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School Me on Window Tint - Is 50% Even Worth It?


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I'd like to tint the front side windows in the Cherokee, partly for looks I guess but mainly to block some of the heat. Another of Ohio's gay laws limits those windows to 50% and that seems really light to me. I'm fairly certain that the factory tint on the back windows is 20%, so I know I can't legally match that but I'm surprised they don't allow 30-35% at least.

 

So, the issue is that I have found alot of info on the net claiming that some of the "cheap" tints supposedly block a fairly low percentage of heat transfer unless you go very dark. "Premium" tint companies claim ~50% heat blocking from their 50%, which I would have assumed would be true of any tint that blocks 50% of the light. I never realized there were so many different tint materials on the market - metallic, nonmetallic, ceramic, etc. If I can really block 50% of the heat coming in with legal tint I think it may actually be worth doing, but I feel like I'm being reeled in by marketing disguised as real science.

 

Secondarily, I know alot of people seem to get away with 20% or darker but I drive this thing everywhere and would rather not be hassled by the man. I know a guy that recently got 35% on his side windows and he's been pulled over twice already. :no:

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Id still get the 35. Id have to ask what the guy who got pulled over twice already is driving?? Bet its not really for just the tint...

 

Yes a good film will cut the heat if that is your main concern. A good 35 will block even MORE heat obviously.

 

I would like to do the same to my fronts sometime..

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I believe that there are even clear tint's (maybe film is a better word here) that will block IR and UV rays and cut down on interior heat without even being dark, so I'm sure you'll get a pretty good reduction from only a 50%. Maybe do 50% on the sides and do the clear on the front windsheild. 20-35 would obviously match the rest of the car much better though since that's what's on the rest but will likely get you in trouble at some point.

 

We've got 50% on the M3, Red interior car, on some very bright days you can hardly tell it's there, other overcast days the car looks fairly dark. Car seems to stay pretty cool, but I really don't have a before and after comparison, it's been on the car since the very beginning.

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50% to me is s waste of money...

 

ive had 5% tint on the srt since february of 2007..and have only got ticketed for it once...

 

super dark FTW

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=67&pictureid=426

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my gf has 35% and isnt hassled

i have 8% and roll my widonws down when i see a popo., got pulled over once and got a warning cause i just got my car. i thought he would be to lazy to bust a u turn in a middle of an intersection so i didnt roll then down, but i was wrong.

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I have 5% on my truck and mustang both and only got a warning once in Westerville. But he didn't pull me over for tint as I had my windows down when he did, he pulled me over cause I had lightly blue clear covers on my rear license plate and he said that wasn't allowed since it obscured the plate. Even though it was clear....

 

But I think Im get either 20 or 30% on my next vehicle.

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50% isn't worth it in my opinion. What matters is what YOU like since you are the one that will be living with it. I have 15% on the front windows and 5% on the back and I have been pulled over a few times for other things and never even hassled about the tint.
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I don't think 50% is worth it. I would go with 35%, it will match the rear windows better and block more heat. If you're a sensible driver and there isn't anything else blatantly illegal about your vehicle then you shouldn't get hassled.

 

I recently had the front two windows in my wife's new Liberty tinted to match the rears. I had them do 35% and after a few weeks I now wish I would've gone with 20%. That's from a visual perspective only, when the sun is shining the windows don't match as closely as I wanted.

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I've had really dark tint on my Passat since moving to Florida in '05...20% I think?

 

Moved back in '08 and was warned one time by a CPD officer. Recently, I got pulled over for speeding on I-70 a few months ago and I rolled down every window when the officer walked up. I was cited for obscured front plate and ticketed for speeding, but not for tint. FWIW...

 

My opinion is that you won't get pulled over for tint...just for whatever other stupid thing you did. If you roll down the windows after getting pulled over so cops know your not a threat, you'll get by.

 

*knocks on wood*

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I've been driving with 35% in my z for about three years with no issues. my sister drives with 15% also with no issues. we're both in westerville which I've heard they can be kinda sticklers when it comes to tint.

 

i would say get what you want and if worse comes to worse you get a fix it ticket and have to pull it off the front windows

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I suppose I'm the unlucky contrary, I have been continously harassed by the police for tint on both of my previous vehicles. Which is largely why the z06 is still stock tint. Since I also tend to carry concealed, I think I prefer to give as few reasons possible for an undesirable LEO encounter. Though I still refuse to have a front plate. So I'm a dirty hypocrite and should rock limo.
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Since I also tend to carry concealed, I think I prefer to give as few reasons possible for an undesirable LEO encounter.

This is mainly why I'm a scaredy bitch about it not being legal. I'm always in compliance when carrying, but I'd just rather avoid having to deal with a traffic stop and the possibility of being hassled (I know a few CCW guys that have been).

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In the last 6 years of having 15% on my lowered, big front mount, loud ass S4, I've been pulled over twice for window tint, ticketed once. It was by those assholes right by 270 and Sawmill who are notorious for giving people shit for tinted windows.

 

In the last year of having 15% on both Land Rovers, I've never been pulled over.

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I have 35 front 20 rear on my DD since 2004 and have never received even a glance by the police.

 

The Mustang has 15 all the way around and I have received one ticket since 2005 (on my birthday to boot, cocksucker) This was on 71 near Polaris.

 

I have a tint perscription from my optometrist. Don't know if that will work, haven't been pulled over yet to try it out.

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My opinion is that you won't get pulled over for tint...just for whatever other stupid thing you did. If you roll down the windows after getting pulled over so cops know your not a threat, you'll get by.

*knocks on wood*

Not true at all, unfortunately. About a year ago, my friend was working on his car and needed a ride to Sears to pick something up, so I drove him there. As soon as we exited the store, I saw a cop had parked right next to my car and was just staring at it. I didn't think anything of it, because people who know me can vouch, I drove like a grandpa. Anyway, as soon as I pulled out, he began following me. BAM! About 50ft down the road, he pulled me over for "tint". After circling my car several times, he let me off with a stern "warning" that if he saw my car again, I would get a ticket for it.

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I recommend purchasing the top quality tint, I'm gonn get a temp gun and prove why with a video, each day this week, my black leather seats have not come close to burning my legs. The stuff work amazingly well, worth the exta money IMO, and I have 50% on my fronts and 35% on the rears.
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I have pretty dark tint as well. 15% on the doors. 5% on all back glass. I also have a mustache and eyebrow of 5% that arent exactly small. I've been pulled over multiple times since my tint was done and not a single officer has said a word about it. And if they do, I have a doctors note for it anyway.

 

Quality tint is key. A good tint will not turn purple like all the cheaper tints do (unless you wash your windows with something that ammonia in it then they still do.) My truck still heats up, but not anywhere near as much as without the tint.

 

 

260567_2130560620648_1144959499_32558942_511701_n.jpg

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My MS3 is 15% ? on the back, 35% on the rears and 50% on the fronts, with black interior and IMO looks great. Can't hardly tell they are different. Drove it to work today and it's baking in the sun now. Helps a lot.
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The police are only going to pull you over specifically for it if they're looking in your car to see whos driving it and they can't see. They do that because A) you're driving like a jackass or B) you drive a very conspicuous car. Don't give them reason to want to look in, you'll be fine going darker than legal.

 

And even if you do get ticketed, its just a luxury tax

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