yes tinting the sunroof and windows is worth it

[BuzzCut1]

105 degrees out today and we were comfortably cool.

first time we drove in that sort of heat prior to tinting, our clubbies AC could not cool us off

Best upgrade we could have done

[Shoof]

I did windows, 35% all around. They asked me if I wanted to do the roof too, but I said no. So far the heat isn't bothering me much, but then again, our weather in the NE hasn't been all that great either..

[rrcaniglia]

How much does it cost to get a tint job? Do they have to disassemble the doors and take the windows out?

[Mike1968NM]

FIRST THING we had done to the MINI, courtesy of the dealer.

I called the place the BMW/MINI folks send their cars to, to get a quote prior to my negotiation with the dealer. It came to right around $300 for the car and the pano sunroof.

100000000000% best thing we did to the car. VERY noticeable in the heat here in New Mexico.

Not exactly sure how they get the tint on the windows that roll up and down....I think they have to remove some trim because I just can't figure out how they did it.

[Shoof]

Originally Posted by rrcaniglia

How much does it cost to get a tint job? Do they have to disassemble the doors and take the windows out?

Most tinters don't go that crazy on a job. Nothing needs to be removed. It depends on who you go to, but it would cost anywhere between $150 to $200 on average depending on who/where you go.

[rrcaniglia]

Thanks, all. I live in Alabama and while sunlight has a different quality here, it's still dammmmmmmn hot. And I say that after living three years in the Mojave in CA and a summer in the Middle East.

[KdF]

Had mine done 3 weeks ago, finally. Made one heck of a difference havin the sunroof done as dark as possible. I had the darkest allowable in texas, and since it has been a average of 105 deg for over 12 days straight here in Austin, it helps a lot. Also learned to crack the sunroof when at work, helps also when you first get in and the AC pushes the heat out the top for the first 5 min. Was going to have the ceramic stuff, but could not bring myself to pay double or triple for it. $200 was enough.

[Shoof]

Originally Posted by KdF

Had mine done 3 weeks ago, finally. Made one heck of a difference havin the sunroof done as dark as possible. I had the darkest allowable in texas, and since it has been a average of 105 deg for over 12 days straight here in Austin, it helps a lot. Also learned to crack the sunroof when at work, helps also when you first get in and the AC pushes the heat out the top for the first 5 min. Was going to have the ceramic stuff, but could not bring myself to pay double or triple for it. $200 was enough.

I'm not sure if I want your 105 degree weather over the 30+ days of rain we've had every day in NY...Sometimes it was rain all day, sometimes there was some sun then rain, but just about every day for the last 30 days it rained at some point in the day. I washed my car 3x last week, and again today, knowing they said chance or thunderstorm today AGAIN. Sucks to try to keep a car parked outside clean. Seriously.

[KdF]

We in Central Texas will trade you Straight Up for your rain. As of now, we are 34 inches behind in rainfall for the last 23 months. The drought is now rated EXTREEM, nothing like this since the 1890`s. Makes one wonder how the hell people from that time could actually survive this without AC and electricity. Our hats are off to them.

[OLarryR]

I bought 5% window tint for the 2 sunroofs at an auto store for $20 with plenty of film left over. You can still see thru the sunroofs but it has helped quite a bit in lowering the heat levels. It was 90 degrees today and with the sunroofs in the closed but ventilate position, cooling on and fan on only the second slowest speed, it was comfortable.

Installing the tint on the sunroofs was not that hard. I did it a little different than the directions. I first used large newspaper taped together and then sized to cover the front sunroof. Then after getting the approximate size cut, I then taped the newspaper on the sunroof and used a pencil to draw dashes along the perimeter to mark the exact sizing for the tint film. Then I placed a large piece of cardboard on a table and used a long straight edge to draw the perimeter along the dashes i had drawn and also the curved corners. I then cut out the newspaper to the exact size along the lines drawn. Taped the film onto the cardboard and then placing the newspaper template over the film, taped it down and cut the film using an Exacto knife.

From that point, then went back to the original directions spraying a lot of soapy water on the already cleaned sunroof surface and the adhesion side of the film. that is to make the film easy to slide along the sunroof surface and position it correctly. Once satisfied with positioning, then squeegeed the water and bubbles out...done !

The rear sunroof was slightly smaller in length compared to the front sunroof, so I used the same newspaper template, taped up and marked the new perimeter. then repeated above process. It's not perfect but you woud have to look very cloeley at it and probably only the owner would know it was done by an inexperienced person !! for $20 !

If not happy - could always scrap it and pay the bucks for a professional job !

[loadtoad]

Originally Posted by KdF

We in Central Texas will trade you Straight Up for your rain. As of now, we are 34 inches behind in rainfall for the last 23 months. The drought is now rated EXTREEM, nothing like this since the 1890`s. Makes one wonder how the hell people from that time could actually survive this without AC and electricity. Our hats are off to them.

Damn I miss Austin!

On the bright side, you don't have to worry about your MINI getting dirty fast because of the rain!!!

[Quesera]

Originally Posted by KdF

Had mine done 3 weeks ago, finally. Made one heck of a difference havin the sunroof done as dark as possible. I had the darkest allowable in texas, and since it has been a average of 105 deg for over 12 days straight here in Austin, it helps a lot. Also learned to crack the sunroof when at work, helps also when you first get in and the AC pushes the heat out the top for the first 5 min. Was going to have the ceramic stuff, but could not bring myself to pay double or triple for it. $200 was enough.

Would you recommend your installer?

[KdF]

Originally Posted by Quesera

Would you recommend your installer?

Had it done by Sun Tint on Koenig lane. Was pretty fast. No real complaints here. I avoided Mothers like the plague, as they seem to be arrogant and overpriced.

[onetigerlsu]

do you lose your warranty if you use a outside place to tint your windows ? They are so picky on after market items ?
Where i live on gulf coast its hot as heck here ! I have to park my car outside everyday !

[Mike1968NM]

I don't see how you could. The dealership sent it to a third party tint place to have ours done.

[sequence]

Originally Posted by onetigerlsu

do you lose your warranty if you use a outside place to tint your windows ? They are so picky on after market items ?

My SA said no, to go for it.

[BuzzCut1]

[bumgardnern]

I really want to get our Mini tinted. It is the first thing on the agenda after our wedding.

I had been told before that you were not supposed to tint the sunroof because it might crack? Is that true?

[BuzzCut1]

Originally Posted by bumgardnern

I really want to get our Mini tinted. It is the first thing on the agenda after our wedding.

I had been told before that you were not supposed to tint the sunroof because it might crack? Is that true?

any window on any car has the possibility of cracking if you leave the car out in direct sunlight on a really hot day with all the windows rolled up and the sunroof closed. me I always leave the sunroofs in a tilt open position when I park it at work. It's been over 0ne hundred degrees for the past week and there are 3 mini's and one clubman in the lot , all of us have tint and no one has had an issue

[tattedXB]

anybody got a picture of tinted sunroofs from the drivers perspective? I'd be worried that it'd block out the good view, etc, from above. Then again, I could always open it up and let the sun in when I wanted to.

Are shades any better/different? zippeeshades, for example?

[BuzzCut1]

Originally Posted by tattedXB

anybody got a picture of tinted sunroofs from the drivers perspective? I'd be worried that it'd block out the good view, etc, from above. Then again, I could always open it up and let the sun in when I wanted to.

Are shades any better/different? zippeeshades, for example?

at 7pm

with mesh screen pulled


without mesh

[tattedXB]

awesome, thanks for posting those up. so does heat get in at all through them now, is the problem pretty much gone?
Getting my clubby in 6-8 weeks(just ordered it), but still looking into what I wan2 do with it

thanks again
Jeff
I'll be needing to change my screenname on here soon

[BuzzCut1]

Originally Posted by tattedXB

awesome, thanks for posting those up. so does heat get in at all through them now, is the problem pretty much gone?
Getting my clubby in 6-8 weeks(just ordered it), but still looking into what I wan2 do with it

thanks again
Jeff
I'll be needing to change my screenname on here soon

I don't feel the heat radiating though the glass and I don't feel any need to shade my bald head with a hat either. Polarized baked on Ceramic tint seems to be just the ticket IMHO

[spinned]

Here is my 09 JCW with 35% tint (the legal limit in my state).

[tattedXB]

Originally Posted by spinned

Here is my 09 JCW with 35% tint (the legal limit in my state).

The tint and car look great, but hows the sunroof tint/shades treatin ya?