Your opinions on tint

[JGard]

Hey all,
Finally getting around to tinting my windows in the X5 tomorrow. I can't believe the previous owner didn't have it done, as it's a necessity here in Texas.

Anyway, my last car had 35% on the fronts and 5% on all three back windows, which is legal here in TX (as far as I know, anyway). I liked how cool it kept the car and all that, but I didn't like how difficult it made seeing out the back at night when backing up. Fortunately that car had a backup camera.

My X5 doesn't have one (I won't even go in to how ridiculous it is that a backup camera isn't standard on a $70k vehicle), so I'm tentative about the darkness of the tint. I'm not getting 5%, I know that much. Does anybody have 20%, though? Is that still too dark to see out of at night? My options really come down to 35% or 20% and I am concerned 35% won't work as well as I'd like. Thoughts?

[Ozer]

I dont like dark tink myself so i would say 35% should be easier to see at night but still give it a nice tint to it. As far as i know the darkness isnt what blocks the UV rays, instead its the tint itself and the UV coating it has. So i think even a 50% tint should block UV rays. I'll be getting mine in the 35% range soon

[Socale39]

Agreed with 35%. Not a fan of darker tints for many reasons.

[Doug Huffman]

Texas window tinting standards are in Texas Administrative Code, Title 37, Part 1, Rule 21.3.

TxDPS - VI Window Tint Program

Note: Windows immediately to the right and left of the driver that have less than 25% light transmission will fail inspection, regardless of the year model of the vehicle. A medical exemption is required, only if the citizen needs tint on the two front windows darker than the 25% requirement.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/extLinks/default.aspx?Url=http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=N&p_rloc=1559 68&p_tloc=&p_ploc=1&pg=3&p_tac=&ti=37&pt=1&ch=21&r l=1

[Duc Hunter]

3M Crystalline is what I use. Have it in all my cars and have for a long time. Blocks the most heat for a given darkness. In fact I run 40% (limo is 5%) and it block more heat then 3M's next line down's 5%. IT is not cheap, but amazing. If you want max heat rejection with minimum tint..this is the best I have found.

[JGard]

yeah, the place I go to has some ceramic stuff they use, it was great in the lexus. Honestly, I never thought I'd like the really dark tint, but I found that I did quite a bit.

The other reason for going a little darker is I have a 1.5 year old with another on the way, it's a good way to keep them from having to deal with glare, although 35% should be enough, I think

[JGard]

Originally Posted by Doug Huffman

Texas window tinting standards are in Texas Administrative Code, Title 37, Part 1, Rule 21.3.

TxDPS - VI Window Tint Program


http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/extLinks/default.aspx?Url=http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=N&p_rloc=1559 68&p_tloc=&p_ploc=1&pg=3&p_tac=&ti=37&pt=1&ch=21&r l=1

that's great, but I already know the limit for the front sides is 35% (based on the fact that I can only get 35, 20, or 5 from this shop). But I have a whole mess of other windows that also need tint and those are the windows I'm asking about. I'm not about to ask this shop to install any tint that would not be legal on my car, and I have to assume they know more about the laws of it than I do.

[gregg3gs]

On the X5 I have %50 on all back windows as the oem windows are already tinted and do think it is dark.
On my A4 I have %20 and do feel like sometimes I have to roll windows down to see.

On the X5 I also do have the camera and proximity sensors.

Have you considered costs of adding the camera?


Good luck to you.

[JGard]

I ended up going with the 20% around the back and so far so good. I have no difficulty seeing out the back when backup up at night, so I'm happy.

I have been looking into retrofitting a camera, but it's like $500 and that's without any sensors. In general I'd love to add the CIC Nav system + camera to my car, but even with scouring ebay and whatnot, it'd be a $1500+ proposal...not sure it's worth it.

[Ozer]

If you arent used to back up cameras and sensors then not worth it.
I hardly use mine when backing up because i like looking back and around the sides when i park. You cant see everything going on when staring at a screen trying to park.