Metallic Tint affecting Nav

3GS168 · 10-27-05, 02:55 AM

Hello everyone. I'm a newbie to this forum. This is my first post. I just got my GS430 the other day and the first thing i want to do is tint my windows. I wanted to get HPquantum which is metallic but the dealer said that it might affect my navigation. Any suggestions? This is an awesome forum by the way. Lot's of sweet rides.

DaveJ · 10-27-05, 07:22 AM

I never heard of a window tint affecting NAV. But it will affect satellite radio reception if you have the antenna on the inside rear shelf.

DaveGS4 · 10-27-05, 07:28 AM

Metallic tint can definitely cause problems with OEM Lexus nav. Many members have had to remove / replace metallic tint because of the interference

toyemp · 10-27-05, 09:25 AM

I have read a lot of stories on metalic film interfering with the nav and my tint shop advised that it would also interfere with AM radio reception also. I just got my car done on monday and since I didn't want to go with a dye-based film, I ended up going with Formula One Pinnacle film. It is a ceramic-based film that offers all of the glare/heat/UV rejection properties of metalic film but without the electronic interference. It costs a lot more, but worth it IMHO.

SGT · 10-27-05, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyemp

I have read a lot of stories on metalic film interfering with the nav and my tint shop advised that it would also interfere with AM radio reception also. I just got my car done on monday and since I didn't want to go with a dye-based film, I ended up going with Formula One Pinnacle film. It is a ceramic-based film that offers all of the glare/heat/UV rejection properties of metalic film but without the electronic interference. It costs a lot more, but worth it IMHO.

Is dye-based tint bad? I don't know anything about tint but would like to get my windows tinted soon. What are the advantages/disadvantages to each type of film, with the exception of ceramic-based film since you already mentioned it? Thanks.

toyemp · 10-27-05, 09:47 AM

I wouldn't say that dye-based film is "bad" but it is the least expensive option as far as I can tell. From my research, it appears that dye-based films don't offer the heat rejection properties of metallic and ceramic based films. In the old days, dye-based films also tended to change color over time (you've all seen the purplish tint on older cars -- that is the tint changing color). The better manufacturers now offer lifetime guarantees against color changing but I don't have any first hand experience with these new films.

On some of my older cars, the dye-based film changed to purple after about 5 years so i had to have them re-done. I didn't want to go through that again. Plus, I wanted the heat-rejection properties since all my cars are black, so it was between metalic and ceramic for me. Depending on what you are looking for, dye film may be fine for you. I got a quote for both from the same manufacturer and the dye film was 1/2 the cost of the ceramic film.

SGT · 10-27-05, 10:14 AM

Cool, I'll look into ceramic-based film. Just out of curiosity, and if you don't mind sharing, how much did you pay for the Formula One Pinnacle film and does it come with lifetime warranty?

toyemp · 10-27-05, 11:32 AM

I paid $450 for the Formula One Pinnacle installed. I was quoted $250 for the Formula One Classic. You can look for a dealer here http://www.formulaone.com/

Both come with a lifetime warranty that is good at any authorized dealer nationwide (in case your local tint shop goes out of business)

I also looked a Llumar film but they didn't offer a non-metalic film. I also found shops that were willing to do the job in the $150 - $200 range, but they didn't offer a film I liked.

3GS168 · 10-27-05, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the ceramic suggestion. I'll look around but most places don't offer that. My car is mercury metallic so the tint i was looking at looks metalic in the daytime and black at night. It matches really well. I really want to try it but i'm not sure how much it would affect the nav. Does anyone know how it affects the nav?

DaveGS4 · 10-27-05, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3GS168

Thanks for the ceramic suggestion. I'll look around but most places don't offer that. My car is mercury metallic so the tint i was looking at looks metalic in the daytime and black at night. It matches really well. I really want to try it but i'm not sure how much it would affect the nav. Does anyone know how it affects the nav?

One or two 2GS members have said 'no problems' but many others have had significant issue. I would strongly suggest not to do it based on their experiences.

If you want to know about it, I sugest you do a search. go up to the 'search the forums' box and put in the keywords 'metallic tint navigation' and look through the results.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/sear...earchid=326923

toyemp · 10-27-05, 11:46 AM

BTW, I forgot to mention that Llumar, Formula One and Gila films are all made by the same company -- CP Films. You can find more info here -- http://www.cpfilms.com

Couldn't figure out what the marketing strategy was since there appears to be a lot of overlap between the brands...

3GS168 · 10-27-05, 11:57 AM

Thanks Dave. didn't know i could search the forums

. I think i'll definitely go with non-metallic. also, is it better to take out the door panel when they apply the tint? some places say that they don't need to whereas my friends say they should.

toyemp · 10-27-05, 12:01 PM

I watched them install mine and they did not need to remove any door panels. I've gone over my car with a fine-toothed comb and not a single bubble, crease or anything on the entire car. It was well worth the extra money in my opinion to have it done at a shop with a good reputation.

lexuslover · 10-27-05, 12:38 PM

my old 01 GS has metallic tint only on the sides, the tint shop wanted to avoid putting metallic on the back since that's where the nav and radio reception was built into. even with metallic on the sides, there was a decrease in GPS reception. i lived in a newer area where FM and GPS strength was already kinda weak. after the tints were put in, it became even worse. the GPS bar disappeared once i got off the main freeway and was lost all around my area until i got back to the highway. it was annoying, b/c it gets extremely off base and totally confused. and the FM reception was bad as well.

in our new GS, we steered away from metallic tints altogether. i went with a carbon film, which i believe is carbon-dyed. i specifically wanted a non-metallic, non-glare, non-reflective tint that would not affect the nav. Suntek Carbon is the film name, and it's got lifetime warranties against fading, peeling, cracking, etc. etc. (http://www.suntekfilms.com/carbon.htm) i don't know how it compares to ceramic, i have no experience with ceramics (yet). but i can tell you that the heat reduction appears to be as good as the metallic tint i used to have, but then again i went from black to gray interior, so that helps a bit. it's also expensive, i paid $420 installed, but it looks great. i personally don't like tints that look like mirrors on sunny days, so i'm very happy with it. the nav, FM and Sirius signal strengths have not been affected at all by the tint job. (sirius antenna mounted on rear deck shelf)

here's a quick comparison - you can see that the 01 GS tint has more glare/reflection:

3GS168 · 10-28-05, 01:22 AM

Lexuslover, thanks for the comparison and the picture. you said that your GPS bar went down or went away, where is the meter located? I'm new to my lexus so i have no idea. my xm radio is on my front windshield instead of the back. maybe it would not affect it as much, you think?