Window tints
- Thread starter inkey$
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Inkey$ - this reply doesn't answer any of your actual questions :!:
However, hopefully you will allow me to express an opinion (like you can stop me
) - you say 'potentially' the door glass, but IMHO (humble :wink: ) the coupe looks a bit unfinished if you just tint the the rear and quarters, and it can look a bit 'why ?', though darker cars look a little better... Sooooo, if I were doing this I wouldn't do it without having the window glass done. But it's not my car of course, so just food for thought 
However, hopefully you will allow me to express an opinion (like you can stop me
) - you say 'potentially' the door glass, but IMHO (humble :wink: ) the coupe looks a bit unfinished if you just tint the the rear and quarters, and it can look a bit 'why ?', though darker cars look a little better... Sooooo, if I were doing this I wouldn't do it without having the window glass done. But it's not my car of course, so just food for thought I briefly drove a car with a tinted set of rear windows and didn't like it at all. It's like wearing permanent sunglasses, doubly-so if you're actually wearing sunglasses. I really didn't like the reduced rear visibility when the weather was anything but sunny.
Make sure to check the legal %. The drive and front-passenger door windows can't be as tinted as the rear quarter and rear boot windows. Some police forces don't seem to bother, others seem to take delight and pull out a frigging sensor at the road side!
Make sure to check the legal %. The drive and front-passenger door windows can't be as tinted as the rear quarter and rear boot windows. Some police forces don't seem to bother, others seem to take delight and pull out a frigging sensor at the road side!
I don't know what the legal limits are, but 35% sounds familiar... You could PM Lucy - I am sure she's had hers done as I recall reading something about the legal limits on one of her threads... I will have a shufti 
EDIT - see this thread http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9815&hilit=Tint
Not Lucy's but she contributes. Looks like the legal limit is 30% tint ?
EDIT - see this thread http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9815&hilit=Tint
Not Lucy's but she contributes. Looks like the legal limit is 30% tint ?
Maximum of 25% for the windscreen and 30% for the front side windows.
Although you will have to take into account the 5-10% tint that most manufacturers have as standard.
IMO the half-tint looks fine - on the right colour car, and with the right colour interior...
Here's the same car with an addition 20% tint on the front...
Although you will have to take into account the 5-10% tint that most manufacturers have as standard.
IMO the half-tint looks fine - on the right colour car, and with the right colour interior...
Here's the same car with an addition 20% tint on the front...
I had a some tinted windows on my previous car and have thought about getting my Z4 done too. If it's a good quality film that they use, it shouldn't make a difference to the visibility, I found this out when passengers in the car hadn't noticed I had tints. I had 35% if I remember correctly on my door windows and although I had been pulled up a few times by the fuzz, none mentioned about the tints (but my speeding...). I guess that if they can see you through the glass that is sufficient.
Another benefit of the having tints, apart from looking good, again with good film, it actually acts as added security, deterrent and safety. People aren't able to see into the car that easily, if they do decide to break a window, it will take a little longer than non-tinted (as the film acts as an extra barrier) and in an accident, the film will prevent smaller shards of glass flying around the car, this is what really sold it to me!
Another benefit of the having tints, apart from looking good, again with good film, it actually acts as added security, deterrent and safety. People aren't able to see into the car that easily, if they do decide to break a window, it will take a little longer than non-tinted (as the film acts as an extra barrier) and in an accident, the film will prevent smaller shards of glass flying around the car, this is what really sold it to me!
Had a mini professionally tinted by BMW in 2003 to the tune of £400. All fine and dandy but I got pulled at a set of lights waiting on red in my racing puma, same colour/shade tints in 2006 and they let 18% of light through so got fined (no removal notice/advice). Thought to myself, £30 fine for 3 years I'll keep taking my chances, 4 weeks later, got pulled on the motorway again, purely because of the tints, not my driving, he fined me too and followed me off the motorway where he helped me absolutely destroy the windows so my car would be signed off as safe on the road again. Couldn't shift the glue residue, couldn't put the windows down and couldn't see a thing for a month whilst I tries different solutions to get rid of it. The windows were never the same again so it has kind of put me off getting tints again!
On a side note, the factory 'tinted' glass will only just pass the police test so I would suggest don't apply any film to your front windows, you make yourself an easy target! :headbang:
On a side note, the factory 'tinted' glass will only just pass the police test so I would suggest don't apply any film to your front windows, you make yourself an easy target! :headbang:
I think tint on the boot glass is a good idea. The fronts, if you want to stay legal, are not enough difference to be worth it. If you lower the windows often, it's more likely to scratch. That given, the rear quarters are a strictly aesthetic choice, I would do them.
Be sure you use film where the tint is via metal vapour deposition (it's not necessarily all that reflective), not dye. Dye changes color as it ages, metal is forever. The higher quality tints also have better glue, but it's impossible to fully remove if you change your mind, as oli will attest.
I obviously haven't tinted my roadster, but my wife's previous DD. Her current one came with fairly dark OEM tint. We think it's a good benefit.
Be sure you use film where the tint is via metal vapour deposition (it's not necessarily all that reflective), not dye. Dye changes color as it ages, metal is forever. The higher quality tints also have better glue, but it's impossible to fully remove if you change your mind, as oli will attest.
I obviously haven't tinted my roadster, but my wife's previous DD. Her current one came with fairly dark OEM tint. We think it's a good benefit.
oli445 said:
A mate of mine had to remove pretty light looking tints from his Mitsubishi side glass after a traffic cop tested it with some sort of light meter, I'm not mad keen on the look personally and have enough trouble seeing what's going on as it is so, not a huge fan. Looks good on show cars though.
Ewazix said:
This is my understanding of the legislation which clearly states that 70% of visible light must pass through the driver's side windows (75% through the windscreen) including any other substrate fitted to the glass. People misunderstand the regulation and presume that 70% allows a 30% tint which It doesn't. Glass does not however let in 100% of light. Clear glass only allows approximately 86% of light to pass and the slight tint of standard manufactured glass varies from the 70% maximum limit up to approx 80% of light passing through, so any film being applied to the windows will drop the light transmissions to below the regulation legal limit.
If your front windows are tinted to any level you do risk being stopped by either my colleagues in the Traffic Police or VOSA (Vehicle & Operator Services Agency) they have "TintMan" light meters to test the VLT (visible light transmission) that passes through your glass. If you have a subtle tint fitted then you should just be asked for it to be removed, if you have dark front door windows you could be told you can't drive your car any further and face a fine and points on your licence!
Worth noting that Tinted windows are not included in the MOT test, but window tinting is classed as a vehicle modification so you should inform your vehicle insurer. Do be aware that if you have your front door windows tinted and you have an accident, it could possibly be a get out clause for your insurance company!
Swiftly said:
Very informative post, thanks for the detailed explanation... Are these devices also available to tinting companies? If so I guess it would be wise to get them to do a test on all windows using a small test piece of film first to make sure the end result will be legal.
sp3ctre said:
Technically I would assume companies would have “TintMan” meters or some other form of method for the measurement of light as they have a legal responsibility to ensure that all vehicles which they have undertaken work on are road legal, however there are many back street operations who are either ignorant of the regulations or choose to ignore them for the sake of a sale!
Also (as I've found out) a car with a lighter interior will not get pulled as often as the same car with a darker interior - assuming both have the same tints.
Me & my mate had almost identical e34 M5s - both with dark tints on the front side windows (him out of choice, me because they were like that when I bought it). We live in similar areas and he'd been pulled about 10 times and 'warned' enough time that he removed his. I was never pulled and sold the car with the same tints.
(ignore the fat scouser on the left)
The only difference was mine had a very light interior...
Me & my mate had almost identical e34 M5s - both with dark tints on the front side windows (him out of choice, me because they were like that when I bought it). We live in similar areas and he'd been pulled about 10 times and 'warned' enough time that he removed his. I was never pulled and sold the car with the same tints.
(ignore the fat scouser on the left)
The only difference was mine had a very light interior...
mmm-five said:Also (as I've found out) a car with a lighter interior will not get pulled as often as the same car with a darker interior - assuming both have the same tints.
Me & my mate had almost identical e34 M5s - both with dark tints on the front side windows (him out of choice, me because they were like that when I bought it). We live in similar areas and he'd been pulled about 10 times and 'warned' enough time that he removed his. I was never pulled and sold the car with the same tints.
(ignore the fat scouser on the left)
The only difference was mine had a very light interior...
That’s interesting to note, it could be that your lighter interior under certain circumstances reflects the light giving the impression of the tint being lighter than it actually is. I can’t speak for English Police Forces but with Scottish Forces, vehicles are pulled over and checked on a regular basis with either enforcement action taken or warnings issued. It might be worth noting that there has been some discussion with VOSA which could mean in the future window tints, could be included as part of annual MOT test process because of the potential perceived dangers of illegal dark tints.