Window tinting advice

These are very good points, and worth noting in this thread to educate those who haven't owned vehicles with window tint (or are looking to have it installed for the first time).

If you're pulled over for any reason, roll down the window(s) and also turn on the dome light if it's dark outside. This will illuminate the interior of your vehicle, sometimes to the point where the tint may even seem inconsequential. They have no idea what kind of situation they might be walking into, so there are small things you can do to make the whole thing go smoothly.

Again, I've been driving for over 20 years and lived in multiple states, and every single one of my vehicles has had 35% VLT (or lighter). I've never once had a problem.

 

Backing up at night with tint sucks. I usually have to roll the windows down.
In Virginia, legal is 35% I think. I tint one shade lighter than the back. Even if it is illegal. The purpose is it gives a contrast between the two and if the LE sees that they hopefully wont be concerned.
I'm also 47 and although I haven't, I don't give a shit if they do pull me over for it, except wasting my time... Its worth not having the sun blasting in on me all day.

 

Yeah, you can paint all your rear windows. If the law said you had to be able to see out rear/side windows, box vans and RVs would be illegal.

It's hard to find a definitive answer as to WHY they were written since it varies by state, at least using my google-fu, but for sure police unions like it for the officer safety, and traffic safety advocates like it because of visibility concerns. What we know for sure, though, is that bros hate it because they don't look as cool.

 

Around 5 years ago, while driving west on I-70 about 10 miles east of Green River I passed a couple of HP vehicles in the center divider. Two or three minutes later one of them drove up behind me and pulled me over. He wanted to check the tint on my side windows. Had his tint-checker right handy too.

My truck has 30% tints on the driver and passenger side windows. Don't know what the spec in Utah is but I was outside of it. Got a warning.

From that day on I always roll down both windows whenever I spot an HP vehicle coming the other way...

 

Update

I had both front windows done today with Xpel Prime CS 35% tint. I’m very pleased with the outcome. Not too dark as to impair visibility, but dark enough to get the job done and compliment the factory rear privacy glass.


No tint



Tint

 

can you even see out of that at night?!?!?

 

that looks really close to what i have but mine is 23 years old and needs redone, its starting to bubble on passenger side
tint technology now is more improved i was thinking i heard somewhere that it can be 2 different degrees so you cannot readily see in from outside but it looks clear as no tint from inside for night safety

not sure if this is true

 

The front easier than back. Lol

 

That would be not true.

 

I love in Florida and not a kid anymore, tinting is more about heat than anything. My new car I had the legal level on all 5, ceramic instead of the cheap colored film. My windshield is 95 but it's still ceramic. The only window not tinted is my sun roof.

Colored film does almost nothing for heat. But back in Wyoming that's all we used. I bought 1 I of my cars down here with dark tint and it sucked. Now I open my sun roof headliner you can feel the sun, every other window including the windshield, it rejects most of it.

Assuming you live somewhere sunny, get the good stuff.

 

Looks good! Your tint looks similar to that in my 2003 DC, or maybe a little lighter @joe25rs. That was done by one of the truck's two previous Colorado owners before I got it a couple of years ago. I'm happy with this density, and so far, no LEO has asked to check the light transmission level through it.

 

@4xdog Thank you! I’m real happy with it.

 

I felt the 20% tint sample matched both my rear window and rear quarter windows. The tint guy thought the lighter 35% matched better. I opted for the 20% but I have a feeling he put in the 35% anyway. In any event, it looks like a good match. I'm happy with it.

 

I’m at 20% and it’s hard enough to see around me in the dark (especially rain) with a back up cam.

I’m fairly young with “perfect” vision but any darker and I’d always have windows down at night in the rain. For what it’s worth if I lived in hotter climate I’d consider going with something more thermal controlled and maybe 5-10% darker to combat summers.

 

Anyone here tiny the windshield? Was thinking about doing 70%.

 

FWIW I’m removing the tint from the front windows the previous owner put on. I hate it.

Looks cool but I can’t see shit at night, in storms, etc.

 

I’ve got 70% on mine. Tint shop talked me into 45% at first saying it was barely dark and just looked lightly smoked. Well it turned out dark and got to where I didn’t want to drive my truck and get pulled over. Went back and had them change it to the 70% and it’s basically clear. But it’s the top of the line ceramic and helps with the heat. Got 35% for the front sides

 

thanks for the reply! No problems with getting pulled over?

 

Paying someone to tint truck windows is a waste of money, truck windows are easy because they're all flat.

There are dozens of places that sell pre cut tint kits now days. I've done my own trucks several times. Costs $80-$90 and takes an hour or two. Be methodical and clean and it will turn out fine.

I always buy the darkest tint available (5%?) My truck is like a cave inside. Dark tint is road rage protection in my state. People are less likely to go nuts on you if they can't see what you're doing inside.

 

IMO it’s pretty hard to do without getting a bunch of bubbles