[yohanesaw]

I heard we're not allowed to tint the front windshield in CA, is that true? I'm planning to tint all of them. Any recommendation on visibility? I'm thinking to do 20% if front windshield isn't tinted or 35% if all of them are tinted. What do you think? Oh... my car is in jet black though.

Thank you

[childofbodom27]

Yup, you cant tint the front 2 windows or else ticket. I have 35% all around and the cops leave me alone in Socal, so i suggest you do that percent. Also i dont recommend have different percents for the back and front, keep it all the same. 15% is way to dark, my friend has it and he got a ticket. So 30-35% will be good.

[yohanesaw]

Yeah, I decided to install 35% but now I need to find tinter who carry 3M brand in Bay Area. Any idea?

[Chio]

I have 30% all around but my windshield is 50%

FYI be very carful there is a thread somewhere were someone was in a accident and was found at fault!!! it is on bimmerfest!! he went to court and everything but it was very dark

[SteveMD]

Originally Posted by Chio

I have 30% all around but my windshield is 50%

FYI be very carful there is a thread somewhere were someone was in a accident and was found at fault!!! it is on bimmerfest!! he went to court and everything but it was very dark

Apparently if you get in an accident, have a windshield tint (which IMHO qualifies you for the Darwin Awards) and the insurance company from either party finds out, they may not pay out as was the situation in the above mentioned incident.

Someone can find the link. I couldn't remember where it is.

[HereAgain]

It's not wise to tint your windshield. It's a HUGE liability.

[Chi-town330]

Originally Posted by SteveMD

....which IMHO qualifies you for the Darwin Awards

that sounds familiar

[eshtog]

Originally Posted by SteveMD

Apparently if you get in an accident, have a windshield tint (which IMHO qualifies you for the Darwin Awards) and the insurance company from either party finds out, they may not pay out as was the situation in the above mentioned incident.

Someone can find the link. I couldn't remember where it is.

Have you ever driven a car with 50% front tint? Its not dangerous at all.

[Andrew9931]

Originally Posted by eshtog

Have you ever driven a car with 50% front tint? Its not dangerous at all.

55% here loving it

[Andrew9931]

Originally Posted by HereAgain

It's not wise to tint your windshield. It's a HUGE liability.

what evidence is there against this? one can say that if you tint your windows its a huge liability, from the insurances standpoint i think they would need to prove that the front windsheild tint infact caused an accident. but if its light enough to the point where you can still see out of it, then there shouldn't be much of an issue.. because afterall the legal tint percent in my state is 75%... and even old people have 35% which is breaking the law techincally.

[boosTTed]

I had 50% on my old car and u couldnt even tell from the inside.... can an accident be your fault for wearing sunglasses then... i dont understand the logic behind this one???

[Fraggy]

Why even bother to risk it. If I was a cop and saw a tinted windshield, I bust you for everything I could just on the principle of it. Id inspect your whole car just looking for stuff.

[Chi-town330]

do you make a point - many of us, including myself, have tinted side windows that are not legal. so many of us are already breaking the law. However, if we are talking safety, I have heard the primary reason it is illegal on side front windows is so the cops can SEE you. I don't know if this is true, but it is what I have heard. Does anyone know? The issue people have with tinting the front windshield is that...uh.... you use that window to see where you are GOING.

I don't know what % tint a typical pair of sunglasses are, but, for example, I can think of certain situations at night where I would not feel comfortable driving with mine on, and would feel that I am at a disadvantage in terms of visibility. Maybe sunglasses are much darker, I don't know. But that's just me.

I will admit, however, that my 50% tint side windows are pretty easy to see out of, even at night. But just the thought of taking away 50% of my front light (and that is what 50% does, right?) isn't something I personally want to do.

Some say 50% is ok on the front windshied. somebody on another thread said 35% is ok on front windshield, while another person said it is hard to see out of, he tried it. One person mentioned a friend who has 20% on the front windshield. Do you believe that at some point it is too dark? Because if you do, then I guess you can understand different people may set that threshold differently in their minds. and THAT is where liability may come into play.

If the person with 20% tint ran over a child, I would be surprised if a prosecuting attorney wouldn't make an issue out of this. or the insurance company for that matter. they will explore every loop hole at their disposal, look at what they have done with the Katrina victims (issue of flood vs. wind damage). Would you want to be in front of a 12 man jury trying to argue 20%, or whatever % is fine? I wouldn't want to take that chance, and I think that is what some people might be thinking when they say this is a liability. But we all take chances in life, speeding is a chance, a few beers and driving is a chance. I am not passing judgment, I am just trying to point out what some folks think of this, and where legal issues might exist. sorry for long rant.

[Chi-town330]

Originally Posted by boosTTed

I had 50% on my old car and u couldnt even tell from the inside.... can an accident be your fault for wearing sunglasses then... i dont understand the logic behind this one???

good question! this is a good and educated debate.

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by yohanesaw

Yeah, I decided to install 35% but now I need to find tinter who carry 3M brand in Bay Area. Any idea?

California Auto Tinting in Campbell
look in the Norcal autoshop thread.

[yohanesaw]

Nice inputs folks. But, I would say every decisions have consequences. Since look is important to me. I guess I'll tint the front windshield as well. I'll take the consequences :rocks:

[SteveMD]

Originally Posted by boosTTed

I had 50% on my old car and u couldnt even tell from the inside.... can an accident be your fault for wearing sunglasses then... i dont understand the logic behind this one???

Would you wear sunglasses while driving at night? Because that is effectively what you are doing.

[Big Daddy]

Question for anyone:

I've noticed many diff tint % mentioned here and for my own edumacation purposes am i to understand a higher tint % (50%) is not as dark as 15%, 20% etc??

BD

[eshtog]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Question for anyone:

I've noticed many diff tint % mentioned here and for my own edumacation purposes am i to understand a higher tint % (50%) is not as dark as 15%, 20% etc??

BD

Correct, the higer the percentage the less dark the tint is.

[Big Daddy]

thank you.

BD

[Javier]

Originally Posted by Chi-town330

I don't know what % tint a typical pair of sunglasses are, but, for example, I can think of certain situations at night where I would not feel comfortable driving with mine on, and would feel that I am at a disadvantage in terms of visibility. Maybe sunglasses are much darker, I don't know. But that's just me.

My last sunglasses where 95% light exclusion, meaning only 15% of the light went through. So yeah sunglasses are pretty dark, which is why you dont drive with them at night.

I have 35% on my front windshield (and everywhere else) and I can see just fine at night, besides i've been stoped by cops numerous times in different cars all with 35% and they have never bothered with my tinted windows. but i was once stopped in my friends car just because of the tints, he had 20%, which is way darker, that 15% really makes a difference.


tint the front window, just dont go overboard.

Ps. here in PR the maximum tint is 35% (so with the factory tint my car is technically illegal)

[MadDog]

Originally Posted by yohanesaw

I heard we're not allowed to tint the front windshield in CA, is that true? I'm planning to tint all of them. Any recommendation on visibility? I'm thinking to do 20% if front windshield isn't tinted or 35% if all of them are tinted. What do you think? Oh... my car is in jet black though.

Thank you

It's illegal to tint front windshield and front/side windows in CA. That's not to say you can't have it done, though.

More info here:

http://home.pcisys.net/~bpc/auto_law/tint/


MD