Window Tint

[raidersfan85]

This is my first time posting on the forum. I just purchased a 2008 EX35 Journey in White ext/Graphite int. I am wanting to tint all 4 door windows + rear window soon. I'm looking for recommendations on how dark I should go. I live in Ohio where the law is 50% on front doors and no limit on all others. Most recommendations have been for 20%, but I am thinking 35% will still give me a good look without being a cop magnet. The link is to the car that I purchased. http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.js ... f=national

[alloveru]

I live in Ontario, I forget what our law is, I believe it is 40%... but can't remember. I have had 20% put on all my vehicles (6vehicles in 10yrs) and never had an issue. Was pulled over recently because of a heavy foot and the officer didn't comment at all on it.
its a gamble either way!

[AWGD8]

Here is mine:

35% all around....







I never got pulled over since 2008. I`m in Wisconsin.

[raidersfan85]

35% looks like it is a good balance. Thanks for the pics!

[jamesstock]

I have all 5 windows tinted w/ Diamond Cut Tint.

Front windshield and Front side windows are at 73% (it's so clear that you can't really tell if the tint's there) while the 3 rear windows are 33%. I did the tint mainly because I want to repell heat from the sun which the Diamond Cut Tint is the BEST as far as I know. The guys who did my tint did a comparison of the heat resistant / repellant with other types of tint in the market (using a red heat light source and a heat meter / gauge). The Diamond Cut Tint won by miles.

[EXceptional]

This is my first time posting on the forum. I just purchased a 2008 EX35 Journey in White ext/Graphite int.

Welcome to the Site...

I'm glad you posted this... tinting my Windows is something I want to do this Summer as well.

[OldBob1938]

It's really great insurance for the interior of your car. I've got a 94 Caravan with grey leather that's in perfect interior condition after 17 years and 250K miles. I credit the survival of the front seat leather and dash plastic to the very light tint applied to windshield and front side windows. The back had a very dark factory installed solar glass.

Incidentally, the tinting is still perfect after 17 years. Good film, applied by a guy who knows what he's doing, will last.

[RedwinGV]

I'm thinking about tinting the rear windows. To those that have tinted; do any of you have a dog? How does the tint hold up to a dog around those windows? Is tinting THAT durable? The Hatch and small rear windows won't be an issue, but I have concern about the back seat windows.
TIA.

[EXceptional]

How does the tint hold up to a dog around those windows?

Yea, not all Dogs behave...

[jamesstock]

@RedwinGV, the paws may scratch the tint / film. Also some tint does not allow certain types of cleaners (will ruin the tint's functionality on heat resistance / UV resistance etc). Not sure if the dog will 'lick' on the film.

[RedwinGV]

@RedwinGV, the paws may scratch the tint / film. Also some tint does not allow certain types of cleaners (will ruin the tint's functionality on heat resistance / UV resistance etc). Not sure if the dog will 'lick' on the film.

Thanks. I figured as much. Heck my pup can sometimes scratch the vinyl on the sills, so I figure tint is not an option for us.
Take care.

[raidersfan85]

Thanks all for the pics. I ended up getting 35% all around and it looks great! Even the guy who did it said 35% on the white pearl with graphite interior makes it look better than he anticipated! Pictures to come...

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I have all 5 windows tinted w/ Diamond Cut Tint.

Front windshield and Front side windows are at 73% (it's so clear that you can't really tell if the tint's there) while the 3 rear windows are 33%. I did the tint mainly because I want to repell heat from the sun which the Diamond Cut Tint is the BEST as far as I know. The guys who did my tint did a comparison of the heat resistant / repellant with other types of tint in the market (using a red heat light source and a heat meter / gauge). The Diamond Cut Tint won by miles.

Hey James-

I'm curious to hear more about your window tint. I've also heard that Diamond Cut tint is the best-of-the-best (do you remember which model/product tint you have? I think there are four different ones) and am looking for a local place around here which installs it.

In NJ we cannot legally have tint on the windshield front driver's/passenger's windows (although about 40% of the cars here have it anyway), but I'm thinking something as light at your 73% film is something they wouldn't argue with.

Thanks in advance!
Cheers,
Tim G.

[jsuzgzfst]

I have all 5 windows tinted w/ Diamond Cut Tint.

Front windshield and Front side windows are at 73% (it's so clear that you can't really tell if the tint's there) while the 3 rear windows are 33%. I did the tint mainly because I want to repell heat from the sun which the Diamond Cut Tint is the BEST as far as I know. The guys who did my tint did a comparison of the heat resistant / repellant with other types of tint in the market (using a red heat light source and a heat meter / gauge). The Diamond Cut Tint won by miles.

Hey James-

I'm curious to hear more about your window tint. I've also heard that Diamond Cut tint is the best-of-the-best (do you remember which model/product tint you have? I think there are four different ones) and am looking for a local place around here which installs it.

In NJ we cannot legally have tint on the windshield front driver's/passenger's windows (although about 40% of the cars here have it anyway), but I'm thinking something as light at your 73% film is something they wouldn't argue with.

Thanks in advance!
Cheers,
Tim G.

I am from jersey. when i lived there i had my 86 300zx na 2+0, hatchback and small triangular windows tinted at double 5%, they were blacked out, like a limo. as far as the driver and passenger windows, i didnt tintem. during my highschool and college days, i received my share of tickets, but never any for my tinting. maybe i was lucky. good rule of thumb is when being pulled, alway roll your driver and passenger windows down. even if they are illegally tinted, by rolling them down, gives the officers a sense of control when approaching your vehicle. as opposed to not being able to see the driver or passengers. which im sure your aware of. goodluck, and hope you wont get any tickets for your tint.

[jamesstock]

The tint I have for the windshield and the front windows you barely notice anything, they are very close to clear. but the rear windows are slightly more 'darker' but not to a limo darkness. In california too, they don't allow you to color tint your front windows. But a clear tint that is so close to colorless, alot of people have them especially in the high end vehicles. I do'nt really use the tint for privacy, but rather the cut down the heat (which the Diamond Cut Tint has done very well one) and also the UV. Highly recommended.

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I have all 5 windows tinted w/ Diamond Cut Tint.

I am from jersey. when i lived there i had my 86 300zx na 2+0, hatchback and small triangular windows tinted at double 5%, they were blacked out, like a limo. as far as the driver and passenger windows, i didnt tintem. during my highschool and college days, i received my share of tickets, but never any for my tinting. maybe i was lucky. good rule of thumb is when being pulled, alway roll your driver and passenger windows down. even if they are illegally tinted, by rolling them down, gives the officers a sense of control when approaching your vehicle. as opposed to not being able to see the driver or passengers. which im sure your aware of. goodluck, and hope you wont get any tickets for your tint.

I really don't get the whole window tint "big picture" in NJ. In NY, it's legal on all windows except the windshield, and at any given time it seems like approximately 20% of all NY drivers are physically driving in NJ. In NJ, it's not legal on driver's or passenger's front windows...but like I said about 40% of NJ drivers has tint up front, and somehow don't get hassled for it.

Each of the times I've bought used cars which happened to have any tint whatsoever on the front windows, I've been pulled over for it. I'm not a wild driver, so it's not like I had been drawing attention to myself and the cop just decided to bust me for tint. I can understand why the cops don't want limo tint up front, but I'd at least like to have something there to help keep my interior a little cooler--and from being damaged by the sun quite as much.

Tim

[ArcticBlue]

I checked with the Diamond Cut folks in California. Apparently it's only available for installation ther (i.e. they don't have a nationwide installer network), but they'll ship the material for @$300 for a local installer to apply. Is it really that much better than the generally available products?

[jamesstock]

@ArcticBlue, I also have the 'regular tint' done on my other vehicle and compare that to the Diamond Cut Tint on my EX, it's night and day. The heat resistance from the Diamond Cut Tint is way better than the 'regular' ones. If you need a tint for privacy, then you may not need to buy the Diamond Cut films, but if heat repellant is a priority, then Diamond cut is the film to use. One possible troublesome part for the diamond cut film would be the cleaning. You need to be careful when using a cleaning agent to clean the inside of the windows (the film), I don't remember what chemical would ruin the film, but a few $ bottle of window cleaner from WMT would do the job (just need to look at the content of the cleaning agent). I've been simply using water to clean the inside (for over a year) and it's been fine. hope this helps.

[ArcticBlue]

Many thanks, James - just what I needed to know!

[jmann]

Just a couple pics of my tint, I believe it's 20%... The darkest legally allowed here.