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What percentage is your window tint at?

Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 2:58 pm
by GT_King
I have my rear windows at 5%, the two front side windows at 20%, and I also have the complete windshield tinted at 50%, ya, I know, a little illegal probably, but haven't been bothered yet for it and I've been pulled over several times for speeding (no tickets, just warnings) Has anyone ever gotten a ticker for tinted windows?

Re: What percentage is your window tint at? (GT_King)

Posted: Sat May 21, 2005 4:03 pm
by ColonelPanic
I went very light and very legal at 35% all around. Also got a strip across the windshield too, since they were too cheap to give us windshields with actual tint acorss the top. So, no issues with the law here. The guy who tinted my windows has a Firehawk that has 15% all the way around... Including the entire windshield. Not sure if he's ever ran into trouble, that car stays in the garage most of the time. Looks cool, but I would have to pass on getting that done for sure.

Re: What percentage is your window tint at? (ColonelPanic)

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 12:41 am
by ArcsVibe
Front windows are 50% the rest are 20% all around.

Re: What percentage is your window tint at? (GT_King)

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 2:07 am
by wicked1981
My signature has the tint % I think I needed darker in the back but Ill leave it for now. Its illegal to have the windows in the fron tinted here in CA but I would love to tint the front windshield not too dark just a light tint.

Re: What percentage is your window tint at? (wicked1981)

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:17 am
by 4X4CHICHI
50 and 20 for mine and a strip on front.

Re: What percentage is your window tint at? (GT_King)

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 5:53 am
by Ponyota
20% all the way around except the windshield

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:57 am
by tangerine
5% rear, 10% front windows

Re: (tangerine)

Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:16 am
by iinan
20% on the front 215% on the back 5You can check out some pics on cardomain

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:10 am
by stahl
When you guys say "X% all the way around", are you talking Windshield as well?I'm in Ohio and I've spent the last half hour calling all sorts of places to find out what's legal and what's not. I've heard so many things before.A web site said 70% windshield, 50% front-side, ANY in the back and back-side.An officer at some Police awareness week at the mall said 65% all around.I called a shop that does tint, they said "there's no 65% tint, we do lighter on the front, dark in the back, windshield is highly illegal, you can do a strip at the top, but that's about it."Finally, I called the police department and they said 50% front, and 5% in the back.I'm still not sure what I should do. 5% sounds really, really dark. Should I go 20%? If I end up putting screens in the headrests, will 20% be too light? I'd like to avoid any unwanted attention (break-ins).This "can't tint the windshield" issue is kinda disappointing too. I can see why, but *grrrmph*.Oh, and what about that dot matrix strip behind the inside rear view mirror. Can that be sanded down so they can put a nicer-looking strip of tint over that? Also, what would look good there? I mean, no tint and then a 20% strip at the top may look kinda weird, no? Or does that 5 inch strip have to be the 70% as the web site said? (I know, relying on quoting a web site isn't really that smart.)

Re: (stahl)

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:20 am
by Mr. Poopypants
Quote, originally posted by stahl »This "can't tint the windshield" issue is kinda disappointing too. I can see why, but *grrrmph*.Why would you even want to tint the windshield? Do yourself a favor and get a good pair of sunglasses.http://www.oakley.com

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:49 am
by Jahntassa
Beyond the legality of tinting the windshield, if you're in a head-on collision with anything, your insurance company can and probably WILL say that because you tinted your windshield, you are liable for damages, and may decline coverage. Or so i've been told.

Re: (stahl)

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:13 am
by ColonelPanic
I'm wondering if their no tint on the windshield means none at all, or if it's just a matter of not allowing tint beyond a certain point on the glass (usually somewhere around the AS-1 line?) Here's a pic of how I have my windshield done - the strip of 35% tint stops exactly even with the dot matrix crap under the mirror. Anyway, sucks to get all those damn conflicting numbers! I need to find out for sure myself what is acceptable and what is not for Ohio... If we can ever get that figured out, maybe I can get the tint done on the Mrs.' car. It needs to be good and legal, we refuse to have it the other way...

Re: (ColonelPanic)

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 7:05 am
by stahl
Hmm, I kinda like that. I saw strips for sale on ebay. I don't think they were actual tint as they didn't seem to let any light go through whatsoever. I think I found a white and a black one.I'm seriously thinking about having them sand off that dot matrix pattern. As long as it doesn't mess up the glass underneath. Then again, it looks pretty nice on your car. Probably pretty hard to get it all smoothed out, no?

Re: (stahl)

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 7:42 am
by ColonelPanic
Quote, originally posted by stahl »I'm seriously thinking about having them sand off that dot matrix pattern. As long as it doesn't mess up the glass underneath. Then again, it looks pretty nice on your car. Probably pretty hard to get it all smoothed out, no?Probably would be a chore to get the dot matrix stuff completely removed. But if the tint person knows what they are doing, they should be able to tint the glass up there and have it look halfway decent. I was very concerned at first about the appearance of the tint around the dot matrix stuff, since my last two tint jobs on previous cars looked horrible around there - the tint never stuck right. Now, this guy who tinted the windshield on mine sprayed down the glass with the same water/baby oil solution he was using elsewhere, and took a very fine grit sandpaper and sanded the dots down. That worked like a charm, and obviously was something the "pros" at the last two shops neglected to do.

Re: (ColonelPanic)

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:47 pm
by Mr. Poopypants
What is that dot matrix anyway? I know it's to reduce glare, but what is it made of, is it something you can scrape off with a razor scraper?

Re: (Mr. Poopypants)

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:17 am
by Pablo1669
I have 30% all around and haven't had any problems with it here in Michigan yet

Re: (Pablo1669)

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:33 am
by stahl
Yeah, just rub it in.

Re: (stahl)

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:37 am
by Kari
I'm wondering who I should seek out and ask for confirmation on what Ohio's tint laws really are, since you seem to have even gotten conflicting info from police officers. Every web site seems to say something different, too.

Re: (Kari)

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:46 am
by stahl
I'm pretty sure I've got it down now.TintDude states the following: Front Side: 50%, Rear Side: ANY%, Back: ANY%, Visor: 70%The police department that I called gave me Front Side: 50%, Rear Side: 5%, Back: 5%The conclusion I'm drawing, is that 5% is probably the darkest tint there is, and using 2 coats of flat finish sherwin williams paint would be illegal. ;-) Therefore 5% = ANY.What I'm going to go with:Windshield Visor (5 Inches) 70% (which is probably the lightest tint out there, along the lines of what ColonelPanic's pic shows)Front Side I'm going to tint down to 50% (medium?)Back side and rear window I will tint down to either 5% (limo black) or 20% (dark tint?).I wonder how this plays when I visit my relatives in NC. As long as they go easy on out of state cars I should be okay making it through VA, WV and NC.If you're somewhat paranoid about it, I'd call the Police Department, and ask them who actually has the final say on this matter. I'm fairly confident that I got the correct information now, but of course this is America, so: this does not constitute legal advice, consult an attorney at law or something like that. Whatever. I think I need to seek professional help myself. I've got some sort of eBay addiction that I acquired a few days ago, buying things for my vibe left and right.

Re: (stahl)

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:54 am
by Kari
The windshield strip on CP's car is actually 35%...but I don't see how or why they could complain about that little strip, given that many vehicles come with that already on the windshield...Hmm, maybe I'll see what the Oxford Police Dept has to say on the issue...or see if I can dig up the actual text of the law on some state web site. I'll let you know if I find anything.

Re: (Kari)

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:26 pm
by Toasted7
I'm going 35% all the way around, front included, and putting a tint strip across the windshield at 20%. Ohio's legal limit on the front is 50%, but I talked to quite a few places this week and that is what they ALL told me.

Re: (Toasted7)

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:24 am
by stahl
I had mine done Wednesday. I was going to go 50% in the front and "really dark" in the back. After I looked at the 50% sample I decided that it would have been a waste of money. So I did 35% front side and 17% rear side and back window. With a bit of luck it may give the illusion that the front is tinted more lightly.I hope that if I do get pulled over for whatever reason and show my willingness to cooporate and make the officer's life a bit easier by rolling down all windows as he approaches the car, he may appreciate that gesture and spare me the ticket.