Does anyone else get blinded by their carbon fiber interior trim?

[brianeck]

Originally Posted by jmg

Never. I'm wondering how many people have experienced this who have their windows tinted. Theoretically, your interior will be dark save for the front windshield and so glare will be more intense. One of the reasons I have grown to dislike dark window tint is that it makes the windshield more relatively bright and creates a lot of glare. It's like driving in a dark tunnel with one bright light at the end: it's going to be more intense than if you didn't have tint because your pupils would be more dialated with tints. I just don't enjoy the lighting ambiance created with dark tinted windows.

Technically the light in the front windows is brighter from a relative perspective, but all the glare, light and reflections coming in from the sides are genuinely mitigated. Overall light entering the car is significantly reduced with tinted windows, so "relativity" aside the net light inside is way different. I definitely notice when I get in a car without tints that it feels way brighter and I need sunglasses on a sunny day. With really dark tint (5% or lower) I can see the "tunnel vision" a bit, but with 15-35% it dramatically reduces overall light and glare, and if anything your eyes are better adjusted to focussing straight ahead of you where they should be.

To the OP - how hard did you have to try to park in a spot to get that reflection JUST right? Is it something you notice continuously on a recurring drive? That little strip is so small that even 20 or 30 mins later the angle of inclination of the sun will change (at most points in the day) enough to reflect somewhere else. I liked the matte CF in the last generation better, but the reflections never bothered me all that much, and I certainly don't think they got any worse after I tinted my windows either.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by brianeck

Technically the light in the front windows is brighter from a relative perspective, but all the glare, light and reflections coming in from the sides are genuinely mitigated.

That's what I mean. With your pupils more dilated because of the lower tint, the light from the front will be relatively brighter. Your eyes will constantly have to keep adjusting from the dark interior that is created by the dark side tint, to the untinted front, with a more contrasting light coming through the front windshield.

Originally Posted by brianeck

Overall light entering the car is significantly reduced with tinted windows, so "relativity" aside the net light inside is way different. I definitely notice when I get in a car without tints that it feels way brighter and I need sunglasses on a sunny day. With really dark tint (5% or lower) I can see the "tunnel vision" a bit, but with 15-35% it dramatically reduces overall light and glare, and if anything your eyes are better adjusted to focussing straight ahead of you where they should be.

Except it's more straining for your eyes to have contrasting light from the interior vs the front windshield. I've had tint on several of my cars, it's actually mostly for heat and style. I find that the uneven light is more taxing than even light while wearing sunglasses. That "tunnel vision" you mentioned is what is undesirable to me. This is especially important for those who track, where you are looking through your side windows just as often or more.

[brianeck]

Originally Posted by jmg

That's what I mean. With your pupils more dilated because of the lower tint, the light from the front will be relatively brighter. Your eyes will constantly have to keep adjusting from the dark interior that is created by the dark side tint, to the untinted front, with a more contrasting light coming through the front windshield.



Except it's more straining for your eyes to have contrasting light from the interior vs the front windshield. I've had tint on several of my cars, it's actually mostly for heat and style. I find that the uneven light is more taxing than even light while wearing sunglasses. That "tunnel vision" you mentioned is what is undesirable to me. This is especially important for those who track, where you are looking through your side windows just as often or more.

I think you're definitely an exception to the rule. I tint my windows because they make it easier to see in the daytime, not because they strain my eyes or just because they look cool (but they do look really friggin cool).

[jmg]

Originally Posted by brianeck

I think you're definitely an exception to the rule. I tint my windows because they make it easier to see in the daytime, not because they strain my eyes or just because they look cool (but they do look really friggin cool).

This is without sunglasses. With sunglasses it helps, but then it becomes less about light entering and more about heat, privacy, and aesthetics. Because if it was about light alone, that's solved with sunglasses alone.

[knightarmor]

Originally Posted by brianeck

Technically the light in the front windows is brighter from a relative perspective, but all the glare, light and reflections coming in from the sides are genuinely mitigated. Overall light entering the car is significantly reduced with tinted windows, so "relativity" aside the net light inside is way different. I definitely notice when I get in a car without tints that it feels way brighter and I need sunglasses on a sunny day. With really dark tint (5% or lower) I can see the "tunnel vision" a bit, but with 15-35% it dramatically reduces overall light and glare, and if anything your eyes are better adjusted to focussing straight ahead of you where they should be.

To the OP - how hard did you have to try to park in a spot to get that reflection JUST right? Is it something you notice continuously on a recurring drive? That little strip is so small that even 20 or 30 mins later the angle of inclination of the sun will change (at most points in the day) enough to reflect somewhere else. I liked the matte CF in the last generation better, but the reflections never bothered me all that much, and I certainly don't think they got any worse after I tinted my windows either.

Not difficult at all. I sit in traffic everyday for about 3 to 4 hours a day. This usually happens about 50% of the time on my roundtrip commute. I took the picture while I was sitting at a traffic light.

I have since picked up some Maui Jim Polarized sunglasses since it was eye exam time again this year and insurance takes care of the shades. My Oakley's were good but these new sunglasses are better. I have since been wearing them more often.

[knightarmor]

And I should also point out my windows are tinted about 70% on the sides and 40% on the rear. I specifically did not want my black M3 ZCP looking murdered out. My windshield brow is tinted 5%. The glare is caused by the sun entering the windshield where it is not tinted.

[JesusLovesU]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

And I should also point out my windows are tinted about 70% on the sides and 40% on the rear. I specifically did not want my black M3 ZCP looking murdered out. My windshield brow is tinted 5%. The glare is caused by the sun entering the windshield where it is not tinted.

Haha YES! Happened to me yesterday

[Poiseuille]

I've never seen this, or at least I didn't notice it. Sort of think I would have, but then there's your picture which is pretty convincing. If I saw that a lot it might be duct tape time.

[TanzyBlueM5]

I keep a clean microfiber towel on the center armest/console since every vehicle I've owned up to this point with leather there will show wear in a few year since I like to rest my arm on it. I use it to cover that iDrive control area when it does blind me once in a while.

[Dr._Who]

Hey,

Yes!

This has happened to me on many occasions, specially in the late afternoon!

And, I don't even have this C.F. trim. I am not a fan of this trim, it is way too shiny. I much prefer a matte finish.

It's really not the trim material itself, it's the heavy coat of polyurethane they put over it... Uugh! The fact that it's too
shiny also makes it highly susceptible to scratches!!

I've had this discussion with the "M-Studio", as mine was an "Individual" order, and they are aware, but no official
solution (bureaucratic testing protocols) was offered.

It would be great if they offered a matte C.F. instrument panel trim, as they do with the ("BMW Perf.") Alcantara -
Carbon Fiber (matte) center console piece. Or even the option of "Open Pore" wood trims a' la "Mercedes", would be nice!

Tinting the windshield causes glare (light diffusion - at night), can interfere with the HUD and is illegal in most states.


Cheers!

[RoundelM3]

This is why I wear "driving glasses" during daylight hours.

[Monteblueem5]

Maybe Bmw will do what Porsche did send you a check
For 115 bucks to buy a set of sun glasses Porsche
Owners complain about light Interior colors
Would Blind them when the sun was outBlind them when the sun was out

[Thescout13]

It may be from seating position too. This happens to my wife in her F80 daily, but ha/ never happened to me in mine. There is maybe a 9 inch height difference between us.

[jc05e46m3]

It's definitely happened to me a couple of times

[zorrro]

Happens to me too (CF trim, no sunroof but no tint). Also annoying is sun reflecting off the HUD hardware or something that leaves a glare spot in my field of vision just above HUD info.

[Zayzel]

tint your windshield

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Dr._Who

Hey,

Yes!

This has happened to me on many occasions, specially in the late afternoon!

And, I don't even have this C.F. trim. I am not a fan of this trim, it is way too shiny. I much prefer a matte finish.

It's really not the trim material itself, it's the heavy coat of polyurethane they put over it... Uugh! The fact that it's too
shiny also makes it highly susceptible to scratches!!

I've had this discussion with the "M-Studio", as mine was an "Individual" order, and they are aware, but no official
solution (bureaucratic testing protocols) was offered.

It would be great if they offered a matte C.F. instrument panel trim, as they do with the ("BMW Perf.") Alcantara -
Carbon Fiber (matte) center console piece. Or even the option of "Open Pore" wood trims a' la "Mercedes", would be nice!

Tinting the windshield causes glare (light diffusion - at night), can interfere with the HUD and is illegal in most states.


Cheers!

Matte CF was already in the E90 and I have open pore Eucalyptus in my i3 with good results!

[DML]

Never noticed such an issue, having way too much fun driving the thing.

[xfactor]

It's a feature and adds to the "wow" factor. You just need to add a small disco ball/heart pendant to take it to the next level.

[Dr._Who]

Originally Posted by jmg

Matte CF was already in the E90 and I have open pore Eucalyptus in my i3 with good results!

Hey,

Great!

Albeit, we're talking F8x here.

The only matte C.F. trim alternative/option available is the "BMW Performance" Alcantara/Carbon Fiber trim kit,
which offers only the center console piece in a full matte C.F.

The i3 open pore eucalyptus sounds interesting. I will check if there's an available application for our platform.


Cheers!

[moomeacow]

windshield tint does wonders got 70 percent front 30 rest of the car

[Dr._Who]

Originally Posted by moomeacow

windshield tint does wonders got 70 percent front 30 rest of the car

Hey,

Again...

Originally Posted by Dr._Who

… Tinting the windshield causes glare (light diffusion - at night), can interfere with the HUD and is illegal in most states. ...

Cheers!