Unfortunately...all of the very specific nature of your product specifications don't quite align with the "budget" window. When it comes to black, that was only budget minded when we are talking about a Ford Model T.

If you were in just about any other climate, thermally broken aluminum might not be suck a red flag, but with the lows you have in Wisconsin, that aluminum frame will sweat at the least, and probably for ice in other circumstances.

That is definitely not what I wanted to hear. I should clarify, I do not want to buy a cheap window that will need replacing I want to buy a unicorn; a good value window with a good return on investment, a window where I am not paying a big mark-up for no good reason that isn't priced with the fancy $$$ windows but that doesn't look bad or perform poorly.

So even the thermally broken aluminum windows will turn ice cold? I know the frame is slim but if the frame is sweating that will create moisture issues in the surrounding drywall and house frame, anyone from WI or similar climate want to weigh in on this or any other thermally broken aluminum window?

Still desperate for an all black or dark bronze interior/exterior fiberglass window without "paint issues". I wish the window business wasn't one of the absolute worst product research categories I have ever encountered, even purchasing a vehicle is less of a bother.

There are other fiberglass manufacturers like Inline you could consider, but I have no idea on their cost or your budget range per window. I don't believe Marvin has been having continual paint issues for the 20 years they have been producing their Ultrex line, so I think you may be overly concerned with that window.

Christine Anne,

I was unaware of the continual paint issues. I know we have seen a few threads on here of late with the darker colors but where else were you seeing it? This is really the first I am hearing of it.

Thermally broken aluminum will get cold if the temps are low enough outside. Just an inherent property to the aluminum material in these situations. There is a reason we don't see them used that much is residential when you get up there where you are.

I did not think Marvin or Anderson had an ebony or dark bronze interior fiberglass option?

I also do not think they have had "continual problems" for ~20 years but it appears as if it was enough of a problem to employ at least one chain painting business in the matter of repairing failed window coatings for approximately 8 years. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't know that I feel comfortable with a coated product where the product has a history of appreciable coating failure, or I would at least feel more comfortable if Marvin owned it and identified to the public exactly what happened and how it was remedied, rather than having us all rely on speculation because I have not seen any official information on the cause of the failures, but it certainly is contradictory to what the product brochures would have us believe!

How big of a factor is the cold aluminum window frame? Obviously it would be cool if I touched it, but given that it is a small overall part of the window would it have a measurable effect on my energy efficiency or cause damage or ambient air temperature changes, if so, how much?

Christine Anne,

Did you edit your post? I specifically recall reading "do believe" in the post or I would not have replied.

clepkowski,
I have no dog in this fight at the end of the day, so don't mistake me for a Marvin apologist. I can only base my opinion on observation and not on inferences and circumstantial evidence. Brushmaster existence for 8 years does not necessarily mean that the finishes are failing all over the place. Are you aware if they do any other work? Do they have other than Marvin clients?

One thing is for certain, if a customer is unhappy...they will tell people about it. If we were seeing a bunch of paint failures, I imagine the boards would be full of these posts. Perhaps they may still be, but in the absence of any facts or data on the matter, I will withhold the opinion that the paint issue is pervasive.

I recall reading it that way as well Christine Anne as did lightfall, if you did edit a typo that is not a problem but to call someone for reading your post the original way as them being wrong is well, wrong. Just my .02 cents.

And clepkowski, I personally know of thousands sold with the paint issue happening very infrequently. I have not sold residential products in years but am still friendly with many who do and I also do not believe the issue to be that widespread.

That is reassuring, I really appreciate the feedback guys, because the collective data suggests that it is probably the best value in windows if you do not want a wood interior or aluminum is not in the budget or is a poor choice for climate.

Now the difference between integrity and infinity is certainly cloudy as well, even with more research.

The issue of the color definitely still remains though, as I do not think anderson OR marvin have the dark interior option.

Milgard has a dark interior available, but I do not see any retailers in the wisconsin area and I have heard that the company name was sold to another company altogether so the body of evidence does not necessarily reflect the quality of the current product and company support.

WoW and millworkman - I did not edit my post. Additionally, if there was a long standing problem then I'm sure contractors in new construction as well as the replacement field would have been posting in other contractor forums if that was case. We in fact were going with the Marvin Next Gen, but have decided on the Integrity Wood Ultrex in our own new construction project FWIW.

Weird that we both misread the same thing. Either way, I agree that there would be far more on the web in terms of negative feedback.