"Standard" Window tinting on SUVs & Minivans

[Morris Minor]

Does anyone know the "standard" tint level that manufacturers put on the rear windows of SUVs? I'd like to get the driver and front passenger windows tinted on my Pilot, but do not want to depart too much from the factory tint level.

[S204STi]

Good question... the strictest state that allows tint at all is apparently Florida, which allows 15%.  I would find a good installer who can match it exactly, that would be easier that guessing I think.

[r0tor]

15% is way way dark... remember its rated by the % og light it leaves thru

[S204STi]

15% is way way dark... remember its rated by the % og light it leaves thru

Oooh.  My bad.

[Morris Minor]

Oooh.  My bad.

yeah, I should add that I want to stay legal.... while matching the factory tint  . The minimum here in Georgia is 35% transmission.

[SVT666]

I don't know about down there, but it's actually illegal up here to tint windows that are forward of the driver's shoulder.  It doesn't stop people much, but the police can nail you for it.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Lots of SUVs actually have mirror tint. 50% mirror is the one used the most.

[S204STi]

I don't know about down there, but it's actually illegal up here to tint windows that are forward of the driver's shoulder.  It doesn't stop people much, but the police can nail you for it.

It depends on the state.  In Colorado it's ok, but NH it isn't.  I don't know what other states prohibit it.

[Tave]

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

[SVT666]

http://www.tintdude.com/laws.html

I got all the windows on my Focus (except the driver and front passenger door windows) tinted with 5% tint.  I love it.

[Tave]

My tints were a dealer-option. Nearly every car sold in PHX is equiped with tinted windows. I wish they were a shade darker all around.

[bing_oh]

Don't forget, factory tint could be darker than legal...but still legal, since it's factory. Aftermarket of the same tint level might actually be illegal.

[dinkeldorf]

My better 1/2 has a Pilot.  It's not a tint, it's pigmented glass. If you want absolute consistency, never mind the legality, dunno how easy it would be. Good luck.

http://www.hondapilot.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=314942

[Morris Minor]

I think I'll just put a gray 35% in the front door windows.

[Morris Minor]

A metalized film would have looked very different from the factory tint per the guys at the shop. So I went with a non-metalized 35% film: 3M Nano-Carbon - it's supposed to have very good characteristics. The match is not perfect, but close enough.

[TBR]

That looks very good.

[Minpin]

Tint makes any car look clean, imo. I should post up mine sometime.

[The Pirate]

I'm going to get my windows tinted soon.  That looks really good, Morris!

[Morris Minor]

Update:
It's been a couple of days since the film was installed and Atlanta's summer heat is kicking in. Driving home in the rush hour yesterday was MUCH more comfortable than before. So I think this a worthwhile and fairly inexpensive improvement - particularly if you live in one of the sunbelt states.

[Minpin]

Just curious, how much did you pay for yours? I paid 80 dollars, and the shop has a lifetime warranty policy on bubbles and other such common issues with tint. If you develop any thing like that, they replace it for free. They did a good job though, and I only have some micro bubbles, but that happens with pretty much every tint job, and you can only see them if your face is against the glass.  

[Morris Minor]

Just curious, how much did you pay for yours? I paid 80 dollars, and the shop has a lifetime warranty policy on bubbles and other such common issues with tint. If you develop any thing like that, they replace it for free. They did a good job though, and I only have some micro bubbles, but that happens with pretty much every tint job, and you can only see them if your face is against the glass. 

Their rate for the driver & front passenger windows was $99, but I paid $150 for the fancy 3M film - so you got a really good deal & I paid way above the going rate - I did not even look like a rich white guy when they gave me the price - I had two days of beard growth and was in gym gear that reeked.

They charge $199 for a normal sedan - side & rear windows.

[Lebowski]

Damn, this reminds me to get my windows tinted (yeah, 3 years after getting the C6 I still haven't got the windows tinted, due mainly to laziness).

The summer heat has been bad the last couple weeks.

[S204STi]

Their rate for the driver & front passenger windows was $99, but I paid $150 for the fancy 3M film - so you got a really good deal & I paid way above the going rate - I did not even look like a rich white guy when they gave me the price - I had two days of beard growth and was in gym gear that reeked.

They charge $199 for a normal sedan - side & rear windows.

Sounds pretty normal.

FWIW I got 3M on my car when I bought it and it's still retaining its color after 2.5years in the western sun.  I'm hoping that bodes well for the future.

[Minpin]

Damn, this reminds me to get my windows tinted (yeah, 3 years after getting the C6 I still haven't got the windows tinted, due mainly to laziness).

The summer heat has been bad the last couple weeks.

Just be sure you find a good shop. Tint is one of those things that if done just slightly wrong, or slightly amateurish it is really noticeable and looks really really bad. 

[AutobahnSHO]

The Sienna has factory on all the backs, and we only realized it has aftermarket (lighter) on the fronts because there is a huge nasty wrinkle cutting right through where the passenger mirror is...