Widow Tinting in the UK

[dwarfer]

I realise that the topic of window tinting has been discussed in reasonable detail on the forum but I have a few questions which are not specificly answered.

From what I have read the factory tint is 35%. Am I right in thnking that this tint level allows 35% of light through or is that 65% of light through?

I have ordered the factory tint for the rear windows of a car which is due soon and I plan to have the front passenger and driver side windows tinted. Ive spoke to my dealer who is arranging for the work to be done and they have advised me to have no more than 50% tint which will be lighter than 35% tint on the rear(I guess this answers my questin above). Id like it to match the back but in the UK you are not supposed to have more than 75% tint on these windows so 75% of light must get through. If you get caught and your windows allow between 45% and 65% of light through you just get told to remove it but no fine. Any worse and you face a fine.

Is 35% on the rear and 50% on the front going to look ok? My dealer says the contrast will help prevent me being stoped becuase the fronts will look lighter and hence people will assume they are legal

Anyone in the UK looked at tinting their front side windows?

Thanks

[janisX5]

Originally Posted by dwarfer

I realise that the topic of window tinting has been discussed in reasonable detail on the forum but I have a few questions which are not specificly answered.

From what I have read the factory tint is 35%. Am I right in thnking that this tint level allows 35% of light through or is that 65% of light through?

I have ordered the factory tint for the rear windows of a car which is due soon and I plan to have the front passenger and driver side windows tinted. Ive spoke to my dealer who is arranging for the work to be done and they have advised me to have no more than 50% tint which will be lighter than 35% tint on the rear(I guess this answers my questin above). Id like it to match the back but in the UK you are not supposed to have more than 75% tint on these windows so 75% of light must get through. If you get caught and your windows allow between 45% and 65% of light through you just get told to remove it but no fine. Any worse and you face a fine.

Is 35% on the rear and 50% on the front going to look ok? My dealer says the contrast will help prevent me being stoped becuase the fronts will look lighter and hence people will assume they are legal

Anyone in the UK looked at tinting their front side windows?

Thanks

May be, may be...

This question is very actual for me. I have tinted all windows. From beginning of november our cops have tools to make test for how much light is going through in %. Last week I 've been stopped and after test we saw that my front window let only 12% of light through but must get minimum 70%... So, it means that I will not tint front windows anymore, we checked factory tint for X5 is aprox. 27% in front.

Good luck!!!

[Scottie]

For your info, the punishment for tints is on a sliding scale here in the UK. The less light that gets through the higher the punishment. so with only 33% light getting through, they have gone for the option of the points and fine. Less of a tint and it is normally a warning and get the tints off asap. If it was more tint than that, they can put a prohibition notice on the car there and then meaning it cannot be driven on the road until the tints are removed.

[janisX5]

Originally Posted by Scottie

For your info, the punishment for tints is on a sliding scale here in the UK. The less light that gets through the higher the punishment. so with only 33% light getting through, they have gone for the option of the points and fine. Less of a tint and it is normally a warning and get the tints off asap. If it was more tint than that, they can put a prohibition notice on the car there and then meaning it cannot be driven on the road until the tints are removed.

Punishment for tints in Latvia is not sliding scale, it costs LVL 60,00 (aprox 55 pounds or $120) not metter 69% or 2%.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by janisX5

Punishment for tints in Latvia is not sliding scale, it costs LVL 60,00 (aprox 55 pounds or $120) not metter 69% or 2%.

Sorry to hear that. In the UK on many forums tints thread are very hot topics.

My information came from my friends who work for the local law firm

The police over here are starting to pay more attention to vehicles with tints and dealers should not be advocating tinting the front side windows TBH.

the last thing you want is to have a accident and then for the insurance not to pay out because the police deemed your front side windows tints to be illegal.

[janisX5]

Originally Posted by Scottie

Sorry to hear that. In the UK on many forums tints thread are very hot topics.

My information came from my friends who work for the local law firm

The police over here are starting to pay more attention to vehicles with tints and dealers should not be advocating tinting the front side windows TBH.

the last thing you want is to have a accident and then for the insurance not to pay out because the police deemed your front side windows tints to be illegal.

I am in insurance business and I am afraid this moment will come because this case can be turned out the way what will not be positive for client
It demands of value of clame... Until this moment I didn't hear about cases like this.

[janisX5]

P.S. I sold my tinted E70 today, next will come after week and I will not tint front, it makes really nervous allways look around to see cops...

[Fredo]

I didn't think tints were allowed in the UK on front windows. I too am surprised about the dealer getting involved with doinf the work.

[dwarfer]

To be honest the dealer has pointed me in the dirrection of a 3rd party that they use. Both the dealer and installer have advised to not go above 50% and thats at my own risk. Both have told me its my call. To be honest im thinking of not bothering now with getting the fronts done esp if it could raise insurance issues.