Check local laws - it's illegal in a lot of places.

My coworker's ford raptor has a 45% front windshield and 16% everything else. It looks sick, no one can see inside the cabin. I'm going to do 50% windshield when I get the rest tinted

 

Darkening the windshield is dangerous at night. That said, 3M makes 90% tint.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...Window_Film/Solutions/Markets-Products/Automotive/Crystalline_Automotive_Films/

 

Darkening the windshield is dangerous at night. That said, 3M makes 90% tint.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...Window_Film/Solutions/Markets-Products/Automotive/Crystalline_Automotive_Films/

I'll second this. Federal law states the windshield tint can be at a maximum of 70%, and most of the time the windshield is already tinted slightly, so 3M's crystalline 10% is perfect as it ends up making the total windshield tint around 72%, and cuts the UV down drastically. Any more and you'll be a cop magnet if you got anal cops over there.

I've only got the top of my windshield tinted down to the AS1 line, real dark tint, I'm thinking 5-15%? Been thinking about doing the crystalline thing too, just can't justify the cost at the moment. A sunshade would be fine too.

 

Full windshield tint is typically illegal. Most states allow between 4-6" from the top of the windshield or to the manufacturers AS1 line.

With that being said, I have mine tinted 35%.. With the rest of the windows being GA legal.. (32%)

For me, it doesn't impact my night driving, it actually helps. I have a very hard time with glare and this seems to cut that down tremendously. I also had it done on my previous vehicle.

You should be fine with 50%.

FWIW, if you do get pulled over, most officers only have the tool to read the roll down windows. It's a U shaped device that hangs over the glass. With fixed glass (windshield, back glass etc) they would have to have something they could attach to the inside and outside of the glass..

Unless you are being extremely sketchy or acting like a complete douche they won't even bat an eye at your tint. At least not the officers or MP's I've encountered over the years I should say..

Hope that helps

 

Thanks for the awesome responses everybody! It being illegal doesnt bother me at all, i'm already wayyyy illegal on my side windows and rear windshield!

hsx, that raptor looks awesome with the tinted windshield. Thats close to how my car would look because i have about 12% tint on the sides and back windshield. Down in BHam in the summer you can't have enough tint, I've got family down there a little further out than Inverness and that summer sun is no joke!

ktr, thanks for the link about the 10% 3M! I guess in terms of tinting the windshield i would want it done more to reduce UV and heat more than looks, so the 3M looks like it could be the trick!

nomore, thanks for telling me how it is at night when driving, i'm glad to hear its pretty manageable. Good point about testing the tint on the windshield, it would be hard to do with the U-tool on a windshield!!! Do you have any pictures of your car with your windshield tinted?

Zmon, yea i think the cops are hit and miss here. The more towards DC you get the anally they are. I havent gotten a tint ticket w/ 12% tint on 3 of my cars ever, *KNOCK ON WOOD!!!*, but that being said, i dont necessarily want to become an easy target either! If you were to get a sun strip tinted again, would you? If i do the sun strip i would get it 5%, and maybe 2 layers of it since there is no limit against it as long as your above the AS1 line. Again, that 3M stuff sounds like it may be exactly what i'm looking for!

Now only to figure out how the inspection sticker that gets ripped off every year would be handled!!! Thanks everybody!

 

Yeah, I'd do it again. It really helps, especially when you don't want to pull down the visor. Like how it curves with the window too instead of just being "flat"... I really want it an inch lower though, maybe a tad bit darker too... If I ever do the 3M crystalline on the windshield, I'll be sure to keep the sun strip.

 

I got mine done this weekend. I got my car tined 5% all the way around, and found the front to be extremely distracting with no tint at all. I got my windshield done and I love it.

 

Had my windshield tinted at 20% didn't regret it but got it removed due to viability issues when the snow storm hit by my area. The previous car I had the windshield was tinted at 50% did not notice a difference. Btw when I got my windshield tinted, I asked for 35% and got 20%.


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I will add one more thing, my windshield tint is 35%. I just went for a ride in some pretty dark places and it really was not that bad. I had more issues with the 5% tint on the side windows.

 

Zmon, thanks for the input! Says alot that you would do it again!

BigBlack, do you have any pictures of your car with the front windshield tinted yet? Good to know 35% isnt that bad at night!

Roberto, 20% on the windshield probably looked awesome! So 50% in your opinion is a waste of money for the windshield? What did you do about your stickers that go on the front windshield in NJ?

 

The picture is in my sig. Here is a larger one.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/instantupload/5879418331090478514

 

Looks good from what i can tell in the sig pic, and the link wont let me see it lol

 

Crap... I will fix it tomorrow.

 

no problem!

 

$20 ?!?! What am i waiting for then?! i can pay $40 and get 2 layers of 5% put on. But im not sure if i want the sun strip or the whole windshield tinted...i am doing more research on that and it looks like if i get the windshield tinted past the AS1 line then i will fail the state safety inspection. I cant be failing inspections, so that may make the decision to go sun strip easier lol.

 

oh really? so if they tint over the inspection sticker, then how do they scrape the old one off? They just destroy your tint? Here in VA they are the same size every year, but they do have to come off and a new one on yearly.

 

Hi GreatAvalon: IMO I would keep that corner (size of your sticker) open without the tint. So both of the purpose will be solved tint as well as replacing the sticker every year.

 

Good point, I need to call my tint shop and see what they say about just tinting around the sticker!

 

From my experience, 35% is too dark for night time especially in rain. You'll need quad HID of some sort but even then it's not safe. 40% with good headlights is minimum. The problem with 50% is it doesn't block as much glare like the 35-40% does. But it won't be bad driving at night. My wife's Jeep has 50% and can drive in the dark just fine. My Highlander's windshield is tinted at 40% after my now gone Mazda had 35%.

As long as you're careful the inspection sticker can be scraped off just fine but it'll be easier to just have an opening for it. Cops may not like it if they can't see the sticker well either.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I mainly want it done because I have 15% all around, but I still get the "baked" feeling from the sun coming in through the windshield when I'm driving. The camry windshield is monstrous though, and its at a pretty good tilted angle. Do you guys notice a difference in the amount of heat in the cabin with the tint on the windshield?

 

You're welcome. I drove my truck home form the tint shop on Monday and the sun was shining right through the windshield. Normally it would be hot on my hands. I did not feel any heat and I had my AC on the lowest setting. My fingers actually got cold. The dashboard was warm but not hot as it would normally be without any tint. It was 91º outside and I was cool as can be.

 

70% on it too...thats good so when I get mine tinted, the cops wont be able to know I have it tinted, unless my tint shop doesnt cut around the inspection sticker. We'll see, thanks for the input, like I said, I like the 70% idea better so I might not have any trouble with cops.

 

I normally would be against tinting my windshield. Since I went with heat blocking ceramic tint I had to get my money's worth. It would render the other less effective with such a large opening untinted. I can't tell any major difference between the untinted and the 70%. I don't think a cop would really notice either. They are probably more concerned with dark tints.

 

Just put 3M Crystalline 70 on the windshield today. Doesn't look like there is any tint from the inside but I think the windshield does look darker from the outside. Going to ask my Optometrist for a note, just in case I get pulled over for the tinted windows.

 

Awesome! What about you, can you notice a difference in the amount of heat entering the cabin between the crystalline 70% and when it was untinted?

 

I think there is an improvement but, it is only in the 70's here today. There will be a significant difference when it is in the 90's and 100's.

 

Awesome, thanks for posting your results with the 3M crystalline tint!

 

Oh yea i just re-looked at it and it does basically look clear. Thats so cool and crazy how a clear film can block out so much heat. I'm thinking I'm going to pull the trigger and get it. I need to call my tint shop tomorrow and ask what to do about inspections!

 

Better tint through chemicals.

 

I had LLumar Air Blue 80 on my 2009 Sonata's windshield, with 15% Ceramic based LLumar CTX film on doors and rear, while the windshield wasn't any darker, the UV rejection (99%) made it much more comfortable when I was living on the west coast dealing with 100 degree weather regularly.

 

How much does the LLumar Air blue cost.

 

The whole job was $275-300. I want to say the windshield was $100. It's a nice product, and cut down on glare quite a bit.

 

Seems like 3M Crystalline would be more expensive for a full job. I just had the windshield and sunroof done here in So. Cal. for $300. Maybe this guy charges more than others but, he does the clear bra also and is pretty good.

 

Big fan of the 90% 3M crystalline tint...but...you know that already

 

Yea I do! I checked and it looks like the closest 3M licensed shop is in sterling, and its a hole in the wall in some trashy strip mall. This sucks!

 

On my 2012 Camry, I have Llumar Blue Air 80 on my front windshield. I can tell the difference before I had installed it.. After a few minutes I can turn down the air conditioner.... I live in south Texas so believe me... I know what HOT is!!!!!


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On my 2012 Camry, I have Llumar Blue Air 80 on my front windshield. I can tell the difference before I had installed it.. After a few minutes I can turn down the air conditioner.... I live in south Texas so believe me... I know what HOT is!!!!!

Oh really? Thanks for telling me the feeling of heat in the car before/after tint. My tint shop is a Llumar dealer. Does it actually look blue or does does it just have the word "blue" in the name?