So I'm tired of driving around in a fishbowl, so I'm going to get some tint installed on my car. I've got a Silver Metallic cobalt, and I'm leaning towards 35% tint on all windows, not including windshield. I may have a 5% bar at the top of the windshield but I'm undecided.

I'm into the tint for the cooler in car temps, the curb appeal of tinted windows, and also it will match my black wheels.

Anyone have any input, lessons learned or suggestions before I decide to just make an appointment?

 

Just do it

20% back windows 35% front and 15 windshield strip here ya go

 

Never looked at you car before. Now that I have, I like it!

I think you're onto something with that combination of tint. That may be exactly what I do.

 

I went that route because its perfect lol

 

I'm somewhat worried about my CA tint laws. Windshield and front windows no tint, rears no more than 35%.

 

I'm going to have to make a not of your car's tint rice for when I get around to doing mine.

 

20% all around here.

 

I have what Riceburner did, 35% front & 20% rear. During the daylight (and especially sunlight) you can see in just fine, a bit too much if you ask me but then again front tint is illegal here. At night, the 35% is pretty dark, but you can still see in a bit if you are in a lit up city. The 20% depending on how the car is angled, you might be able to see in A BIT in the daylight, but at night it's completely blacked out. I personally would never go with any tint darker than 20%.

Honestly though, on my next car I'm going to do 25% all the way around. 20% is a touch too dark for me and it looks much cleaner to have the same grade all the way around. Also, AND THIS IS JUST MY OPINION- I think windshield visors look bad, I wouldn't do one on my car.

To sum: do 25%-30% all the way around, one grade, no visor (sunstrip).

 

I personally have 15% all the way around, with a 5% sunstrip, and 5% over the factory tint on the sunroof.

 

x2 that is what is on mine.

 

I've got 15% all around. I've had that on every car I've owned for the past 7 years now. Been pulled over a few times and never had the cops say anything to me about it. You either need to get a dick cop around here or be extremely suspicious for them to care.

 

Anyone have issues with the tint getting scratched? I know some owners windows get vertical scratches from econo car build quality. I'm worried my tint would get scratched if I did mine.

 

Nothing noticeable. Its been on for 4 years and is cheaper tint. Hasn't scratched. There are a few little ones here and there, but you would need to know where to look for them.

 

Mine is the same color and had 35 when I got it but it wasn't dark enough so I had 5 put over top of the 35. Now I can have the sunroof open with the windows up and you can not see in the car. I love it but would not recommend going that dark.

 

yeah mine do a little bit i should have made sure the guys were using 3m tint as opposed to the cheap **** they used instead

 

5% all around
CA law is "see a cop, roll em down"

I hate the windshield strip but that might be because all cars I have been in it seems to be right in my line of sight and annoys the **** outa me

 

Has anyone thrown on tint themselves? I would like to get some high quality tint and do it my self to avoid labor costs but not sure if its worth the trouble

 

No one that I know has done it. Most places dont cut it by hand anymore either. I think you'd have one hell of a time getting a god cut by hand. Then the tools to do it right. By the time you add up costs and time and stress I'd just take it to a place. Everywhere I've had tint done costs like $150 or so. That's not too terrible.

 

My biggest suggestion about "scratches on tint" is when you clean your windows that have aftermarket tint on them, DO NOT USE AMMONIA. whoever tints your car should tell you think anyways but if you have had a car tinted and you bought it with it now you know..

Ammonia eats at the film and over time it will make "scratches" per say.

 

My dad and I have done about 200 cars the biggish issue is the rear window.

 

rear window is the worst on these cars...
I do have a scratch on my passenger side window but it is on the outside and has scratched the glass
I don't know what its from possibly something inside door panel or something was caught in seal and when I rolled window down it scratched.

 

I have 16% on the doors 6% on all the back three and windshield strip they say 60% uv reflective and 54% non reflective on the windshield...

I went illegal on the doors and of course the windshield, I also have a silver cobalt looks alright and with only a few night time run ins with cops no issues..... but then again normally if you don't drive around like an asshat they generally don't care.... IMO

 

5% tint all around.

Loved the fact that no one could see in during the day. I hate people looking over at me when driving. Helped keep in car temps down.

Downside was i couldnt see anything at night if i was trying to read a road sign etc.

7 years no issues with cops.

 

I went with 5% on the back 3 and have no regrets. It seems dark at first, but once you get used to it it is fine. It doesn't really seem that dark to me anymore. There is none on the front, as any on the front (other than factory) is illegal.

 

Hell I've been toying with the idea of doing 35% on the windshield as well. A friend has it on his eclipse gst and it looks pretty sweet. I've driven it at night and it would be a bit to get used to, and I'm sure cops would be all over that one, but I'm not too sure how bad cops are here yet