[MarkW19]

Just to verify guys,

I'm thinking of getting some tints for my Cooper. It's IB/B, so I think it'll look cool (or too drug-dealerish?? ).

I'm planning on getting 30% tints all round, which is fully legal on the front windows in the UK isn't it?

Just wondering:-

1. Anyone with tints - did your insurance go up because of the tints (mine has because of the air intake/exhaust, but haven't asked about tints yet)?

2. Is 30% enough to just about make the black outline on the rear windows blend in with the actual window? If you get what I mean! That thick black "frame" that's on all MINIs rear windows. And, I take it 30% is more than enough to be able to tell it's tinted, but you can also be seen quite clearly from outside the car too, and it doesn't affect vision from when you're inside much either? Is 30% a good level?

3. Anyone had any issues with the auto-dimming rear-view-mirror and tints on the back window?

[EBMCS03]

hehe i have 22% cant really comment about 30%. but i can tell u.. 22 is dark... i think 25% would have been perfect. but then sometimes during sunny days i look at her and go ahhhhh NICE!!!

[NEMINI]

35% fronts 15% rears on mine pics in my gallery

[mimicar]

We had a mobile installer do our tint here in our home garage. He applied what he said was Lumar #30. It looked okay while he was installing it but after he left and we drove the car outside we ended up hating it. Within 10 minutes I was out there scrapping it off, a long and tedious process. I didn't like that the rear windows were no longer defined. The black top on our car combined to make it look like the top and windows were all one piece. Plus I could hardly see my wife when she was sitting in the car. It was way too dark for our tastes.

We ended up going with 3M #50 all the way around. We caught a lot of flack from just about every window tinter we talked to about going with the #50. They all said it would be too light and not worth doing. The fact is it came out perfect for our tastes. It still looks fairly dark but the rear windows are still visable. On a bright day the driver is still visable which the police will appreciate and the car still has decent UV light reduction. Even the installer who had criticized our choice initially thought it came out well enough to photograph it for his customer book.

I think it comes down to personal taste. Look at a lot of other cars and when you find one that you like ask the owner who did the tint and what shade they used. Believe me, it's hard to remove once it sets up. My last recommendation is to find a 3M installer if possable. From what I've seen 3M is far and away the superior tint material.

[MarkW19]

mimicar: what percentages are Lumar #30 and 3M #50?

[mimicar]

The Lumar was 30% and the 3M is 50%. I read that 3M 50 still has a 99% UV reduction despite its being lighter. Protecting the interior against the harsh Florida sunshine was our main goal in getting the tint but it came out looking great in the process.

[MarkW19]

mimicar: I assume by 30% you mean letting only 30% of light in. That is DARK!!

I mean 30% to mean a 30% tint, ie. letting 70% of light in, which is the legal limit for the front windows in the UK

[NEMINI]

apparently UK and US measure tint % exactly the opposite if thats true Mark but what else is new lol. The US percentages do represent the amount of light let in (NY its 85% legal limit) tho I have 35% front and 15% rear

EDIT: just to clarify in NY its 85% on the front windows (drivers and passengers) and no limits on rear seat or rear window

[mimicar]

Quote: Originally Posted by MarkW19

mimicar: I assume by 30% you mean letting only 30% of light in. That is DARK!!

I mean 30% to mean a 30% tint, ie. letting 70% of light in, which is the legal limit for the front windows in the UK

Yes, you have it right as does GMINI03. I didn't know the UK was the opposite of us here in the US. Now you can see why we thought 30% was too dark on our Mini. It almost looked like a limo tint on our car. The 50% works well with our black top and dark interior plus it's legal here in Florida. We wanted to be able to make out the shape of the rear windows thus avoiding the panel truck look but like I said, it all boils down to personal taste and how legal you want to be.

One other thing that I've noticed is that tinted windows can look really different under different lighting conditions. I can't stress enough to check out a lot of different shades before committing to one.

[NEMINI]

I'll agree 100% on lighting making a world of difference ... on bright sunny days I often wonder if i should of went with 5% rears

I have the factory tints on the rear windows of my car and aftermarket on the front. The front tinti i had done is extremely light and doesnt effect vision at all. I have told my insurance company about the tints and they didn´t mind. The tintis do not effect the auto dimming rear view mirror either.

I do some insurance companies don´t take kindley to tinted windows though...

J.

[MarkW19]

Cool, glad it doesn't affect the auto dimming rear view mirror (what a mouthfull!!). Think I'm going 30% all round.