Lighter tinting on front windows - What's the deal??

[Caprice270]

Hi guys,

Been noticing a lot of cars with light tinted windows up front and heavy tinting at the rear windows. It looks ridiculous to me and I was wondering why its becoming more and more common to see press photos and cars on the road with this goofy look?

Anyone know?

[GODSMACK]

Each to their own, some like it, some dont...

[VX2VESS]

In NSW at least can only have some light grade on the fronts legally, can have darker on the back

[HEKYEH]

My tint is slightly lighter on the front than on the rear. I figured I look out my side windows more often than out the rear. And yes, I still do head checks of course. More interested in seeing peripherally when entering an intersection.

And each to their own. I think mine looks pretty good.

[whitels1ss]

In NSW at least can only have some light grade on the fronts legally, can have darker on the back

Same here in South Australia.
You can have virtually anything on the rear! :)

[Toddler78]

manly to do with the ADRs of the state, until last year you could only have 30% tint on the front side windows and 70% on the rear window and rear side windows this changes jan 2010 in SA where you are allowed to have 70% all round, vic being the poliza state maybe they havent introduced that law yet as its another way of makeing money through defects

[seedyrom]

JDM for lyf y0!!


Some Japanese cars actually have colour rear glass, not just tinted rears.
You then need to get 35% applied to the front windows just to get close to a match

[V28VX37]

Been noticing a lot of cars with light tinted windows up front and heavy tinting at the rear windows. It looks ridiculous to me and I was wondering why its becoming more and more common to see press photos and cars on the road with this goofy look?

Well I know that a lot of Japanese imports are factory optioned with dark privacy glass rear windows (i.e. not tint/film). Some owners just leave it as is.

I got my daily's front side glass done in 'darkest legal' tint and it's close but still not quite as dark as the privacy glass in the rear.

(Looks like seedyrom just beat me to it...)

[73.RSR]

My wife's car is like this and I hate it - came with factory security glass on rear windows (not an option), I then took it to have the front windows matched at a tinting shop and they couldn't go that dark legally.
Very annoying and I agree - looks stupid.

[lowhsv]

my daily hilux has 15% on the front drivers/passenger and 5%around the rear doors and rear windows.
i like it dark ill be getting 5%allway round on my bagged ute with a 65%on the windscreen
cant beat being a suss fcker

i think legal tint in vic is 25% on the front doors and watever on the rest, and can get a 25% strip on you windscreen usually from top to rearvision mirror.

[daskip]

My wife's car is like this and I hate it - came with factory security glass on rear windows (not an option), I then took it to have the front windows matched at a tinting shop and they couldn't go that dark legally.
Very annoying and I agree - looks stupid.

be best to call the transport authority on that one and see what the GO is considering your car came from factory with darker you MAY be allowed to go that dark

mates hilux was registered pre 1992 changes and as long as his rego doesnt lapse he can put as dark tint as he likes supposedly

[1BEAST2NV]

The new landcruisers have this stuff called safety glass aswell, front doors u can see through, all rear sores and behind are dark as...

I would say it is pretty close to 5/10 % tint if u were to go buy it from a shop

But it factory from new!!

[Dan_]

Its privacy glass. Its getting very common on the euro cars now as well. Its not tinted, its built into the glass. To go that dark on the front would mean its almost impossible to see out of, and illegal.

[HEKYEH]

my daily hilux has 15% on the front drivers/passenger and 5%around the rear doors and rear windows.
i like it dark ill be getting 5%allway round on my bagged ute with a 65%on the windscreen
cant beat being a suss fcker

i think legal tint in vic is 25% on the front doors and watever on the rest, and can get a 25% strip on you windscreen usually from top to rearvision mirror.

I believe that in VIC, 35% is the darkest you can legally go. This is for all side and rear windows. This is what Scott from Teppa's Tinting told me recently.

Also, I believe it is ILLEGAL to tint your front windscreen at all. Kind of important to be able to see out of it...especially at night.

[Caprice270]

Well, I guess if this is a result of factory fitted privacy windows, the look will get more common and I may come to get used to it. But for the last couple of years I have found it annoying as heck because it introduces so much dysfunction to the styling.

Another reason to buy a coupe!

[spinr33]

Im pretty sure in Vic its 35% front windows max and 25% max for rear and side windows my sister just got her car tinted thats what he said was darkest you could legally go.
Thats probably why you see cars getting around with lighter front windows then the rest.

[Caprice270]

These laws mandating different levels of tint for front and back present a bit of a pitfall because when you ask for darkest legal tint it means you will get different levels of tint front and back.

I guess I will ask darkest legal tint for front windows and matching level of tint for rear windows to get around the problem.

Things are a bit more complicated if you are dealing with privacy glass at the rear. Then its a bit of a guessing game.

[planetdavo]

This might seem a bit too wierd for some to understand, but a well respected tinter once told me that with many modern cars and their laid back windscreens, half the time what "looks" like lighter front tint is actually just vast amounts of light coming through the windscreen behind these front side windows making them look lighter, whereas the rear looks darker because they have that big tinted rear window blocking out lots of light in the rear of the car.
Certainly not saying always, but in some cases this is how it is.

[whitels1ss]

This might seem a bit too wierd for some to understand, but a well respected tinter once told me that with many modern cars and their laid back windscreens, half the time what "looks" like lighter front tint is actually just vast amounts of light coming through the windscreen behind these front side windows making them look lighter, whereas the rear looks darker because they have that big tinted rear window blocking out lots of light in the rear of the car.
Certainly not saying always, but in some cases this is how it is.
Yeah that is also a valid point. :goodjob:

[muzza]

This might seem a bit too wierd for some to understand, but a well respected tinter once told me that with many modern cars and their laid back windscreens, half the time what "looks" like lighter front tint is actually just vast amounts of light coming through the windscreen behind these front side windows making them look lighter, whereas the rear looks darker because they have that big tinted rear window blocking out lots of light in the rear of the car.
Certainly not saying always, but in some cases this is how it is.

Agreed - I think that is a factor.

Max tint in Vic is 35% VLT (visible light transmission).

I had the same prob with the Forester. Factory privacy glass on all rear windows, tint is effectively 10-15% VLT which is exception to the rule if it comes from factory overseas, you cant match the darkness but a good tinter will select a film for the fronts with the same colour - that goes a long way to harmonising the look F--> R.

[mickeyVX350]

Actually it's to do with factory and aftermarket tinting. Factory tinting can be at darker (sometimes what we deem "illegal" shades behind the driver, but still can only have a certain level in the front area. To add a red herring, it differs between states...

For some light reading, check out this Facebook group by AusTint

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=132351146803796

This is a lobby to unify Australian tint laws and ADR...

[Thunderbird-1]

In Vic the law is 35% on the front doors, that is tested on the glass and depending on what kind of glass you have you could technically have an illegal tint with vlt coming in anywhere from 23-33%. I haven't heard of anyone as of yet for having too dark rear windows, as far as the privacy glass goes, in about 90% of cars you can use a 18-20% charcoal film and it's almost spot on..

IMO it looks good on some cars eg: ML63

[Evman]

Go to the Middle East and you'll see cars with mirror tint all round...

...Including the windscreen :lol:

[StoneX]

I believe that in VIC, 35% is the darkest you can legally go. This is for all side and rear windows. This is what Scott from Teppa's Tinting told me recently.

Also, I believe it is ILLEGAL to tint your front windscreen at all. Kind of important to be able to see out of it...especially at night.
This is correct.

http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/A4CCADAA-27D3-4EB6-8AE2-17F69F9DAE78/0/VSI2web.pdf

[edit] Only read the first page before posting.
It seems that cars that come with "privacy glass" from factory are exempt to the rules.

[Caprice270]

This might seem a bit too wierd for some to understand, but a well respected tinter once told me that with many modern cars and their laid back windscreens, half the time what "looks" like lighter front tint is actually just vast amounts of light coming through the windscreen behind these front side windows making them look lighter, whereas the rear looks darker because they have that big tinted rear window blocking out lots of light in the rear of the car.
Certainly not saying always, but in some cases this is how it is.

I think this was the case with my WM Caprice.

In press photos for new cars coming from the US, its clear that pre-tinted privacy glass is to blame.

[clubbie]

Yep have to agree more light through the windscreen does make the fronts on an aftermarket tint look lighter.

However as also mentioned my wifes car has very dark "privacy" glass. It is not added on tint. The actual glass is tinted green in the rear doors and window. The fronts are almost clear.

Wish the manufacturers would not do this (you don't get a choice) as it is a PITA to find a front tint to match the rear.

[Thunderbird-1]

The privacy glass also does sweet F A to cut out heat compared to a film also, unless your getting a few very expensive cars which have very expensive added extra glass with a film laminated inside, how's $5k sound for tinted glass in ya slk?!

[chrispie123]

i had my ss tinted 5% on all windows rear and 18% on the front 2 even though its still illegal would have gone 5% all round but with partner driving it she had trouble seeing out of the last car with 5% all round

[HoldenOnn]

For any of those in WA who are interested in the regulations regarding vehicle tinting or infact for a complete listing of vehicle standards/regulations, then click the link below;

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_reg/rtsr2002308/

[micah-jon]

Pretty sure the limit in SA is 35 rear and rather light on front side windows.

Just wondering how many of you had ever had problems with the police regarding dark tint... I had 20% all round once (l10+ years ago) and was defected :(
I just purchased a new ride and am toying with the idea of putting 20% on again.
Considering the amount of fixed speed/red light cameras in opperation the number of patrol cars on the road is much lower these days.

Has anyone here ever been defected or told to remove their tint?

[Nutter]

www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/vsb_ncop.aspx

Read Ncop16 Page 21 or there abouts.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2

[jai]

I just paid about 900+onroads to get privacy glass on my evoque, and I believe the fronts are just normal glass.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AllWheelSlide]

Has anyone here ever been defected or told to remove their tint?

So far no issues - since 2003. Touch wood I still won't have an issues. Been doing all windows bar windscreen (duh) as dark as possible.
I think it is necessary for summer. And a factor of how subtle car is.

[Seshoo]

anyone got a pic of the lighter tint up front? haven't seen it around Sydney

[LS Kernal]

5% all around, **** the law.

[CLUBRED]

I just knocked off the neighbours plasma, **** the law.

[Nutter]

You know I'm no angel in the modified car world but even I think cutting 95% of the light from your windows might not be the brightest idea, unlike other mods that may or may not negatively affect the cars safety in a big way not being able to see other cars, bikes, people and so on definitely does. I've driven cars with excessively dark windows and mirror tint and I just don't know how the owners do it.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2