Window tint

[ladder13]

Just started looking at window tint options for my RDX.
I'm obviously looking to cool the interior and protect myself and the interior from UV.

I don't want anything that will hinder night driving nor draw the popo. 35 is the limit here in NC.
I have factory tint on the ride currently, including the panoramic roof.
Ceramic has been recommended by most folks. Cheaper carbon is on the car now, it does little in the way of sun protection, imo.

BTW LVSteve, those are not black wheels, they are gray.

 

[SMSgt]

That roof isn't helping matters. Tinted windows absorb eat, and that heat has to go somewhere--much of it inside. Over the years, I have grown to hate tinting. My KIA factory tinting made it difficult to see out the front door windows at night. Many a time I almost hit a pedestrian I couldn't see at night. I almost had it stripped off, which it eventually started to do on its own. And it wasn't that dark.

 

[Onomea]

Nice looking car.

Have you tried those windshield sun deflectors? Might make a difference if your problem is returning to the car after parking in bright sun.

I find the air conditioning on my 2022 CX-5 a little weak in that it takes a while to cool down after parking in the sun. I should follow my own advice and try a sun deflector.

 

[Bald1]

Funny story about tint. We bought my wife's Camaro used with 8K miles on it. The following yr we took it to dealer for our free oil change and an inspection. Mechanic says I can't pass your car the window tint is to dark. I said you sold me the car with the tint on it and you passed it 12 months ago. They suddenly saw their way clear to pass it.

 

[ladder13]

Nice looking car.

Have you tried those windshield sun deflectors? Might make a difference if your problem is returning to the car after parking in bright sun.

I find the air conditioning on my 2022 CX-5 a little weak in that it takes a while to cool down after parking in the sun. I should follow my own advice and try a sun deflector.

I always use one of those, it helps a lot, when stationary.

 

[LVSteve]

I've had the ceramic tint on a couple of vehicles. It made a huge difference to the heat load on my Xterra. I made the mistake of having the windshield done on my XKR with its 5 acre horizontal windshield. Even though it was supposed to be a very light tint, it had a noticeable negative effect on visibility at night. Never again.

I was told by my tint guy NOT to have the ceramic tint put on a sunroof. As stated above, the heat has to go somewhere.

FWIW, the panoramic sunroof runs a very close second to black wheels when it comes to modern car features I detest. All too often the internal cover is too thin to keep the heat out. I walked away from a great deal on a new Mercedes coupe because they don't import them with a steel roof. I'm pretty sure that you can get them that way in Europe.

 

[ladder13]

I've had the ceramic tint on a couple of vehicles. It made a huge difference to the heat load on my Xterra. I made the mistake of having the windshield done on my XKR with its 5 acre horizontal windshield. Even though it was supposed to be a very light tint, it had a noticeable negative effect on visibility at night. Never again.

I was told by my tint guy NOT to have the ceramic tint put on a sunroof. As stated above, the heat has to go somewhere.

FWIW, the panoramic sunroof runs a very close second to black wheels when it comes to modern car features I detest. All too often the internal cover is too thin to keep the heat out. I walked away from a great deal on a new Mercedes coupe because they don't import them with a steel roof. I'm pretty sure that you can get them that way in Europe.

Not a fan of panoramic roofs either but it came with the car. I hardly ever open it or the inside cover except in the fall.
Not going to tint the windshield, it's illegal here, and likely most places.
What tint level are on your windows, 35, the max here?

 

[kozmic]

I will only use 3M films on buildings and my personal vehicles. You can pick your degree of light transmission. I believe them to be the best available.

 

[LVSteve]

Not a fan of panoramic roofs either but it came with the car. I hardly ever open it or the inside cover except in the fall.
Not going to tint the windshield, it's illegal here, and likely most places.
What tint level are on your windows, 35, the max here?

I'm unsure what the tint is on any of our cars as they either have factory tint or whatever the previous owner had done. The front side windows are all lighter, looking legal AFAIK. Rear door windows and the rear screen can be as dark as you want in this state, and that's how our used BMW came.

 

[wood714]

In Florida we can go 28% on the front windows, and 15% on the rest.

I took a Jeep in to have the front windows tinted. They put 15% on them. Had to roll the window down to make a left turn at night. Got pulled over and had to remove it. I honestly didn't mind.

My trucks front windows are FL. legal. I might have added a touch of tint to the already factory dark back windows. I can still see out fine during the night.

 

[rockquarry]

It seems when you start talking percentages of tint, you might be a bit obsessive. Does tinting really make a practical difference or is it more of a fad like the hideous black wheels someone already mentioned? I've bought many new cars and I guess most of them have had some sort of tint. Just bought one last month, but have never given much thought to window tinting.

 

[Rustyt1953]

We have factory tint and black rims.

We are well pleased.

 

[NYlakesider]

I will only use 3M films on buildings and my personal vehicles. You can pick your degree of light transmission. I believe them to be the best available.

I had real heavy tint on the back window of my show 91 454SS pick up. Got pulled over by a rookie D Sheriff as he could not see in at all with the tint in back. The side windows were NY legal tinted.

Would not listen to my explanation that this is a vechicle with commercial plates. Many commercial vechicles have a big cargo box behind the cab and do not even have a rear view mirror so you could paint over the window and you still are legal.

Called his station and was informed that I was right and to study the V&T book more. V&T ( Vechicle and Traffic laws!)

 

[Doug M.]

I am not generally a fan of window tinting due to my experiences with it LE. Often times the tint applied is too dark, and my bias is that it facilitates some criminality. Most folks really resent being told over the PA to roll down their windows, but there really is not a safer choice.

Sunroof? Not just no, but hell no. Useless complexity, easily damaged, and I have been to two fatal wrecks in which the sunroof failed and contributed to the injuries.

 

[rockquarry]

We have factory tint and black rims.

We are well pleased.

Different interpretations, I guess. I should have been more precise. I was making reference to the solid black wheels.

 

[NYlakesider]

I am not generally a fan of window tinting due to my experiences with it LE. Often times the tint applied is too dark, and my bias is that it facilitates some criminality. Most folks really resent being told over the PA to roll down their windows, but there really is not a safer choice.

Sunroof? Not just no, but hell no. Useless complexity, easily damaged, and I have been to two fatal wrecks in which the sunroof failed and contributed to the injuries.

As a lead foot I have had my share of roadside chats with LEOs.

Part of my compliance procedure is to drop all windows, turn on lights and shutdown the engine. (commercial and passenger vechicles) Never got told by PA to do anything.

 

[SAFireman]

Mike,

All of my vehicles has the highest quality ceramic tint. Double limo on the rear, and rear passenger windows, as well as max eyebrow. Front driver and passenger window max per TX law.

My tint guy has offered us the clear ceramic for the front glass. It doesn't make it any darker, just reflects the heat.

No sunroof for me, it's too dang hot in S Texas for that extra heat from above.

Our tint is made by Llumar or 3M and comes with lifetime warranty from our local installer. We have only had one issue in the last 20 years, and they fixed in in minutes for no charge.

I don't get the black wheel dislike, but then again, I never was into fashion

 

[ladder13]

Mike,

All of my vehicles has the highest quality ceramic tint. Double limo on the rear, and rear passenger windows, as well as max eyebrow. Front driver and passenger window max per TX law.

My tint guy has offered us the clear ceramic for the front glass. It doesn't make it any darker, just reflects the heat.

No sunroof for me, it's too dang hot in S Texas for that extra heat from above.

Our tint is made by Llumar or 3M and comes with lifetime warranty from our local installer. We have only had one issue in the last 20 years, and they fixed in in minutes for no charge.

I don't get the black wheel dislike, but then again, I never was into fashion

They recommended the windshield thing also. I'm up in the air about that part. Probably doing the side windows first, the regrouping.
Hope all is well in TX, Scott.

 

[LVSteve]

My tint guy has offered us the clear ceramic for the front glass. It doesn't make it any darker, just reflects the heat.

You might want to check exactly what they mean by "clear". Maybe things have changes in the last 10 years, but the "clear" windshield tint on my XKR was rated about 85%, and that was enough to make a difference to me.

 

[ladder13]

Clear enough. I've seen it on windshields and unless you're right up on it one can barely tell.