Tinting the prius 2010..good idea or bad?

If your vision is good, it is definitely something good to do.

 

I'm planning on tinting mine. I'm planning on installing close to the legal limit (30% reduction, I believe) on all the windows including the rear window. Obviously, not the windshield, though.

On sedans, I'm not a fan of having using darker tinting for the rear windows -- which is allowed in California even though the front windows have a limit. I think it looks better when they are uniform.

 

Call me young but I think all Prius look better with tinted windows.

Personally I would do 70%-75% on the front windows for the UV reduction and a very slight tint effect. Then 15% on the rear windows and 5% on the back hatch window, or 15% if you vision is not so great.

Unfortunately you cannot get a good "blended effect" here in California due to the restirction on the front windows.

IMO the car feels like a glass bowl or a greenhouse without tinted windows. We have way to many windows in the car and it feels like everyone can see your every move. lol

This is whast it looks like with 35% on the front and 5% in the rear. Unfortunately I got pulled over twice for the front windows so I went to 70% just to play it safe. If you don't like the contrast then try reducing the tint on the rear by going 70%/35%/15% but don't expect the car to be dark.

 

Just be careful how you word your request for tint. To stay "legal" you will not want to go below 70% tint. Tint is rated by how much light is transmitted through the medium, not by how much it reduces light transmission. UV reduction is rated by how much it is reduced however, and pretty much all tint from 75% to 5% has a 99% UV reduction (LLumar Tint ratings).

 

Years ago when I lived in Ft. Lauderdale, I had my car windows tinted. Be aware that your night time visibility is significantly affected, particularly if you go darker.

Cosmetics aside (not my cup of tea), unless you live in a very hot area, I don't think the night driving safety factor is worth the trade off. I've never had another car tinted (even while I still lived in south Florida).

 

Some personal input. Got my V a week ago and had the side / back windows tinted Llumar 50 & 30 Friday. I live in Central FL and the first time I had additional tint installed on a car. It will definitely reduce glare and solar intrusion. Also looks good IMO. And within the FL legal limit. Drove at night a few times and no issues with limited vision due to the tint - don't notice it at all...zero trade off..

 

The car looks great Dean!

 

How much did it cost? Looks great! 50 backs 30 fronts correct? Hatch 50? The Higher the number the darker it is, correct? Does anyone know Texas tint standards?

 

A few things, I would never tint my windows, but I live in the NW so the solar cooling benefit would be very limited.

I figure I can keep my car cool using ventilation and the dreaded air conditioning and the rest of the time I actually appreciate being able to see the world around me as clearly as possible, which means no tint. At times when the sun and glare become a problem, that is why I have sunglasses.

However, if I lived in Florida or some other sunshine state maybe I would feel different. I think it really is up to the individuals personal preference. I'd rather NOT have tint if I can get away with not having it, but I know for various style and sometimes use reasons others feel the exact opposite.

Off the topic, the more I see of the Barcelona Red the more I like it. I once had a bad experience with a red vehicle and I swore I would never own one again. But this metalic red seems more Maroon and IMO looks real sharp. After years of warning myself not to ever get a red vehicle again, this Red tempts me. I'd have to say it's near the top of the list of favorite available colors, I just don't know if I could talk myself into going against my own advice after so many years.

 

No, the lower the number the darker the tint. 5% or lower = "limo tint".

 

The lower the number the darker the tint. I don't know if this is correct or not, but a website I checked for Texas tint laws says no less than 25 for sides, any for rear.

I got a 2010 Prius III on Friday, tinted it on Saturday For me, it was $150 for sides and rear. $15 for the strip on the top of the windshield. I'll put pics up eventually.

For the OP, I prefer tint because to me, it allows for a bit of privacy and it seems the interior isn't burning when getting in the car after it's been in the sun. I got 20 sides and rear (I prefer the front and rear windows to match even though it's not legal for 20 on front sides here in FL).

 

The Barcelona Red is pretty darn red compared to Salsa Red which is what most people consider maroon or merlot. I think of Barcelona as more tomato red when comparing the two.

 

Isn't there a type of filter that doesn't darken the windows so much but gives pretty good UV/heat filtering? I swear I heard about this some years back from a guy I used to date.

 

Yes, pretty much all tint does that despite it's visible light transmission. On our tint sample cards even the 75% tint (very very light) claims 99% UV reduction. I believe there is a step above that which is clear but still grants UV reduction.

 

I lucked out - a great shop locally had a summer special - $120. And a super job. Yes front sides have the "lighter" tint by law. For TX standards - google state tint laws. Many sites there....
And the front windshield has "natural UV protection - very high - close if not 95%.

 

I have Barcelona red '10. IMO the above pic doesn't quite really capture the true color - not as light or orangey. I'm REALLY happy with it - has a very nice metallic sheen. I have quite a few pics on the site (new owner pics) that I believe truly capture the color in good light.

 

The lighting is a bit dark as you can see compared to the picture of my car on the first page. The picture was not staged to show the best aspects of each car. It was simply to visualize the difference between the two colors. Maybe people had a hard time telling the difference unless the 2 were side by side.

 

I'm also considering tinting and would also love to know a good shop in LA.

EDIT: Sunshield Glass Tinting in Van Nuys has some good customer reviews. There's even a Prius owner who says they went based on recommendations of other Prius owners.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sunshield-g...sq1CK90PW6y7A/src:search/query:window tinting

 

The first time my wife saw Barcelona Red she called it "Lipstick Red." It was in the full sun at the dealer. I would swear that our Barcelona Red is a little darker than what we saw on another car on the dealers lot. Maybe one mix to the next could be slightly different. Ours does not seem to be as Orangish as what we saw on the lot. What is interesting about Barcelona Red is that it changes color depending on the light. Silver does that too.

Certain colors can make rock chips disappear better than others. White is one and Red is the other. I have already tested that.

As for tint, the real benefit is on the rear window where the Sun can trap the most heat. The same for the front window but I've decided to use a sunshade on the front window. I don't know if I will do the back or not. Might?

Dan