Mod Grocery List Item #5 - Window Tinting

Tru-Blu

Tru-Blu

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I'm sort of on the fence on whether I want to pursue this one or not. On one hand, I'd love to have some slightly darker windows to help with the heat and offset the pearl white color of the car. On the other hand, I live in Michigan which has a pretty poopy Tint Law.

If I go forward with tinting, I won't do any more than 35% on the sides and rear. I'd like it to be as consistent in looks as possible, and going darker on the rears wouldn't look as good to me. I'd love to do 35% on the windshield, but I feel that I would just be begging for trouble if I did.

I know that a lot of you have aftermarket tinting on your rides. Did you do it yourself, and if so, did you use the rolls/DIY installation? LSKoncepts has ProX EZ-Tint for sale, but I don't know how it compares to other brands that are out there.

Would I be crazy for trying to install this myself? If not, what tips can anyone offer to ensure a quality installation (aka no bubbles or gaps).

Thanks in advance,

TRU - Mad Mod Researcher

Crap - just realized I blew past my 100th post!
 
Quick that's only if you obey that law lol, I have 20% all around but not my front windshield. And I would never suggest doing any DIY tint job unless you know you can do it and have the experience. Tint is a film they put on the window, no dyes used on your window. On my other car I went with 45% all aroung which looks nice and I have never been pulled over or bothered by the police with that car. Take it to a local shop and ask them to price it, and also ask around if you have friends or know anyone with tinted windows, some shops are better than others. Should be around 200.00 for all windows excluding the windshield.
 
MN tint law is even worse. 50% all around. I put 35% on the back window, because they can't test it.

Should I pic whore my car yet again? lol
 
LOL, Pek! No, I think I've got plenty of pics of your beauty to reference. Unless you've got a side-only profile you haven't thrown up here yet. So you put 50% all around including your windshield? I might consider that too.

TRU
 
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Why can't they test it? And how can it be 50% all around when stock oem windows on SUV's other vehichles with stock tinted rear windows is 35%.
 
haha so many questions...lol

...ok tint questions are is easy...

i live in NY tint law is harsh... i think its 70% legally,...i have 20% on my side windows and the rear window and i will never take them off...never...i will have 'em on every car i own....

...as far as the cops, well ive never got pulled over for just the tints, usually its something else [going too fast or something] and then when the cop comes to the window, he will bust my balls about the tints... ive been pulled over about 5 times since i have had my LS...never got a moving violation, got two tickets for my tints & 2 for no front plate [$60 equipment violation, no points - no big deal]

...yes it sucks to have get a ticket for them, but the reasons i love them far out weigh the occasional ticket...

here are the positives,
A) people cant see what is in your car at night [or during the day with 20% or darker] - so people are less likely to try n steal ure sh*t
B) its a hell of a lot easier to drive during the day - no annoying sun when you look over your shoulder
C) it does stay a lil cooler, and the sun wont punish your seats as much
D) and finally, especially with the darker tints...people can drive behind you with the highbeams on and you wont care...definately helps with cutting down the glare from lights behind you at night

...o yea, dont ever tint your windshield...at least IMO...i mean why would you want to make it harder to see straight?...besides you would have to worry about scratching them when you take the registration & inspection on and off, and that would suck...

...my brother has 35% on his 03 impala LS and he was of the same opinion you are - he didnt want them too dark - so he didnt do 20%, he did 35% - well now he says they are too light...and he wants 20%

...5% is wayy to dark if you ask me, but 35% seems too light....besides, its not like they give tickets proportional to how dark they are.


...and last thing, i would find a good window tint place and let them do it.... mine cost me $175 and its professionally done, i wouldn t want to jerk around with that stuff...a lil experience goes along way... just make sure they dont cut around the third brake light...i hate when they do that :)
 
Here's something else I'm wondering -

I've gone out to look at my car, and the windows appear to have some tinting in them, even though the original invoice sticker of the car does not list it. If I were to put 35% on the car, and the windows DID have some tinting on them, then it would probably bump up the value to something darker.

So, how the heck do I REALLY know if the windows have tint on them already or not?

TRU - the confused
 
Lincoln ave said:
Why can't they test it? And how can it be 50% all around when stock oem windows on SUV's other vehichles with stock tinted rear windows is 35%.
Click to expand...

The unit they use to test is like a U shape. You roll down your window partway, and they slip it over the glass. They then can measure how much light is transmitted.

They can't slip it over the back window, and the unit has to be calibrated at a certain (exact) distance between the sensors.

I wondered about the stock tinting on SUV's (and even minivans), but I'm guessing there are provisions in the law for stock tinting.

Tru, I do not have the windshield tinted.
 
Tru-Blu said:
LOL, Pek! No, I think I've got plenty of pics of your beauty to reference. Unless you've got a side-only profile you haven't thrown up here yet. So you put 50% all around including your windshield? I might consider that too.

TRU
Click to expand...

I'll just pm you the profile pic.
 
Oh in NJ they have a light kinda like a laser but was told it'd not a laser. That measures the darkness. And you can tint your rear windows as dark as you want here, but not the fromts at all. +1 on the highbeam glare at night. TRU that only works 100% with the front windows also, cutting down glare in you side mirrors as well. i will post some pics of the 20% on the Ls. What color is your LS and interior?
 
You've got a beautiful girl there, Long Island! I think 20% might be too risky for me, but I would love to be able to do it. 35% is gonna be my max, I think. Did you put anything on your windshield, or is it dark from showing the side windows tint in the pics?

My 2006 is pearl white with the camel interior. It should be on page 22 or 23 of the Official Picture thread if you're interested.

TRU
 
So in TX this is the law

Front Side Windows Must allow more than 25% of light in.
Back Side Windows Must allow more than 25% of light in.

So sounds like 25% is illegal since it says more than 25
 
Guess I'll add mine too :D

50% on the sides:

IMG_6172.jpg


35% on the back

IMG_7060.jpg


no tinting on the windshield.
 
I was asking the colors because a darker interior and exterior will make the tint look darker. I'm assuming longisland has the same black interior I have, Mine looks darker due to the interior. I'm charging my camera's battery up.
 
Quick, stock oem glass is 35% not any darker or lighter. If it was 5% soccer moms would be backing into all types of things. That is a mandated law that I have actually looked into more than once, Ask the local tint shops they even know about it. Most tinted limos are between 1%( limo tint) and 5 %. And no speeding, not breaking certain laws just bendind certain rules.
 
Yeah what he meant was it only blocks 5% of light. So it's actually 95%. Their solar tint or whatever.
 
Lincoln ave said:
I was asking the colors because a darker interior and exterior will make the tint look darker. I'm assuming longisland has the same black interior I have, Mine looks darker due to the interior. I'm charging my camera's battery up.
Click to expand...

While you're doing that, take a couple of the M3.

Andrizzle said:
Go hard or go home.

p1150699.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks great, man. I would've went darker than the 50% on mine, but don't want a ticket.
 
Solar tint is not the same as the tinted rear windows of SUV's. The LS has stock solar tint windows. And peck, your front windows surely are not 5% tinted.
 
Huh? I've never said 5%. I said 50%.

With reference to quik's post, I thought he was talking about the LS stock glass. He just had the number backwards.
 
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