Tinting the windows... some questions

[J.S.]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

If getting pulled over by the PO, the trick is (as someone mentioned above) to put your driver and passenger window all the way down. Just shows the ociffer that you're not hiding anything (except for your tinted windows) :p Afterall, you'll have to put the driver's window down when he/she gets to your window anyway so might as well ASAP so hopefully he doesn't notice your tints.

I've tinted the rear glass of my 1994 S10 about 10 years ago. At the time, I thought it turned out okaay but it wasn't 100%. Didn't cost me much so I could've just peeled it off and not been too cercerned with my loss but I did leave it on until I sold the truck last year. I have a 2006 Civic coupe now and I will be paying somebody to tint the windows because I want it 100 perfect and with a warranty.

Consider also how much your own time is worth! To do 5 windows in a car (as first time ever tinting) will take you a while...probably will look like you did it yourself too. Not trying to be rude...just trying to save you from wasting time and $.

[Black300]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

I have a black Chrysler 300 with dark interior and all windows are tinted 5 percent except front window it has the strip going across it. It looks cool because the car is black. The state law in Indiana is only 25 or 30 percent (I think). I haven't had a cop stop me yet and have driven by them a couple times with te window up but I try to roll it down whenever they are about to pass one. I've talked to some cops about it most seem not to car just depends on the cop I guess. I will say 5 percent is really nice for the day but at night it gets harder to see especially if you are backing up.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

Do you wear prescription glasses of any kind? If so you can get your doctor to write a note saying your are sensitive to light and require tint.

Atleast in CA that is a exception to the law and they can't write you a ticket for it if you have the note.

People at my high school with parents that were doctors would double limo tint their cars and get their parents to write the note saying they were light sensitive. The cops were not very happy but it worked.

Just a thought.

Ryan

EDIT: And also check your laws about secondary tickets. In CA they can't pull you over for tint, they have to pull you over for something else then ticket you for your tint.

[roushstage2]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

Hey all, I'm planning on tinting my windows. I went to 3 local car shops and the dealer where I got my car, and their price ranged from $220 to $300 for tinting the 5 windows. So then I did some research online and found out that tint films and heat gun total under $50, give or take a few bucks for more film if I mess up on my first few tries, so I think I'm better off doing it myself... But some questions for who have experience in this area:

1. Is it possible to take tint off? It's illegal in NJ to tint front sides, but I'm going to do a light tint on the front sides anyway. My vehicle was just inspected after two weeks of purchase, so I don't have to worry about it not passing inspection due to tints for a long time. So if some cop, who is having a bad day because he got food poisoning from his donut, decides to pull me over for having a 95% tint on the front sides, how difficult is it to pull off the tint?

2. Any recommendations on where (online) to get all the necessary items and tools?

Thanks all!

Something to think about. Factory windows generally always come with a very light tint (95% range) on them for some UV protection. When you add whatever % tint to it, it will be darker than the tint was alone. As for tinting yourself, if you can afford to take it some where, do it, lol. I tried doing the whole tinting thing and couldn't ever get it perfect. Just me though. Plus, if anything happens, any legit tint shop will have a lifetime warranty about peeling, bubbling, discoloration...

Do you wear prescription glasses of any kind? If so you can get your doctor to write a note saying your are sensitive to light and require tint.

Atleast in CA that is a exception to the law and they can't write you a ticket for it if you have the note.

People at my high school with parents that were doctors would double limo tint their cars and get their parents to write the note saying they were light sensitive. The cops were not very happy but it worked.

Just a thought.

Ryan

EDIT: And also check your laws about secondary tickets. In CA they can't pull you over for tint, they have to pull you over for something else then ticket you for your tint.

They can pull you over for tint on your front windows that is to the side of and in front of your vision. It is illegal in the state. If it is illegal, you can get pulled over and cited for it. Ask me how I know. I have spoken to many cops and CHP officers on the subject as well.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

EDIT: And also check your laws about secondary tickets. In CA they can't pull you over for tint, they have to pull you over for something else then ticket you for your tint.

I'm pretty sure like roushe said, you can get pulled over just for tinted windows in CA, but it varies state to state, the OP isn't in CA.

As for tint on windows that aren't driver side, pass side or windshield in CA, you can have them as dark as you want as long as you have mirrors. You can fill them in solid so you can't see through them (like a lot of work vans) and it is still legal as long as you have mirrors on both sides of you car

[cardriver]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

Here in CA, everything is fine except your 3 front windows cannot be darker than 70% (essentially stock!).

I had my 9 windows on my Civic sedan done 35% all-around because I wanted a little tint, plus that balanced look, but not so dark that the fronts get me ticketed, and so far I've been lucky. My 9 windows that were done are 2 fronts, 2 front A-pillar midget pieces, 2 rears plus 2 rear c-pillar midget pieces, plus the rear windshield.

My moonroof and front windshield are left stock. I had Johnson RayGuard or something done by my local shop, and it's acceptable, but does poorly against actual heat-blocking, and is also somewhat green-tinted. I would have preferred a more grey or "cool" tint, instead of this warm green base. $265 at my local tint shop w/ "lifetime warranty". I don't recommend this particular project to be DIY'd.

Btw, the color is constantly-changing depending on light conditions. At night it's pitch black. Othertimes it's more transparent, as in this picture. If anything, I'd have stayed with the illegal, current 35% fronts, but instead do 20% in the rear...with the effect being "Oh hey his rear is fairly dark but his fronts are noticeably more transparent, so he must be fine!", when in reality, 70% is dark as the front is allowed, haha. Hope that's not too confusing.

[roushstage2]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

Took me 4.5 years to get a ticket for my 15% fronts, lol. Going to go with 35% when I get the money. Besides, when I went to the CHP office to have it signed off, the person couldn't even tell they were not tinted (everything is black, and the rear 1/4 windows are 15% and the rear 5%). She had to walk up to the window and dang near put her face right up to it and look through them both to see that they were not tinted anymore. That was real worthwhile...

[agp423]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

I'm not going to bother to quote everyone because there are lots of valuable information here. My car's interior is black/gray. The dashboard is black on top, gray on bottom, seats and doors are gray with black inserts, other upholstery is mainly gray with black trims/highlights. I'm thinking a very light tint all around, similar to the stock tint that's on the sunroof. And will probably get it done professionally. Thanks for the help guys!

[CumminsCrazed]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

FWIW, i have 20% tint on my front side windows as well as an "eyebrow" on the top of my windshield all of wich are matched to my rear windows. The tint law in iowa states you can not have ANY tint film on any of the front 3 windows, only factory 70% light transmission is allowed. Since getting my tint installed in Jan, ive had a city offier as well as a state patrol officer see my truck with the windows up, and neither one so much as followed me. Heres the pics

[Nappers]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

We don't like tint on vehicles as when one of us, food poisoned donut eating humans walk up to a vehicle that is tinted, we get jumpy.....What's behind the glass, a nice man or someone with a .45 ACP pointed at our head. Tinted windows if you don't go crazy and get the attention of local law enforcement shouldn't be a huge problem. Don't get them too dark and find out what the legal limit is in all your states. In California, we call it probable cause to pull you over and here in California, we ask consent to search your vehicle and hopefully we won't find any contraband (the not so sophisticated ones say yes, then we find good stuff).

I'm going to tint the windows on our Neon, but not go crazy on the front windows and leaving the windshield alone altogether.

Have fun, I tried to tint my windows and the contours are a pain as well as the defrost strips. I ended up tearing it all off as some of it bubbled, if it bubbles with a professional doing it, take it back and make them do it over

L8R

[cardriver]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

I thought probable cause was associated with arresting someone...
And if you simply want to pull someone over for a tint violation, all you needed was articulable suspicion. Then again, the whole discretionary ability vs Penal Code factor confuses me when a situation like this arises, and reminds me that I need to go back and review my textbooks . Thanks for bringing it up, though!

In any case, I am at least double the legal limit for the fronts in CA (35% tint on top of the factory's ~80% or so, for a realistic net of probably 30%) as pictured, and have had no trouble thus far. And if I am stopped by an officer for any reason, I'd roll all 4 windows down. I understand that putting an officer at ease isn't at the forefront of most citizens' minds, though...

[Nappers]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

It can be, in California, Probable Cause is needed if arresting a person for a felony charge, meaning it has to meet the elements stated in the law that indeed a law has been violated. Example, 422 California Penal Code, Terrorist Threats: Need to establish that a victim was told that they were were going to be killed by the suspect, AND that they feared for their life. If victim said later that they were not in fear of their life, then there is not enough probable cause to arrest them for above charge. So, if someone was going to say that they were going to kick your hind end and you report it to the police and actually feared they would do so, then they should have probable cause to arrest the suspect. There's usually more verbage in the PC statement (probable cause, not Porter Cable ), some cops write a book though in my experience and I am sure to tell them...LOL.

you need probable cause to pull someone over in a vehicle as well, broken taillight, no front plates, loud exhaust, loud music, not enough distance when activating turn signals etc etc etc. Like drunk drivers, crossing the line, crossing line on inside, weaving etc.

We just can't pull someone over for the heck of it, need something to say to the judge of why they were pulled over.

Anyone go to court on a speeding ticket here in California hears this most often:

"yes your honor, I was in full uniform in a marked patrol car doing normal traffic enforcement on such and such date/time."(no unmarked cars here in California), I observed a vehicle exceeding the speed limit of 25mph in a residential area, I activated my forward radar and got a lock of 38mph, clearly faster than the posted speed.", "I calibrated my radar both before and after my shift using the tuning forks, the unit was working properly.", I activated my overhead lights and made an enforcement stop." I approached the vehicle and asked Mr./Mrs. so and so for their license and proof of insurance, I advised them the reason for the stop.", "I issued a citation for 35mph, they signed the ticket and I released them from my custody." "I was certified to use radar on this date and I have a copy of my certificate in hand". (if bumper tagging) "My car was certified on such and such date, the speedometer was 1mph off, meaning if I was going 70, I was going 71.", "Here is the certificate of the car being certified." If something above wasn't said, sometimes the judge dismisses it.

Then your sunk......

If the cop is not available at the time of your court trial in California or at least in my county, DO NOT agree to continue it if no cop is available to testify, it may be dismissed because the prosecutor (the cop) is not present, this goes for unavailibility of the airplane cop too that was timing you and had a cop pull you over for speeding......

Don't give cops a reason to pull you over, too much tint gives us probably cause to say Hi to you. If we can see you, chances are we think that it's factory tint and won't bug you if your not speeding etc.

CumminsCrazed tint is pretty dark but I can see inside, it could be good PC to pull him over and say "Hi". "Can I search your vehicle?" Not giving consent is a wobbling on "suspected" drug activity, if a car is seen at a suspected drug house, the cop may not need consent to search vehicle if there is probable cause that the person was observed in a high drug area and suspected to be engaged in the drug scene, they can search, it get's wild sometimes.....So! Don't hang around known drug areas, you will get to see a smiling face of a cop.

Watch that video by Chris Rock, How not to get your A.S kicked by the police!

"if the police got to chase you, their bringing an A.S kicking with them" LOL

I've signed off a ticket or two in 15 years and it's not fun scraping that tint off I know, I've asked.

[agp423]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

If they pull you over for tint violation, what could they ask you to do? Is it possible that they said that you car has to be tolled to wherever it needs to go to get rid of the tints? Or will he just give me a ticket with 50 dollars fee and let me drive away?

[Nappers]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

Very unlikely they will tow it unless one has a suspended license.....people are often confused about their license after getting a DUI and therefore I recommend going to DMV and checking on the status and jump through whatever hoops to get it back or at least get a restricted for work or school. Most cops will let a licensed driver take the car home if one doesn't have a mouth.....

I rarely see tinted window only tickets, unless they are really dark and associated with loud music, exhaust etc. 99.9% of the time it's a fix it ticket, scrape off, have it signed off and go to court and pay admin fee if applicable....ours is like 15 bucks for the fix it ticket at the courthouse. Around here it's mostly a verbal warning.....

If one has factory tinted windows and the cop doesn't believe it, find the build sheet or go to your dealer and give them your VIN and hopefully it has tinted windows on it and it may save you in court if you fight it.

[CumminsCrazed]

Re: Tinting the windows... some questions

well im glad ive not gotten pulled over yet.....i got it because my truck was broken into last summer, and im trying to prevent peeking eyes inside my truck.