50% tint on the windshield?

paul34 · 09-10-07, 10:25

Has anyone ever done this? Do you think its a good enough thing to spend the money on (not very cheap when you consider you're really only "tinting" one piece of glass) to help combat the sun's relentless heat in a place like Florida?

I already have the other windows tinted to 30%, and its great. Some ceramic tint would have been nice for more IR/heat rejection, but the price/effectiveness of my current suntek tint is pretty good I think. Ceramic is very expensive.

Also, is it pretty much like clear glass? Can you really tell its there? I want very clear but I also want a decent ability to cut out some of the sun's heat for increased comfort during daytime driving. I use a shade while parked outside so that's not an issue.

thanks!

rjstaaf · 09-10-07, 10:31

I am assuming you are just talking about a strip of the front windshield and not the whole thing? I forget the law in Florida as to how low you can go but I am sure it is illegal to tint the whole thing. I have a 6" strip along the top of 28% film that has worked pretty well for me even in the Florida heat when I lived in Orlando. All of my tint was done at Flying Window Tinters in Longwood.

tom p. · 09-10-07, 10:34

FL's laws permit tint down to the "AS1" line only. I think you might get the LEOs excited if you tinted the entire windshield.

paul34 · 09-10-07, 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstaaf

I am assuming you are just talking about a strip of the front windshield and not the whole thing? I forget the law in Florida as to how low you can go but I am sure it is illegal to tint the whole thing. I have a 6" strip along the top of 28% film that has worked pretty well for me even in the Florida heat when I lived in Orlando.

No actually I meant the whole thing. I know its illegal in all 50 states

I think I might do the top strip too, above the AS-1 line

I know its illegal (whole windshield, not the strip), and I might go talk to my eye doctor about getting that medical exemption... although I think its more difficult to get it than most people let on.

However, I am hoping that 50% won't be too dark.

I made a thread previously about higher-end ceramic or V-Kool tints that can be 60-70% (this is the VLT % of clear auto glass with no tint) while still rejecting IR. However, they are unavailable! No one sells these things.

Plus, even though its completely clear, its still technically illegal. I really think they should make some exceptions to the law. I really don't think a *clear* film is a danger at all! You know?

Thanks for the pics, though - and nice Stang

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom p.

FL's laws permit tint down to the "AS1" line only. I think you might get the LEOs excited if you tinted the entire windshield.

Yea, that's my concern, and what has kept me debating for about 3-4 weeks. Eesh. Do you think 50% is really that noticeable, though?

Danase · 09-10-07, 10:37

It's a horrible idea! Seeing at night can be difficult enough without tint let alone having it on there. I would also worry about lawsuites. Hit some poor kid crossing the street at night and kill them because your window was tinted isn't a good thing.

rjstaaf · 09-10-07, 10:38

All of my tint was done at Flying Window Tinters in Longwood.

I have 28% on the windshield strip, driver and passenger doors and 18% on both rear quarter windows and the rear window.

I use a sunshade for the windshield when I park and the car is pretty dark inside even under full sun. Even SC seems to be getting the same kind of heat we saw in Florida during the summers. There doesn't seem to be any escaping it

paul34 · 09-10-07, 10:46

darn

So I guess no go, eh? Even with 50%? I mean, I have seen and been inside cars with what looked like 35% or so on the windshield... terrible. A very stupid idea. Its hard to see with anything other than bright daylight sunshine.

BlueZero · 09-10-07, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danase

It's a horrible idea! Seeing at night can be difficult enough without tint let alone having it on there. I would also worry about lawsuites. Hit some poor kid crossing the street at night and kill them because your window was tinted isn't a good thing.

Never really thought of it that way. I've never done the windshield but always to 15% everywhere else. I fact I have an appointment tomorrow morning to do the Jeep, but only at 20%. I guess that could play a factor in a law suit as far as reduced visibly. I would almost think the auto insurance company would have a line or two in your policy regarding unsafe modifications. Crap, now what do I do.

ebpcivicsi · 09-10-07, 10:58

I have 30% on all of my glass and 35% on the entire windshield--I love it.

tom p. · 09-10-07, 10:58

Paul, I've had a couple of cars with 50% tint (side and rear glass only, of course). I don't know if I'd be comfortable with it on a dark, stormy night, for example. OTOH, you don't have to deal with the type of weather we do up here.

I'm quite certain some of the tint mfrs product 70% LT film. Llumar comes to mind...

Perhaps you could chat with your local shops and get their opinion. I've seen it done, it was quite noticeable to me.

paul34 · 09-10-07, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom p.

Paul, I've had a couple of cars with 50% tint (side and rear glass only, of course). I don't know if I'd be comfortable with it on a dark, stormy night, for example. OTOH, you don't have to deal with the type of weather we do up here.

I'm quite certain some of the tint mfrs product 70% LT film. Llumar comes to mind...

Perhaps you could chat with your local shops and get their opinion. I've seen it done, it was quite noticeable to me.

Thanks. Most of the shops around here can't help me out as far as the high VLT, high heat/IR rejecting film. The most they have is that 70% Llumar film... but it doesn't do anything for heat rejection. It's only meant to filter out UV, which is pointless on most windshields since just about any laminated windshield is already filtering out 99.9% of UV from the factory.

Hum, I guess I won't be calling back that guy then.

My main concern isn't actually a ticket from a LEO, but more of what if someone decides to make a big deal if I ever get in an accident? Danase's concern that he listed earlier. I thought about it before, and I guess that even 50% would probably be noticeable, especially to some insurance appraiser.

tom p. · 09-10-07, 11:05

I really can't comment on the liability issue. Isn't there a window tinting forum somewhere

where you could get more input?