EEEEK! With 90degree sun in So Cal yesterday, I have to get that sunroof tinted. It is just too bright even with the screen closed. Anyone with info on what type of tinting to get or not get? Are there different types? The last thing I want is to see it bubbling up or going bad. What do I need to look or ask for?

 

Living in Florida, thats why I didnt order the sun roof. That said,!! . Make sure that you get a reliable professional to do it.

 

There is a new ceramic type. Very expensive but worth it. I live in AZ where it gets VERY hot. The new type of tint greately reduces heat.

 

Be careful, I read somewhere that u should not tint the sunroof. It may cause it to break or something like that. Also tint dealers refuse to tint sunroofs for that reason.

 

My sunroof is tinted. The dealer took care of it. I didn't know if it came that way from the factory or if he did it when he did the windows.

 

Get the 3m stuff, saw it and it looks great!!

 

The cracking sunroof argument is BS!
I live in south FL and have had the roof tinted (5% limo tint) for about 1 year now...
No cracks....

 

I am a glazier, the sunroof is usually Tempered Glass, so impossible for cracks. Its the same glass as the side windows, if hit hard enough. It will expode into 1000's of little pieces. Tinting will cause no problems.

 

I remember when tint shops wouldn't do sunroofs, but that was in Texas, twenty years ago. I think the issue at the time was that the sunroofs *weren't* made from the same glass as the side windows. If I recall correctly, some sunroofs were layered, with a plastic sheet sandwiched between two glass plates.

I can see how that might cause problems if the extra layer of tint caused heat to be trapped in the layers, but I haven't heard of a problem with a tinted sunroof in years.

 

Get 3% or 5% limo tint. It really blocks the light well.

 

Thanks for posting this topic! I had a guy tell me he would not tint my sunroof due to the breakage possibility. I asked the dealer and the word was that theoretically it could break, but in actual practice they had never seen it happen. Just to be safe(r), I'm having the dealer do the job--on Thursday. I'm glad this came up before my appointment, not after!

 

Could I ask how much they are charging?

 

$90. It's probably too much, but I figure it's worth it.

 

the dealer said that it would ruin the sunroof and it would no longer be under warrenty

 

Hmmm. Which dealer?

 

Apologies for the bump, but I made an appt for next week to get my windows done, and the installer would do the sunroof, but doesn't recommend it, so I'm going to skip it. These folks have been doing tint for 25 years, I expect them to know their stuff.

After I get it done, I'll do a few pics, as I've got my driving lamps on now, and with the window tint, the car will be nominally "complete".

 

haha now it seems 50/50 about tinting the sunroof. if its not recommended i don't think i would actually do it (for the long run purpose),

getting a mcs soon and was thinking about that, i'll be moving to la/ santa monica area and was thinking about the hot weather and was going to have a sunroof, but now i wonder if i should get a sunroof at all lol.

 

Why has MINI not addressed the sunshade issue i just don't get it

 

My dealer offered to tint the entire car, including the sunroof, with a lifetime warranty. Same guy as daffodildeb. I can't imagine voiding a warranty over tinting.

 

Gee, I didn't hear anything about a lifetime warranty--I just figured I'd have it done by the dealer (farmed out to someone), just in case I had a problem. MIGHT be easier to deal with them just in case.

 

Did a little research on teh internets.

Installers are split on the degree of risk, but the culprit seems to be nickel sulfide inclusion in the glass. Over time, these recrystallize and make the glass more brittle. Heat build up will accelerate this. Since sunroofs are subjected to lots of thunking around with opening and closing, and they're horizontal and will be exposed to more sun that side windows, the risk is higher. There was a problem with some cars in the UK a while back with bad glass, and the glass was breaking spontaneously.

The tinters that do sunroofs seem recommend no less than 35% transmission, and a metal film that reflects, rather than absorbs.

 

What about changing the mesh screen?? Would that be possible??

 

This topic has been going on since 02 and so far I have not met anyone whtat had a issue because of it. We do get the heat out here in Cali but maby someone from AZ might chime in as it gets REALLY hot there.

 

Just cover your sunroof w/ a vinyl decal.. checkers

 

...or go for the "all white roof" look. That's what I was planning.