exi

I purchased my E350 used. Previous owner put what looks like 35% on it all around and did a lousy job caring for it. Scratches galore.

I live in a state where only 4" of tint are allowed on the windshield and front side glass. There is no transmittance limit. There is a reflectivity limit of 35%. Summers are not that bad.

I was planning on redoing my tint from scratch. Because of state law, was considering 50% all around (not just the top 4" on the front sides) as opposed to 35%. Little more subtle, less likely to attract attention, and allows for LEO safety. The car is black/black. I realize many people feel 50% is "why bother tinting?" territory.

As for the windshield, I do run a radar detector mounted high and hardwired. The factory glass on my E350 does not contain any tint up top which obscures the detector as my previous car did.

My questions are:

1: What do you all think of a high quality, 50% charcoal tint all around, front/rear sides and rear glass, on a black/black car?

2: How dark would a tint strip need to be on the top ~4" or so to reliably obscure a radar detector from the outside world, if I could even mount it high enough to be covered by that much?

Thanks much.

DapperStyle

Not sure about your second question but I've got 50% tint all around including my windshield and have been stopped at various check points and not a single cop has asked me about the tint. Maybe for some it doesn't make a difference but believe me there is and having it uniform all around makes it look factory. I didn't do the top 4 inch strip because I do not like the look. 50% will register at 40 something % if they use a machine because the factory green tint.

Also here's how to get them to not ***** about tints, as soon as you are being pulled over or being asked to pull over, lower all of your windows and turn on your front and rear interior lights. That's it. After that cops don't care, cops only care when you decide you will leave all your windows up, not turn on your interior lights and have decided you will only open the window halfway to speak to them. Put them at ease and they will have less of a reason to nitpick.

jonUF02

I just had mine done to the legal limit in FL: 30% front two windows, 15% for the rest. I don't think having the front windows different looks bad or very noticeable at all. It also helps with seeing out at night. I don't like the look of the strip at the top of the windshield, unless it's built into the glass and fades out, which unfortunately this car does not have.

30-35% all around is not bad if you want to take a little risk and re-do the crap job. I doubt you will be questioned for that. If you do, then just pay the ticket and take it off, or not.

If you're saying that you need a 4" strip on the front side windows that is different from the remainder of that window, that would look horrible. Just do what is legal if you worry. 50% is way better than 0%. You can get some high quality, but very light tint that still has a lot of heat and UV reflective property.

fosterelli

I just had ours tinted today. 20% rear window and all four doors. What state are you in? I've never heard of this 4" rule on the front doors. Windshield, sure...but 4" on the front doors? That would be nasty...I'd rather have no tint.

CEB

There is no state with a 4" tint stripe on side windows. I also know of no state that has no VLT limit on side windows but has a tint stripe law and a reflective law.

But back to the question - I'd suggest a nice ceramic 60% tint that will give superior heat rejection.

exi

Yes, there is. To both. To answer the other question, this is Michigan we're talking.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(ric...me=mcl-257-709

jesser916

anything darker than 50% is just ugly. I would do ceramic 70%. or 50% at the most.

CEB

Interesting.

A very poorly written law that you can drive a Mack truck through. While the tint stripe appears to refer to the side windows, it also says that it cannot go below the AS mark on the windshield - a contradictory term.

exi

Had my old 35% pulled off and redone with 50% all around. Part of this decision was because with the old 35% on, comparing cuts of tint, it looked more like a 20% on the car itself. Artifact from the in-glass tint, I guess. Once the tint was pulled off, yep, it was 35%.

Haven't seen it in daylight yet and thus don't have any useful pics for the forum, but I'm not convinced. Not even just because it's lighter (though there is that), but the Llumar film used almost has this slightly greenish hue to it that I don't recall seeing on the Llumar 35% film in the same shop.

jonUF02

Is it the llumar ceramic? Mine is darker, but very happy with that film.

exi

It is not, no. Just good old "stock" Llumar as far as I'm aware.

fosterelli

To each their own - but I would say it also depends heavily on the color of your vehicle. I prefer the 20% on darker vehicles, 35% on lighter vehicles. Also depends on region, as it's significantly warmer in Texas than Sacramento...so darker tint is normal.

IgorE350

I did mine %35 on the rears and %50 on the front driver/pass and the strip%35 looks good.
If you do %50 all around it will look nice,just because you have black interior. I don't think it would effect the radar detector much. Good luck

exi

Thanks for the advice, all. I'm going to redo my tint. Not a fan of the 50%.

That said, I'm between:

1: 35% all around (front and rear sides, and rear glass), or;

2: 35% on front and rear sides, and 20% on rear glass.

Black coupe with black interior.

Curious as to what MBWorld says and why.

jonUF02

Black interior will seem darker from outside.

I had mine done with Llumar Ceramic film, and the only choices were 15, 30, or something higher, maybe 50%, and something lower, like 5%. I opted for the legal limits of my state which are 15% except the front 2 windows at 30%. My buddies say they don't see any difference between the front and back windows when looking at the car, but I can see a difference in better visibility through the front 2 windows from inside. I also have black interior. I'm very happy with it.

exi

Good to hear. I'm thinking 35% all around -- being a black interior like yours, I figure it'll be a nice compromise of having a classy, charcoal smoked look without being too dark or compromising night vision.

Any truth to the comments I've seen here and elsewhere talking about ceramic tint looking a little lighter than the VLT rating? My shop doesn't have / routinely use ceramics. Just the "base" dyed / non-metallic Llumar stuff.

jonUF02

I think it looked a little darker than I originally expected, but probably due to the black interior, and my previous car must not have been as dark as I thought. That one was done before I got it. The CLK430 has a slight blue tint to the factory glass, so maybe they didn't go as dark with the film.

beejAMG

its summer down here and we're practically baking inside our cars. so I decided to tint my daily the other day.

legal tint darkness is 35% but i went with 5% rear and 20% side windows with 3M premium tint, didnt bother with the front strip.

my sedan is paladium silver on black. i like the dark look on the tint and its not so hard to drive even at night. stops 99% UV and 75% heat and glare reduction iirc.