Driving and owning the M5

[equ]

It used to be that tints were an issue in NJ. My e46 m3 came to me not heavily tinted and a trooper did a U-turn on a divided road just to hassle me about the 35% on the front side windows. After that, I had always been doing 30-35% in the back three and 50-55% on the front sides. On the 340i, the tint guy said, he won't even do that, no need at all, and really it's been the case, I'm 35% all around and no one cares, have been through multiple state inspections now. 1 in 10 cars has a dark windshield.... Not sure how things are in MA, but this is yet another unenforced law in these times.

[FC]

MA is 35% all round except for the windshield. The windshield has a lighter tint and that probably won't draw attention. With so many vehicles being SUV's nowadays lots cars on the road have tinted windows aft of the front windows, so rear tint probably doesn't draw much attention.

I just pulled the film off the tow front side windows. That wasn't too hard, but the adhesive it leaves behind sucks. I will have to mask all but the windows to protect the fancy leather and use a more aggressive solvent. Isopropyl did nothing.

The interior is already brighter and looks a lot nicer inside. I don't have the time to do more today but that will be a good start to minimize the risk of getting pulled over.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by FC

MA is 35% all round except for the windshield. The windshield has a lighter tint and that probably won't draw attention. With so many vehicles being SUV's nowadays lots cars on the road have tinted windows aft of the front windows, so rear tint probably doesn't draw much attention.

I just pulled the film off the tow front side windows. That wasn't too hard, but the adhesive it leaves behind sucks. I will have to mask all but the windows to protect the fancy leather and use a more aggressive solvent. Isopropyl did nothing.

The interior is already brighter and looks a lot nicer inside. I don't have the time to do more today but that will be a good start to minimize the risk of getting pulled over.

Very surprised that rubbing alcohol didn’t remove it but you can use a razor blade to get rid of it and soak it with window cleaner and give it time to soak in to see if that works, here in NY we have windshield stickers for the registration and inspection, the razor blade works the best and window cleaner or rubbing alcohol gets rid of the rest.

I can’t believe they tinted the front windshield, that is so dumb to limit visibility out of the windshield and that is one huge space to have to remove the tint … arghh I do not envy doing that job.

[FC]

Originally Posted by Alan

Very surprised that rubbing alcohol didn’t remove it but you can use a razor blade to get rid of it and soak it with window cleaner and give it time to soak in to see if that works, here in NY we have windshield stickers for the registration and inspection, the razor blade works the best and window cleaner or rubbing alcohol gets rid of the rest.

I can’t believe they tinted the front windshield, that is so dumb to limit visibility out of the windshield and that is one huge space to have to remove the tint … arghh I do not envy doing that job.

Well, you were right, Alan. The film came off leaving nearly 100% of the adhesive on the window. The film of adhesive was so thick that it would take forever to dissolve it. I had to scrape it all off with a razor blade scraper. I then followed with 3M adhesive remover spray and did a pretty good job. Alcohol didn't do much. It still took forever and and edges were a PITA, but the two side front windows are done.

[lemming]

I was reading through your feedback of the m5 (and am enjoying it vicariously).

I know I sound old, but I am leaning myself toward either a Panamera 4S eHybrid or a Cayenne GTS for this particular niche of fast and comfortable. Did you consider either at all?

Hope the Boston roads do not beat the crap out of your M5. Alignment is mainly what I’m thinking. I seem to remember needing an alignment every year when I lived there.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by Alan

Very surprised that rubbing alcohol didn’t remove it but you can use a razor blade to get rid of it and soak it with window cleaner and give it time to soak in to see if that works, here in NY we have windshield stickers for the registration and inspection, the razor blade works the best and window cleaner or rubbing alcohol gets rid of the rest.

I can’t believe they tinted the front windshield, that is so dumb to limit visibility out of the windshield and that is one huge space to have to remove the tint … arghh I do not envy doing that job.

Interesting psychographic of the former owner. To tint the front windshield.

Makes me think of that George Carlin joke that down in Alabama, the state troopers have mirrored sunglasses. But the reflective side is on the inside.

[dan]

Tinting windshields is very common in extremely hot climates

[lemming]

Originally Posted by dan

Tinting windshields is very common in extremely hot climates

Is there not an exoshield like layer that can deflect some of the thermal energy of the sun?

I don’t know if it is logical to have a tinted windshield because of how much it would impair nighttime vision.

[FC]

Originally Posted by dan

Tinting windshields is very common in extremely hot climates

I figured that was the case as well.

[FC]

Originally Posted by lemming

I was reading through your feedback of the m5 (and am enjoying it vicariously).

I know I sound old, but I am leaning myself toward either a Panamera 4S eHybrid or a Cayenne GTS for this particular niche of fast and comfortable. Did you consider either at all?

Hope the Boston roads do not beat the crap out of your M5. Alignment is mainly what I’m thinking. I seem to remember needing an alignment every year when I lived there.

Ironically, ever since my used 190E, I've never aligned a car. Even the ZHP which was a daily for 6 years always tracked true. I inly aligned the WJ Jeep GC and the LR4 recently because of suspension work. Perhaps I am naive, but I am not too worried about the roads. The area where I drive has pretty good roads (great for Boston standards).

JST brought up the Panamera. My issues with it other than it being even more money was the size. There is also the perception element. To non-car people, an M5 looks like 5 series.

One thing I will say is that on a car as loaded as a fully-optioned M5, a lot of the things that would cost an arm and a leg are free if they are even available.