g37x2011

I have a 2011 g37x sedan Black. I need to get a tint on it. I was thinking 20% all around, no windshield tint. When I took it to the tint shop the owner told me dark tint won't look good on a black car including black interior. He told me to go lighter on the tint such as 30%. Any thoughts on what percent tint I should get?

Thanks!

rks

iTrader: (6)

What are your state limits and how does your law enforcement respond to tint percentage? Do you care?
Most times the state limit is very low (only negligible amount of tint allowed) and your installer is right, a dark interior will make the tint look darker. In Ohio I think we have limits on the the two front windows only. I have a black interior as well and went with 35% (not sure anymore) on all four windows and 20% on the rear and it's fine for me. I've had dark tint for decades and have never been pulled over for it or mentioned when I did get pulled over.

g37x2011

My state limit is 35% but they are only strict with front windshield tint. Otherwise 5% tint is also fine. I'm just wondering what would look better, darker or a bit lighter on a black car?

rks

iTrader: (6)

that's a personal choice. I kept it light because I thought it looked more classy but I also have a graphite shadow.

sniper27

iTrader: (2)

I have 30% with black interior. Like RKS said, it's personal taste. To me, super dark is too gangster for me. 30% is classy. Some people will want limo and think it looks good. So it's up to you.

MACS

iTrader: (3)

Mine is as dark as possible on the back windows and one shade lighter on the front two.

Which is illegal in CA, because we're not supposed to have our front windows tinted. However, usually they will not pull you over just to write you a ticket for your tint. But they will tack it on if they pull you over for something else.

blazeplacid

iTrader: (1)

totally a personal choice

I have 5% on my back glass. Everyone in Texas has a truck and I hate getting blinded by the head lights.

The mix of an auto dimming mirror and 5% tint really helps with headlight glare

My front windows are 20%

g37x2011

Thanks Guys. My tint right now is 35% I guess I will drive around with it for now and if I don't like it I'll make it 20%

'11G37S

iTrader: (4)

When I went to get my windows tinted (20% rear & 35% front with a 20% strip on the windshield) the lady was telling me that the lighter the interior the lighter the tint will look. She also said that 35% on a car with black interior is about the same as a car with 20% with a lighter interior.

STownSaint

OP it's all up to your preference, the "look" you want for your car, your willingness to ignore local laws (I never considered them and have never been ticketed...NY, NJ now VA/DC)

BUT if it were me and my car, I'd go 30% on a blk/blk G.

(FWIW I went the 20% on a blk/stone G, photo below)

gsm026

The other consideration, at least for my eyes, is being able to see well at night. I find 20% or less on the driver and passenger windows too dark for good night visibility. So I went with 30% all the way around on my 6MT and I think it is a good compromise.

Chekov

Once again in this endless tint threads the overriding question is whether the driver will get pulled over or not. No one seems to care that illegal tint on most windows could kill you, your passengers, those in another vehicle or a hapless pedestrian some night, making the inconsequential pulled over issue a trivial point in terms of auto safety. Personal choice indeed.

alfredo24pr

iTrader: (1)

I have 43% on my black interior white G. Dark enough for me since the interiors are black and my previous car had 20%.

Just keep it legal imo. No need to hide yourself from everyone.

mathnerd88

iTrader: (1)

Well, then if it really is a safety issue, how come every state has different laws about how dark these tints can go? There's a difference between having a seatbelt (required by federal law) and tints (regulated by state.) If it was truly a safety issue, then DOT would have banned all tints, including those SUV's and vans with privacy glass (which do go down to 20% tint.)

In MA, you can tint all the windows except windshield up to 35%, which means the tint has to be 45% or more because our windows have a natural tint to them. Every state trooper has a tint meter they put to your window to measure and give you a $250 ticket if you have illegal tints.

In NJ, you can't tint the front driver and passenger side windows, but you can tint the rear windows any shade you want.

Do you want to know the real reason why there are "illegal tints?" It isn't auto safety to protect the driver. It is safety to protect the police when they come up to a car window with really dark tints that they can't see anything inside the vehicle. I find that the tints actually are better at night because people always have their high beams on and the glare is annoying on your rear view mirror. Tints also protect passengers from glass shattering to their faces in an accident and prevents break-ins.

socketz67

I agree with this law personally. In addition to the visibility problems dark tint causes at night and with law enforcement, I hate it when you are in some sort of 4 way stop or busy parking lot scenario and cannot see into the driver's side window to make eye contact. On the highway, it's also nice to be able to observe the drivers around you and determine if they are planning on making some sort of last minute maneuver; this is especially true for the folks that like to cut across 2 lanes to hop on the exit they are about to miss. Visibility is simple a key safety element when driving an automobile.

Here in CA, it seems that folks normally go with about 35% all around if you have a light colored interior. If the interior is black, you can normally put 30% on the rears and 35% on the fronts and the interior color will help blend the two so you do not see the variation. A couple of tint guys recently explained this to me and it seems to make sense.

They said that they recommend 35% to at least half the people they work with, and even though it's technically illegal, the cops will not really mess with you if they can see your face clearly through the front window.

Since we live essentially in the desert here in the southwest, tint seems to be one of those necessities that's permitted within reason.