I realize it's mostly about personal preference, but I'd like to see some opinions. I usually only like deep dark (5-10%) tint on black/white/red cars. Mine is Deep Evergreen. I was thinking maybe 30-40%. Any thoughts?

 

go dark my friend had the same car as u looked sweet... if u goto the 5th gen forums look for show tint or 5 gen wit tint there will be many different tint darknesses on there with diff interiors and paint color so u can see wha looks hot..but I would go 5%

 

It all depends on your local laws and personal preference. You don't want to pay and put the tint on and then have to remove it because of the cops not liking it. On mine, I have 20% bronze. The darker cars look better with 20% or darker, IMO. Tints that are 30%-50% are too light for me.

 

For CA, 70% is the max for front windows and anything is legal on the rear/back windshield.

I checked out the tint thread in the 5th gen forum. Lots of nice pics, but I don't think I saw any of my color (or close). Nearly everyone has white/black/silver it seems like. =/

 

20% Lumar "High Performance" tint (supposed to be darker looking...so rated at 20% but looks 15% is what I've been told).

 

5

10 charrrrrrrrr

 

Looks good BigLou. Thanks for the pics. =)

 

dude just save yourself the hassle and some bucks, just do it the legal limit for where you live. you never when you will run into a cop who just is having a bad day and will give you a ticket for your tint. another thing is safety, i've had tint that was so black i couldn't even see outside. looked great, everybody loved it, but i got tired off rolling down my windows just to turn a corner or change lanes.

 

for legal limit.

 

I say no tint (and fully recognize my minority status in doing so).

Having a dark tint on the rears and light or no tint on the front (as the law requires) is difficult for the eyes to adjust to the different levels. Especially on an open back seat window which does not roll all the way down (which just looks goofy). With the clear top and darkened bottom, the eyes focus only on what is easy to see at the top of the window opening. It is much more difficult to be aware of your surroundings. Backing up at night, when your eyes have become accustomed to the ambient light while walking outdoors to your car, you will not have sufficiently developed night vision to know with a high level of certainty what is is that you just backed over.

Additionally, people cannot see well into your car. Why would you want that? Unless you're ugly and don't want people to see your face, enjoy making eye contact with those around you!

In the interest of safety, the car behind you should be able to see through your car to the car ahead of you to better anticipate changes to traffic flow.

Maybe you're at home and can't find your cell phone/camera/groceries/Chuck Norris cardboard cutout. It's nice to be able to glance inside instead of unlocking and opening the door to see what's in there.

Besides, so many people with aftermarket tint end up with that bubbling or unclear/out-of-focus look.

 

Huh? What? First of all, you're not supposed to look thru the other car in front of you when you're driving. You focus on the road and surroundings. Don't all SUV's and minivans come with factory tinted windows for the rear windows? Secondly, unless you have terrible vision, the short amount of time you're eyes are focusing on something, they will do no harm to adjusting to the light. It only works on prolong periods of time. Thirdly, what are you talking about the "clear and dark bottom"? Tinted windows are only clear about 1/16" around the edge of the window. And, as far as people looking in your car, they shouldn't be looking at all. I think your comments don't make a bit of sense.

 

limo all around, i have black leatherand its gets extremely hot in my car so im trying to keep it cooler and trying to prevent sun damage

 

Well-written!

 

20% rear, no front tint. It should not bubble or turn purple as long as you get it professionally installed and clean it with tint-safe products.

 

its not a deep green but the sage green with 20%
i say go darker....it looks nicer dark...

 

I knew people wouldn't like what I had to say about this!

Supposed to look thru? No. But is it a good idea (referencing, of course, city driving)? Yes. Looking through the car ahead lets you see more of "the road and surroundings." Especially in this era where nearly everyone tailgates. Without tailgating, you can react to the vechicle that is four or five seconds ahead of you instead of being limited to a reaction time of just two seconds with the vehicle immediately ahead. Yes, most minivans and SUVs come with it, which adds insult to injury. Even if those had clear windows, they are so high it would be difficult, but not impossible, to see through. When you are following a car with clear windows, forward visibility is so good, it's almost as if the car is obscuring none of your vision.

Short amount of time? Night vision takes approximately 30 minutes to develop. That's how eyes work. Quality of vision has nothing to do with it. How long do you spend looking out the back windows? One or two seconds when changing lanes and maybe 30, tops, when backing up. It's a function of the body's ability to produce visual purple in the eye. Granted, the difference between a nontinted windshield and tinted rear windows will not be as great as day versus night, eyes are still incapable of adjusting to the reduced light in the matter of fractions of seconds that a person is looking out the tinted window. If you wake up in the middle of the night, can you see around your bedroom? Of course. But when you first turn out the light, you can barely see a thing. It's the same concept.

However, some tints are not free of distortion. Lower quality or poorly applied tints are frequently bubbly or blurry. That's a function of the tint, not the eyeballs.

[QUOTE=MIXXMAX] Thirdly, what are you talking about the "clear and dark bottom"? Tinted windows are only clear about 1/16" around the edge of the window.

I'm talking about a partially open window. Clear on the top, tinted on the bottom.

Agreed, theoretically, there is no reason to see another driver. But, in practice, we know there are people out there who don't pay attention, are poor drivers, and are completely oblivious to what's around them. Perhaps you are behind a vehicle on the freeway who is driving slow and signaling to change lanes. If no vehicle is blocking their ability to do it, and they are not turning their head to look, it increases your ability to ascertain that they simply don't know their signal is on.

Tell me this, why do you like tinted windows? I recognize that is the new trend, like big wheels, and many people are doing it. I see one benefit (protecting the interior from sun fading/cracking; though this seems more theoretical than practical as I have driven several cars to well above average milage [3 cars to 200,000+ miles] with nonfaded interiors) and a slew of drawbacks to it. I would love to understand the appeal. Countering my skepticism does not explain your attraction.

 

The only reason that I tinted my windows was because someone had done it before and it was purple/bubbly, I just redid it.

That said, I still like it. I understand what you're saying but there is no effect on my vision between looking out of my windshield and then my rearview mirror. It does effect rearward visibility late at night when your reverse lights aren't on and there aren't any other street lights around or anything... but other than that it doesn't hinder my vision at all. In fact, it actually helps reduce the glare that I get from headlights behind me. In theory, it will hinder your vision a bit but in practice (with a 20% at least) nothing of the sort happens. Add that to the fact that it does help reduce the amount of light coming in and such on bright summer days and you've got a solid argument for them.

But yeah, I can dig a car without tints. I like them both ways.

 

maximus 95 - your tint is really 20%? it looks so light in that first pic.

 

Limo tint...go ahead and do it. You know you want to.

 

i have the same color i did the back 5% and the rest 20%

 

yes it is.
i think that day i took the pic, the window was a tad rolled down and the background is white, plus that day was really really bright.
but yes, it is 20% all around.

 

I'm ugly & I tailgate.

 

I have 35% front/15% rear windows and back, and 10% Sunroof. Check the home page

 

 

I just got my windows done with Llumar Platinum Plus 20%... At least the guy says 20%, but according to Llumar's web site it's 17%. Looks good and keeps out the sun/glare at night. I also have a 5% strip across my windshield and sunroof. Check the sig for pics. I had the PP on my last car at 35% (legal limit in TN) and it never bubbled, peeled, or anything. A properly done tint job with a quality film will never cause you any problems.

 

5% only way to go man

 

It depends man, what kind of privacy are you looking for..better said as...what are you gonna be doing in your car that you dont want the cop beside you to see? if nothing than go with a slight tint, just to be stylish..but for x-core cover up go as dark as you legaly can

 

yup, i agree

 

Getting my car tinted today. Ended up going with 5% on back 3, 50% on front 2 (legal limit is 70%, but oh well) and 20% on sunroof. Thanks for all the pics, they helped alot. =)

 

5%........ it fades to 15% in no time

 

That sage green ride is sweet! Im looking at a couple white 2ks myself. Trying to get enough posts to make a thread to ask questions about them first though.

 

Mine is 20% and I love it. I'll probably re-tint with limo this summer just for the hell of it.

 

that looks good

 

I went 15% on a dark blue 4th gen and am more than happy with the look.

 

If you like dark then go with 15%. If you are sorta worried about cops then go with 20% or 30%. In the area where I live, cops don't care all that much I don't think. I have friends that get away with limo tint. I have 20% and am happy with it. You can see in it if you look directly at the windows and its sunny, but if its darker outside or if you look at it at an angle you can't see in. With 15% you will probably only see a vague outline inside the car which should provide you with privacy, but will also draw a lot of attention to youself from cops. If you get pulled over they will fine you around $200 and make you remove the tint. Also, I would advise you to get it tinted by a professional, but shop around for the best rate.