[mvgossman]

My wife has a new X2 on order. We were in Vegas and she was noting how much she liked the appearance of the very dark tint on a lot of cars, and she's inclined to do that. My own X5 had the driver's window tint darkened to match the others, not aggressively at all.

A retired Sheriff Deputy friend says he's never ticketed someone for excessive tint (Minnesota) or even used his transmissometer!

So my questions are:

1. What's a good, dark tint window tint that's good enough for the cosmetic cool look she wants, but not too dark? Dealer suggests 30-35% transmission.

2. What about the windshield? Is a matching dark windshield tint too much for good visibility or enough to cause police to ticket you?

[unluky]

Legal % varies from state to state. In my experience - local LE usually don't mess with it as much as State LE does. Our State HP was all over it when they first started allowing any tint at all years ago and everyone had meters and I was checked multiple times. Especially on my smaller car that made the tint look darker due to less light behind it.

They have since relaxed. Usually if you want it to match the rear factory tinted windows - you just tell the tint professional that - who has rolls of everything - and he will match it as best he can. Seems like 20% has been the ticket for my last X5 and Audi to match. Just remember - the amount of light behind it makes it look lighter/darker. So even if they match perfect - the back will look a shade darker without the windshield illuminating behind it like the front will.

Windshields are different. In most states ANY tint on the front is illegal. And you certainly do not want a lot - especially if you live in a rural area as opposed to a city with tons of night lights. I have seen like 70-75% that you can barely tell there is anything all the way to 20% all the way around - which seems insane to me. I'm sure it helps with night headlights, but I live in the country and roll down my windows a lot to see outside my car when there is no external illumination.

Any decent installer will be able to hook you up with options. They has seen it all. Just tell them what you are trying to do and they will make it happen.

[John in VA]

Sunny states allow darker tint. Too dark on the front side glass can make seeing cross-traffic at dusk/dawn difficult. Your wife might not be a fan!

Virginia allows darker tint on SUVs & vans than passenger cars. For SUV/vans front side windows must allow more than 50% of light in; back side & rear windows: any darkness can be used.

For passenger cars the limit is front side windows must allow more than 50% of light in; back side & rear window must allow more than 35% of light in. I have legal tint on all of my cars - wished I'd gone to 35% on the front side windows on several of them. I see many illegal tint jobs on the road!

[mvgossman]

Originally Posted by unluky

Legal % varies from state to state. In my experience - local LE usually don't mess with it as much as State LE does. Our State HP was all over it when they first started allowing any tint at all years ago and everyone had meters and I was checked multiple times. Especially on my smaller car that made the tint look darker due to less light behind it.

They have since relaxed. Usually if you want it to match the rear factory tinted windows - you just tell the tint professional that - who has rolls of everything - and he will match it as best he can. Seems like 20% has been the ticket for my last X5 and Audi to match. Just remember - the amount of light behind it makes it look lighter/darker. So even if they match perfect - the back will look a shade darker without the windshield illuminating behind it like the front will.

Windshields are different. In most states ANY tint on the front is illegal. And you certainly do not want a lot - especially if you live in a rural area as opposed to a city with tons of night lights. I have seen like 70-75% that you can barely tell there is anything all the way to 20% all the way around - which seems insane to me. I'm sure it helps with night headlights, but I live in the country and roll down my windows a lot to see outside my car when there is no external illumination.

Any decent installer will be able to hook you up with options. They has seen it all. Just tell them what you are trying to do and they will make it happen.

Very informative, thanks!

I know nothing about how it's done, but the people who did my X5 got it done perfectly. I've seen plenty of of bubbling on other cars, maybe those are amateur owners doing it from a kit? I would think that tinting the windshield would be difficult with the more aggressive curvature compared to window glass.

There's also the matter of the HUD, I wonder if it would impact visibility of that, i.e. how much does it reduce the necessary reflection of the display for the HUD?

And of course, if the windshield has to be replaced you're starting over. I have never had so many windshields broken with my X5, I wonder if it's because the adaptive cruise is following cars at a distance where the arc of a rock thrown up is perfect to nail the windshield.

[ppointer]

I tint all of my vehicles. A few years back I tinted my old '08 QX56 with 20% driver and passenger door windows, in order to match the rear side window factory tint. That became a problem at night for visibility.

The rest of my cars have been getting 35% sides and 20% rear. I never do the windshield, which is illegal here in FL. I pick the highest quality tint that is offered, since I keep my vehicles for several years.

[TimmyTurbos]

20%. Spend up for Ceramic, it's night and day.

[cozye]

70% ceramic tint on the windshield. Installer I used highly recommended. Blocks the heat and UV, but looks clear honestly. No one can tell it’s tinted.

[unluky]

I think you can tint a windshield with HUD - but seems like they have to use certain tint? Or avoid certain ones? Just tell your installer that you have a HUD - they know the drill.

Yes - bubbled tint is usually a DIY sign. Most installers don't have issues with this if you do your part and not use the window till it as cured.

They tinted my little mini rear window in my convertible working around the roll over seat guards - so the windshield would be a snap compared to that! Tint is big business - they have seen it all.

As other have said - use a good installer and quality tint and don't over think it - you will be fine!

[cozye]

Tint doesn’t affect the hud. I asked my tint guy when I first got a car with a hud. Since then I have tinted windshields on 4 cars with a hud. Does not affect at all.

[smokinjoe64]

Originally Posted by cozye

70% ceramic tint on the windshield. Installer I used highly recommended. Blocks the heat and UV, but looks clear honestly. No one can tell it’s tinted.

+1
Use same spec on my Raptor since parked outside in SoCal sun.
Makes a huge difference for heat rejection [~80%] along with 98% reduction in UV interior degradation.
Visually, zero issues day or night.

[StickShiftEV]

Originally Posted by John in VA

Sunny states allow darker tint. Too dark on the front side glass can make seeing cross-traffic at dusk/dawn difficult. Your wife might not be a fan!

Virginia allows darker tint on SUVs & vans than passenger cars. For SUV/vans front side windows must allow more than 50% of light in; back side & rear windows: any darkness can be used.

For passenger cars the limit is front side windows must allow more than 50% of light in; back side & rear window must allow more than 35% of light in. I have legal tint on all of my cars - wished I'd gone to 35% on the front side windows on several of them. I see many illegal tint jobs on the road!

illegal tint is nothing compared to the number of drivers who use radar detectors. radar detectors are illegal in the Commonwealth forever, probably since radar and/or radar detectors were invented?

sometimes I wonder if the Virginia slogan "Virginia is for lovers" really means "Virginia is for people who love to break laws"?

then again, I guess they need the detectors. I-95 from Northern Virginia down to as far as Fredericksburg can feel like a racetrack with lots of cars all going faster than 90mph... as well as 18-wheelers who tailgate at 85mph.

[allinon72]

Windshield tint - what tint % is just dark enough to notice, but not too dark? What's the gentleman's level of tint that doesn't scream "trouble", if that makes sense. Whenever I glance in the rearview mirror and see a black windshield, I have certain negative reactions. Not looking to go that dark.

[ShocknAwe]

I like 30-35%. 50% doesn't cut enough light. 20% is too dark at night.

It's subjective.

Tint also increases safety. YMMV there.

Light transmission has minimal effect on heat however. Definitely tint the windshield with something. Stick to your local laws. Adding ceramic film to the windshield stops the dashboard from becoming a hot plate though and makes AC a lot more effective.