2010 Prius Window Specs

[ggood]

I've been doing some tint research. For anyone interested in finding out what is legal in your state, try tintcenter.com.

In Texas, 25% light transmission is required for the side windows. If you multiply .35 x .74 shown in Rick's chart, you get 26% light transmission, so the standard 35% tint is legal here for the side windows. If you have dual mirrors, as on the Prius, the rear window can be as dark as you like. If you are trying to match the upper and lower parts of the rear window, you would probably only do the upper part, since that would bring it to 26%, which is close enough to the factory 29% on the lower part. In Texas, you can also do the upper 5" of the front windshield, or to the "AS-1 line", whatever that means. There is a bill in Texas legislature to increase the light transmission to 35%, thereby reducing the amount of tint allowed to something like 50%, but hard telling if that bill will go anywhere (I would guess not).

The best metalized tints seem to have the same heat and glare reduction factors as the best ceramic tints; so the argument for ceramic seems to boil down to being able to use a lighter shade of tint (and less reflectivity) for the same amount of heat and glare reduction, and less possiblity of interference with radio, nav and other electronics. As has been pointed in another thread, the best ceramics come at a steep price premium.