Front windshield

I plan on getting my front windshield tinted when I finally am able to make an appointment. I plan on getting 70% on the front windshield done with 3M Crystalline film. That is rated at 50% Total Solar Energy Rejection. From what I've seen on installs, 70% isn't noticeable.

On my previous car, I had tints on all the windows but the front windshield and there was a lot of noticeable heat coming off it.

 

A number of people have put Llumar Air Blue 80 on the windshield, but given that you have Formula One Pinnacle why not go with Formula One Air 80?

 

Let us know if it is worth it? Or just keep using the windshied cover.

SCH-I535 ? 2

 

Cropped from Formula One product specs sheet below. Air 80 has 78% VLT and 43% total solar energy rejection.

Windshield strips are usually a lot darker than 80% VLT.

 

The Heatshield works great. Given the slope and size of the windshield, tinting would likely be difficult.

 

That's why they charge about $200 just to tint the windshield.

SCH-I535

 

Isn't it $32 for the sunshade, or is shipping 18$?

I've been reading a lot of other forums (besides prius) looking for the same answer. Consensus seems to be the front windshield helps a lot and you can't tell whether it's tinted or not.

Llumar air blue 80 seems to popular.

I am getting my sides tinted 35% and back hatch tinted 20% this Friday... I thought this would help a little, but from the sounds of it the main perp. is the front windshield! ugg.

 

I've tinted mine with 70% 3M crystalline. The rest is tinted with ceramic tint 35% front, darker rear and hatch. With the tint combo and the solar package, the car stays very cool (relatively speaking) in the Arizona sun.

Now that being said, the "certified" installer did a crappy job with the windshield, with a bunch of bubbles here and there. I imagine it's a tough install to get right, given the large area and the slope of the windshield. It's going to be redone next week.

 

i've also noticed that my prius's windshield some how gives a lot of heat through. Maybe it has something to do with the slope of the windshield for it's aerodynamics.

 

Yeah, big sloping windshield = large surface area. Almost as big as our previous not-so-mini minivan windshield.

SCH-I535

 

air blue 80 has a slight blue tint. doh! huper optik 70 has a slight blue tint. but huper optik 60 has a gray/light black tint. well, i got the ho and the sunshade!

 

The factory front windshield isn't the beast that many of you make it out to be, as it's treated to be sound insulated and have the highest solar heat reduction rate and UV cut rate (55% and 100%, respectively) of any of the windows on the Prius. However, if you have ceramic tint on all the windows except the front then the front windshield becomes a major weak link that lets in the heat. Crystalline 90, Air Blue 80 or Formula One Air 80 are all light enough not to cut down on visibility and there's no reason not to go that route. Just be prepared to pay quite a bit as the windshield is quite large and installation is more difficult.

 

Just as a side note here, it would be wise to check your state and local law concerning tinting the front windshield and any of your Prius windows for that matter. Different states have different rule regarding what can be tinted and how much light has to be able to shine through. Doing this can save you headaches and money in the future...

 

We already know it's illegal to tint the front windshield any further as it's already factory tinted 80% in the glass. The idea is to pick a clear enough film to maintain visibility and not be like that one idiot who was dumb enough to install a 5% brow on half of his windshield.

 

I got my windshield replaced last week due to rock chips, so I had the tint shop tinted the new one before it was installed on the car. The whole windshield is done in 50% now and I love it. No night time problems either. The rest of the windows were already 20%.