$220.

[WPG D33Z]

Sounds like a major rip off, the windows are small on the vert! I was quoted $210 here in Canada for the same job on my 135i. And they do not need to take the windows out!

[Jim135i]

damn in mass you can get any car done for around 100-150

[BFD99]

I had my whole car tinted 20%, and 50% on the windshield for 150$. 450$ seems excessive.

[mdputnam]

Keep in mind that prices of everything in Silicon Valley, from houses to Big Macs, are double what you find in Texas or Oklahoma.

[BrokenVert]

save yourself some money and drop the top more often.

Who cares if your windows are tinted when you can even see them I say

[peeti]

RUN away from both shops.

1) no window removal is necessary, not even trim (some older cars you have to remove trim to install moleskine to keep tint from scratching.
2) the rear window should go gapless - mine did
3) 50% tint - is almost a why bother, I know it's a personal opinion, but my 35% is pretty light already
4) Had the 1 done for $240 with ceramic high-end tint, would have been $180 without the ceramic!! You're in CA which means lots more tint shops too - I'm in Chicago, we can only tint 1/2 of the year and there are tons less shops because tinting here is/was illegal-ish.

So yea, RUN!

[coda72]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

save yourself some money and drop the top more often.

Who cares if your windows are tinted when you can even see them I say

I agree. I don't get the point of tinting windows on a convertible.

Of course there are many people who drive with the top down and their windows up. I personally don't see the point of that, but everyone's different.

[WPG D33Z]

People dont drive with the top down all the time. Tint looks better when the roof is up.

[Section147]

Originally Posted by WPG D33Z

People dont drive with the top down all the time.

Exactly.

The "point" of tinting a vert is the same as tinting a coupe. To protect the interior from
the sun when parked, to keep the interior cooler when needed and for aesthetics.

And as far as the $500 for the job, if people are crazy enough to pay what they do for
everything else in San Jose, they may just be crazy enough to pay that. But I wouldn't
recommend either.

[newnmpr0ved]

I dont have a vert but anything above 220 is a ripoff. I got 30% llumar tint (which is considered a high end tint) for 180.

[RoundelM3]

Don't forget there are 3 different kinds of tint film - dye, metallic, and ceramic. The cost goes up in the same order - ceramic will last longer and do a better job than metallic, and same for metallic over dye, which I'm surprised anyone even offers any more. It's about blocking heat and UV, not about just the looks, so a $150 tint job might or might not be a good deal in the long run. The climate you live in would also determine which one works best for you. Both my cars were done by a shop that literally offers a lifetime guarantee on the film, which likely adds some to the price, but if there are problems, they'll fix it at no cost.

[JimD]

Metallic would not bother the radio antenna in a vert because it is not in the windshield. Mine doesn't have confort access so that would not be an issue for me either but it could be for the OP. Ceramic seems the safest.

I haven't done it yet but want to tint mine for the heat in the summer and for looks. For me, it is mainly finding the time to get it done.

I like the windows down when I am not on the highway but on the highway I sometimes put the windows up so I can hear the radio. Even with a windscreen it's a little loud windows down. I don't think it looks the best but I am going for function when I put the windows up.

Jim

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by roundel335

I had my wife's 128i Convertible tinted at a local shop and no window removal was necessary. Total cost was under $300 as I recall - not the top-of-the-line stuff, but one notch under. Removing your windows is ridiculous, as is $500 for a tint job.

Thanks for this. Yep, it turns out this whole removing window stuff is highly unusual and i wonder if possibly a lie. And the price is indeed excessive, even for the SF Bay area. I think when they hear late model BMW the quotes go up...

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by mdputnam

Keep in mind that prices of everything in Silicon Valley, from houses to Big Macs, are double what you find in Texas or Oklahoma.

That is definitely a factor. I've called several places and the places vary, but not that much, for similar quality films.

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by peeti

RUN away from both shops.

1) no window removal is necessary, not even trim (some older cars you have to remove trim to install moleskine to keep tint from scratching.
2) the rear window should go gapless - mine did
3) 50% tint - is almost a why bother, I know it's a personal opinion, but my 35% is pretty light already
4) Had the 1 done for $240 with ceramic high-end tint, would have been $180 without the ceramic!! You're in CA which means lots more tint shops too - I'm in Chicago, we can only tint 1/2 of the year and there are tons less shops because tinting here is/was illegal-ish.

So yea, RUN!

Great info, thx! Would be great if you could post pics with the top up and down (windows up).

Yes, it looks like the ceramic tints are an added ~$100 "upgrade" around here.

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by Section147

Exactly.

The "point" of tinting a vert is the same as tinting a coupe. To protect the interior from
the sun when parked, to keep the interior cooler when needed and for aesthetics.

And as far as the $500 for the job, if people are crazy enough to pay what they do for
everything else in San Jose, they may just be crazy enough to pay that. But I wouldn't
recommend either.

True - the heat is already picking up in the bay area and the sun is virtually always up; which I like but it does make it pretty unconfortable. Especially when it's hitting you directly sideways in the highway for long periods of time.

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by roundel335

Don't forget there are 3 different kinds of tint film - dye, metallic, and ceramic. The cost goes up in the same order - ceramic will last longer and do a better job than metallic, and same for metallic over dye, which I'm surprised anyone even offers any more. It's about blocking heat and UV, not about just the looks, so a $150 tint job might or might not be a good deal in the long run. The climate you live in would also determine which one works best for you. Both my cars were done by a shop that literally offers a lifetime guarantee on the film, which likely adds some to the price, but if there are problems, they'll fix it at no cost.

That's a good point. These places offer lifetime warranty on their work and the materials, and the ceramic tint is more costly. Still, my quotes seem high...

[Tlacerda]

Originally Posted by Tlacerda

Folks,

I am considering tinting my 135 convertible (blue water exterior, ivory interior) with ~50% Wincos or 3M crystalline.

Q1: one of the shops says they remove the windows to perform the tint. Is this a sign of good worksmanship or just risky and unnecessary?

Q2: is anyone familiar with tinting the vert's soft top rear window? Should I expect no gaps around the borders? Any other issues?

Q3: I was quoted $550 for the 3M crystalline and $475 for the Wincos (different shops). Are these prices fair? Which film should I go with? (I do have Confort Access)

Thanks!!!

Ok, so here is the update. I was about to downgrade from ceramic to a good quality died film due to the ridiculous prices, BUT i called one last place with great Yelp reviews (like the other shops i had quotes from) and talked folks down to $340 w/ ceramic.(Madico Wincos, 5 windows/no windshield). Getting it done Monday. These guys may have made a mistake and looked at the non-late model BMW ripoff pricing sheet.😜

Will take before / after pictures. Probably goind with 45% as i am concerned the 30% may not look as good with the top down as some have noted. BUT, my car is light blue with the Boston Lemon/Ivory interior and maybe it'll be too light? Anyone with experience in tinting with light interior cars as far as looks outside in?

[coda72]

OP, good luck getting the tint job you want at the price you want. Sounds like you were able to get a better deal than you originally found.

As far as convertibles in general, I guess I have a different perspective because I sold my motorcycle to get a convertible,and wind noise doesn't bother me at all. It's so much louder on the bike that the convertible seems quiet! And I didn't have a stereo on the bike, so I don't care about not hearing it on the highway in the car.

Also, when I'm not driving my car, it sits in a garage, so the interior doesn't ever get that hot. I haven't been through a hot summer yet, so we'll see if my feelings change on that.

And since my car's not my daily driver, I pretty much only drive it when I can put the top down. I'm rarely going to take it out for a spin with the top up if the weather's nice.

For everyone who's convertible is their daily driver, obviously their experiences are different.