tint on front windows, pro-con?

[climberjohn]

Samba friends,

I am about to get my van's windows tinted, and yes, I've read most all the tint related posts. I am going with 20% tint for the rear windows.

My question: I have the option to get a 35% tint on the front windows. Should I do it? I have not seen many vans with the driver and passenger front windows tinted. (I can get the fronts done for just an extra $60, so cost is not really a factor.)

Has anyone done this? Do you like it? If you did tint just the back windows, do you wish you had done the front as well?

All related comments are welcome. I go to the tint shop Friday morn (manana) so pronto responses are appreciated.

Cheers,
CJ
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[spitsnrovers]

Have you checked your provincial or state regulations? There was a thread here a while ago stating which states allowed tinting on windows beside and forward of the driver.

Some do, some don't.
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'88 VW Westfalia
'75 Triumph Spitfire 1500

[0to60in6min]

on mine

Front window, 2 tone tinted:

1/3 at the top dark tinted to block the sun that hit my eyes

2/3 bottom light tinted so I can see the mirror at night

BACK window light tinted

SIDE windows, dark tinted

(Dark tinted is the shade one notch below what they called Limo tint)

do not use silver reflect tint, it's horrible for other drivers.

[Volksaholic]

I assume you've checked the local laws to make sure there are no problems there...

I wouldn't mind tinting the driver's side windows extra dark, and maybe even the rear passenger side. I worry about visibility in a vehicle this size at night... there are already major blind spots with our vans. I know many folks don't share this opinion, but I would leave the front door windows alone or keep the tinting extra light because I really depend on my rear-view mirrors at night. I also depend on my back hatch and slider door window, but the rear passenger side window is so far back that I've been leaving the curtain hung there (Wolfsburg/Carat option) and don't really miss the visibility.

pd
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251

[Randy in Maine]

I took the tinting off the front and rear windshield (front windows also)when I got my bus from WA state. Made seeing at night almost impossible. I did leave the tinting on the other windows though. Not bad.

In my book (and according to the State of Maine) it is not safe.

[buildyourown]

I had it on my old truck and had no issues driving at night or with the police.
I plan on doing it to my van as the solar gain thru those windows is very high. Enough to overwhelm justa bout any air conditioner.

[Gauche1968]

Go ahead and tint the front windows if it is legal in your state, but not too dark. It may take some time to get used to the tint at night, so drive extra carefully.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[markz2004]

John,

I have and would recommend tinting the front side windows. I'd probably do the front if I was given another chance at it. I would also look into the pros/cons for the tinted strip at the top of the front window. My dash gets hot with the sun beating down on it.

Mark
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87 Westy, 250k GW 2.4 - 2.0 , 16" wheels

[wasserbox]

Do it.

[BIRD84WESTY]

I really like the look, privacy and cooling feature of the tinting. The week after I bought mine from the original owner I tinted it. Washing all curtains in the process. Here is an image of 3M tint 35% light passage on front windows, 20% light passage on slider and rear windows. I have 35% on the rear hatch, and the 6 inch tint band on the new windshield. You can see through the front windows, but cannot see in the rear in this light. Had it done professionally, last minute rush job prior to its first camp trip, $350. Did a test with a Subaru Outback, and old roommate and I had the same car, even exterior color, and we tested the inside temp of our cars parked outside our house. Mine was tinted, same as above tinting, and his was not in July in Boise, ID. Hot to say the least. He had his car tinted the next day.

[Alaric.H]

Sure is cooler in the summer and if you have AC it is that much better.

[Jon_slider]

I have one van with 5% tint all around, including fronts.

It is great for privacy, but its not that fun for seeing the view when driving. And I must roll down the driver window to see where Im turning into at night. I also have the wing windows limo tinted, this is problematic for seeing around corners even in daytime, even with the front window rolled down.. I dont recommend this setup

I have another van with 5% on all windows behind the front doors. This is really nice! Its fun to have a clear cab, but a blacked out living area. I recommend this setup.

5% is limo tint
20% is "medium"
35% is "light"

I have never been cited for having tinted front door windows, even though it is technically illegal, in all states I travel and live in.

I have been stopped for traffic violations 3 times with the limo tint on front, not once has the cop raised the issue.

As far as using 35% on the front doors, I think its a good idea, its very light, but gives some privacy and keeps some heat out. Though it reduces the view out the side slightly, compared to the windshield.

As far as using 20% on all the other windows, I dont think its dark enough, people can see in pretty easily, especially through the rear window (unless you have a sunshade up on the front). But you might like it, as it is (slightly) less limiting to nightime visibility when backing up.. I did one of my cars in 20%, and found it too light to make the contents invisible, so next time I went 5%, I like it much better.

I can see headlights behind me just fine with limo tint, but I never back up without walking behind the van first, there is zero visibility out the back at night.

fwiw, Oregon law only allows 35%, all windows including front doors. http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/OR/

also fwiw, 20% is the darkest "factory tint" that comes on stock vehicles, excluding front doors..

overall I think your 20%-35% combo will make you happy

but my vote would be for 5% on all but the front doors, which I would leave untinted.

[climberjohn]

Hey Volks,

Wowzer, thanks for all the fast responses!

The well-regarded tint shop I went to (Alexias, in Beaverton OR) assured me the OR state law is 35% max on the front windows, and as dark as you want on all windows behind the driver.

(This is not how I read the OR law of 35% everywhere posted on various websites, but I trust the tint shop in business for 18 years over Interweb hearsay.)

I think I will go for it. 35% on the fronts and 20% everywhere else. 20% is pretty much the factory tint that so many of cars have these days. My wife drives a Honda CR-V with factory tint, it's about 20% and I have no problemos seeing out of it at night.

My goals are to reduce the interior temps, make it a bit harder to see inside, and increase handsomeness, in that order. I am not interested in stealth urban camping, for which 5% limo tint would be a consideration.

I will post some before/after photos, as so many others have done.

More comments are welcome!

Thanks,
CJ
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[VisPacem]

Howdy pilgrims

I have limo tint on the rear windows on the wife's car. No tint on front windows and windscreen, illegal in California where we lived at the time and anyway I would not tint the front and aforementioned windscreen. Never had "major" problems backing up. Yes it does require slightly more vigilance I was going to do it on the van what stopped me is my planned move to another state out of the furnace and concerned by the silly regulations, I would say asinine and dictatorial in some states prohibiting efficient tinting on rear windows.
So then in those states if I have a panel van, am I supposed to cut it up and install clear windows
:2gunfire: :2gunfire: :2gunfire:

Iiiiiiiidiots
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LG aka VisPacemPB, *The* party Pooper

No Regrets (Nothing to do with Vanagons)

[82WestyMan]

I've got 'limo tint' (5%?) on all the windows behind the front seats of my Westy (That's allowable in SC for RVs)
I went with the max allowable (28-35%?) for both front door windows and then had the 'tint-man' put a strip of the limo tint on the upper 'legal' portion of the windshield

I couldn't be happier
I makes a world of difference in the summer sun and i really don't notice the difference anymore with night-driving

_________________
"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry S. Truman
82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine

[Bruce Wayne]

I got a certificate from the shop to show "the man" if I ever get pulled over and asked about the tint. I have the tint built into my windshield,so I didn't bother with that. got it done in Eugene.

[elpedro]

I'd like to add a question to the mix - those of you with children who ride in the back: is limo tint too dark for them to enjoy the sights? I'm thinking that even 20% may be too dark for them to really see what's happening out there. Interested in opinions.
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...Peter...
89 Vanagon Bluestar to-be-named
71 hardtop westfalia Brave Little Toaster *sold*

[Home Team Van]

I've had almost every car that I've ever owned tinted after doing a temperature test between my untinted car and a roommate's car years ago. In NC you can get the back windows darker than the front but that doesn't look right to me so I keep them all matching.To those asking if you can still see out, I've never noticed a problem. It seems easier to see out ,especially since you're close to the window, than it does to see in.

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82 Diesel Westy

[climberjohn]

[JeffRobenolt]

For seeing out the limo tint 5% is hard too see out of in low light conditions but the rest is fine or even more pleasant to look out of with the polarized.

The UV protection is also important feature. I know Dr. recomend it to skin cancer patients.

Like many others that have the "professional" tinting done, I would never own a car without it.

I think the my van has 15% on all rear and 25% on the fronts and 5% (limo) on the top 5" of the windsheild.

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