Is Privacy Tint too dark?

[eddomak]

I am about to receive my White D4 in around 2-3 weeks. :D

I'm still to decide exactly how dark I will get the windows tinted, and so far on my last couple of cars I have gone for the "Darkest Legal Tint" on all windows, but not to the extent of "privacy tint" on the rear passenger doors / luggage areas / back window. That results in a LOT darker shade, and the front windows remaining slightly lighter.

So far I have quite liked the shading of the darkest legal tint, but has anyone found the privacy tint to be too dark to see out of easily? And if you have, is it only at night time?

Thanks!

[300+]

Privacy tint was not an option when I got my D3 or I would have it.

I have the equivalent on the rear windows of my Subaru. Seeing out is fine.

I had someone sit in the back of the car and comment that I might need a sunshade to protect my son as they didn't think the windows were dark enough. Then they got out and saw that they were 100% black from the outside.

The only thing I will say is that you do loose a little vision is dark underground carparks through the rear glass. This is not a major issue as the D3 has excellent mirrors and rear park sensors.

Cheers, Steve

[rmp]

Darkest legal has worked fine for me on all my cars. Recommended.

[DI5CO]

Privacy glass is only about 5% UV reduction. its not as good as normal window tint. I got a clear tint 'heat shield' on my privacy glass & standard tint on the front so all looks the same. the heat shield works wonders & offers more UV reduction than the std tint.

[Narangga]

In the NT (and I think just about all the states are the same) you can only have 35% on the front (ie that blocks out 65%) and 15% (blocks out 85%) on the rear.

While you can get tint that does less than that very few use it and so the tint that is sold is 'darkest legal' - eg 35 front and 15 rear.

Privacy glass already does that level of darkening but does not have the same UV blocking effectiveness so what is usually applied to that is 'heatshield' which does not darken the glass but does affect the UV rays and has an SPF of 100+ (supposedly).

[300+]

I am stunned that privacy glass does not block UV. Sounds like a major product failing!

Cheers, Steve

[sniegy]

Go the aftermarket tint as this will help reduce glare & heat build up in the vehicle. Get the tint with the most UV resistance you can.
I had a very very dark tint applied to my wifes Volvo all the way around, It looked sensationa,l was illegal but in a 40degree day you still get in & sit on the leather seats & not burn the soft bit you sit on:p
Problems, well yes-seeing in dusk was sometimes not too fun, at night if the glass was kept clean all the time it was fine, but smudges led to always looking twice to make sure it wasnt anything else. (this was just the front 2 pieces of glass in front of the "B" pillar)
I now have tint from the "B" pillar back very very dark tint & the front 2 pices of glass legal tint, again with the highest UV protection.
Highly recommended.:)

[chuck]

I have aftermarket tint on mine.
Very dark on the back doors & window & dargest legal on the front doors.
Looks great, keeps the temperature down significantly.
Increases security greatly as you can not see in to the back of the car from outside (ie laptop, camera etc).
A little more difficult to see howevr you soon adjust.
The rear parking sensors are great compensators & the mirrors are big enough to be good as well.

Peter Snieg organised my tinted windows - good advice, good service & good price.

Regards

Chuck

[jonesy63]

I am stunned that privacy glass does not block UV. Sounds like a major product failing!

Cheers, Steve

Hey Steve - I'm not stunned - seeing how they don't get sunlight where they're built!

Seriously, one thing to consider when getting tinted windows - is the radio reception. That's why a lot of us got 3M non-metallic window tinting. 3 years later and still looking good.

Cheers,
Rob

[AnD3rew]

make sure you stay legal, or you may find your insurance not paying out if you have to make a claim

[Forest]

In Victoria, all aftermarket tint must have the same tint factor on each window that it is applied to. Some tinters will tell you that you can have the rear a darker tint, this is not so.

Comment on radio reception, 2nd that.

Any tinting will make it harder to see out of, especially in low lighting conditions. Many fleets only apply the clear uv tint due to OHS, so don't let anyone tell you that tinting does not affect vision. Having said that, I have darkest tint legal, and have had no issues. One just needs to be more careful in low light conditions.

[bee utey]

In SA this is the latest release:
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/MR430_Window_Tinting.pdf

[miky]

In SA this is the latest release:
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/MR430_Window_Tinting.pdf

I recently went along to ask the people at the SA testing place simply known as "Regency Park" in SA.
The 35% is the law. The darker tints used on limos etc. is illegal and they can be booked for it.

But here's the thing.
The 35% rule is for anything that is fixed onto the window glass. If you fix something over the glass (inside or out), like fixed to the body or window surround, it can be opaque - total block.
I asked, cause I wanted to cover the rear windows on the defender so no one could see inside.
Campervans typically use curtains for example and they can be kept closed while driving since they are not fixed onto the glass. I am know thinking of covers that are held on by Velcro.

[ADMIRAL]

The quilted foil available off the roll at Bunnings, works well if you are looking to make a full cover to fill the window openings up at the rear of the vehicle. Blocks and insulates. Helps the fridges work better.

[300+]

Try this:
File:Toyota Century2.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota_Century2.jpg)

Cheers, Steve

[Tombie]

In SA this is the latest release:
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/MR430_Window_Tinting.pdf

Yep!

And essentially makes it illegal to tint any modern vehicle ;)

[bee utey]

Yep!

And essentially makes it illegal to tint any modern vehicle ;)

Where does it say that? All it says is that the transmittance must be 35% or over, so additive tint values should be OK so long as it is tested:
It is recommended that the installer undertakes a test to
ensure that the luminous transmittance and reflectance value
are above acceptable limits.

[Tombie]

Where does it say that? All it says is that the transmittance must be 35% or over, so additive tint values should be OK so long as it is tested:
It is recommended that the installer undertakes a test to
ensure that the luminous transmittance and reflectance value
are above acceptable limits.

If you take the lightest 'tint' - not clear UV film and fit it to a Landrover Discovery 2 for instance, it will fail the 35% test...

The D2, solatint built into the glass gets dark enough in bright light to exceed the limits of legality...

If you have std films fitted, and a savvy cop wants to, it'll fail on most cars now. I've seen it happen.

Having said that, I have double layered the film in metallic on the D2 :cool: and on the old boys D3

[ADMIRAL]

The boys in blue carry light meters over here. Their target is more likely to be lowered sedans and utes though, not 4WD's.