window tinting 2008 update questions

[kazie60]

I don't see anything updated on window tinting since July of '07. I am about to get mine tinted this week on my new '08 Touring.

1. Am I correct from what I have read that if you get a metallic tint it will interfere with your navigation system, phone, XM radio?

2. Did I get it right that non-metallic will NOT keep out the heat?

3. There is a newer tint called Ceramic that will not interfere with the car's other systems but it is more than double the cost?

I have been quoted $225 to tint my windows from TNT of Madison this week. WI law says I can have 50% tint on the front windows and 35% on any of the other windows.

4. Other than a decision based on taste, is there anything else to consider?

5. Would the car look better (asthetics ) if it was 35% tint everywhere rather than having it darker in the back windows?

6. Is there better visibility in the back if I keep it as is vs. 35%?

7. There is some tint on the lower back window. Is it better to leave as is for visibilty vs. darkening it?

Thank you to anyone who helps answer my questions. You have been very helpful to this newbie!!

[sandman]

The lower the number the darker the tint..(example= limo tint is 5%) I would go 35% on front and 20% on back if it where me. I also like the strip on front window I am getting mine done this week also..I am going 20% all the way..

[kazie60]

I don't know what you mean about the strip on front windows? Where is it on the window?

Limo tint is 5%? You can't see in a limo at all. The samples they showed me you could see inside a 35% tint.

[kazie60]

Oh I forgot the lower the number the darker the tint. So 5% for a limo would make sense. Say how do they get around the law on that one?

[sandman]

I don't know what you mean about the strip on front windows? Where is it on the window?

They put the strip on the front window at top of window about a six inch wide strip..

Say how do they get around the law on that one?

Not sure maybe they have diff. laws for limo's, but I know guys that have limo tint on there cars never have got into any trouble yet with it..I think if you get stopped for something else thats when most get into trouble for it..

[exbauer]

is $225 for ceramic tint? i would definitely get ceramic tint if you have navi. it will not interfere with your gps signal. i would go 35% all around, but i am not too sure how the cops are in wi about enforcing the 50% up front.

[kazie60]

I am sure the Ceramic costs more. They didn't mention it but I found it on priuschat so I will definitely ask about it. Does the non-metallic keep out the heat if I can't afford the ceramic?

[Genoz World]

Originally Posted by kazie60

I don't see anything updated on window tinting since July of '07. I am about to get mine tinted this week on my new '08 Touring.

1. Am I correct from what I have read that if you get a metallic tint it will interfere with your navigation system, phone, XM radio?

2. Did I get it right that non-metallic will NOT keep out the heat?

3. There is a newer tint called Ceramic that will not interfere with the car's other systems but it is more than double the cost?

I have been quoted $225 to tint my windows from TNT of Madison this week. WI law says I can have 50% tint on the front windows and 35% on any of the other windows.

4. Other than a decision based on taste, is there anything else to consider?

5. Would the car look better (asthetics ) if it was 35% tint everywhere rather than having it darker in the back windows?

6. Is there better visibility in the back if I keep it as is vs. 35%?

7. There is some tint on the lower back window. Is it better to leave as is for visibilty vs. darkening it?

Thank you to anyone who helps answer my questions. You have been very helpful to this newbie!!

KAZIE, congrats on your prius. i'll try to step up and help you as i also have the package #6.

#1) do NOT tint your car with metallic tint. it will interfere with the navi, GPS and possibly the XM radio, dont do it

#2) dont know about heat and metallic.....?????

#3) i am also 99.9% sure that i have ceramic tint, and over here in sunny so-cal, we divide the tint into FOUR categories, light, medium, medium dark and super dark.

I have MEDIUM tint on the two front windows, and medium dark on ALL THE REMAINING REAR WINDOWS. this INCLUDES the rear small strip on the back hatch. i am clarifying this because i see many tinted prius's on the road without this portion tinted.

I got my tint for $200.

#4) hmmmmmm. other things to think about? YES. on the front windshield, i wished that i would have placed a 5-6" tint on the top, YES IT IS NOT LEGAL. but that would really help with the sun when it's facing me head on. yes, it's a chance i take to have this tinted, but you asked if there were anything else.

#5) here is my general rule of thumb when it comes down to window tints.........DARK CAR, DONT SMOKE THE TINTS TOO DARK. LIGHTER COLORED CAR, YOU CAN MAKE THE TINT DARK.

#6) for rear vision, of course vision would be better with lighter tint, but i opted a darker tint since i carry things in the back of my prius that are taller than the rear cargo sliding cover, but since you got a package #6, you got the rear cam right? dont totally rely on the cam, but this helps quite a bit!

#7) "there is some tint on the lower back window"......you mean the small lower portion on the hatch? mine came with NO tint. the tinters told me not to tint it, but after a day......i brought the car back and said, that advice does NOT work for me, TINT IT!

hope this helps.

cheers.

[kazie60]

Yes I meant the small rear window below the regular hatch door window. It has a pinkish colored tint on it. Probably came that way with the backup camera which I do have.

Since my car is the Spectra Blue I think you would consider that to be a dark color and I like your way to describe it with degree of tint.

I would love to tint the front windshield. The sun really beats in on that. Maybe 5 or 6 inches down from the top of the window would be OK? I would think that would be a safety feature the way the sun comes in that wind shield. It seems much stronger than in other cars I have owned. There is a small piece behind the the auto dimming mirror that looks tinted which probably is related to that function in some way. Would police even notice that if you were stopped for something?

[patsparks]

The number is for light transmission so 5 lets 5% of the light through and 70 lets 70% of the light through.

Vehicle standards in Australia are minimum light transmission of 70% on windows beside the driver or forward, 30% on windows behind the driver and no tint on a windscreen lower than the highest point wiped by the windscreen wipers. A manufacturer can tint the film between the layers of glass in a band across the top of the screen as long as it doesn't encroach on the driver's view.