clear window "tint"

[joaks]

There are a few brands of window "tint" available that are actually clear. The idea is to block UV and IR to have a cooler, longer lasting interior.

Any experience or opinions regarding these? I would actually like to have a very mild standard tint to by windows, but CA law is pretty restrictive about the front side windows and I think my car will look silly with darker in the back.

 

[BISCUT]

There are a good number of commercial tints out there that may fit the bill for you. I am about to get my master bedroom window done by a tint man I trust (he has done 8 cars for me and is retired from a neighboring cop job). Very knowledgeable on products out there. I did not want to put a window treatment on my arch window (window set below has window treatments). In the summer it gets the setting westerly sun and heats up my bedroom. He ordered me a non reflective (as seen from the outside) tint that will block a good amount of light. I do not recall the exact percentage. He does a fair number of residential homes and lots of commercial buildings. So these guys are out there. My windows set is about 52 sq and costing me $405.

 

[mikered30]

3m crystalline tint is probably what you are looking for, but it is crazy expensive. There are various shades to choose from.

 

[KGMtech]

Tints have a secondary benefit, for door windows it keeps the glass all together in the event of a hit, this might be useful if someone was trying to break into your car, or you just got t-boned. All that tempered glass will stay in place because of the tint layer.

Having said that, if youy are so concerned about escaping your car in the event of plunging into a lake, the tint will prevent you from smashing the window. Personally, the risk of this is far far less than the more common break-in or glass shattering crash.

 

[sds911]

I have Llumar clear tint on my front windshield, and Llumar ceramic tint on the front windows.

 

[hpb]

Why not just get the darkest legal tint?

 

[joaks]

Originally Posted By: hpb
Why not just get the darkest legal tint?


The darkest I can get on the front is 75% IIRC. Supposedly this around factory glass level for most cars. The general rule is (supposedly, again) to not tint the front. I could get anything I want on the other windows. I am not a huge fan of darker windows in the back because it looks strange to me and the sun will still be warming me in the front, although it would keep the interior of the car cooler.

 

[hpb]

What I meant was, get the darkest you're allowed to have on the front side windows done on all the windows. That way you'll be legal, and the car will look good as all the windows will match.

 

[joaks]

Originally Posted By: hpb
What I meant was, get the darkest you're allowed to have on the front side windows done on all the windows. That way you'll be legal, and the car will look good as all the windows will match.


Oh, I understand now. I might end up taking that approach; my concern is that it will be too light. Too light is better than too dark I just don't want to spend the cash and be where I started.

 

[hpb]

I reckon "too light" would look better than the "clear" you initially asked about though...

Go to some tint shops and check out other cars they've done, that way you'll know how yours will look.

 

[97tbird]

My wife's 2014 Mazda6 has Llumar 80 clear "tint" - her car is noticeably cooler in summer than mine which has no such film.
I am thinking of getting it done on the Bimmer sometime.
(In NC you cannot have ANY dark tint on windshield, only side and back window are allowed)

 

[nolesfan]

You can have film applied to the windshield in NC, just not below the AS1 line.

 

[97tbird]

Well that's where 90% of heat gets in.

 

[tom slick]

Your windshield already blocks UV because of its laminated construction. You'd need to tint it to get any heat blockage. Side windows are not laminated so they may not provide UV blockage.

 

[97tbird]

well, it's not 100% clear, but if you didn't know it, you just see a non-tinted windshield on my wife's car.

(her car's side and rear windows ARE regular dark tint. 45% I think)

Some data on the "clear" film that she has:
http://www.formulaonetinting.com/window-films-offerred/58.html

 

[Errtt]

When I used to drive/have a RAV, I had it tinted and they applied an IR clear on the windshield, as long as there was no cracks that got through. The glass behind the front seats were all dark tint.