Window Tint Opinions

[Maverick73]

Hey,

I'm probably going to get my windows tinted pretty soon, on my 99 XLT. It has the factory tinted glass on the rear windows. Here in FL the tint laws are 28% or higher on the front windows and 15% or higher on the rear windows. Since the tint shop will only lifetime warranty legal tint, I'm going legal. So, question is what looks the best of the following choices and why?

28% All Around.

28% Front, 20% Rear.

28% Front, 15% Rear.

28% On The 4 Doors, 15% on the 3 Cargo Area Windows.

Other?

Thanks

 

[Maverick73]

Do I need to post this in a different forum to get more attention to it?

 

[trj360]

I'd say 20% all around and 28% for the front, if that's as dark as you're willing to go.

The picture in my signature shows the factory (I believe) 20% in the rear with aftermarket 20% up front.

 

[ExplorerBus I]

Just go with 28% with a metallic tint on the front doors and it should all match up pretty well...

 

[Cobraguy]

Here in AZ, they don't care about the rear and want 35% in the front. But they don't really enforce it. I put 20% all the way around on mine...and that makes the rear almost limo tint. My point is, you need to be careful with the rear to stay in that 15% area if you want to stay legal. Does your shop have a way of checking for you?

 

[spitfiresk822]

I don't know about your explorers, but on mine the factory in the rear is 15%, and because it's factory, you cannot have it stripped because it's inside of the glass, so If I were you, leave that alone and worry about the front windows if it needs to be legal. I had my two fronts tinted 15% and it matched up perfectly, can't even tell what's factory and what's not

 

[ExplorerBus I]

I don't know about your explorers, but on mine the factory in the rear is 15%, and because it's factory, you cannot have it stripped because it's inside of the glass, so If I were you, leave that alone and worry about the front windows if it needs to be legal. I had my two fronts tinted 15% and it matched up perfectly, can't even tell what's factory and what's not

Same thing I said, in more words.

 

[Maverick73]

Thanks for all the replies thus far. I stopped at the shop the other day, I have a time setup Monday to do the front two windows. I decided just to do the fronts to see what they look like, the person at the tint shop looked at the rear windows and thinks that they are 15%. I didn't realize they are that dark, doesn't seem like it from the inside you can see out real easy and clear. I guess I"ll be going with the darkest FL law allows on the front windows which is 28%, hopefully that will look good with the factory 15% or whatever is in the rear windows. They will do darker than legal but it's a extra $20 and they will not warranty the tint. I'm having them use their top of the line tint on the front windows which is 3M FX-HP using that film it runs $80 for the front 2 windows, they went down to $70 because the other place I called was somewhat cheaper. Whole truck would run me $200.

 

[Afboy143]

Im in tampa, Florida. I have 15% all around and Ive yet to have any legal problems. As long as the cop can see in the two front windows, you should be good to go. Florida auto laws are pretty lax. You're in Lakeland- you should know what I mean with all the big trucks and loud exhausts. Look at the mods Im running below and youll see what I mean. The rears I believe are 15% stock so a layer of 15% over that makes it pretty dark. Any good shop will warrenty a "not so legal" tint job as a off-road use only type deal. Also- 200$ is way too expensive. My truck for 15% all around was $130. Find a new shop. If you're ever in tampa, the one I went to was by Baywash Car Wash on Sheldon road. They also did my dad's quad cab hemi ram 15% all around for $150.

 

[Maverick73]

Im in tampa, Florida. I have 15% all around and Ive yet to have any legal problems. As long as the cop can see in the two front windows, you should be good to go. Florida auto laws are pretty lax. You're in Lakeland- you should know what I mean with all the big trucks and loud exhausts. Look at the mods Im running below and youll see what I mean. The rears I believe are 15% stock so a layer of 15% over that makes it pretty dark. Any good shop will warrenty a "not so legal" tint job as a off-road use only type deal. Also- 200$ is way too expensive. My truck for 15% all around was $130. Find a new shop. If you're ever in tampa, the one I went to was by Baywash Car Wash on Sheldon road. They also did my dad's quad cab hemi ram 15% all around for $150.

Hey,

Thanks for all the information. I already had it done Monday 30% on the fronts + the factory tinted glass makes it 28% on the front which is the darkest that's legal in FL, backs are still the factory 15%. I had them use 3M which is their top of the line film. Normally for 2 front windows it runs $90 but I called another shop which was somewhat cheaper, so I informed them of this and they did it for $70. I mainly didn't get darker tint because they would not warranty it, and because I thought at night it would be to hard to see + the possibility of being pulled over.