best window tint business?

[Maverick]

Should be ok as long as you don't go too dark like on old silvias.. Doubt you'd get in trouble for 20-25%.

That's a bit rough when studies have shown that maximum tint should be 70% as even 35% cuts down visibility especially at night.

source: http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/reports/CASR002.pdf
(includes photos for those that wear sunglasses at night)

[Corey_R]

That's actually not a bad link Maverick. It points out a very interesting point that I hadn't considered, and I'm sure others had not considered. It's not just the driver who needs to be able to see through the windows, it's other drivers, padestrians and cyclists etc.

Particularly interesting was the situation of another drive needing to see through the windows of the car beside them at an intersection to check for cars about the go through the intersection. If you have 35% VLT tint, that means the other driver only has 12% VLT (35% x 35% presuming they themselves no no tint). So someone with 20% VLT tint would mean that there would only be 4% VLT from one side to the other, effectively making your windows opaque!!!

Does South Australia still have a minimum VLT of 70% for the front side windows?

Anyway. This is a really dumb topic for people to argue against. It's not a subject like "hey, do my 30" chromies look good or not", it's a measurable scientific situation. The studies have been done, and really, unless you've performed your own study, there isn't much to argue about.

[AdamD]

It has nothing to do with political correctness but everything to do with common sense and consideration for others (drivers, cyclists and pedestrians) which is clearly lacking from many people. Personally I don't give a stuff if people want to use a 5% tint and kill themselves but the risk is that they won't see a pedestrian or cyclist and end up running them over because their windows are so dark.

Fantastic comment Maverick - I'm glad someone's said it so clearly.

As a recreational cyclist, being seen by other road users is of paramount importance to me. The roads are so busy these days, that drivers need all the help they can get to spot and avoid obstacles in the road - whether those obstacles be legally in the right or not.

[Pepe]

+1 to Rob from Hunters Hill Tinting

Did my R tonight, very flexible, came to my place, great price ($200 cheaper than Tintacar quoted and I got the sunroof done too). He had a great range available (seems like every piece of glass on his truck has a different type heh) so we tried a few things out and found a good option.

Will take about a week to settle and dry out, but looks fantastic already.

[DeeViouS]

Getting mine done at solar tint blacktown right at this moment! Darkest legal =]

[Angryman]

When I was in traffic branch I also found darker tint to be a pain in the ass cause it was harder to give out seatbelt and mobile phone tickets

[Banzai]

I recently had my 3-door done by Dave at Reflect Effect at North Rocks. Good price and, as far as I can tell, a good job.

[REXman]

Personally I don't give a stuff if people want to use a 5% tint and kill themselves but the risk is that they won't see a pedestrian or cyclist and end up running them over because their windows are so dark.
.

Maybe you guys are getting too old or something - im not exactly 18 anymore.. or maybe you cant drive!

Getting dark tints leading to deaths is just ludicrous and the same crap the RTA push when they tell you how its unsafe to text when driving but fine to change the radio station..

I have had dark tints with no issues before. I dont wear sunglasses at night.

Cheers.

[Corey_R]

Lets just leave the topic of <35% VLT tint alone ok.

Anyone who puts darker than 35% VLT tint on their car is committing a crime, ok, full stop. It's illegal. Just like speeding is also illegal. We don't discuss these things on these forums, them the rules.

There have been enough scientific studies to prove that 35% VLT is the minimum safe level (although even those show that front passenger and driver windows should be higher, hence in at least SA the minimum on those windows is 70% VLT). The studies also highlight what most people here have always overlooked - It's not just whether you can see out which is the issue, it's whether other drivers/cyclists/padestrians can see YOU, and see THROUGH your car to whats on the other side.

A simple calculation for seeing through your car is .35 x .35 = .1225
In other words, if a driver is sitting at an intersection next to your legally tinted 35% car and needs to see through both windows to see if there is a car coming, they only have 12.25% light transference - and that's not including if they've got tint themselves.

Someone with illegal 20% tint, only has 4% light transference across the car....

Therefore it's all pointless arguing that "I can see fine" - it's completely not the point of why below 35% VLT is illegal.

In the end you can do what you like, because it is you that has to face the consequences, but lets just leave the discussion closed on that. Cheers.

[blanch0b]

for anyone living in Perth, i just got my car tinted at the west perth tintacar, they did a great job in applying the octane film, and for a good price.... however i did notice on the odometer that they took the car for a 3-4km spin, which i wouldnt mind if they told me, but they didnt.....

hopefully i wont get a speeding ticket as no doubt they thrashed it... thankfully the car is fine

just thought id advise given the title of this thread is 'best window tint business'....i probably wont be going back to them with my subsequent cars given this.....

[Coaster]

I got the Formula 1 tint at Tint-A-Car in Morley. They did a great job, nothing wrong at all.
Formula 1 isn't the darkest legal tint, I don't like it too dark for visibility reasons esp. at night.
I often ride a bike and it is important to know that other drivers waiting at intersections have seen me and are waiting for me.

Another big reason I got Formula 1 is that it is SPF50+.

[mr fox]

blanch0b can you post a picture as i too have been looking at the octane and bolle tints from tintacar...

[Flighter]

This is a repost from another thread for those interested in so-called "street legal" tints etc.

I had my car tinted by the dealer, but as they knew absolutely nothing about the product range (other than "this is what 98% of people buy"), I eventually got details of who does it on their behalf and spoke with them about the specific properties of each. What might be of interest is that the "street legal" tint they offered is not street legal at all, being 27% (if I remember correctly) and not 35% as required. They also showed me how they get access to the bottom of the side windows; they simply pull the tops out by a couple of inches by clawing in between the glass and the trim with their fingers, and push them back in when they are done.

[Corey_R]

Keep in mind guys that most tint companies have multiple 'models' of tint in their line, and each 'model' usually has multiple VLT % ratings.

So just because someone gets a product which is 27%, does not mean that the product is not available in 35% or higher.

For example, here is the listing of Solar Gard Australia's products. They've got 8 different tint models, which have between 4 and 8 VLT % ratings. Solar Gard are the manufacturer of the Supreme and HP Supreme products which have been said to closely match the "factory tint" glass being offered. There is another product specifically made to match the VW factory tint, however it's not available in Australia.

More information can be found in the MK6 Front Tint to match factory 'Dark Tint' option thread.

[blanch0b]

mr fox - ill post a pick in this thread when i get a chance.......... it does look pretty sweet on my silver gti