Tints: 30% all around or...

[mechtech2]

Still , I would check local laws.
I had a girlfriend pulled over by a cop in her Dad's funeral procession by a cop who thought her window tints were too dark.
Insert adjectives here "____________________________________________"

 

[xxch4osxx]

"My advice to you, DO NOT get anything darker than 20% on the front windows. You want to be able to see out at night.

5% is very difficult to see out at night when there is no light around, or even in lit parking lots you may not be able to see pedestrians behind you or other obstructions. Plus, during twilight hours where the sun is rising or going down, people that have their head lights off are INVISIBLE. You will get into an accident, ESPECIALLY motor cycle you will not be able to see them. Even with lights on some times, the blinding light/glare during these hours with a DARK DARK tint makes it impossible to see out. Use your head. Same goes in severe down pours or bad visibility conditions. Again, you want that balance."

I have never had a problem with 5%, if you can't see, you put the windows down, very simple.

"If you tint the back window, do NOT go darker than 20%. You want to make sure you can see out, and if you have a COP behind you, you want to make sure he can see in within reason so you don't get stopped for a tint violation"

Up here you can paint your rear windows black if you want, totally lawful.

"Putting 5% all around the car, bad idea. For safety and for the risk of getting stopped"

Done this for years on many vehicles, never had a safety problem nor have I ever been stopped for it.

 

[lt1man]

XXCH, ok let me stop you here. It's pouring down with rain outside or a huge blizzard, are you going to roll your window down to see out? Probably not. Plus, not everyone has power windows or will be able to reach across and roll the window down.

As far as being able to see out fine, that is a farce. Day time, no issue with seeing out, lighted intersection and road ways and vehicle with head lights on, again never really an issue.

But, my post is true and factual. Just because you've had no problems, doesn't mean its not safe. You've been lucky you haven't been stopped, or been in an accident. I too had a car with 5% all around, it was nice and cool, I loved the privacy and stealthness of it, but I know the limitations. Many people are killed because of not being able to see out of really dark tint.

 

[Errtt]

Now that I got my work vehicle painted recently, tinting is next.
I know nothing about tinting (our other 2 vehicles were already tinted).
When I see for example 20%, does that mean it blocks 20% of the light?, 20% darker, or is the other way around saying it lets in 20% of the light blocking out 80% then?

When I go (hopefully this weekend) for tinting, is there any specifics I should be aware of? I see CL offers and local flyers for $99, & I see places like at car washes that also do tinting.

This last weekend I stopped at a tint-pro place and they said I'd have to set up an appointment and leave the vehicle for about 4 hours. I didn't have the time to spare right then so I left. They also said it would be around $250-300+ for my RAV, everything behind the front doors done. Seems high, but if it's worth it then I guess it's worth it.

I at times (out of town) run a radar detector that also has rear pick-up. Will tinting interfere with detection?

 

[jigen]

I believe 20% means only 20% of the light gets through, making it darker than a 30% and so on.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: jigen
I believe 20% means only 20% of the light gets through, making it darker than a 30% and so on.




Yup, that`s what it means. ^^^^^

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: jigen
I believe 20% means only 20% of the light gets through, making it darker than a 30% and so on.




Yup, that`s what it means. ^^^^^


I think the opposite. A 20% reduction would allow more light than a 30% reduction.

 

[BigBuck]

Originally Posted By: jigen
I believe 20% means only 20% of the light gets through, making it darker than a 30% and so on.



This.

 

[bigmike]

I've been ticketed several times for dark tint in FL and every time it was the sole reason the officer pulled me over. Lesson learned. All I have is legal tint now.

My recommendation is to tint it all the same or go with JHZR2's idea of the back window and quarter panels. I think that would look nice too.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I think the opposite. A 20% reduction would allow more light than a 30% reduction.


Incorrect. Tint is rated by its visual light transmission, VLT. This is the percentage of visible light that passes through the tint. jigen was quite correct here:

Originally Posted By: jigen
I believe 20% means only 20% of the light gets through, making it darker than a 30% and so on.


You may also want to look at the UV & IR blocking capabilities of the tint. I had both cars done with 35% tint all around, minus the windshield of course. From the outside, it looks MUCH darker on my dark blue Golf with a black interior; far lighter outside the light green Beetle with a tan interior.

If I had to do it over again, I would have sprung for a better shop that used 3M, Huber Optik or Llumar tint and had the windshield done with one of the 'clear' films or even 50% VLT tint (which looks nearly clear from the outside). I had to get the hatch window on my Golf redone - two of the defroster lines don't work now and the NB's hatch is starting to lift slightly around the frit.