Hey guys, thought I'd share one of the best mods I've done to any car and definitely the best on the 4runner. I got my side windows tinted @ 20% a while ago to match the rears and loved how it cut down on the heat and sun exposure. I'd thought about getting my windshield tinted @ 50% at the same time but went back and forth between that or just a strip at the top. Made the impulse decision to go 35% on the whole thing and WOW. I cannot believe what a difference it makes to drive. Absolute night and day, no pun intended. I haven't driven my 335i once since getting this done about a week ago. Looks pretty dark from the outside so I'm a little concerned about getting pulled over but I'll cross that bridge when I get there and I do love the added privacy. I can park in 90 degree sun for hours and the AC on low cools the whole truck in less than a minute. It feels like autumn all the time inside, I can look right into the sun (no need for visors), and best of all, visibility at night is fantastic! I've driven on dark country roads late at night with no brights and the visibility doesn't seem to be reduced at all. During the day, though, it's quite obvious and I love it. No orange peel effect either. It was done with SolarFX CarbonFX 35%, paid $100 and the guy did a fantastic job.
Favorite mod to date! Tinted windshield
- Thread starter whyzee125
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
StreetCreeper
New member
If you have every window tinted including the windshield. Your eyes adjust to that. If you have just the side windows tinted. And not the front. That's why sometime it's difficult to see through your side windows when you been looking through none tinted windshield.
But at night. It might not be as bad as we think. I wouldn't do it anyways. Especially if you off road.
But at night. It might not be as bad as we think. I wouldn't do it anyways. Especially if you off road.
What the guy below said. Eyes dilate to the change since they're all tinted. I'm sure technically I have but I have 3 2002 4runners and driving a non-tinted one back to back with this, I honestly can't tell a difference in night visibility. At all.
Shhh, I'm just tired of people trying to buy them off of me
Exactly! I have another 02 I off road with. This one's just my daily. I get that it's not for everyone but wow I love it.
Hoffie
New member
When we bought my wife's Fiat 500 it was like a greenhouse inside the car. Living in Phoenix, we took it to have all of the windows tinted and having the windshield done was the best thing we could have done for that car. We did choose the lightest shade of tint, though so as to not get into trouble for the tint. That was 4 years ago and we have had no problems with the tint or seeing out at night at all.
We will definitely do it again when we replace the windshield due to rock cracks.
We will definitely do it again when we replace the windshield due to rock cracks.
Norcal_bagger
New member
snow junky
New member
I have almost removed my rear windows tint because I can’t see out of them at night.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Haha I agree 100%! Maybe I'll have to try ceramic tint on my next car, so far I'm as happy as can be. Beautiful truck btw!
Are you tinted over stock? Mine looks super light from inside, even though my front sides match from the outside, from inside they're much darker. I do have to roll down my front windows when backing up at night sometimes. No biggie though.
ToyotaBrah
Member
That might get you pulled over. 35% is noticeable.
Norcal_bagger
New member
I have 50% on the windshield (a real light shade), 15% on my front doors, 35% over the factory 28% tint on the balance of the side windows (net 11%) and 5% of the factory tint on the rear hatch (net 3%)
It's a nice privacy bubble and works great in both heat and glare reduction, I drive a lot in the early mornings and do my windshields to help with on coming traffic glare
It's a nice privacy bubble and works great in both heat and glare reduction, I drive a lot in the early mornings and do my windshields to help with on coming traffic glare
BrianSD_42
New member
Ya'll are going to have a real great time when you meet your local law enforcement, especially the guy in the Bay Area, CA. CHP is going to love you.
For one while there are few laws against taking customer's $$$$ to install illegal tinting there are pretty strong fines against tinting the front windshield and the driver / passenger windows. The rear windows not really.
Please reply back once you've got that ticket. As for the guy in Arizona, my buddy just got a tinting ticket a few weeks ago driving through AZ so yes its real.
For one while there are few laws against taking customer's $$$$ to install illegal tinting there are pretty strong fines against tinting the front windshield and the driver / passenger windows. The rear windows not really.
Please reply back once you've got that ticket. As for the guy in Arizona, my buddy just got a tinting ticket a few weeks ago driving through AZ so yes its real.
reelamin
New member
Spot on...the California people can not have any tint on the front side windows let alone the windshield. There is not one state that allows tinting on the windshield other than the top 4-5 inches.
Norcal_bagger
New member
Your both absolutely correct! But in California, pretty much anything you do to your vehicle at all, that differs from OEM, is against the Vehicle Code.
IBallEngineer
New member
Not even close to being true, where did you get that idea? You can cut the roof off of your car, not against the code. You can paint it a horrific color, like satin black or rhino liner, and still not against code. You can remove the bed of your truck and as long as you have tail lights and mud flaps, you're good.
BrianSD_42
New member
Not even close, agreed. Why don't you ask a cop lol. Trust me there are some things they care about and some things not so much. Tinting the front windshield will not be treated with same "meh whatever" as removing a front license plate.
If you've got real balls you'd install a ground effects lighting kit bought off the internet and drive around California.
fourfive
Senior Member
Like many things, I think the type & quality of tint is a factor on how well you can see through it at night and heat reduction. After having it done on the last 2 vehicles I've owned, it's a must have for me due to keeping the interior noticeably cooler, cutting down on glare, & providing UV protection for my interior. I use formula one pinnacle series ceramic tint which is pricey but great stuff. On my windshield I used pinnacle 50 which is their lightest ceramic offering. When you look at the film itself it is very light & it is very similar to looking through a plain auto windshield vs a clear glass window. The auto windshield usually has a slightly darker appearance compared to regular glass (atleast from what I've noticed) but the point is formula one's ceramic pinnacle 50 is very light. In the last 9 years of having this type of tint on my windshield, I can't think of one person that noticed it. If anyone is considering tinting their front windshield for heat reduction, UV protection for the interior, and less glare when it's sunny, I'd highly recommend a good quality ceramic tint in the lightest shade offering.
Norcal_bagger
New member
LMAO!! I wasn't referring to cosmetics, at all. But I don't have to "find a cop" to ask......
CHP is typically much different animal than local LEO. More times than not, tint, front plate, rear license plate lights, etc, etc are used as a reason to initiate a traffic stop and make contact, not what a fix it ticket is issued for.
I'll just leave it as:
1) I'm not overly worried about a ticket
2) the California vehicle code covers more than most people realize
CHP is typically much different animal than local LEO. More times than not, tint, front plate, rear license plate lights, etc, etc are used as a reason to initiate a traffic stop and make contact, not what a fix it ticket is issued for.
I'll just leave it as:
1) I'm not overly worried about a ticket
2) the California vehicle code covers more than most people realize
