Window Tinting

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by Phr3d

scary..

[mike_dmt]

I agree. That looks great in the sun, but man trying to drive at night let alone back up in the dark...

Even though I tinted my windshields, I never, ever, went darker than 35%. And, I too have a note from my doctor.

Not to mention the fact that all films do have a bit of texture to them, and as it gets older, it distorts more and more. Meaning, oncoming headlights create a new type of glare... Makes things look fuzzy.. I guess. Not safe at all if you go too dark.

I generally only like 35% all the way around personally. Looks classier IMO. And, nothing looks worse than uneven darkness from front to back, also just my opinion.

So many people asked for "limo"(5%)... I'd ask why, and they would say "So people can't see me" or "see what I'm doing in my car" some other reason.... If you go with 35% on all the windows, and a reasonable strip... People are hard pressed to see you. Go 20%, and it's almost impossible. Limo, and now people will never see you, and more likely, you wont see THEM... Count the cost of possibly being liable for an accident that you might not have even caused, and it becomes clear (no pun intended) that dark tint isn't always worth it.

Again, just my 2cents.

[Phr3d]

Originally Posted by mike_dmt

Count the cost of possibly being liable for an accident that you might not have even caused..

ding! we haa-aave a winnnuh!!
(and friends, that begins at 30 percent.. you against the insurance company - good pharg'n luck wi'dat)

You're in good hands.. YEEEEOOowwww, heheh (sorry, old joke)

[TerminatorX5]

how about security films - has anyone done security films? they come clear as day and dark as hell... my main thing is the security portin, when the glass can't be easily broken...

I am looking at an ebay seller who sells pre-cut security film for DIY, and would like to stay on the good side of the law...

What percentage should I consider? he offers 90%, 50%, 35% and 20%...

I got the 4.8iS with privacy glass on the back, and no other tinting at the moment..

[mike_dmt]

I did a long long time ago, but only on residential and commercial windows.

Automotive film does add a bit of security, but not very much. Mostly it will just keep the broken window together instead of blasting little shards all over your interior.


And as far as %, just go by the law. In Washington, on an SUV or truck you can go 35% on the front doors, and basically as dark as you want on the rear glass. But again, I'd check your local laws.

[SlickGT1]

Yea make it look even. 35% front meant 75% tint. 75% light passes through type of thinking. The rears I would do 90% tint or clear. That's if you want to be legal.

If you want to be a gangsta, look at my car above. Lol. That's 20% tint.

Mine is a bit too dark. But my baby sleeping back there in the night, headlights barelly penetrate it.

[TerminatorX5]

I have to look not only at the gazillion local jurisdictions, where the cops are just coming up with excuses to fill up the coffers, but also for the foreign governments, where some rules are enforced strictly and some are laxed - in Costa Rica I convinced the local "inspection station" that my tint on 4.6 was factory, as previous owner made the tint edgeless...

In Moscow "they" were not supposed to register the car, and the guys who took the car for "inspection" suggested that I remove my tint, get the car registered and then tint again - there are hundreds of tinting shops in Moscow, and while tint is illegal, every Joe-Schmoe has windows limo black...
I told the guys to check my "documentation" that I had in 4 copies in the glove compartment, it was about 70 proof rum from Nicaragua, Flor de Cana - I said, if my "paperwork" is adequate, they can keep the "docs", if they think that my papers are NOT sufficient to keep the tint, then I want my "documents" BACK!!!... Well, I guess the authorities were satisfied with the explanation that I offered!!! hahaha

So. I am not looking for dark tint (by the way, slick, yours looks like "banditka"!!), just a bit of a tint while having the security film applied. I also would like to make my tint edgeless, and I am not afraid to take the glass out of the doors (done that several times on the 4.6)

[mike_dmt]

Yeah, the edgeless look is hard to do. The guy doing it has to be really, really good. Not impossible by any means, just hard to find someone talented enough to do it.

And taking the glass out generally turns out worse, and you have 1000% more of a chance to nick it or scratch it going back in.

Hope you can find what you need!

Oh, and I would go 90% on the rear, 35% on the front. Wont match, but it will be closer than most.

Did you say you're ordering a pre-cut kit? We used to precut a few cars at a time... never, ever fit anything but the original 100%, and if you want edgeless... I dunno, you might want to hit up a local shop.

[SlickGT1]

The guy offers 90, and 50 for your application, so I say do 50 on the front and 90 on the back. That's a lot of windows to do by the way. Took my guys a solid 4 hours, and they are pros. So I don't know if it's worth doing it by yourself.

[mike_dmt]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

The guy offers 90, and 50 for your application, so I say do 50 on the front and 90 on the back. That's a lot of windows to do by the way. Took my guys a solid 4 hours, and they are pros. So I don't know if it's worth doing it by yourself.

+2^ We used to sell film to guys looking to save a few bucks doing it themselves.... It was worth the laugh when they brought their ride in begging us to fix it. We just ended up re-doing the entire thing literally every single time.

The pros make it look simple, it isn't. To have a window come out clean and with a tiny edge... takes a ton of practice, and a lot of wasted film.. not to mention the frustration level... lol.