hoonunya

I'm thinking of tint primarily to help with heat reduction for my 05 black/saddle Custom Luxury.
I don't want to go real dark but the legal limit in South Carolina is 27%. Please consider that I am a 58 year old grandfather, so many of you need to visualize what you can see your dad in.
I wouldn't want to go much over $500 so if you have specific ceramics or such, let me know.
Here is the starting point.

AlexusAnja

I'm sure different manufacturers make different "shades" but typically they come in 5%, 20%, 33%, 50%. Anything lighter than 50% is like might as well do nothing. Hey, age has nothing to do with what shade you should get, I thought the older you get the more darkness you need... like those wraparound glasses in 1% tinting... I'm just kidding.

I have 20% on back and sides and then 50% on front sides and honestly in a dark interior, they don't look that much different. At night, I can still see out back easily, but then again, I'm only 38. I don't know how good or bad your night vision is. This is why I voted 35% (33%) for you.

Somewhere, someone wrote that tint doesn't help to reduce the heat in the car. It doesn't if you park from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm in 100 degree weather, but if you park for only say three hours, then having tint is much better than not.

bonafyd

iTrader: (6)

35% and call it a day

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

35% front and 15 or 5 % in the back...two tone tints FTW!

jman-LS430

I have 20% on the rear window, and 35% on the sides...classy look in my opinion. The sunshades add additional protection as well.

Igoboe

Hey guys,

Where can I get those "shades" ?
Can you recommend any good brend?
Thank you,

IL

So Philly1

Cosign on the 20.

I've got 20 all around and its plenty light enough to see, but just enough to block out sun and stalkers. 20% you can still see inside but only the silouette of the person. At night its still plenty light but from the outside you cant see in

danxp

i say go with the 20!

i would love to get tint in my black 05 as well... only problem is... i'm in nj and you cannot have ANY tint on the front windows... will i just be wasting my money here if i get it?

anyone here in nj and experienced hard-a$$ cops who ticket you for tint? can you share your experience as a new jerseyan?

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Get something in the 35-40% and I'm betting you'll like both the look and the way it's so much more pleasant on your eyes when driving in the sunlight. Attached is a photo of mine with Llumar ATR 35 CH SR HPR (38% visible light transmission, 44% total solar energy rejection) taken late in the day. It's not terribly evident in this photo, but it isn't overly dark even in this low light condition.
EDIT: correcting the mistake when I originally wrote "38% visible light rejection" -- meant to write "transmission."

06~ULTRA

iTrader: (2)

i think 35% rear / 50% side windows is best. you get the protection & vision you need.

Li Ls4

iTrader: (12)

15% all around, if the interior is light like mine the 15% will look more like 20-25%

hoonunya

Shades are factory. UL and CL has a motorized one on the back glass. UL also has manual shades on the rear side windows.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

'04+ ML has the rear shade too -- not sure about '04+ base model or '01-'03 versions.

hoonunya

I've used http://www.lexus.com/contact/model_s...ricing_ls.html for my info source but it doesn't have rear window sunshade as an item in any packages.

Shades are factory; UL has rear side window manual shades and UL and some others have power rear window sunshade.


Thanks for your suggestions on the tint. your car looks great. I like the wheels.

AlexusAnja

It's a "money money money" proposition when having tints all around on a car in NJ. Like you said, not legal on windshield or front sides, but on the rear sides and back glass, there is no limit as to how dark you want to go. The money part is, don't get pulled over, or if the cop wants to be a PITA, he can ticket you for the tint in front also. If you only have back, that is fine, it's legal.

The only way around to pass inspection is hope for a lenient inspector, which I have not found yet, at the NJ inspection station who will pass you, or go to a private inspector who would pass a donkey with one leg and dragging a wheel barrel as a "passed automobile." Or, for the NJ inspection, remove your front tint before inspection, then get it retinted after passing. Either way, it's running about $50/2 years out of pocket to have a nice tint look.