[thenew3]

While waiting for my X7 to be built, I started doing research into window tint.

Has anyone had their X7 windows/windshield/sunroof tinted? If so, what tint did you get, how much did you pay, and what are your thoughts of the tint? (share photos if you can).

I have a 5 year old that's extremely sensitive to heat, so I'm looking for tint to block as much heat as possible but without going too dark. (it's illegal here in CA to tint front window and windshield, but if you do a very light shade, they usually don't bother you).

Currently thinking either FormulaOne Pinnacle or Stratos on side, back and sunroof and FormulaOne Air 90/80 on windshield.

[bmwx7lover]

I recently got installed XPEL XR plus (98% rejection) for front driver and passenger windows. It looks good and under the legal limit. I want to get the sunroof done but not sure how it is going to work since I have the roof led package. Thanks.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by bmwx7lover

I recently got installed XPEL XR plus (98% rejection) for front driver and passenger windows. It looks good and under the legal limit. I want to get the sunroof done but not sure how it is going to work since I have the roof led package. Thanks.

Why would having the LED package be any different?

[2020bmwx7]

i have Rayno S9 tint

front windshield at 70%
driver/passenger window at 50%
rear windows and cargo at 70% (with the factory tint, it makes the rear look more like 20%).

It looks like you're in the central coast? I don't know of places there, but check out j_lenin on instagram. His shop is in San Jose and does great work. You can get a better sense of what the tint %s would look like on his yelp page.

[iconoclast]

https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...highlight=tint

[Saabfan]

I had my LED sunroof tinted (don’t remember the percentage, unfortunately) by a vendor the dealer recommended and it cuts down on the “brightness” / “effect” of the lighting by about 50%. I don’t miss it but I also don’t usually haul around people in the back seat (for whom the LED package is likely more enjoyable). For what it’s worth.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by Saabfan

I had my LED sunroof tinted (don’t remember the percentage, unfortunately) by a vendor the dealer recommended and it cuts down on the “brightness” / “effect” of the lighting by about 50%. I don’t miss it but I also don’t usually haul around people in the back seat (for whom the LED package is likely more enjoyable). For what it’s worth.

Thanks. I figured that would be the case since the tint is on the inside and if it blocks sunlight, it sure will block the led's that light up the sunroof.

I'd much rather have the heat/sun blocking so I can keep the sunroof shade open to enjoy the openness (feeling) of it then worry about not seeing some ambient light/led at night.

[jtrichards]

I've tinted all my cars with a ceramic tint. Amazing how much heat they keep
out of your cars. I even use a clear ceramic film on the windshields to keep heat of the dash. Highly recommend.

[thenew3]

I checked with a few shops in the area. Looks like I'm probably going to go with FormulaOne Pinnacle 50% on side and back windows, 5% on sunroof(s) and Air 90 on windshield.
They have a newer tint (Formulaone Stratos) that's supposed to block out more heat but it's nearly twice the price. Not sure if it blocks significantly more heat to make it worth the significantly higher price.

I'm getting quoted $739 for Pinnacle or $1,369 for Stratos for all glass on car (side, back, sunroof, windshield)

[Eternalthinker]

I have Photosync installed on my X7. Very happy with results and has the highest TSER and IRR rating. http://prestige-films.com/spectra-photosync/

[jmciver]

Bringing this back to the top with a tint related question now that I have my X7.....

For those of you in warmer climates, how effective do you think the factory tint is at blocking heat? I did the simple window test where I partially rolled down the window on a sunny day, feeling the sun on my skin. I could definitely feel the heat blockage difference with the rear window up vs rear window down. However, that is a very crude test of course. For a back-to-back comparison, I did the same test on my M3, which I had tinted with 3M Crystalline tint, and the results were similar - but not very scientific of course.

After an internet search, I stumbled upon this data about the BMW factory tint that looks promising, albeit on an X3: https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showp...9&postcount=18

I want to tint the X7 primarily for heat rejection, just like I did my M3. But if the factory tint sufficiently blocks heat in the rear, the cheap SOB in me doesn't want to waste money on tinting the rear windows since I have no desire to make the rear windows any darker. I am also up in th air about tinting the sunroof as well (again, for heat rejection). As a side note, I am ok with not matching the front windows with the factory tint in terms of darkness as the tint laws where I live would make things "interesting", and I don't want to deal with that.

Thanks!

[Heimdall]

Originally Posted by jmciver

Bringing this back to the top with a tint related question now that I have my X7.....

For those of you in warmer climates, how effective do you think the factory tint is at blocking heat? I did the simple window test where I partially rolled down the window on a sunny day, feeling the sun on my skin. I could definitely feel the heat blockage difference with the rear window up vs rear window down. However, that is a very crude test of course. For a back-to-back comparison, I did the same test on my M3, which I had tinted with 3M Crystalline tint, and the results were similar - but not very scientific of course.

After an internet search, I stumbled upon this data about the BMW factory tint that looks promising, albeit on an X3: https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23280179&postcount=18

I want to tint the X7 primarily for heat rejection, just like I did my M3. But if the factory tint sufficiently blocks heat in the rear, the cheap SOB in me doesn't want to waste money on tinting the rear windows since I have no desire to make the rear windows any darker. I am also up in th air about tinting the sunroof as well (again, for heat rejection). As a side note, I am ok with not matching the front windows with the factory tint in terms of darkness as the tint laws where I live would make things "interesting", and I don't want to deal with that.

Thanks!

All things aside the windows of the X7 are laminated which gives you at least 15% heat rejection.

I'm not sure personally if the tint shade at the back adds anything other than privacy.

Best I've seen in combined respect to heat rejection and visibility clarity is the Xpel Black IR. Not the best in heat rejection alone but combined with clarity in my opinion it's the best out there as of October 2018.

I'm in your shoes shopping for tint now but much more picky 😈.

So I'll follow this post and share my findings

[Samee]

Yes, I did Avery premium, 35 all around. Love it!

[jmciver]

FWIW, I have narrowed it down to 3M Christalline and Huper Optik ceramic tints, again focussing on heat rejection. I have the 3M stuff on my M3 and have been pleased - still looks as good as when it was installed 3+ years ago. It may come down to which installers are most convenient to my location. 3M seems to have more dealers overall though....

Interesting note, when taking a closer look at the glass on the X7, the windshield and front side windows have a stamp on them indicating a 70% transmission. I could not find a similar stamp on any of the rear windows (which I thought was strange) but I did find a transmission stamp on the sunroof glass, which was 20%. Although, looking at the sunroof glass and rear glass, they appear to be the same tint level so I would speculate that the rear glass tint level is also 20%. But I have still been unable to find any heat specs associated with the factory tint, which comes with option code S420 Sun Protection Glazing.

[iconoclast]

with the crystalline product you cannot go very dark which is fine if you're only doing this for reduction in heat and uv blockage but if you're going for aesthetics as a part of this as well then the vehicle will have mismatched windows up front and darker rear.

[jmciver]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

with the crystalline product you cannot go very dark which is fine if you're only doing this for reduction in heat and uv blockage but if you're going for aesthetics as a part of this as well then the vehicle will have mismatched windows up front and darker rear.

I don't intend to match the rear as 20% on the front windows will be a legal problem for where I live and drive (even driving a luxury SUV like the X7). So either way I will have a miss-match, but at least I will have a miss-match that provides some heat rejection and slightly more privacy. I actually have 40% all around on my M3 (with 70% on the windshield) and it is plenty dark for me, especially since it has a dark interior (and is also legal darkness).

[iconoclast]

Gotcha... I am stickler for symmetry and congruence. In addition here anything more than 70% is a ticket so may as well go full-send make it count since the ticket is the same for 35% or 5% tint.

[Frinckster]

I just did mine. I'm happy with the result. I live in Florida and its starting to get hot here so did 30 front 2 doors, 15 back door and trunk. I have a sky lounge and just did 50 on it. I'm happy with the heat rejection and the AC cools faster. This are all Stratos except for the windshield which is air 80.

[UKMS]

Mine has just been done at the dealer and is waiting for me to collect on Sunday ..... had 50% (maximum allowed here) this time, previously had 40% on my Discovery. Despite the heat most vehicles arrive here with clear glass all round allowing the owner to tint to level of their choice.

[mitch57]

I would be interested in hearing if any of you that tinted your X7 are having more issues with the auto dimming dash brightness because of the added tint. There's a bunch of people complaining about both the iDrive screen and the instrument cluster being to to dim because of the added tint.

Even without the added tint the screens gets to dark when the vehicle is in shaded areas and there's no setting for it unless the headlights are on.

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by mitch57

I would be interested in hearing if any of you that tinted your X7 are having more issues with the auto dimming dash brightness because of the added tint. There's a bunch of people complaining about both the iDrive screen and the instrument cluster being to to dim because of the added tint.

Even without the added tint the screens gets to dark when the vehicle is in shaded areas and there's no setting for it unless the headlights are on.

I will ... it's one of the first things I'll pay attention to when I pick mine up on Sunday as those threads about the auto dimming have been concerning me too.

[Frinckster]

Originally Posted by mitch57

I would be interested in hearing if any of you that tinted your X7 are having more issues with the auto dimming dash brightness because of the added tint. There's a bunch of people complaining about both the iDrive screen and the instrument cluster being to to dim because of the added tint.

Even without the added tint the screens gets to dark when the vehicle is in shaded areas and there's no setting for it unless the headlights are on.

Hmmm.. didn't think of that or did not notice any difference on my instrument panel. My old car was 2019 X3 which my wife drives now did not notice that autodimming on her vehicle since it was tinted last year. Prolly it's the same sensors that the x7 has but luckily I did not notice anything dimming.

I have a good 45-1hr drove from the tint shop to my house and did not notice anything weird on my instrument panel, except the small bubles on the screen which is because the tint has ti cure for 2-3days.