What Window tinting should we get?

Do you want to be legal? The number varies state to state.

 

If it's free, you may not have a lot of options. If they offer ceramic films for free, definitely go with that. Ceramic films do a lot to reflect heat so that your car stays cooler in the sun. Otherwise, if it's regular films, go with whatever darkness you prefer. If you want to be legal, you can only tint the back (the back windows, the small back windows, the hatch, and the little vertical piece below the hatch).

 

I'll try to run you through as much as I know in a short amount of time.

The lower the percentage number the darker the tint.

5% Tint = Most dark. Aka "Limo tint." This means only 5% of visible light is transimitted. In other words, you can't see through this at all except in bright sunlight. Dark of night visibility is almost impossible for most people.
15%-20% = Very dark
30-35%% = pretty standard, IMO. You get looks and good heat reduction.
50% = I would call this a pretty mild tint.
70% = Believe it or not the windows from factory come at 70% already. So this is what a 70% tint would look like; it's invisible pretty much.

Laws: In CA any tint on the front 2 windows is illegal but you can get any darkness of tint (including 5%) for the 2 back windows and rear. Many people especially in CA disregard these laws, however. For example, they might get 30% tint "all around." Install at your own risk.

Examples; I'd say that on average, people get 30% on the back 2 windows and rear. You can also do a grade-effect, where your windows are darker in the back and lighter in the front. For example, 5% rear hatch, 30% back windows, 50% front windows (note this last one is illegal remember.) Though this is technically illegal having a grade effect makes the front window not look as tinted. Make sense? Some people also choose to get 5% tint all around. This is definitely illegal, and also some would consider, a cop magnet.


As for brands of tint, you'll likely be confined to whatever brands and models of tint the dealership carries and the installer knows how to install.

Choosing a tint depends on
1. How sensitive you are to heat
2. How you want your car to look
3. Your comfortableness with the potential of getting pulled over (if you choose to get your fronts tinted)
4. How much privacy you want

 

Yeah, the percent only tells you how much visible light passes through or in other words, how dark the color is.

If you want ceramic I would just ask them at the dealership what kind they use. Ask them if it's "dyed," "metallic," or "ceramic."

 

Ceramic tint films also supposedly don't interfere with radio, cellular, and gps signal reception like metallic films. Dyed films don't interfere either, but they can fade or change color with time and exposure to sun/heat.

 

I did a dark split like macmaster05 mentioned.

This is 50% front and 15% rear. 50% and 25% would look better but I like the rear really dark. I usually do 5% in the rear but the 15% is a nice ceramic tint and it was free from a friend of mine. Sorry for the crummy cell phone pics.

 

Trying to post from a cell phone sucks.

Anyway, the 3rd picture shows how light 50% can look at some angles despite it being a terrible picture, you can clearly see the vehicle park to the right of me but not so through the rear windows.

It is important to consider your interior color when choosing tint for the front windows. If you are trying to stay un-noticed by cops then consider going one shade lighter if you have dark interior or one shade darker if you have light colored interior. The point is, even light tint can look dark on a car with dark interior and white paint. This effect is greatly amplified when you have very dark tint in the rear or if you are driving at night. Just things to think about.

 

Also, on a cloudy day, I have seen untinted front windows appear as dark as 50% if the rear windows have 15%.

MB860 ? 2

 

Yup!

Viewing from different angles can cause a drastic change in appearance as well. Look at my second picture then look at the 3rd.

 

just ask dealership. they probably outsource it.

good advice from macmaster. you're either going to for tint because: 1. looks 2. heat rejection 3. both? oddly enough, some of the best ceramics (huper optik) appear very light (optical clarity) but still have better heat rejection than most "dark" film tints.

keep in mind warranty. is the film backed up by auto film company warranty? how many years? How about shop labor warranty? whats the skill of the tinter? tint: colorstable? going to turn purple? bubble? affect electronics? hand cut vs computer cut?

 

I know you're strapped for cash but ...how about 20% roof? air blue 80 or solar gard ultra performance on windshield? upper hatch vs bottom hatch? i remember reading a thread describing that its more beneficial to get the upper rear tinted lighter b/c the rake makes it look darker on the outside + dark rears.

 

Since your in sunny California, a nice compromise would be to go 20-30% on the rear & 1 shade lighter on the front to keep the car cool & have a nice blended appearance.

 

How difficult/costly is it to remove "factory" installed tint and have new tint installed?

 

There's no factory-installed tint. The factory glass is tinted ~75% in the glass; no film is used. You mean port- or dealer-installed tint.

 

My Prius has Digifilm 42% installed by SouthEast Toyota at the port. How difficult is it to replace this?