Okay so most of you already have your opinions about window tinting. I think its a bit of a PITA at night, but its SO nice during the day, that its worth it to me. I have had every vehicle I have owned, tinted in the first week I owned them. Just got my new Prius LE tinted all the way around last week (all 11 windows) with a top quality material, with a life time guarantee. I had mine done in Fairfield CA by TJ's custom tint (I have had every tint job I've ever had done, done there. I give them the highest recommendations) But now here's something you guys might have never considered.... Windshield polarization ! HUGE, HUGE 100X's difference in eye comfort ! They take so much of the harsh glare off of things on a bright sunny day, but maybe an even bigger plus, they reduce a TON of glare on wet roads at night too ! It has a very light, almost imperceptible tint... Now a heads up, its expensive ! About $250 to $300 for a windshield... But its one of those things that if you ever have it, you wont ever want to go without it on any vehicle again ! Oh but one thing to note; If you have to wear polarized sunglasses, then this stuff is out. As if you try to look through a polarized windshield, with polarized glasses, everything will get completely whacked out, with rainbows all over the place, like a bad acid trip lol One more thing.... If you do have it done, "Don't lose your receipt" ! Because your insurance will pay to have this redone, if you break a windshield, with only the normal deductible for a new windshield replacement. State Farm will anyway.
Good to know about insurance! I had my windshield done also, not sure if it was polarized or not. I had it ceramic tinted. The tint made a huge difference in heat!
Never had tint done at TJ’s, but I’ll remember that for next time (I live in Fairfield). What material did you go with and what percentages? I went with Llumex ceramic all around and 80% on the windshield, 50% on the fronts and 15% on the back and hatch. Definitely helps with heat rejection .
Definitely helps with heat. With polarisation, I don't wear Polarised Glasses in the PRIUS as the HUD doesn't work with them. But that said - tint on any window strengthens them at least to some extent. Not only does it stop potential thieves from seeing into your vehicle, it adds a layer of protection between the inside of your vehicle and a thief. It would be interesting to know if it helps strengthen a front windscreen - has anyone seen any data on that? But - check the legalities in your individual state - here, no tint is allowed on a front windscreen.
TJ uses Llumex too. He said that it is the best, and the only brand he felt comfortable giving a lifetime guarantee with. Dont remember if the polarizing windshield was Llumex or something else though ? It is so lightly tinted, that I guess they might call it a 90% or even 95%..... Yet supposedly blocks 99% of the UV Ray's, and even gives a 45% heat reduction. My front sides are 30% (a little illegal I guess, but cops around here (Sacramento) are too busy with murders, armed robberies, drive by shootings, etc, to pull somebody over because their windows are a little dark.... Don't know if that's really a good thing, but anyway. And all of my back windows are 5% limo black.
Hey Allen, as I had just replied, my windshield is so lightly tinted, that I'm quite sure a cop would have no idea anything was done too it. My front sides might be a little different story, but they are still substantially lighter than my back sides or rear windshield. Same as my last two cars, and I drove those for 10 years without ever being hassled for it.
$800 for the VERY best substance .... 'Photosync' - though tinting windshields is illegal, is not detectable if you don't get it in a discernible shaded tint .... & it can be applied in what appears to be clear. Notice the difference in heat rejection compared to its primary ceramic competitor; It would have cost a couple hundred less for our install, but the 8' long model X windshield with its multiple sensors & cameras mounted ½way across its length required a lot of disassembly/reassembly. .
$4.82. Polarized. No LEO hassles.....No install woes, and if you switch vehicles they go with you. Ozark Trail - Ozark Trail Sunglasses - Walmart.com Order $35 worth of stuff and you don't even have to worry about being spotted going to a Walmart. They deliver.
Interesting - I wonder what a Police Officer would see if he looked at a Polarised screen from outside if he/she had Polarised glasses on?
who knows . . . . but here's what it looked like when we took pictures through our Canon polarizing filter ... .... kind of a rainbow effect. the raindrops would do that as well; The model X's massive windshield had a horrible issue with a double vision effect, especially at night, where you don't want to see 2 sets of tail lights, street lights, porch lights, headlights Etc. So that was the primary reason we installed photosync. It would almost completely cure it up. The great heat rejection was just an added benefit, especially helpful for having a dash cam mounted up high because inside a car can easily hit 150°F+ in the summer ... not good for delicate Electronics .
Well this makes me feel better about $300 on mine And I bet that stuff is not a lot better, as mine is pretty great to begin with
Yea, I miss the days when I had perfect vision, and could throw on a pair of polarized glasses and see even better. Now I need transitional multi focus glasses, which to have glasses like this, with polarizing that gets darker in brighter light, would probably cost me several hundred $. As my eyesight is now, Foster Grant multi focus cost me $35 at Rite Aid, and are the best thing I have found..... Way better than one pair of custom prescription glasses I had made...
my vision gets especially bad on Mondays. I just can't seem to 'see' the point of getting out of bed and going into work. .
Thank you. When the local good-tinter quoted me for a front windshield, I thought they were crazy. But now I may understand what she was trying to tell me - I'll call them again to make sure it is polarized.
Hey Dave, every time I go from my car, into my truck (which no longer has the polarizing, since I broke that windshield, and didn't go through the hassle to have the polarizing replaced.... Would have required two 100 mile round trips) the difference is... pun intended... Glaring ! I'll never go without this stuff in any of my new vehicles again !
Thank, Chris. I only just saw this now, and just had my windows tinted yesterday. The tinting place uses only 3M tint, so it's not like it's cheap tint, but the gal there - who seemed to know a lot about her products - didn't understand that some tint comes with polarization, so she didn't get what I was asking about. I settled on 3M Crystalline for the windshield, and a lower-end 3M tint on the other windows.