C-DiZzY

My car is goin in first thing tomorrow morning to get tinted.. Any suggestions on what percentage i should get?

MBS430

My friend's car had a problem with the one of the power windows after installing the tint. The dealer said that soap-water got into the electronic part causing power window module short-circuited.
Unfortunately , the installer and my friend ended up pointing-finger at each other on who broke the power window.

Anyway ... I would recommend to have the installer verify that all power windows are working BEFORE starting the work, that way, they can take responsibility if there is accidental water drip into the electrical module.

phatisfy

And it all depending on your state laws,and if you want to follow them or not. But all of my windows are tinted 20%. It looks really dark in the sun since our windows already has a reflective like glass already.But at night its not as bad. If you're afraid of getting hassled by the cops. I would do the back window 20% and all the 4 side windows 35%. Don't do the back glass 35% because when the sun hit's,you will not feel like there's tint because it's so light.

boschk

I did 15% on sides and back. It's illegal in my area. I've not been stopped and have been near the popo on a number of occasions. In fact, when I had my VIN inspection, the sheriff did it. he said it was illegal, but that it looked "really" good and if he were me, he'd drive and see how it goes. That's what I did. You're not driving a punk car, so chances are, you'll be fine. But, there's always that cop w/ a chip on his shoulder too. Mine is perfect during the day, but night navigation in dark parking lots, visibility isn't the best.

hyperion667

one of the guys I went to locally mentioned removing door panels........I was not stoked about that, but then he said it wouldn't be needed......I'm still trying to find a tint place that doesn't wig me out, lol.....timing is everything sometimes.....
and in regards to dark tint; I think it's crap that law enforcement can have BLACK windows, while the rest of us have to adhere to the lighter ones....
wonder if they get special training to drive with tint that dark...

CarboyS

How did you get away with 20% in Mass?

phatisfy

It's safety issues. There's one incident where the cop got shot and killed after pulling over a car with dark windows.It was so dark that when he went up to the car,the driver rolled down his window and shot him right then and there.Thats what happened here in MA.That's why are law is set at 35% in the front 2 windows.

dreday1111

I have 25% on Front windows
20% Back & Rear windows

Phin

...dreday?...that you?....4C's? FH?.........if not,sorry man

clk500b

id go with 20% as well. I have 25% and i am thinking about changing it to a 20 or 15

Emauss

I had 20% on my old A8L (2006) an was pulled over for it. The officer actually used a test instrument to measure the amount of tint. If I didn't have "connections" I would have gotten a ticket (at best). My firend in Staten Island was pulled over in his Phaeton and was issued a summons AND WAS FORCED TO HAVE THE TINTING REMOVED. He had to submit proof of compliance!
For those reason I have no tint on my 2010.

phatisfy

Its my weekend car,so the cops hardly see me.But they don't really harass most luxury cars anyways. My front windshield is even tinted 20%! lol

dreday1111

The Installer Company was preferred by my MB Dealership....They tested it with the same instrument. The fronts actually reads 26% (Limit is 25%). Don't want Johnny Law here in Texas to get all wounded up

C-DiZzY

It's at the shop now.. I went with 30% all around. In New Jersey its illegal to tint the fronts. He asked if i wanted luxury or privacy? I said a lil bit of both he laughed and said 30% the cops woulnt bust ya ***** to much get luxury and put the shades up in the back for privacy. The shades will darken it even more.

Emauss

Just remember that is 30% *plus* whatever the car comes with initially. The glass is far from neutral to beign with. With my Audi it was close to the legal limit before the tint. The 20% more that I did compounded that to close over 45% on cop's meter.

emin.mak

I have 20% all around and 50% windshield. I live in San Francisco, some cops are ok with tint and some are not. so far 2 tickets in 1 month however, car is tinted for over a year. lol

phatisfy

I would have done the rear windshield 20% and the res 30%? and once the shade is up,it would have been even darker?

silkz03

I'm in Texas I did 25% front and 20 back and rear. I don't like the way it looks now. I should have did the 25% on the sides and only 20 for back window. Now It looks uneven, two different tones. I'm definitely going to change it to 25% all the way round except the rear window. In my opinion, it looks better the same % all the way around except for the rear window, you can go darker there.

This is what it looked like after tinting. I like that.


After a couple months, its looks darker and looks two tone. I'm changing it to be even all the way around except for the rear window.

C-DiZzY

[/QUOTE] Thats a beautiful car

dreday1111

Hello I'm a nube here with a couple questions about your tint.
Did your tint go from smoked to silver? Was that your intent? The fronts look like 25~30%, but the back window looks less that 20%. Did the installer use the meter to test the visibility after installing?

My tint will get a little darker, but I've never seen such a disparity between 25% & 20%.

silkz03

First, I dont mean to jack the thread by posting pics of my car, my intent is to help with the tint issue and hopefully someone will not make the same mistake as I did. The tint on my car was supposed to be slight and I mean slight dark silver/reflection. 25% is legal in Texas on the front side windows. I went darker 20% in the rear.

It looked good for the first month or so, then its got darker and when you look at it at a certain angle you really see the reflection, espeacially in the rear, THAT IS NOT WHAT I WANTED. With time, it did get darker and more of a mirrored look which I did not want. he front is good enough and perfect but rear as you see is too much. I'm changing it as soon as I get a chance. This two tone look just dosen't do it for me, I'm a symmetrical type of guy. And thanks for the comments!


You can see the difference. It didn't look like that a couple months ago, it got darker and more of a mirrored look when looking at an angle....well either angle. The front is perfect and I'm changing the rear side windows as soon as I can get time.

dreday1111

silkZ03, I see what you mean. Your car looks very nice right now too.

silkz03

Thanks, man. Its just that tint gotta go, can't stand looking at it too much longer. The more I look at the pics, the more contrast I see. Honestly, I think you are right. As you stated the disparity is too much. It looks like the rear has to be less than 20%. The front is perfect but the rear is over the top and as I stated before, it wasn't like that before...that gradually happened. I taking it back, and I'll get a meter reading this time.

IDriveAnM5

I don't have tints on my S550, but I do have them on my M5. I'm given to understand a few things, and have comments as follows:
1. The appearance of the tint is influenced by the glazing of the glass. I've noticed that my S550 has a much more complex glass arrangement than my M5. We all know there are "two" distinct panes of glass on the S-Class, with a film applied in between like a sandwich. On my M5, the edge makes it seem as if the glass is only 1 pane, but I think it might just be that there are two which are joined at the edges, because there is still a film involved (I notice this while wearing polarized sunglasses). With my glass the way it is in the M5, I opted to have 15% installed, which is WAY beyond the legal limit in my state. I've gotten 1 ticket, and Smokie used his light meter. Then again, I don't have a front plate, which is also illegal, but I haven't gotten stopped for that!
2. The appearance of the tint is a function of the material. I haven't seen anyone comment on the type of film construction used for the tint. So, I'll volunteer mine: I have a "Formula One by Llumar" Ceramic film applied to my M5. It is black - there is no mirroring or undesired reflection. Today, more than 4 years since it was applied, I have noticed zero color difference and no bubbles or peeling. The guys that did mine are the best around - it's a specialty shop for hi-line cars and trucks. The Ceramic Line is part of their "Pinnacle" series. It wasn't cheap, but it is worth it.
3. I have sun shades in the rear compartment of the M5 - rear side windows and the back windscreen. I drive around with all of these up / out during the day. My car gets a really sinister look to it this way. I have the same shades in my S550, and I usually have them up as well. Given the nature of the S-Class windows / glass, I'm not inclined to tint because I'm happy as-is. That, and it's a leased car.

That's about all I know. Good luck!

Trinsoca

In my state (GA) it is 32%, I had the special tint which cost more, installed by the guy who does it for one of the MB dealers, on all windows and back glass (32%). After a few days when I could put down the glass, I used my tint meter and found that the back was darker even though the same tint was used all round. The back dropped to 25% and the front dropped to 28%. The back has a darker tint from the factory. All cars have natural tint from the factory + the tint you put on will cause it to be darker. Ga law is 32% on ALL windows front and back, and you cannot tint the front more than 6 inches from the top.