opinion on tint %

[bejjutsu]

Hey all,

Going to tint my car this week (Black M35) and was wondering what your opinions are for how dark to go.
My state (Texas) lets me take the windshield and front windows to 25%, and I believe the back window and rear sides can be as dark as I want.

What do you think? Would it be annoying to look through your rearview if it's too dark? Also, I do a lot of driving on the east coast and don't really feel like getting hassled too much by police.

Thanks

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/con ... owTint.htm

[DoN_BLaZe34]

If i was in Texas I'd probably go 20% all around.

[bejjutsu]

I think this looks good actually (35%):


Dark, but not so dark that it looks ghetto

[Minus (-)]

If i was in Texas I'd probably go 20% all around.

ditto....and if you driving clean don't worry about the police

[Minus (-)]

I think this looks good actually (35%):


Dark, but not so dark that it looks ghetto

how can tint look "ghetto"? i dont get it

[bejjutsu]

Lol, well I guess most of the cars I see with super dark tints are like 1990s E class Mercedes with mismatched wheels and things like that. Course Baltimore isn't exactly the greatest city in America...

[DoN_BLaZe34]

Super dark to me is 5%...my car has 20% (were already on there when I bought the car) and at night I have to roll the window down to parallel park. I say all that to say 35% is always the nice clean way to go and looks good. 20% in my opinion is a little darker but still looks good, considering u live in Texas.

[Ilya]

Same as others. I'm in NY where legal is 70% (no joke - this state BLOWS in all sorts of ways) and I don't get bothered for 35% unless I attract attention in other ways. My car is also black on black.

I'd say go 20% in TX.

[Minus (-)]

Lol, well I guess most of the cars I see with super dark tints are like 1990s E class Mercedes with mismatched wheels and things like that. Course Baltimore isn't exactly the greatest city in America...

LMAO...u didnt say u from b-more....thats a different world....i'd def go with 20% all around, i had 35% tint before and every other day i would say i wish it was a little bit darker(especially during the summer time)...My M currently has like a factory light tinit all around....i plan on doing 5%(limo) on the back 3 windows

[bejjutsu]

My understanding is, the tint just has to match the plate, and so cops on the east coast can't give me tint tickets?

thanks all for the input!

[Minus (-)]

My understanding is, the tint just has to match the plate, and so cops on the east coast can't give me tint tickets?

thanks all for the input!

well heres the thing...the tint has to follow the state law your car is registered in..go to tintlaws.com (print out a copy and keep it in the car) ...the cops can give u tickets all day, that doesnt mean their right... you have to fight the ticket in court and show your proof....now you maybe right but you still lose because have to appear back in the ticketing state to fight, which would be a big PITA

[atlM35]

I go with the darkest legal amount. The cops here in GA don't hesitate to write petty tickets for tint and minor speeding instead of serving and protecting.
It's 32% here and not allowed on the front windshield.

[bejjutsu]

I'll probably decide when I get to the shop, but right now I'm leaning towards an East Coast (PA-MD) compliant tint (despite TX tags). I have neither the time nor money to deal with false tickets. But anything is a step up from no tint, right?

[lovemycarM35]

Dam here is Mass we can only go 35% I had 20% on but I wasn't able get a sticker and the cops harass me so I had to go legal

[06M4.5]

35% with the rear windshield at 20% looks best

20% with the rear windshield at 15% helps a lot in keeping cool.

anything darker and your just trying to hide.

Because the M's have a white/gray liner i went with the 20% & 15% rear windshield

[Twizz]

I have 35% all around and 45 on the windshield. I think it looks much cleaner and nicer when all the windows are the same color. When you start to switch up and have different shades of tint, it looks cheesy to me. I live in NY and they will not hesitate to give you a ticket. I had 20% all around and 35 on my windshield for my old I30 and got less attention than I do now. They just need to kill time on their shifts so why not do it and up their ticket count at the same damn time :-/

[The Bodyguard]

I would go as dark as 20% just because in TX it gets hot and you really need more than legal 35%!! Also, I would do same all around so it flows better!! These are luxury cars not ghetto Lincoln/Buick/Oldsmobile or Cadillac... I've never been harassed over my tint only front plates (in TX)!!

[aneed123]

it depends in how light ur interior is. If u got black 35% is gonna look darker than if u had brown.

[jayfox911]

I almost did something like this in my car...

what about just getting clear tint with heat and UV blocking tech
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... ive_Films/

[calidoso]

New to the New Jersey area. Finally made it up here from North Carolina. Trying to get my M tinted here soon. Any advice on tints here in New Jersey? Do they give a lot of problems for it? My Nissan has 35% all around but I've wanted to go to 20%.

Also, any places that are recommended?

[yomoms16]

New to the New Jersey area. Finally made it up here from North Carolina. Trying to get my M tinted here soon. Any advice on tints here in New Jersey? Do they give a lot of problems for it? My Nissan has 35% all around but I've wanted to go to 20%.

Also, any places that are recommended?

I have 35% all around including the front windshield..... dependss on which part of jersey your from......if you drive like a a#$ hole.... where ilive the cops love giving tint tickets.... but I changed my interior lights to led...so I keep an eye out for them and put my lights on...it almost looks like the car has no tint... no ticke tint ticket in over a year....and another thing its illegal to have any type of license plate shield... they see that and figure your up to no good and pull you over...tint tickets are just " I pulled you over for but hey why not give you a ticket for your tint" ... sorry for the long post

[svard75]

IMO tint is great for cars that have an ugly interior or torn seats or if you enjoy picking your nose. If there is a better way to keep out the heat then do it and let people see our nice interiors! I like that 3M option jfox911 suggested.

[Larz]

I almost did something like this in my car...

what about just getting clear tint with heat and UV blocking tech
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... ive_Films/

Jay, I have the 3M clear tint on my windscreen and it's staggering! In Florida we have high sun almost every day and temps in the 80s - 90's for 11 months. It's amazing to be able to sit in te car, looking through the windscreen and feel absolutely NO heat from the sun! The dash, steering wheel, and front seats stay noticeably cooler, and even if you place your hand on the inside of the windscreen in direct sun, it's just barely warm, NOT at all hot.
I have 20% tint on sides and rear windscreen. I asked for 'limo' on the rear, but they advised me that it would be so dark as to greatly reduce visibility out the rear and they were right. I'm glad I went with just 20% on the rear - any darker and it would definitely reduce visibility.

*** Just a word of caution tho .... If you have the Lane change camera, they must leave a small cut-out for it!

Here is a pic from the inside of the windscreen. If you look closely, you can see the cut-out for the camera. The tint does NOT affect clarity at all and does not appear to be any darker than the un-tinted windscreen from the inside. In fact, it reduces the glare caused by sun reflecting off other other cars and objects. Sort of like having driving glasses on your car..

[TXT]

Larz,
I got my windshield tinted earlier this year. I don't use the LDW and wasn't worried if it worked or not. I told the tint shop to cover that area of the windshield. The LDW still works for me, day or night. I got 50% installed on the windshield.

Reason I don't want any cut outs is because once the windshield has a cut out, it will be noticeable that the car in fact does have tint on the windshield. Lucky for me, NC doesn't use inspection stickers so my windshield doesn't have a need for cut outs.

[calidoso]

I live in North Brunswick but since I'm stationed out here now it will require me to be driving up and down the east side of New Jersey. I'm gonna probably go with 35% all around just to not draw attention. Anyone know any good tint shops in the NJ area?

[Larz]

Larz,
I got my windshield tinted earlier this year. I don't use the LDW and wasn't worried if it worked or not. I told the tint shop to cover that area of the windshield. The LDW still works for me, day or night. I got 50% installed on the windshield.

Reason I don't want any cut outs is because once the windshield has a cut out, it will be noticeable that the car in fact does have tint on the windshield. Lucky for me, NC doesn't use inspection stickers so my windshield doesn't have a need for cut outs.

Good point, TXT!
I suppose if you're getting a coloured tint on your windscreen, the rozzers would notice the cut-out so it's good to know the cam still works. The film I got is only 95% and it's colourless. I can only see it from inside. Now that I know your camera will work with a coloured tint, I'm wondering if a cut-out is really necessary for ANY windscreen film ?

[fat3oy]

You can go 35 all the way around with Crystaline (looks darker than that but still reads 35)... its a bit pricy, but with the AC my car is like an icebox after a stay in the parking lot... I think it looks dope when the windows are foggy too.