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Front Windshield Tint

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Strike67, Sep 27, 2010.

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  1. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    [​IMG]I tinted my old 2006 Toyota prius with Llumar PP 50 on the windshield and ATX 15 Ceramic on the sides. I loved the look and I'm thinking about doing the same job on my Black 2010 Prius.

    The Platinum Plus 50 (50%) tint on the front windshield is highly recommended. Its a metallic tint, (don't worry it does not interfere with GPS or Cell phone reception service to any extent to my observance)

    It's great because it takes the edge off the glare from on coming cars in traffic and the sun during the day time.

    The tint is metallic, hence not black and doesn't look like a tint was applied. It looks more like one of those factory jobs on those Cadillac escalade windshields.

    Plus when a cop shines a light on it, he can see right through it no problem and looks as if there's no tint.

    The tint is more reflective than charcoal colored tints (18%) therefore on rainy or cloudy days you can't even see inside all you see is the sky reflected which is pretty cool.

    http://imgur.com/ixEWr.jpg
    [​IMG]
     
    #1 Strike67, Sep 27, 2010
  2. derkraut

    derkraut Member

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    I know you're not in CA; but I believe tinting your windshield in CA is illegal.
     
    #2 derkraut, Sep 27, 2010
  3. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    I wanted to know if anyone tried a metallic 35 percent tint on their windshield? how it was driving during rainy days?

    FYI I had an after market windshield that was factory stained. 5% at the top and 70 percent all around so when i applied the Llumar PP 50 it came out to 40%. I used a state approved tint meter on it to get these measurements
     
    #3 Strike67, Sep 27, 2010
  4. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    Of course it's illegal everywhere. That's not the point haha, I think 50percent is safe and actually beneficial at night. I was wondering if 35 was too much or not
     
    #4 Strike67, Sep 27, 2010
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    And this is the problem, it is usually just a citation, not even a misdemeanor, to tint your windshield, but if we help you do so knowing that it is a crime, THAT is the felony, "conspiracy", so you are on your own.

    Conspiracy (crime) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
    #5 JimboPalmer, Sep 27, 2010
  6. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    I'd go with 50 or higher. I've seen 35 and I like it but it is quite obvious. Plus the sloped windshield will look excessively dark. Seeing out is not an issue it's just that you can clearly tell it is tinted.
     
    #6 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  7. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    The cars I have seen run 35 all the way around and it is still noticeable.

    Honestly I could care less about the cops etc and the such.

    The biggest problem you run into is that your insurance can deny you if you wreck the car or hit someone as the adjuster will see the tint. I know because one of my friends is an insurance adjuster and they denied someone over it back in may.



    So anyways that's why I chose not to do mine the entirety. The insurance issue is pretty serious.
     
    #7 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  8. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    The shops here where I live will not tint windshields darker then 80%VLT. They also require a waiver to be signed for relieving liability of crack windshield due to heat gun used to shrink tint on a windshield. They said something about laminated glass cracks when excessive heat is applied to them.
     
    #8 cproaudio, Sep 27, 2010
  9. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    Tinting a windshield, I would never do it
    A week after getting our Prius , it was time to repair some stone chips
    After a couple more chips on the driver side we replace the windshield
    A week late more stone chips on the passenger side
    The Prius is a stone magnet
     
    #9 Airbalancer, Sep 27, 2010
  10. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    Guess some people are lucky they never had a problem with the appraisal :)

    I think I will stick with the PP50 it's great for those Illegally installed HID kits on the road and apparently people don't know how to aim them or too lazy to retrofit them with projectors. Thus, i find it necessary to have a counter against them which is a front windshield tint
     
    #10 Strike67, Sep 27, 2010
  11. Creaky

    Creaky Still motorin...

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    Strike,
    How'd you have the stickers placed on your windshield with the tint on? Did you place it right over the tint? Was it easy to remove them to place replacement stickers when the time came? Could you pm me the place you went for your windshield tint if its in NYC? BTW, in your pic, the windshield does look pretty normal. TIA
    Creaky
     
    #11 Creaky, Sep 27, 2010
  12. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    Some states have vehicle checks. I don't have them at my state but this guy I know in jersey has his windshield tinted and had to get it cut with an exacto knife to has the sticker visible.

    50% or higher is fine. The guy above had 5% all around and 35% on the windshield. It looked nice.


    Depending on how they lay the windshield tint it is susceptible to cracks. The glass on the windshield is different than the side glass and when they lay it and use a heat gun to push out the "fingers" in the film the glass may crack.

    Looks good but too much of a hassle for me.
     
    #12 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  13. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    Looks like 35% on the windshield. You said it's 50% ?

    What did you have on the sides ? the lighting must be dark.

    I can tell it's tinted but I am used to seeing tinted cars so it's different. Most people I see have 35%'on the windshield.

    I have 5% all around on my car. It's metallic film.
     
    #13 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  14. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    I took off the stickers, well the tint guy did it for me so it was a breeze :). And when he applied the film I put them back on with some scotch tape (gift wrapping edition, its more clear). Sometimes what people do is they cut out a portion of the tint just to place the stickers. But I just wanted a uniform job. The tint shop isn't in NYC sorry :(

    The sides were ATX 15 it's a ceramic tint, so radio waves, and gps signals wouldn't be affected. I got extremely lucky with the ceramic tints on the sides cause the dealer bought it by accident haha and he was stuck with it. Otherwise i would have had to pay a hefty price for those luxury of ceramic.

    At Superdrol, I replaced my windshield in my old car with an aftermarket one costing like 300 bucks :eek: cause it has to have the (acoustic layer) which apparently reduces noise. The company was PGM or something like that its a reputable one. Regardless, the window was factory stained to 5percent on top for the sunband and 70 percent all around. So when i placed the 50percent metallic tint over it, 40 percent was the final VLT
     
    #14 Strike67, Sep 27, 2010
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  15. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    Yeah I was going to say with a windshield that dark with 50% I routed the sides were 15% or 35%'with very poor lighting.


    Windshields are not cheap to replace and they take a while to dry. The glass is tempered typically and susceptible to cracking. The windshield is dual layer so thehest difference between the 2 paynes is what may causeghe glass to crack.

    When I help take off my friends from the windshield we had to use lowheat from a hair drier and just stripped off the adhesive manually with ammonia. Very tedious and very messy.
     
    #15 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  16. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    My metallic did not cause any interference with my phone. Not sure if that is typical or not but I don't have issues at all. Ceramic is substantially more expensive than metallic.

    I was going to initially have my car done as it is now but with Formula One Pinnacle tint. They quoted me nearly a grand. Formula one Pinnacle is the best you can buy though.
     
    #16 Superdrol, Sep 27, 2010
  17. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    That's way to much! I knew formula one was expensive but not that much. no way. What are you tinting? an RV? haha.
     
    #17 Strike67, Sep 28, 2010
  18. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    I want to get my car done all around 5% plus 50% on the windshield. All Formula One Pinnacle ceramic tint. They do a good job and bring it to the edge of the window not having gaps from the top like a lot of tints usually do.

    Itis pretty expensive plus theyd have to cut from 2 separate rolls. At any rate I agree with you as that is too much which is why I opted for metallic instead. It has a more noticeable gloss on the surface vs non metallic.
     
    #18 Superdrol, Sep 28, 2010
  19. Strike67

    Strike67 New Member

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    I was thinking about 5 percent all around but I realized it's just too dark. You really gotta double check when you make left turns at night since you're only looking through the left window. I had 15's on my old prius and I think those pushed the limit, I couldn't imagine 5... I'd be rolling down my windows everytime I had to make a turn at night.

    It's never cars i'm worried about hitting since they got lights that you can obviously see through the tint... it's animals and people that i get worried about hitting
     
    #19 Strike67, Sep 29, 2010
  20. bdirwin

    bdirwin Senior Member

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    Nah, don't worry. Animals and people just bounce off! :eek:
     
    #20 bdirwin, Oct 2, 2010
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