Inside and Out - window tint

hey i want to tint a 2dr civic, but want to make sure to keep it within the limits of the law, does anyone know that and what would be safe so i dont get picked on by the cops?

Well it depends on where you live as far as the legal limit, as well as what the cops will tolerate. In most states 35% is the legal limit, and thats not really that dark. But in Memphis, where my family lives, I see people rolling around with 5% all around and the cops won't bother you unless you tick them off.

I think 35% is plenty enough

35% isn't like anything. The only thing it really helps with is UV rays entering the car, other then that it is easy enough to see through even at night. To me its hard to tell its even tinted.

First this is first. Where do you live?

35%- depends onthe angle that you look at... sometimes on my car its hard to tell if i have it tinted, but from certain angles you deffinitely can tell. Unfortunately for me I have problems seeing at night and sometimes i have to roll my windows down to see better.. but thats just me. i wish i could go darker though.. justa little bit.

im thinking going 20% would that give it a darker feel and make the car look better?

yes i have 20 percent tint in NY (look at my album) and it looks great, i went to a trusted tinting place in my area, and these people use high quality $80 tint film, and they include a lifetime warranty against bubbles, cracking, discoloration. so its great.

although in NY, 75% is the legal limit! that means your tint can only be 25% dark! rediculous.

limo all the way aorund haha

ORIGINAL: ltkenbo

35% isn't like anything. The only thing it really helps with is UV rays entering the car, other then that it is easy enough to see through even at night. To me its hard to tell its even tinted.

Mine says its 35%, its pretty hard to see in. im thinking the color has to do with it tho cuz mine reflects alot, sorta metallic. on my friends mazdaspeed, its 35% too but its easy to see through cuz it doesnt reflect much, its just black.

35% is pretty much pointless, i dont know why people bother paying a lot of money when its the same price for any % cept limo

20% is ok if your afraid of being pulled over, but its super ez to see thru during the day. At night its easy to see through if u stare at it, but first glance u might not notice. If ur next to another car they can def see you

i have 15 all around and i love it, during the day its possible to see thru because the light comming from the windshield. but it is pretty much impossible to see thru at night, it looks like limo at night. I cant see when i turn but im super safe and i know my area so well that i dont even worry about hitting pedestrians, and backing up is hard for me at night cuz i cant tell how close i am to a car behind me.

i wud say 20 to be safe, 15 for sexyness and limo if u dont want to be seen at all

ORIGINAL: pairenoid

I cant see when i turn but im super safe and i know my area so well that i dont even worry about hitting pedestrians, and backing up is hard for me at night cuz i cant tell how close i am to a car behind me.



Does this sound like complete insanity to anybody else except me??? Form > Function FTW!

Be smart. Your car has windows for a reason. You need to see out of them. Just because you're "super safe" doesn't mean that somebody isn't going to dart out behind your car when you're not expecting it. Just because YOU are safe doesn't mean that everybody else is.

If you're going to tint your windows so dark that you can't even see out of them, you might as well just take off your rear view and side mirrors too.

When I bought my car it had a 35% tint on it but unfortunately I bought it in Texas and the legal limit in Louisiana is a ridiculous 41% so when i went to go get a new inspection sticker they made me peel it off. Note to all: do not use the rough side of a sponge when removing tint glue >_<

On my EG, I tinted the rear sides to 5% limo black... it's damn near impossible to see out of them at night (easy during the day though). I have yet to get hassled by the cops for it (then again, my fronts aren't tinted at all yet). I plan on tinting the sides (front and back) of my next car to 5% as well. I refuse to tint the rear window simply because I like to be able to see out of it. You can always roll down your front windows at night; you don't exactly have that option with the rear window.

I have 20% on my 2000 civic coupe. And like others say its hard to see at night but it really changes the look of your car. Im from WI, and i havent had any troubles. but i do strojngly suggest getting it professionally don (unless you know how to do it) that way you get warrenty.

i have 20 % in the front and 5 % in the back and yea its illegal here in cali but i just roll down my front windows a little bit and im good [so i think]

When I bought my car the tinting on the drivers side was kinda messed up. The window came off track (from rain I suppose) and when I repaired it I messed up the tint even more.

I have re-aligned the window and completely removed the tint. I pretty much like to all DIY things. Where do you guys recommend I get some tinting? Are there any things I should keep an eye out for? I want to make sure I get tint that doesnt bubble easily.

ORIGINAL: PirateX

ORIGINAL: pairenoid

I cant see when i turn but im super safe and i know my area so well that i dont even worry about hitting pedestrians, and backing up is hard for me at night cuz i cant tell how close i am to a car behind me.



Does this sound like complete insanity to anybody else except me??? Form > Function FTW!

I'm completely with you. If the tint affects the safety AT ALL, it should not be on there. It seems to be all about "the look" with a lot of people - cut springs, 5% tint, cheap HID imitations, etc. Unless you're making drug deals or doing drivebys, you don't need the super-dark tint.

go to the gila website(google it) they have a guide for all 50 states as to whats legal and whats not. i had an accord with factory tint, 1-2% and put on 35% and had a hard time getting it inspected, so be careful.

got a 2008 honda civic si anyone know what the stock tint is

I also wanted as black as i could get for the look, and didnt really think i would get such limited vision out of it, especially at night, the tinter said he would do the back and sides as limo, but the front sides he would do a step up from limo, he told me it would look darker because of how dark it would be inside the car from the other windows, he also said a sun strip would help but i hate them, and would not have one on. He was totally right and i had no idea how impaired my vision would be i totally love the look of the car, the tinter guy was right not to go any darker. If you guys have ever driven a van the kind with no rear view or rear windows at all, that is what it is like driving at night, unless theres some headlights behind you, you can see them ;)
Hope you enjoy what ever you end up doing :D

hey i was just emphasizing that HE might have trouble seeing. I am not gona lie and say i can see perfectly fine with 15% tints

i love my tints and i ment i feel safe as in i wont crash or hit any one unless its their fault. I drive like 50 miles a day to school plus i had a delivery driving job, im pretty confident with my abilities. At night with any tints itll be harder to back up, i dont mean back out of my drive way

i mean when i parallel park im more hesitant because i cant tell how close i am, during night time only that is. Through my driver mirror i can see but its just hindered, all i have to do is go slower or look harder and squint my eyes, but seriously if other people get nervous then they will drive with a nervous mind set and probably get whats coming to them. Around here every other car has either limo tints or close, this area is also very safe with almost no accidents. Except for drunk drivers.

The fact is your car window does not block UV rays depending on how much % you tint your window, The actual glass itself block 99% of the UV ray regardless of how much tint you put on it. But In Philly 30% is legal limit, any lower they ticket you, but that is if you meet asshole cops. Philly cops = cool cops :)

Eventually I'll be tinting my windows. Here in OH you can have 50% for the front windows. My boyfriend has a '06 Mazda6 with 50% on the front and 5% on the back, which is what I pretty much plan on doing with my car.

I just tinted my 05 ex over the holidays. In Michigan you cannot tint the two side windows at all legally and can only tint the front window with a 4" strip at the top but almost all shops will tint the main side windows 35% and say that the cops don't bother you unless you piss them off or they are having a bad day. So I tinted mine 5%(limo) on the back and two small side rear windows, 35% on the two main side windows, and then a 4" strip across the front window in 5%. The shop did print right on the receipt that the car was tinted illegally due to the 2 side windows being 35% to avoid any legal issues on their part.

I was not sure how I would like the strip in the front because I have never liked it on cars I have seen it on before. However my 05 has very dark almost black interior and with the other windows tinted you cannot even tell the strip is there unless you walk right up on the car or catch from the right angle. If I can get a day when it stops snowing and I have time to wash it I will put up some pics with the new tint. Its the first car I have ever tinted and Ilove it. No more blinding from bright lights behind me, no more sun blinding me in between where my visors don't cover in the front etc.