What's Everybody Hiding From?

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Lately I have been seeing a lot more vehicles with super dark window tint on all the side windows (and the rear window). You literally cannot see if there is a driver in the car, unless you stand 3 feet away. What's behind this trend?

These are all Homeland Security employees?
Hiding texting while driving?
 
It's the style, apparently.

I see it a lot ... it's usually the cars with the blingy 20'' chrome wheels
 
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Keeps the ultraviolet light out And keeps The interior from Fading And it's a lot cooler in the summertime
 
Originally Posted By: Tboss
Keeps the ultraviolet light out And keeps The interior from Fading And it's a lot cooler in the summertime
+1 and my kids HATE the sun in their eyes. The pull down shades they sell are WORTHLESS. Tints is the only way.
 
It`s happening around here a lot lately too. Actually for the last 10 years or so. I like a light tint, still does what others have mentioned re; keeping interior from fading etc. But this limo tint stuff is ridiculous. And it`s illegal in PA to have the side windows (even with driver)to be tinted. So how they are getting away with it is beyond me?
 
How about the license plates that look like someone purposefully rubbed dirt all over them to obscure the letters/numbers? I have to think some are trying to evade the intersection cameras and mailed tickets for running orange lights (orange is when it goes from yellow to red while you are not quite through the intersection).
 
Here in the desert SW we are hiding from the sun, when it's 110 in the shade and there ain't no shade the tint makes a BIG difference in how a car's interior is able to cool down.

Smoky
 
After living in the south you learn to appreciate tinted windows. After 7 years the driver side is falling apart. I'm hoping to go a little darker that the law allows.
 
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Last year I had my SUV tinted. From rear doors back fairly dark but I can still see in. I forget the %.
The 2 front door windows I had IR tint which I almost can't tell since its a light tint. I park in the open at work all day and it sure seem to help on those hot summer days.
They also do the front windshield with IR, but I have a dime size rock chip which I decided to leave alone. But if I had it done, it would be cooler yet.
Driving home I usually have the sun blaring on my arm through the window for about an hour. The IR tint sure takes a lot of felt heat off my arm. Wish I had done it sooner.
The IR cost more but sure is nice.
 
I think modern tints that don't discolor look good within reason. 5% and such is pretty ridiculous, but I think up to about 20% looks good. It does help a lot with cooling the interior as well.

Tint was one of the best things I did to my old Ranger. It had a dark gray vinyl interior that would get scorching hot in the summer. 35% on the sides and 20% on the back window helped immensely. That was the darkest I could legally go in NC. My current truck has factory tint on the Super Cab windows and rear window that is about 20%, and that is a must on a black vehicle in the South. I have considered getting tint on the front side windows too, but I don't think a light legal tint would help much on just those two windows.

I've got no problem with other people tinting their windows as dark as they want to, as long as they can clearly see out of the vehicle.
 
No tint allowed in NY except with medical clearance. That does not stop folks from tinting, though. Most folks go with light tints to cut the glare, although some do go darker and get busted for it.
 
Originally Posted By: dwcopple (Michigan)
my kids HATE the sun in their eyes. The pull down shades they sell are WORTHLESS. Tints is the only way.


Originally Posted By: Smoky (New Mexico)
Here in the desert SW we are hiding from the sun, when it's 110 in the shade and there ain't no shade the tint makes a BIG difference in how a car's interior is able to cool down.


The sun is not a big problem in Michigan. When the sun is up, I'm usually at work.
I can see having tints in the desert SW.
What bugs me is the fact that tints preclude good vision for nighttime driving. I think it's a poor trade-off now that nearly every car has air conditioning.
 
I've even seen very dark tint on windshields here!
I am very surprised that they don't get fined for this. but enforcement is lax here.

My guess is that many of these people are either drug dealers or users. Keeps them from being seen dealing or using in the car.
 
Like said above - hiding from the sun.

All of my cars have had the windows tinted to the legal maximum (minimum?) before I even drive them off the lot. Does not do much good when the car is baking in the sun for 9 hours while I am at work but it does help with keeping it cool while driving and running the a/c.

Someone above said with modern a/c tint is unnecessary. Yeah....no. My Mazda 3 needs all the help it can get to cool down and keep the interior cool.
 
The a/c does nothing to cool off a car that has been sitting in the sun all day. Not for the first 5-10 minutes anyway. Nice not having as much of a blast of hot air when you open the door, or burning yourself on the hard plastic or seat belt buckle.
 
Where I live it's to keep the blazing sun off of me. I am a truck driver and already have skin cancer on my left arm. I run the darkest I can and not get pulled over. With a few million miles under my belt I get a lot of exposure to the sun. BTW it was 87* here today. It helps a lot to keep the cabin cooler too.
 
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