Front Windshield Tint
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2009 CLK 550---2008 BMW 335i--2006 SLK 350----1996 Acura NSX ---- 2000 CLK convertible---1997 BMW M3
I have 20%to tint on my front windshield. I use radar and cameras to navigate.
#4
MBworld Guru
I've only had one car with front window - a BMW X3. It was silver with a gray interior and the tint really set it off. I was not happy with the factory tint on the rear windows, so when I took it to my trusted tint shop, they recommended a very dark tint on the rears, then a "nearly legal" tint on the front sides and front windshield. It really did not look "ricey" at all. In fact, I was pulled over several times for various alleged traffic infractions and was never cited for tint. With the darker back tint, the front windows just looked "normal" I never had problems seeing, either. It was just dark enough to be tinted and it really helped keep the car cool.
I have considered tinting the CLK, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Also, the 17-year-old has asked to have her C-Class tinted, and of course I gave her the excuse that it's not legal and she'll be more likely to get pulled over, so I guess I should set a good example.
Oh, and if you are going to have this done, use a reputable shop! The best shops actually remove the side glass to tint it. Some will just remove the door panels to get a good edge-to-edge tine, but the cheap guys just "tuck" the tint behind the seals and hope for the best. And MBZ's inner windows felt is bad about scratching tint, so you might want to look into replacing it with a more tint-friendly material. Expect to pay well north of $600 for a good tint job.
I have considered tinting the CLK, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Also, the 17-year-old has asked to have her C-Class tinted, and of course I gave her the excuse that it's not legal and she'll be more likely to get pulled over, so I guess I should set a good example.
Oh, and if you are going to have this done, use a reputable shop! The best shops actually remove the side glass to tint it. Some will just remove the door panels to get a good edge-to-edge tine, but the cheap guys just "tuck" the tint behind the seals and hope for the best. And MBZ's inner windows felt is bad about scratching tint, so you might want to look into replacing it with a more tint-friendly material. Expect to pay well north of $600 for a good tint job.
Last edited by Rudeney; 10-27-2011 at 11:17 PM.
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
![rolf](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
![Smilie](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Syosset, NY
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
CLK & GL
in NY anything except a tint bar is illegal. I wanted to get it done but I already have enough tickets for the 30's i have on the front and 20's in the rear, so i gave up on tinting my windshield.
Trending Topics
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: A Canadian in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Posts: 4,748
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'05 C200K SS, '05 Kleemann CLK500K, '08 Hummer H3 & '92 Z34 5sp (track car in Canada)
What a lot of people do here is put a UV protectant film on the front windshield to cut down glare, reduce heat and protect the dash, it has a 5% tint value to it and it surprisingly makes a huge difference.
#10
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mercer Island, WA
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
E500 "The Diplomat" W211
I have 20% all around and 20% on the whole windshield. It really completes the car. Every commercial you see for cars, the front windshield is tinted, it just looks better. It is my favorite tint on my car by far! I would highly recommend it.
#11
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mercer Island, WA
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
E500 "The Diplomat" W211
Another pic of my E500's windshield tint.. this was before I put my wheels on and blacked out my grille. The pic was taken on my phone so its kinda crapy but u can see what it would look like..
#12
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
#16
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mercer Island, WA
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
E500 "The Diplomat" W211
I live in Washington and they are really strict about window tinting. I have had my car since 2007 and have never been pulled over due to illegal tints. The law in Washington is 35% max on the two front windows and no tint on the windshield except for a 5% bar at the top. during the day my windshield at a glance looks like you are looking at it from an awkward angle, and reflects some of the sky. If you look at some of the pictures in my Profile Garage, you can see a lot of pictures with the sky reflecting on the windshield. It is not something that is really that noticeable to people. When I have been pulled over for speeding nobody has noticed the windshield. Only one time a cop actually questioned my 5% tint on my side windows, and that was in Idaho (no tint ticket). Id say if you have a black or dark colored car get 20-35% windshield tints, if you have a lighter paint color, go with a 50%. It also depends on the angle of your windshield. Window tint is a lot about angles, if your windshield is really sloped even a light 70% tint will look dark. if it is tall like an SUV windshield, you would need a darker tint.
#17
MBWorld Fanatic!
I live in Washington and they are really strict about window tinting. I have had my car since 2007 and have never been pulled over due to illegal tints. The law in Washington is 35% max on the two front windows and no tint on the windshield except for a 5% bar at the top. during the day my windshield at a glance looks like you are looking at it from an awkward angle, and reflects some of the sky. If you look at some of the pictures in my Profile Garage, you can see a lot of pictures with the sky reflecting on the windshield. It is not something that is really that noticeable to people. When I have been pulled over for speeding nobody has noticed the windshield. Only one time a cop actually questioned my 5% tint on my side windows, and that was in Idaho (no tint ticket). Id say if you have a black or dark colored car get 20-35% windshield tints, if you have a lighter paint color, go with a 50%. It also depends on the angle of your windshield. Window tint is a lot about angles, if your windshield is really sloped even a light 70% tint will look dark. if it is tall like an SUV windshield, you would need a darker tint.
![smash](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smashfreak.gif)
but in cali, i believe the law is 70% law on the front windows. i have 35 and never gotten pulled over for it. my buddy with 20s have gotten pulled over tho. and my other friend that did 50 on the front windshield got pulled over but only for the front windows and not the windshield LOL
i think its all about luck and how much of a dick the officer wants to be.
#18
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mercer Island, WA
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
E500 "The Diplomat" W211
Ya I would agree w the dick cop thing. Honestly i think cops just dont like to mess around with nice cars. A few of my friends who have dark tints on their rice rockets get pulled over all the time for it. I actually lived in the SF bay for the past 4 years for college. Thats where my car has been driven 80% of the time I have had it. No issues for me with CHP or anyone else because of tints. I do have a washington drivers license tho.. I dont think cops can give window tint tickets for out of state cars. Again tho, its all about what color your car is. The darker, the more tint you can push without standing out. My car flys under the radiar for the most part cuz of all the black. What car do you have?
#19
MBWorld Fanatic!
Ya I would agree w the dick cop thing. Honestly i think cops just dont like to mess around with nice cars. A few of my friends who have dark tints on their rice rockets get pulled over all the time for it. I actually lived in the SF bay for the past 4 years for college. Thats where my car has been driven 80% of the time I have had it. No issues for me with CHP or anyone else because of tints. I do have a washington drivers license tho.. I dont think cops can give window tint tickets for out of state cars. Again tho, its all about what color your car is. The darker, the more tint you can push without standing out. My car flys under the radiar for the most part cuz of all the black. What car do you have?
![word](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/werd.gif)
silver CLK320.
i would agree they pay more attention to rice rockets. but that comes with other things too. rice rockets tend to have more of the illegal mods. no cats, jdm engines non bar'd, 8000k lights, etc.
our cars fly under the radar because most people think things come stock ie larger engine, tuned exhaust note, xenon lighting
of the times ive been pulled over, i have never gotten dinged for tints...but im sure my 8000k lights with 3000k fogs attract more unwanted attention from them now vs when the car was stock.
i feel like the nicer your car is + when you drive (i dont want to say reckless) ...i guess "spirited" driving cops will def more than likely pull you over. and i think the variable is how you drive.
mods+spirited unfortunately dont go together.
bottom line, if you mod your car, just not to push it.....all the time LOL
sorry im rambling. 4am in the morning insomnia
![crazy](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/crazy.gif)
#20
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mercer Island, WA
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
E500 "The Diplomat" W211
![word](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/werd.gif)
silver CLK320.
i would agree they pay more attention to rice rockets. but that comes with other things too. rice rockets tend to have more of the illegal mods. no cats, jdm engines non bar'd, 8000k lights, etc.
our cars fly under the radar because most people think things come stock ie larger engine, tuned exhaust note, xenon lighting
of the times ive been pulled over, i have never gotten dinged for tints...but im sure my 8000k lights with 3000k fogs attract more unwanted attention from them now vs when the car was stock.
i feel like the nicer your car is + when you drive (i dont want to say reckless) ...i guess "spirited" driving cops will def more than likely pull you over. and i think the variable is how you drive.
mods+spirited unfortunately dont go together.
bottom line, if you mod your car, just not to push it.....all the time LOL
sorry im rambling. 4am in the morning insomnia
![crazy](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/crazy.gif)
![Confused](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif)
#21
MBworld Guru
Here in Alabama, we are allowed a "generous" 32% tint (actually, it must be greater than 32%) on all car windows. The front windshield may only have the top six inches tinted , but it can be as dark as you like as long as it is non-reflective. A lot of shops around here use 30% tint which is "nearly legal". It generally will fade slightly over time, plus there are variances in the factory tints in the glass itself, so it may actually be legal when measured.
I drove my BMW with 30% on the fronts and windshield and 70% on the back and rear glass and was never bothered. Oddly enough, the day I was getting mine done, this kid in a Nissan 350Z came in and the same guy that sold me on my tint was totally discouraging the kid from getting anything beyond legal. When the kid left, I asked about it and he told me that cops won't bother old guys driving BMW SUV's but they are all over kids driving sports cars.
He was right. The first week I had my CLK550, I was pulled over twice. Once, driving not quite 40 in the flow of rush hour traffic on a 50mph highway and I was pulled over. I think the cop saw me from the back and assumed I was a kid (I am lucky to still have all my hair and without much noticeable gray, even at 50). He claimed he paced me at 60mph, but said he'd let me go with a verbal warning (I think he realized I wasn't some punk kid). Later, I was pulled over for "improper lane usage". I'm not sure how that was, since I was going straight in the center lane of a 55mph three-lane highway at about 20mph in rush-hour traffic.
Sometimes I think these guys just want to see who's driving the car. But for this reason, I have not bothered to tint my windows on the CLK. I'm not going to be happy with 32% and I'd also want the windshield tinted. Being a cop magnet, I just don't feel like dealing with it.
I drove my BMW with 30% on the fronts and windshield and 70% on the back and rear glass and was never bothered. Oddly enough, the day I was getting mine done, this kid in a Nissan 350Z came in and the same guy that sold me on my tint was totally discouraging the kid from getting anything beyond legal. When the kid left, I asked about it and he told me that cops won't bother old guys driving BMW SUV's but they are all over kids driving sports cars.
He was right. The first week I had my CLK550, I was pulled over twice. Once, driving not quite 40 in the flow of rush hour traffic on a 50mph highway and I was pulled over. I think the cop saw me from the back and assumed I was a kid (I am lucky to still have all my hair and without much noticeable gray, even at 50). He claimed he paced me at 60mph, but said he'd let me go with a verbal warning (I think he realized I wasn't some punk kid). Later, I was pulled over for "improper lane usage". I'm not sure how that was, since I was going straight in the center lane of a 55mph three-lane highway at about 20mph in rush-hour traffic.
Sometimes I think these guys just want to see who's driving the car. But for this reason, I have not bothered to tint my windows on the CLK. I'm not going to be happy with 32% and I'd also want the windshield tinted. Being a cop magnet, I just don't feel like dealing with it.
#22
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Ya I would agree w the dick cop thing. Honestly i think cops just dont like to mess around with nice cars. A few of my friends who have dark tints on their rice rockets get pulled over all the time for it. I actually lived in the SF bay for the past 4 years for college. Thats where my car has been driven 80% of the time I have had it. No issues for me with CHP or anyone else because of tints. I do have a washington drivers license tho.. I dont think cops can give window tint tickets for out of state cars. Again tho, its all about what color your car is. The darker, the more tint you can push without standing out. My car flys under the radiar for the most part cuz of all the black. What car do you have?
#23
Member
I have a light tint on my windshield. Uv protection and it is tougher for police to determine if the side windows are tinted because there is not the abrupt change in color between windows. In 4 years I have never been pulled over for tint on this car.