OEM BMW Windshield Sunshades:
Summer is quickly approaching and that means hot temperatures. If you live in the south extreme UV (ultraviolet) rays can ruin not only the clear coat on your car but also your vehicle's interior. Investing is a quality windshield sunshade will pay for itself over time by protecting your interior.
Many stores offer universal windshield sunshades but the disadvantages are that they do not perfectly fit your windshield cut out. Sunshades without a perfect fit let light in the corners (or in the middle with cheap two piece ones) and can cause sun fade lines at the border of covered and uncovered sections. Luckily, BMW makes OEM windshield sunshades that perfectly fit your car. Let us go through the advantages and how effective these sunshades can actually be, they are not a gimmick.
How UV & Infrared radiation can harm your interior:
- Cracked dash
- Dred leather
- Cracked vinyl seats
- Headliner sag (heat breaks down the adhesive)
- Faded fabrics
Advantages of windshield sunshades:
- Lower interior temperatures by up to 50 degrees F
- Prevent interior fade
- Protect interior electronics from overheating
- Protects burns from steering wheel, shift knob etc
Do windshield sunshades actually work?
Hell Yes, they do!
How do windshield sunshades scientifically work?
As light enters your vehicle, some of the light is reflected back as visible light, the rest of the light enters your vehicle and cannot escape. This infrared light (invisible to the human eye) trapped inside your vehicle in the form of heat bounces around until absorbed by the interior materials. The heat breaks down the materials at a molecular level. Windshield sunshades reflect back as much light as possible reducing the trapped light inside your vehicle.
What is ultraviolet radiation (UV)?
Violet is the highest frequency color of light humans can see. Ultraviolet is "beyond" violet and thus invisible to the human eye. UV rays are absorbed by materials such as human skin, rubbers, fabrics, polymers, paints etc. Once the material absorbs these rays they begin to oxidize and break down.
What is infrared radiation (IR)?
Red is the lowest frequency color of light humans can see. Infrared is "under" red and thus invisible to the human eye. When an object is not hot enough to radiate visible light, it will emit most of its energy in the infrared (heat). Infrared radiation can simply be thought of as "heat" radiation.
How much do OEM BMW windshield sunshades cost?
Around $56
Where can you buy them?
Dealership, any online BMW parts seller
What are the OEM BMW part numbers?
See table below.
What if my car is not listed in the table below?
All models are available at ShopBMWusa.com.
Model | OEM BMW Part Number |
E30 | 82111467109 |
E34 | 82111467114 |
E36 | 82111467115 |
E38 | 82111468940 |
E39 | 82111469896 |
E46 Coupe | UV10792SV (non OEM) |
E46 Sedan | 82111470411 |
E60 / E61 | 82110302993 |
E90 / E91 | 82110399145 |
E92 / E93 | 82110415260 |
Z3 | 82111469557 |
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