Window tinting recommendations

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Stewie, are doing this yourself?

Any decent shop that does tint will know and recommend what's allowed for the area.

I had the rear 5 windows done on my base model 2016 Forester right after I bought it. It's slightly darker than factory, but looks great and is legal. Cost me $140 cash. I would never do the driver or passenger glass with film tint given the use these windows see.


No, a shop is doing it for me but the shop may be biased as they are making a buck off of me.

Ended up going with 30%/15%

No issues at night but I would be weary backing if they were all 15%

 

[Stewie]

Thanks everyone

 

[Stewie]

Laws in Ontario are vague, so it's up to the cop to decide if it's too dark.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I got Huper Optik 30% (ceramic) all around on the Sonata. Blocks heat much better than friends that have 20% and/or 5% limo dyed tints. The Ceramic is a little weird as it is really affected by angle and overcast days. You can either right through nice and easy or it looks mirrored. I got pulled over once and cop was actually confused as when he walked to car he saw right through.

5% strip on windshield to help block the sun.

Sequoia has factory dark on rears, Llumar HP 35% on fronts, 5% strip. I saw many cops use the tint meters usually on the cannon/wing/skirt crowd. Some factory front windows were failing with nothing on them. I think front is limited to 70% in NY last I checked.

I also picked up dot matrix static cling and cut to fit for when I travel with the kids. Made the DVD watching for them better. Large roll up version for back window like some mercedes/BMW.

Window tint pics

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: KingCake
Originally Posted By: blupupher
As said above, it is not about VLT, it is about IR and heat blockage. ...


You want to block UV, too. UV gets absorbed by interior materials and then that energy gets emitted as infrared. Like a greenhouse. I got some clear tint applied to my house windows that reflects UV and IR but barely affects visible light. Huge difference in room temp during summer sunlight.

Yeah, I was thinking that when I typed "heat blockage" just brain [censored] on the term.

 

[Excel]

I have 20% on both my cars
I one has 3M which I hate and the other has Lumar which i love
You get what you pay for I guess

 

[Stewie]

Originally Posted By: Excel
I have 20% on both my cars
I one has 3M which I hate and the other has Lumar which i love
You get what you pay for I guess



What's so bad about 3M?

 

[Leo99]

I used SunTek CXP at about 20%. It was the best film they had at the shop I used.

 

[NSG]

I have had all my vehicles tinted. I think it makes them look nicer plus the added benefit of not getting burned alive in the car is always nice...lol

I would always get 35% done. Which during the day was JUST and I mean just a slight darkness that it would cut the heat but you could still clearly see in the vehicle. At dusk/dawn or an overcast day you could not see in the vehicle. I just re-did my tint in my Ranger to 20% and honestly I wish I would have done it sooner. I MUCH prefer 20% over 35% now. In fact I won't ever consider anything but 20% going forward.

It is darker at night, so be mindful of that. However during the day it's difficult to see inside the truck and at night forget about it. I would not go below 20% thought. I never understood why some choose 5% when you really can't see out of it at night. My friend had limo tint on his entire car and it was a freaking nightmare driving at night or when the weather was bad, IE: Rain.

Pictures don't do it justice, and it greatly depends on the interior color, moonroofs, exterior color of car..etc. All these play a part in how it appears from the outside.

Best bet is to find people with windows tinted and start seeing what you like.

Most legal limits are like 50%, at that point personally is a complete waste because 35% to me wasn't enough I can't even imagine paying someone to do 50%. The bare min I'd go would be 35% or I just wouldn't get it done.

-Nigel