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Metalized Tint: GPS - No Navigation System


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I know many say not to use the metalized tint on cars with navigation (and some say they always do without any problems), but I'm just wondering more about the specific effects.

For example, a BMW without navigation still has GPS for the Roadside Assistance, tracking a stolen car, detecting a bad wreck and sending your location in for a 911 call, etc.

Is the effect of the film just a little bit of flakiness during nav use, like maybe cutting out for a second and causing you to miss a turn? Not working at all?

I'm mainly just curious about if there would be a problem with locating the car, or just possible intermittent interference during nav use.

Also, to those that put it on everything: Have you come across certain films that seemed to have less problems than others? Or how about certain cars that either screw up every time with it, or others where it's never an issue? Just wondering if vehicle or film design comes into play, or if it's as simple as metal + nav/gps = bad.

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most manufactures dont recomend anything metallic, I tell that to my customers and show them in their manual. that is usually enough to get them into a non metallized film. honestly I have put it on navigation cars and have never had any porblems, however AM is always almost gone. as far as gps tracking I have no idea. if its questionable stay away from metallized on anything owrth maore than 15,000.

for example accords, tl's and tsx's ive put metallized and the nav still worked fine without any problems for years. BMW I bet would be a different story. toyota I think would interfere as well. just my experience though from tinting at an all metallic shop years back

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Guest Key West
I know many say not to use the metalized tint on cars with navigation (and some say they always do without any problems), but I'm just wondering more about the specific effects.

For example, a BMW without navigation still has GPS for the Roadside Assistance, tracking a stolen car, detecting a bad wreck and sending your location in for a 911 call, etc.

Is the effect of the film just a little bit of flakiness during nav use, like maybe cutting out for a second and causing you to miss a turn? Not working at all?

I'm mainly just curious about if there would be a problem with locating the car, or just possible intermittent interference during nav use.

Also, to those that put it on everything: Have you come across certain films that seemed to have less problems than others? Or how about certain cars that either screw up every time with it, or others where it's never an issue? Just wondering if vehicle or film design comes into play, or if it's as simple as metal + nav/gps = bad.

Anything metallic between the antenna and the sky will cause interference with GPS. I used to carry the "OnGard Tracker" and put the antenna under the dash. But for some stupid reason, the MFGRs are putting it under the rear deck :dunno Seems to mr that the rear defroster lines would cause some interference. Yes, GPS is THAT sensitive :beer

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Thanks for the replies. I should probably note that I'm not questioning anyone on how they handle things, or what reasoning they use. It's just curiosity on my part about where people choose to draw the line and why.

most manufactures dont recomend anything metallic, I tell that to my customers and show them in their manual.

It's certainly understandable to do it that way and avoid possible headaches, even if it would only be a few per year. One less thing to worry about.

for example accords, tl's and tsx's ive put metallized and the nav still worked fine without any problems for years. BMW I bet would be a different story. toyota I think would interfere as well. just my experience though from tinting at an all metallic shop years back

So, then car design does come into play to some extent, or at least where they mount things. Then again, I guess as soon as you say, "Okay, metal is fine with this car," that's when they'll switch something up on a new body design. Again making it easier to just push them towards non-metal.

Anything metallic between the antenna and the sky will cause interference with GPS.
More of a GPS question than a tint question, but: What are you personally considering interference? Intermittent problems that are just a little annoying, complete uselessness, or an unpredictable combination of both and everything in between?
I used to carry the "OnGard Tracker" and put the antenna under the dash. But for some stupid reason, the MFGRs are putting it under the rear deck :lol2 Seems to mr that the rear defroster lines would cause some interference. Yes, GPS is THAT sensitive :dunno
Would the ideal location be externally mounted, like the fin-type antennas on the roof of some cars?

Is it safe to assume that a portable GPS stuck to the windshield with suction cups shouldn't be affected, or is even that uncertain? Or can even that boil down to where it might be okay with some windshields, depending on the angle, but maybe not in some trucks or other vehicles where it's more upright?

I guess I'm just wondering if there are people (without trial & error) that just look at a car, know how the system is laid out & where the antenna is, and say, "There is absolutely no reason why metalized tint should cause a problem in this car." (Other than AM signal, maybe.)

Sorry but I would not recommend any metalized film on these auto's it can cause a problem. IMO

Yup, but that's actually what made me ask. If there weren't so many that say they do it all the time without any problems, I wouldn't have thought about it as much. I was just more curious about the specific effects, varying from car to car, etc.

Plus, it's hard to put a percentage on it even if half claimed it's okay and others claimed the opposite, since some of them might have tinted 20 cars and others have tinted thousands.

I guess the one thing I was 100% clear on was that if you never put metalized film on a car with GPS/Nav, you will never have a problem that was caused by putting metalized film on a car with GPS/Nav. :beer

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Guest haroldshouseoftint

I have an aquantance, (used to consider him a friend) who has to redo ALOT of hondas (in house @ dealer) due to using a metall film on the back glass and loosing navagation, am and some fm reception :dunno:lol2

Also when I used to work for car dealers, I had alot of cars come back that the other tinter put atr on the back glass because he couldn't work with at (too thin) so yes metalized film does affect antennas and navs :beer:lol2

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I put metal film on a vehicle, because the lady didnt want to spend the diff of $. Long story short I found out later she downed a bottle of pills jumped in her car and took off. Her husband called police because the car had a GPS locater, but they couldnt pick up the signal. Caused by the metal film :dunno:beer

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I put metal film on a vehicle, because the lady didnt want to spend the diff of $. Long story short I found out later she downed a bottle of pills jumped in her car and took off. Her husband called police because the car had a GPS locater, but they couldnt pick up the signal. Caused by the metal film :dunno:beer

wow, how do you live with the quilt of killing someone with tint ? :lol2

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