hey all,

i live in california and i believe there is some law against tinting too dark, and i was thinking of tinting all my windows to 5%, but i wanted to hear from other people who have tinted 5% all the way around, do you have much trouble with cops in cali? or does anyone care?

It's probably too dark, not sure what the % limits are in CA but in WA they're 20% for the rear windows and 35% in the fronts.

I haven't been pulled over for tinted windows yet (and I've owned 3 cars with illegally tinted windows) but I'm sure it'll happen. Just like I was pulled over for not having my front plate after not having it on for nearly 3 years.

Some cop at some point will care enough to bust you for it. It's just a matter of whether or not you can afford to pay the ticket or can deal with a possible increase in insurance because of it. I just don't give a fawk 'cause it looks hott! :buttrock

5% is most deff too dark for the front windows in CA. My friends there get busted for having 50% on their windows!

Now if you live in FL, you can paint the windows black and the cops are:redspot

5%? It'll be like you are in an Enterprise rental car commercial. You know the car wrapped in brown paper... Be expected to be told to exit the car at gunpoint by the guys in blue. Cops really hate not being able to see what is going on inside the car, especially at night.

I for one am going back to 20% all around because at 5% I can't see shit at night.

5% is most deff too dark for the front windows in CA. My friends there get busted for having 50% on their windows!

Now if you live in FL, you can paint the windows black and the cops are:redspot

this is interesting to me b/c at the end of the summer im moving to cali and i get pulled over just about everyday in new york for my tints i have 20% up front and 20% with 5% over top of that on the side windows...plus my windsheild is tinted 50%...i guess we'll see what happens when i go out there :buttrock

5%? It'll be like you are in an Enterprise rental car commercial. You know the car wrapped in brown paper... Be expected to be told to exit the car at gunpoint by the guys in blue. Cops really hate not being able to see what is going on inside the car, especially at night.

why do they need to see what you are doing?...seems like that word freedom our country is all about gets tossed out the window when it comes to matters like these i've been told that b/c you have dark tint that it is probable cause for doing something....its just another way to make money ....gun point its funny you say that b/c last week i had a cop tell me that they are afraid of cars with dark tint ...my thoughts are THEN DON'T PULL ME OVER

this is interesting to me b/c at the end of the summer im moving to cali and i get pulled over just about everyday in new york for my tints i have 20% up front and 20% with 5% over top of that on the side windows...plus my windsheild is tinted 50%...i guess we'll see what happens when i go out there :buttrock



why do they need to see what you are doing?...seems like that word freedom our country is all about gets tossed out the window when it comes to matters like these i've been told that b/c you have dark tint that it is probable cause for doing something....its just another way to make money ....gun point its funny you say that b/c last week i had a cop tell me that they are afraid of cars with dark tint ...my thoughts are THEN DON'T PULL ME OVER

Pulling over someone at 3 in he morning and not knowing if they have any weapon ready or a gun pointed at your head will make any cop want to see what is going on in the car before they approach it.

I have 5% all around because the first owner in Florida installed it and I didn't notice it in the pics I was e-mailed by the owner - one of the perils of not seeing an out of state car personally :rolleyes

PROS:

looks great, esp with contrast to Alpine White
keeps the car interior cooler
stealth baby!CONS:

Yes the cops, even though Seattle not too bad
Visibility reduced, esp at night approx 30% IMOI love the look, but in all truth it's not worth it, unless you can drive with your front windows down all the time. For safety reasons, there are enough things to watch out for while driving that are out of our control to deal with, so adding another factor that occludes vision and reaction time is really not worth it IMO...

I drive with the front windows down so I can see clearly and reduces my chances of getting pulled over because the cops can see me, I drive responsibly, and they can't see how dark my front window tint is. If it was up to me I would go legal tint and not worry about it...I want to change mine but looking at $350 or so to swap out...:rolleyes

I believe in privacy and rights as much as the next guy, but cops have a tough job and I believe they should have the right to be able to see drivers clearly, especially if the drivers are driving stupid, and even if you aren't driving stupid I don't blame them for having weapons drawn if they can't see what they are dealing with. For this reason alone 5% would not be my choice.

good luck!

5% is most deff too dark for the front windows in CA. My friends there get busted for having 50% on their windows!

Now if you live in FL, you can paint the windows black and the cops are:redspot

we are not allowed to tint the front windows at all. back can be as dark as you like. and yes cops do have a problem with it here in cali

Pulling over someone at 3 in he morning and not knowing if they have any weapon ready or a gun pointed at your head will make any cop want to see what is going on in the car before they approach it.

exactly. thats why they do not like tint on front windows. (your supposed to roll down all the windows and put the interior light on, also place your hands on the wheel as the officer approaches.) will be much more likely to get off on a warning

I don't know how dark mine is... but I think it's 5% because the guy I bought it from a guy who owns a limousine business... so I think that's the tint he put on it lol.

It looks good and it keeps my car really cool from the hot florida sun. But like mentioned, it reduces night visibility

http://photo.ringo.com/154/154489407O098252013.jpg

http://photo.ringo.com/154/154489454O513521673.jpg

that could get really annoying at night....

that could get really annoying at night....
It gets more annoying in the day when people can see you because your tint is not dark enough.

5% or ban

It gets more annoying in the day when people can see you because your tint is not dark enough.

5% or ban

Why are you so afraid of being seen? :dunno

I'd rather a cop take a look and see I'm not some shady looking hood rat or some shit than have him pull me over, all nervous and worked up.

i have 5% all around....and....honestly....there is WAY more of an issue with highway patrol than the standard police department. I have gotten pulled over from about 5 or six times...and only got a ticket twice.....the two times i got the ticket were from highway patrol. just watch for cops....eventually you will be trained to notice them right away....and roll down ure windows

bottom line....it looks good, but is a pain once in a while.

my friend has 15% on this front windows of his wrx, he ALWAYS drives with his windows down, no matter what time of day/weather, except in the rain. he never got a ticket....yet.....

imo, its useless to tint so much and have to drive with the windows down all the time. i usually drive with my window down, but on the freeway i like to keep them up..

thanks for the responses, i think im gunna go 20% on the driver and passenger and 10% on the back three windows. normally id say 5% or bust for all windows, but dealing with the cops is a pain in the ass. i might get pulled over with 20%, but probably not as likely as pitch black 5%s

did a quick photoshop of what the tints would look like. what do you guys think is the best? the 5% looks a little over exaggerated, but i made an all black layer with a 95% opacity, so i beleive thats what 5%'s would look like

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/hisdudeness300/tint4.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/hisdudeness300/tint3.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/hisdudeness300/tint2.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/hisdudeness300/tint1.jpg

Cannot run tint on the front windows, not even coupe. Just go with a light one.

5% front windshield is way too dark. I'd suggest going 50-60% on the windshield.

Cannot run tint on the front windows, not even coupe. Just go with a light one.

You can, it just has to be clear.

5% front windshield is way too dark. I'd suggest going 50-60% on the windshield.

wait, he's tinting the WINDSHIELD too??

no windshield tint, i guess the title is a bit misleading. im tinting everything except the windshield

Yo, I'm kinda interested in this question, too.... except I'm planning on running 35% all around. I don't even care about the looks; I just want to prevent my car from becoming an oven during the summer. I figure that 35% is the best balance between a tint that blocks out heat and visibility (and not pissing off the cops). Anyone run into problems with 35%? For those with tickets.... how much did they fine you guys?

i believe the legal limit in california is 35%, so u should be good

i believe the legal limit in california is 35%, so u should be good

Sorry, unfortunately your belief is incorrect.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html


Can I put after-market tinting on the windows of my vehicle?
The main requirements for legal window tinting in California are:


The windshield and front driver's side and passenger's side windows cannot receive any aftermarket tinting.
If the rear window of a vehicle is tinted, the vehicle must have outside rearview mirrors on both sides.
The law prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, with certain limited exceptions.
However, legislation signed into law effective January 1, 1999, exempts from the above prohibition specified clear, colorless, and transparent material that is installed, affixed, or applied to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays. If, as, or when this material becomes torn, bubbled or otherwise worn, it must be removed or replaced.

Exact Vehicle Code:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm


If you want to block heat, you should just use good tint. V-Kool is great for this, even their nearly clear ones. Huper Optik's 60% ceramic tint keeps your car far cooler than 5% smoked or even metallic tint.

dam thats dirty, i thought it was just the 35% thing. oh well, fuck the police, im tintin em anyway

I have 20% all around, I've been pulled over a couple times for it when I wasn't really paying attention, once in Mountain View and the other in Palo Alto; Palo Alto officer issued a fix-it ticket. Also had a euro plate on so I'm sure he didn't like that either, on top of the fact that he had tried to get me earlier that day and I flipped a U-turn and went the other direction.

Any aftermarket tint on the front windows is illegal in CA.

oh well, fuck the police, im tintin em anyway

Damn dawg, that's exactly how I feel. I just don't wanna get a fat ol' ticket.

I have 20% all around, I've been pulled over a couple times for it when I wasn't really paying attention, once in Mountain View and the other in Palo Alto; Palo Alto officer issued a fix-it ticket. Also had a euro plate on so I'm sure he didn't like that either, on top of the fact that he had tried to get me earlier that day and I flipped a U-turn and went the other direction.

Any aftermarket tint on the front windows is illegal in CA.

When you say "wasn't really paying attention", do you mean, not having them rolled down or something?

Thanks for the input.

my friend has g35 with double limo tint...

you cant see in even if u cup your hands and look through the glass. and when your inside and its bright outside it looks like night...so night time is just owned.

When you say "wasn't really paying attention", do you mean, not having them rolled down or something?

Thanks for the input.

Yeah, just not rolling them down when I see an officer posted somewhere, or coming towards me at an angle that would give them a good look at the window they can't see through. Both times, their vision angle and the ambient lighting made the tint look really, really dark; it must have been the equivalent of 5% or 10% from their direction and distance. Other times, officers will look right at my tint and just keep driving.

at this point, it isnt worth it to me. i had 5% all around. i was tired of always being on the lookout and all jumpy when i was just crusing. i hated rolling the windows down when it was f'ing cold because cops were around. i like driving with the windows up on the highway. a cop saw me first as i was rolling them down and pulled me over just for the tint. i got 3 tickets. i paid them off becuase i wanted the tint, but i moved from that stage and rather just drive and not have to worry about sniffing for the po po.

i have 5% all around... i must say it looks hot as hell while you're driving on freeways and when you're parked but when you back out of your garage and parking spaces at night, most of the times you have to roll the windows down just so you can see your side view mirrors. also on rainy overcasted days, its pretty damn hard to drive with the windows up because you can bearly see your side view mirrors and if cars are coming up to you at night with no headlights, you cant see them.

Yeah, just not rolling them down when I see an officer posted somewhere, or coming towards me at an angle that would give them a good look at the window they can't see through. Both times, their vision angle and the ambient lighting made the tint look really, really dark; it must have been the equivalent of 5% or 10% from their direction and distance. Other times, officers will look right at my tint and just keep driving.

Do you have any pics of your tint?

at this point, it isnt worth it to me. i had 5% all around. i was tired of always being on the lookout and all jumpy when i was just crusing. i hated rolling the windows down when it was f'ing cold because cops were around. i like driving with the windows up on the highway. a cop saw me first as i was rolling them down and pulled me over just for the tint. i got 3 tickets. i paid them off becuase i wanted the tint, but i moved from that stage and rather just drive and not have to worry about sniffing for the po po.

Then again, isn't 5% pretty damn dark?