Window tinting

IH8HSV · 02-09-2008, 07:58 PM

Hi all...

Could someone please post a pic of the darkest legal tint on there car.

I went to a few different places today and all there samples looked different and it was hard to tell on a little square piece of plastic.

I think its 35% tint.

After doing a search i see the ''midnight express'' is a popular choice yet there are no pics.

Cheers.

Jason[98.EL] · 02-09-2008, 08:24 PM

sorry i cant help mine is a bit darker

Grimus

1LOUDXFUTE · 02-09-2008, 08:34 PM

you're right, 35% is the legal limit in WA, it isnt very dark at all, sorry cant help with pics, i have 14%

FPV GT40 · 02-09-2008, 08:41 PM

Here you go...not sure what percent, but darkest legal tint done by Ford Dealer as part of the deal....no point going darker, as you will not be able to see out at night, and it is a pain in the ***, not counting the defects and trouble at rego time.....

JMO · 02-09-2008, 09:05 PM

^^ :sm_drool:

niiiiiiiccceeee

Feathers · 02-09-2008, 09:30 PM

IH8HSV · 02-09-2008, 09:38 PM

Thanks fellas...

Actually i wouldnt mind seeing some pics of the darker tint.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1LOUDXFUTE

you're right, 35% is the legal limit in WA, it isnt very dark at all, sorry cant help with pics, i have 14%

You obviously havnt any trouble with the cops here then?

**killerjoolz** · 02-09-2008, 10:09 PM

best one I've got at the mo....front is lighter and back is dark

Phyber · 02-09-2008, 10:32 PM

Nice! Green stripes on silver, I'll keep that in mind for mine, looks different and good!

**killerjoolz** · 03-09-2008, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyber

Nice! Green stripes on silver, I'll keep that in mind for mine, looks different and good!

Thanks....I wanted to be different,I made and applied them myself,looks better in real life...lol...Oh and NO copying....lol

King Nothing · 03-09-2008, 08:27 AM

Heres a couple of night time garage shots with darkest legal (35%). Apologies for poor quality, crappy camera phone.

Also one of my old corolla, same tint. I wouldn't go any darker

Meg's GT's · 03-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IH8HSV

Thanks fellas...

Actually i wouldnt mind seeing some pics of the darker tint.

You obviously havnt any trouble with the cops here then?

2 shades above legal. Any darker and it would have been what is known as the ambo tint.

And in this one you can see how you can still see thru

LTDterri · 03-09-2008, 11:06 AM

I really hate this legal tint rubbish, my territory has darkest legal tint and I think it's too light, my BA has darkest legal tint and it's quite dark so who decides whats legal. Ive seen cars with tint real dark going around seem to have no problems with the police. I have seen the Police chief here in Melbourne turn up to a function in a Statesman with pitch black tint.....how is that safe for motorists...ok safe for her as no one can see her...I purchased the Territory shades for all the rear windows and with the tint you cannot see in the car...it's been 2 years have not been pulled over for this issue yet, I don't think the police really police this at all

Feathers · 03-09-2008, 11:18 AM

If you have an accident and the insurance company believe that the darker than legal tint played a part in obscuring your vision, they won't pay.

Meg's GT's · 03-09-2008, 11:35 AM

They can also reject a claim if there is insufficient tread on your tyres, no fluid in the wiper reservior, non factory steering wheel and/or pedals etc etc. All of which are grounds to refute a claim, regardless of whether you have declared them. Insurance companies have many little legalities they can use to be picky with and get them out of paying a claim but thankfully not many are widely used

Phyber · 03-09-2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killerjoolz

Thanks....I wanted to be different,I made and applied them myself,looks better in real life...lol...Oh and NO copying....lol

Hahaha no worries man - that's the problem hey, finding something that is both good looking and unique ;)

---

Insurance companies refuting claims because of non standard pedals and empty wiper fluid? Jeebus... I hope they don't find some tiny thing which they'll use to reject my claim, the car is stock but now I'm nervous :(

Fev · 03-09-2008, 12:18 PM

hmm.. i still want darker. ill probably go for 25% maybe, depending on prices when i get bothered to get it done

03-09-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feathers

If you have an accident and the insurance company believe that the darker than legal tint played a part in obscuring your vision, they won't pay.

I can attest to this. My panel beater mate has told me of instances where this has happened, though usually not in isolation.

Late last year he had a guy who caused a big smash in his Magna. He had full comp, but insurance didn't fix his car because he had aftermarket rims and a tint.

I'm not sure of their legality, but his claim was refused because he didn't disclose them.

As for getting a tint done. Tint Professor are the shizz. I've had a few friends go through them and no complaints.

Plus they offer a lifetime guarantee and will even come to your place to do the tint. Can't go wrong.

03-09-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausbird

They can also reject a claim if there is insufficient tread on your tyres, no fluid in the wiper reservior, non factory steering wheel and/or pedals etc etc. All of which are grounds to refute a claim, regardless of whether you have declared them. Insurance companies have many little legalities they can use to be picky with and get them out of paying a claim but thankfully not many are widely used

These are generally only used when it's a contributory factor to the crash.

Ie. you spin out or rear end someone, then tyres with tread would've probably prevented the crash.

This sort of thing is pretty rare.

Dezza · 03-09-2008, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimus

sorry i cant help mine is a bit darker

Grimus

Awesome post

:

That's like that old post CruisinEB or whatever his name did "Sorry I can't help. I drive an EB"

robjh80 · 03-09-2008, 02:29 PM

This is 35% darkest legal tint on my Fez
I wouldn't go any darker or your insurance company could disown you!!

Phyber · 03-09-2008, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyber

Hahaha no worries man - that's the problem hey, finding something that is both good looking and unique ;)

My bad!

Some lovely examples in this thread. Does anyone know if the silver fading to dark tint is legal? Know what I'm talking about?

**killerjoolz** · 03-09-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyber

My bad!

all good....lol

FPV GT40 · 03-09-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robjh80

This is 35% darkest legal tint on my Fez
I wouldn't go any darker or your insurance company could disown you!!

Nice I like the look of that...looks tidy...

1LOUDXFUTE · 03-09-2008, 08:18 PM

this is my tint, says 20% on the box, came up with 14% with a light meter

can see fine outwards at night

**Mechan1k** · 03-09-2008, 09:02 PM

Just put 5% on the rear window of my ute ... being a commerial vehicle ... I can put as dark as I like on the rear window legally.

It's not all the hard to see out of at night either ... had the same on my previous ute as well.

octanet · 03-09-2008, 09:22 PM

This is 35%. I have had comments that it looks darker than usual.

Feathers · 03-09-2008, 09:24 PM

It's most likely the contrast with the paint that makes it look darker.

dave351cid · 03-09-2008, 11:36 PM

i will try and clear up a few urban miffs and mis-conceptions about the darkness of window tint and the legalities.

quoted from ' WFAANZ. window film association of australia and new zealand ' re- legal darkness.
http://www.wfaanz.org.au/Type.htm

"All States and Territories in Australia stipulate a maximum darkness, known as minimum light transmission level or VLT, of 35% on all vehicle windows. This excludes the front windscreen, which cannot have any window film, except for a visor strip across the top.

South Australia is the only State that stipulates the minimum light transmission on the front wind-up windows can be no lower than 70%."

.................................................
when transport department talks of darkest legal tint they are refering to the amount of visible light (VLT) that can be transmitted through the film and glass combined. 35% VLT in most cases.

when the normal person talks about darkness of window tint they are mostly referring to the appearance of the windows from outside the car when the film is installed.

there are a huge variety of 35% VLT auto films available, some are so light to look at that you hardly notice them , others are quite dark.
also a lot of low quality films that may look dark when new but fade very quick .
window tint never looks the same in photos as it does in real life.

................................................
re - reflective tint, rules out that silver to black fade tint. its mostly pretty bad quality anyway.

"
Automotive films supplied by WFAANZ member manufacturers are low reflectivity, as the law states window film on vehicles must not be reflective. Reflective films are even more dangerous than illegally dark windows. All Police Forces and Transport Departments are very vigilant on defecting vehicles with reflective films. Reflective films are the shiny silver and bronze films, which can be “fader” films changing from dark to reflective, solid reflective films or sometimes shapes such as flames or similar."

most states have a limit of 10% reflectivity.

.................................................. ......
re- comercial vehicles
"Commercial vehicle tinting laws differ in most States and Territories - so check with your local installer before you tint a commercial vehicle. Typically, any darkness film is allowed behind the driver in commercial vehicles. ‘Commercial vehicles’ do not mean 4WDs, but rather vehicles registered as a commercial type."

i know that nsw clearly states that commercial vehicles can have any darkness of tint behind driver. in qld the transport dept told me that its 35% for everywindow exept windscreen regardless of vehicle but if the ute has a canopy then you can use anything on the canopy windows because its not regarded as a fixed part of the car ?????? does`nt make sense but.

.................................................. .................................................. .............

as feathers mentioned above, the contrast with the colour of the paint work, the shape of the car, the colour of the interior, the size - shape and slope of the windows all have an influence on on the final appearance of the tint. the same kind of tint film off the same roll can look completly different on two different cars.
also the intenscity of the natural light ( bright sun, cloudy, etc) has a big effect.

the best way i know of finding the film that will give the darkest appearance is to get samples from all the different dealers and put them side by side on a piece of white paper. or to wet them and put them onto a window.
if your doing this you need to check the right side up as the sticky side will have a clear plastic cover layer on it that will change the appearance if its left on ,or facing the wrong way. if you just hold the sample against the glass ,the air gap will cause reflections and totaly change the look. thats why you need to wet it.

every tint shop will claim to have the darkest legal tint and the best quality. do your research.

Phyber · 04-09-2008, 12:04 AM

Hmmm, so the reflective silver is out then... damn.

Edit--
And thanks for the excellent breakdown!