White interior M3 - need help with choosing tint %

[Hypnosis]

Hi all - hope this post finds you well! I am going to be taking delivery of a new M3 in a couple weeks and I have to make a decision on which tint % I want installed. I'll only be doing the 4 side windows + rear windshield with XPEL XR Plus ceramic tint.

I'm looking for a mix of privacy but also doesn't want the tint to affect the functionality of the car (i.e., glare, reflection, nighttime visibility, etc.). Do any white interior M3 owners have any experience/opinions on which tint % to go with? I was thinking 15% all around because I've heard the white interior adds ~15% VLT.

 

[fortunex]

The only downside to that is having a harder time seeing at night.

15 or 20% for the white interior is probably the best if you care about the esthetics.

 

[designrs]

I have 15% rear & rear sides, 30% front sides, over white interior. Photos attached. It’s a nice combo if you want to keep the front “safe and legal” (at least in Florida). OTOH I have driven a Model 3, which white interior, with 15% all around. Looks darker and has uniform tint. I didn’t notice a difference when driving… but now I am use to tint already.

 

[Candleflame]

Hi all - hope this post finds you well! I am going to be taking delivery of a new M3 in a couple weeks and I have to make a decision on which tint % I want installed. I'll only be doing the 4 side windows + rear windshield with XPEL XR Plus ceramic tint.

I'm looking for a mix of privacy but also doesn't want the tint to affect the functionality of the car (i.e., glare, reflection, nighttime visibility, etc.). Do any white interior M3 owners have any experience/opinions on which tint % to go with? I was thinking 15% all around because I've heard the white interior adds ~15% VLT.

15% is too low, people wont be able to see your face through the side window.
Also id STRONGLY suggest to tint the front and rear windows the same with white interior. looks silly if one is darker than the other.

 

[TarmacSurfer]

Have to agree with CF... having different tint levels always looks like an oversight or a mistake (“oh we ran out of that stuff, here, just slap this other film we have lying around on and get it out the door”). Personal choice but IMO one of the attractions of a Tesla is the minimalist styling and the KISS principle applies.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

 

[joebruin77]

Check out this informative youtube video on problems with dark tint and the white interior. Around time mark 2:20, he describes a problem where the darker the tint, the more likely the reflection of the white dashboard will interfere with your vision using the side mirrors

Also, looks like you are in California. That dark a tint on the front side windows is illegal. IMO, that is a risk not worth taking. Some people think if their tint is too dark, the only risk is that they might get a ticket . But there is another risk. If you get in an accident at night, the other party could claim that your vision was impaired by your illegal tint. Not sure if this is true, but on another post, someone claimed that an insurance company tried to get out of paying for an accident because the driver had illegal dark tint on their car.

 

[Candleflame]

Have to agree with CF... having different tint levels always looks like an oversight or a mistake (“oh we ran out of that stuff, here, just slap this other film we have lying around on and get it out the door”). Personal choice but IMO one of the attractions of a Tesla is the minimalist styling and the KISS principle applies.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

with the black interior it doesnt matter too much imho as both are not properly seethrough when the sun goes down (i have 35% front and 25% rear)
With the white interior however the 25% is essentially a privacy tint when the sun has gone down whereas the front you can still see through.
Gives you this slightly european look where it looks like only the rear is tinted which i always thought looked silly. Not that tinting is needed in europe anyway...

 

[Hypnosis]

with the black interior it doesnt matter too much imho as both are not properly seethrough when the sun goes down (i have 35% front and 25% rear)
With the white interior however the 25% is essentially a privacy tint when the sun has gone down whereas the front you can still see through.
Gives you this slightly european look where it looks like only the rear is tinted which i always thought looked silly. Not that tinting is needed in europe anyway...

Great points! Thank you! Do you think a 20% tint all around + rear windshield will have this effect still with the white interior?

 

[Hypnosis]

Check out this informative youtube video on problems with dark tint and the white interior. Around time mark 2:20, he describes a problem where the darker the tint, the more likely the reflection of the white dashboard will interfere with your vision using the side mirrors

Also, looks like you are in California. That dark a tint on the front side windows is illegal. IMO, that is a risk not worth taking. Some people think if their tint is too dark, the only risk is that they might get a ticket . But there is another risk. If you get in an accident at night, the other party could claim that your vision was impaired by your illegal tint. Not sure if this is true, but on another post, someone claimed that an insurance company tried to get out of paying for an accident because the driver had illegal dark tint on their car.

I've had illegal tints on all my cars since I can remember and completely understand the risks of running an illegal tint -- appreciate you looking out though man! Thank you for showing me that video; I definitely don't want to have to deal with that reflection onto the side mirrors. It's also dissuading me from doing 15% all around... I wonder if 20% will have a similar effect? I could do 35% but that would be way too light with the white interior and I do value the privacy factor quite a lot.

 

[Candleflame]

Great points! Thank you! Do you think a 20% tint all around + rear windshield will have this effect still with the white interior?

if the tint is even then you dont get this effect as it will either be seethrough or not so it matches.

20% tint is too dangerous on the front as after the sun has gone down your face cant be seen and even in sunlight it will be extremely hard to impossible. 30% is the lowest id go on front windows so id go 30-35% all around. And definetely not i.e. 30% on front and 20% on rear as it looks stupid due to what I have written above. Rear windshield I'd go 20% as this seems to match the roof tint.

 

[Candleflame]

I have 15% rear & rear sides, 30% front sides, over white interior. Photos attached. It’s a nice combo if you want to keep the front “safe and legal” (at least in Florida). OTOH I have driven a Model 3, which white interior, with 15% all around. Looks darker and has uniform tint. I didn’t notice a difference when driving… but now I am use to tint already.

so this is a good example where you can see that the front is slightly seethrough but the rear has a limo tint which looks odd imho. It is definetely less noticeable with the black interior though.

For comparison here my 35% front 20% rear in daytime and then at dawn.
At daytime they are both seethrough with white interior but at dawn the rear starts becoming more limo-tintish.
The second picture is actually cloudy daytime but at dawn the effect becomes more pronounced.
When the sun has completely set the rear becomes completely non seethrough but front you can still see through.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

35% sides and rear plus 75% on windshield.

 

[Nayston]

There is no way that @Mrcarcrazy has 35% tint on sides and white interior. It is much too dark. He is either mistaken on the tint, or has black interior.

I have blue with white interior and just had tint put on less than 2 weeks ago. I went with Llumar Formula One Pinnacle 25% all around. It's perfect in my eye. I didn't want to be bothered by cops, nor have a tint that is too dark to see out of at night. The only negative to the tint, is glare while looking at side mirrors, as a reflection off of the white dash. There isn't anything you can do about it, unless you replace the white dash. I've gotten used to, but it's the one down side, and I'd imagine you're going to get it with any percentage tint.

 

[fortunex]

The reflection from the white dash onto the side windows is present without any tint.

 

[Mr X]

15% Llumar on sides and rear. No windshield tint. Little darker than I wanted. 30% would have been ideal

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

There is no way that @Mrcarcrazy has 35% tint on sides and white interior. It is much too dark. He is either mistaken on the tint, or has black interior.

I have blue with white interior and just had tint put on less than 2 weeks ago. I went with Llumar Formula One Pinnacle 25% all around. It's perfect in my eye. I didn't want to be bothered by cops, nor have a tint that is too dark to see out of at night. The only negative to the tint, is glare while looking at side mirrors, as a reflection off of the white dash. There isn't anything you can do about it, unless you replace the white dash. I've gotten used to, but it's the one down side, and I'd imagine you're going to get it with any percentage tint.

Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s a camera trick. Lord only knows with that guy.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

There is no way that @Mrcarcrazy has 35% tint on sides and white interior. It is much too dark. He is either mistaken on the tint, or has black interior.

I have blue with white interior and just had tint put on less than 2 weeks ago. I went with Llumar Formula One Pinnacle 25% all around. It's perfect in my eye. I didn't want to be bothered by cops, nor have a tint that is too dark to see out of at night. The only negative to the tint, is glare while looking at side mirrors, as a reflection off of the white dash. There isn't anything you can do about it, unless you replace the white dash. I've gotten used to, but it's the one down side, and I'd imagine you're going to get it with any percentage tint.

Just checked. It’s XR35 tint. And XR70 on windshield. Interior is definitely white.

 

[fortunex]

Just checked. It’s XR35 tint. And XR70 on windshield. Interior is definitely white.

Looking at your pic again, the sunlight is coming from low on the horizon on the left, so there isn't much sun coming in to illuminate the white interior, thus it looks dark.

I have 30% on the sides and it really looks different depending on time of day, clouds, angle of camera, angle of car, height of person, gloss of windows, etc. ad nauseum.

The one constant seems to be that 30 or 35% always seems lighter than expected with white interior.

 

[Hypnosis]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm going to go with 20% for side windows + rear windshield! In the future I might tint the front windshield 70% as well if the 20% tint looks too light.

 

[Mrcarcrazy]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm going to go with 20% for side windows + rear windshield! In the future I might tint the front windshield 70% as well if the 20% tint looks too light.

Too light? 20% is dark AF.