Want to tint my windows but keep it legal

[Throwmeabone]

I have a Mark V Jetta that is platinum grey metallic (dark grey) which I think would look nice with tinted windows. The windows are factory tinted slightly green but I don't know how much exactly. I live in New York so legally the front and rear side windows must have 70% light transmittance and the back can be any darkness. However plenty of SUVs and minivans have darker rear side windows than that from the factory. Here are the options I'm deciding between:

A) 50% on all windows for a uniform look
B) 70% on the front sides (do they even make it that low?), and maybe 35% or 40% on the rear sides and back (technically illegal but probably not going to be enforced).
C) Leave it as is.

What do you think?

 

[EightySix Four]

A or B, tinted windows rock. Keep it so much nicer in the car.

 

[Throwmeabone]

Does anyone if it's true that the factory green tint is 70%?

 

[T2urtle]

it is a BLUE tint, it keeps out UV rays there is no percentage because it is completely see thru. Its just something like stained glass but it keeps the UV rays out. you will not find a percentage, i dont know where you pulled 70% from.

SUV and minivans come stock with the rears tinted for the most part, typically its 30% in the rear.

if 70% is state legal for you then they will be plenty of places that carry it. i say run the legal amount which is 70% that is nothing, more like a light smokey.

least you can have legal front tints, in IL nothing is legal. but i ran 35% up front and 15% and LOVED it. i got 15% because i didn't want people to see what i had in the backseat of my car, driving wise it will be very dark to see out the rearview at night and parallel park.

 

[evident]

i'd pick A.

i have 35% on all my windows except front, and you can still see into the car just fine, but it looks alot nicer

 

[SoulAssassin]

My last few cars I've done 35% on the side windows and 5% on the back. I've never been pulled over for tint. I had a ride about 10 years ago I did 5% all the way around, that was really really dark and you basically had to just look for headlights at night.

 

[BassBomb]

I had 8% all around except front windsheild when I bought this car... it was far too risky and dangerous so I had it removed off the front two windows

of your options i'd go with B... do they even do 70% tinting?

 

[BW86]

A

 

[NaOH]

I'd prob just do something like 50% all around in that case. I'm looking to do 40-50%% all around on my united grey VW. You want it dark enough (and uniform) so the car looks cleaner, but you don't want it so dark that people (ie. cops) will be straining to look into your car. It starts getting kind of ricey after a certain point. You don't want your windows way darker than your car, that just screams "PULL ME OVER!". I've been cited for 35% front tint, twice on my black civic and it's a pain in the ass to go fix it (first time I lied to the lady checking to see if I removed it, second time I just took it off).

 

[rh71]

I asked a few here in NY and they were VERY reluctant to even do the front windshield. I went with 35% tint (65% light transmission) everywhere else and it has the same uniform look you're looking for - that was my goal too. Because the front is... well, in the front by itself, you don't notice the tint mismatch as much. Also keep in mind when looking through the front, the interior will appear darker because light has already been cut from the other angles. Visually, I think the worst you could do is mismatch the front sides & rear sides, and then not do the front at all.

I've passed many cops here and they don't give a crap if you have tinted windows. This is as long as you don't have limo tint on a pimp-mobile acting gangsta. If they're having a bad day they may tack it onto a ticket for something else they've stopped you for. I think 35% is perfect as cops can still see inside during the day.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: rh71
I asked a few here in NY and they were VERY reluctant to even do the front windshield. I went with 35% tint (65% light transmission) everywhere else and it has the same uniform look you're looking for - that was my goal too. Because the front is... well, in the front by itself, you don't notice the tint mismatch as much. I think the worst you could do is mismatch the front sides & rear sides, and then not do the front at all.

I've passed many cops and they don't give a crap if you have tinted windows. If they're having a bad day they may tack it onto a ticket for something else they've stopped you for. This is as long as you don't have limo tint on a pimp-mobile acting gangsta. I think 35% is perfect as cops can still see inside during the day.

Looking good! :thumbsup:

I would concur with staying around 35%-50% for the sides and rear. I guess it depends on what you perceive to look good and how much of the sun you want to block out, laws etc. Yeah, when I said fronts, I meant the front sides. I don't think I'd EVER tint the very front windshield, I'd just wear sunglasses if anything and use a sunblocker when i'm parked.

You know what's weird, there's a shop nearby that says they have CA legal front side tint. I haven't asked them if it's actually a tint (CA doesn't allow front tint at all) or just a clear film that blocks UV rays, but that'd be badass (they give you a certificate stating that it's legal).

 

[ViviTheMage]

noobs

15% all around.

Never get tickets, just have to stay away from the burbs.

edit, another thing to add is to roll down all of your windows around heavily populated cop areas.

 

[Bryf50]

I live in NY as well. I have 35% on my front side windows and 20% around the back. So for I've had no problem with the cops. I think 70% is a waste of money overall. I doubt it will look much different.

 

[zerocool84]

Cops will obviously only pull you over if they suspect something else and use the tint as an excuse.

 

[Throwmeabone]

Originally posted by: T2urtle
it is a BLUE tint, it keeps out UV rays there is no percentage because it is completely see thru. Its just something like stained glass but it keeps the UV rays out. you will not find a percentage, i dont know where you pulled 70% from.

SUV and minivans come stock with the rears tinted for the most part, typically its 30% in the rear.

if 70% is state legal for you then they will be plenty of places that carry it. i say run the legal amount which is 70% that is nothing, more like a light smokey.

least you can have legal front tints, in IL nothing is legal. but i ran 35% up front and 15% and LOVED it. i got 15% because i didn't want people to see what i had in the backseat of my car, driving wise it will be very dark to see out the rearview at night and parallel park.

It's definitely green, from the VW site: "Tinted glass, green, without shade band." I got the 70% number from people on a few different forums claiming that factory glass has about 70% light transmittance which is so light it is almost clear. If this is true, then I believe the spirit of the law in NYS is to basically prohibit tinting front side and rear side windows because the factory glass is already close to or at the legal limit.

In practice I think there is a misconception among average people AND cops that anything lighter than 35-40% IS legal on the front sides although it is not. I know that the law in NYS used to allow 35% up until a decade or so ago, so this could be the source of it. There is a further misconception that the rear sides can be just as dark as the back because you see cars all the time around here with very dark rear sides and backs. I have seen people with their front windows down to avoid cop attention but leaving the rear sides up.

The reason I don't want to go darker than 50-40% because I can't go that dark uniformly without attracting unwanted attention from cops. I've been trying to find pictures of 50% and from what I've seen, I like how it looks. It's gives the car just a little bit of style without looking ricy or gangster. Here's an example:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27503

 

[zerocool84]

In NY, it's 70% for the front AND rear windows. Only the back glass can have any darkness you want. That really sucks. At least here in commie Cali we get to put any darkness in the rear.

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

I have 20% all around and it's difficult to see out the windows at night in unlit places.

 

[EightySix Four]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
In NY, it's 70% for the front AND rear windows. Only the back glass can have any darkness you want. That really sucks. At least here in commie Cali we get to put any darkness in the rear.

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

I have 20% all around and it's difficult to see out the windows at night in unlit places.

I have 25% (legal limit in Texas) and I have noticed once or twice that it's pretty tough to see unlit things at night, people for example :Q

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: crazySOB297

Originally posted by: zerocool84
In NY, it's 70% for the front AND rear windows. Only the back glass can have any darkness you want. That really sucks. At least here in commie Cali we get to put any darkness in the rear.

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

I have 20% all around and it's difficult to see out the windows at night in unlit places.

I have 25% (legal limit in Texas) and I have noticed once or twice that it's pretty tough to see unlit things at night, people for example :Q

If I could do it over again I could go with lighter.

 

[ballmode]

do it but only to your liking

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
noobs

15% all around.

Never get tickets, just have to stay away from the burbs.

edit, another thing to add is to roll down all of your windows around heavily populated cop areas.

Yeah, that works real well when it's -10 and snowing.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

I thought about getting my passenger and drivers windows tinted to match the factory tint on all the other windows, however, after getting my rock chips done the gentleman said that the factory tints are baked in and would be difficult to impossible for them to match. Not sure how correct he was but that's what he said. So in your case, it could be possible that if you wanted to change the tint out, you might have to replace the windows all together.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal
I thought about getting my passenger and drivers windows tinted to match the factory tint on all the other windows, however, after getting my rock chips done the gentleman said that the factory tints are baked in and would be difficult to impossible for them to match. Not sure how correct he was but that's what he said. So in your case, it could be possible that if you wanted to change the tint out, you might have to replace the windows all together.

AFAIK it's extremely difficult to get it to look perfect but most people get lighter in the front anyways.

 

[Throwmeabone]

Originally posted by: rh71
I asked a few here in NY and they were VERY reluctant to even do the front windshield. I went with 35% tint (65% light transmission) everywhere else and it has the same uniform look you're looking for - that was my goal too. Because the front is... well, in the front by itself, you don't notice the tint mismatch as much. Also keep in mind when looking through the front, the interior will appear darker because light has already been cut from the other angles. Visually, I think the worst you could do is mismatch the front sides & rear sides, and then not do the front at all.

I've passed many cops here and they don't give a crap if you have tinted windows. This is as long as you don't have limo tint on a pimp-mobile acting gangsta. If they're having a bad day they may tack it onto a ticket for something else they've stopped you for. I think 35% is perfect as cops can still see inside during the day.

Your car looks so much better with tint. :thumbsup:

Now I'm torn between 50% or 35% all around. The car has a light grey interior so maybe a little darker would be better.

 

[shortylickens]

I have driven in Minnesota, Florida, Virgina, California, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
In all those states its illegal to tint your front windows (or was when I was living there).
In each of those states, I saw people with front side windows and even windshields tinted. The cops never seem to give a damn.
I think its something they just add on to your ticket if they pull you over for something else.

 

[blurredvision]

My ex-brother-in-law, when he was younger (20 years or so), had a car that he tinted 5% all the way around.....yes, even the front windshield. He never was the brightest crayon in the box. He always drove around with his brights on at night, and I remember him talking a few times about having to hang his head out the window just so he could see.

As for my car, I had 20% put on the side windows, and 13% on the back. I see perfectly fine at night, but I don't think I'd go any lower on future cars.