Window Tinting Idea

Here is the MO Highway Patrol's opinion
https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Publications/Brochures/documents/SHP-510b.pdf

 

I have tint on the small front windows and none on the windshield. I think the quality of the tint material (particularly heat rejection) is more important than the visible light transmission (VLT). A lower quality film might have 30% heat rejection while a better film might have 60% heat rejection, both having the same 32% VLT spec.

 

Generally speaking ceramic tints offer better heat rejection than metallic tints. For example the tint I have on my other two cars (haven't gotten around to having the prius done yet) is a 40% ceramic. The shop in question used 40% film in order to meet state laws of 35% (because there's already a couple % tint built into the glass) when I lived in NC. They offered three different films. A 20% visual light transmission Metallic with 50% heat rejection, a 40% VLT ceramic with 80% HR, and a 70% VLT ceramic with 90% HR. I went with the middle film, and even letting in twice as much light it blocks almost half again as much heat.

As to percentages it depends on your feelings. Some people will want to go as dark as possible. Others will want all the windows to match. The front will always look lighter than it is because of light coming in from the windshield. Even with my 40% looking in from the outside is slightly obscured.

Definitely get the little windows on the front doors done..... otherwise it will look weird.

I have the strips on my windshields and like them. If it's included in the price then go ahead and get it. If you don't like it just rip it off.

 

The Prius v has about a 75 tint stock, so if you add 40, you will be at the legal 35

 

We tinted only the four door windows of our Prius v to 35% which is the Kansas maximum. We did not tint the little front side windows nor the very rear side windows and hatch window in the cargo area.

It does not look "weird" to not tint the little side windows by the windshield. Nobody else will notice or care. Even if someone did notice, who cares what other people think? After all, we are talking economy cars here.

I will never again have tint applied over rear window defroster wires for several reasons including glare from the headlights of following vehicles on the defroster wires, reduced sensitivity of auto dimming rear view mirrors and the expense of having tint over defroster wires removed when it fails. We almost always keep vehicles past 10 years and tint rarely lasts that long even with careful and proper maintenance. I have found that supposedly lifetime tint usually starts failing at about six or seven years and has to be redone.

 

Mine was tinted at the dealer. See picture. I personally prefer more light coming in, but still keep UV and Heat out. Tint in Florida is pretty much a necessity and provide a cooler car to get in and help protect the interior.

 

What are the metrics for heat rejection and which materials/substrates perform best for heat rejection?

 

From my experience, running a quality film installed by a reputable installer is key. The guy I've gone to for several vehicles runs Llumar film. Depending upon the product line you go with from Llumar, the VLT and heat rejection will be slightly different for each. Here is a chart from Llumar. I believe the ATR series is metallic, and the CTX series is ceramic:

http://cdn.llumar.com/drupal/llautospecifications_20140715_0_0.pdf

 

Thanks.

 

That is the brand the dealership where I got my car has installed on their vehicles.