Window tinit doesnt match!

[dylanc]

So I know there have been numerous discussions about this, but chill out - Im asking a question I havent seen asked before.

So I looked through other posts regarding window tint, as I wanted to make my front windows match the rest of the windows. The consensus seemed to be that 20% was the way to go, although some said 20% was slightly darker than the rear windows, but that it was very close.

I went ahead and got my front windows tinted 20% with 3M brand tint. The front windows are now slightly darker than the rears. Im guessing 99% of people will never notice, but Im kinda OCD like that and want everything perfect. Also, because my 4runner is black, its more noticeable seeing as the spectrum of exterior colors is narrower (if that makes sense). Since they dont really make any tint between 20% and 35%, I dont think my solution involves changing the fronts. Instead, Im thinking about adding tint to the rears. Has anyone done this? I think now would be a good opportunity for me to learn how to apply window tint. Im thinking about buying the lightest window tint I can find and putting it on the rear windows. I figure since most of the darkness is coming from the factory tint, any imperfections wont be quite as obvious. Can anyone suggest what percent tint to try out, in order to get the fronts with 20% to match the rears?

 

[audiqtr]

Let's see some pics.... If you just got them tinted and fronts are darker, it will keep getting darker still as the glue on the tint dries...


The tint "should" match, but every tint brands' coloring and depth are different. Sounds like you were unlucky in your choice...

Just tint your rears if it bothers you that much with 70%. 70 & 20 should give you around 14-15%. So if your current front 3M setup is a little darker, it should overall be a close match, or worst case scenario, the fronts will be a tad lighter than the rears....

 

[motochain]

Once you get all the windows dark enough that they all appear black it won't matter if one is darker than the other. I'd try out the 35% since it is so available. Tinting the back quarter side windows might be a pain though if you've never done it before and be extra careful of the antenna and defroster lines.

 

[icantsee]

Stock privacy glass is technically 25%.

20% matches the best if you're standing outside of the truck.

I too have a fat OCD, so I went w/ 35%

I spoke to a Member on this board, and he suggested 35% over 20% because..

When you're driving & look over to the Left, Right & turn around to look at your blind spots, you'll see that the fronts are darker than the rears. I know that would drive me krazy...so I got 35% 3M tint on the fronts.

I'm planning to put another layer of 35% on the fronts AND put 35% on the rears. Also 50% on the front windshield.

Reason being...35% doesn't match well when it's hazy, it only matches when it's sunny. And I still see some green from the front glass.

Tinting the rears, because it's just a Privacy Glass...it doesn't block UV Rays. And doing the windshield, because of blocking UV Rays as well.

The owner & installer of the Tint shop that I went to, he showed me his car, I could NOT even tell he tinted the windshield.

 

[icantsee]

Before

After

 

[icantsee]

Before

After

 

[icantsee]

Bonus

 

[dylanc]

Stock privacy glass is technically 25%.

20% matches the best if you're standing outside of the truck.

I too have a fat OCD, so I went w/ 35%

I spoke to a Member on this board, and he suggested 35% over 20% because..

When you're driving & look over to the Left, Right & turn around to look at your blind spots, you'll see that the fronts are darker than the rears. I know that would drive me krazy...so I got 35% 3M tint on the fronts.

I'm planning to put another layer of 35% on the fronts AND put 35% on the rears. Also 50% on the front windshield.

Reason being...35% doesn't match well when it's hazy, it only matches when it's sunny. And I still see some green from the front glass.

Tinting the rears, because it's just a Privacy Glass...it doesn't block UV Rays. And doing the windshield, because of blocking UV Rays as well.

The owner & installer of the Tint shop that I went to, he showed me his car, I could NOT even tell he tinted the windshield.

Double 35%? By my calculations thats about 12%, which is a little too dark for me. I feel that 20% is the darkest I could argue is safe to do, and anything darker than that is just asking to get pulled over. But hey, thats just me, my opinions, and where I live. Thanks for the input.

audiqtr - I was hoping that as the glue dries it would get LIGHTER rather than DARKER. Balls. Oh well, now Ill just be even more motivate to throw some 70% on the rears. Like you said, worse case scenario is that the rears are slightly darker than the fronts, which doesnt bother me.

I can take pics of how it is now, but dont hold your breath on seein how it looks with the 70% added to the rear - money and time are things I dont have much of these days.

 

[icantsee]

Double 35%? By my calculations thats about 12%, which is a little too dark for me. I feel that 20% is the darkest I could argue is safe to do, and anything darker than that is just asking to get pulled over. Thanks for the input.

You're very welcome!!

You may very well be right...I don't know

Since 35% is pretty light, I was thinking Double 35% would make it look the same, but take away the Green.

20% is also the lowest I would ever go.

Don't want to give cops a reason to pull me over.

Plus...I know they won't pull you over strictly for tint, they would bust you for something else & tag on the tint.

So I just stick to driving carefully & drop down the windows when I see them.

Here in Northern California...The city of Daly City & San Mateo, there's always cops driving around. The city is so small & there's no crimes, they don't have anything to do but patrol around.

 

[G.I.G.]

Below are a couple of pics of my rig with 20%....

As you can see in the first picture, it is slightly darker looking through the fronts than the rears. However, I think that 20% is as close as you are going to get with most brands (sorry, can't recall the brand they used on my 4R, but I know it wasn't 3M). I figured I would go slightly darker on the fronts rather than significantly lighter by going with 35%.

One observation I've made is that if you leave the sun shade open on your 4R (if you have the sun roof) it appears to make the front window tint a little lighter, offsetting the fact that they are slightly darker. As you can see in the second picture, my sunroof is open and it makes the fronts actually look lighter than the rears. Also, standing at that angle and having a bit of the windshield behind the window make the fronts appear lighter than they really are.

I'm pretty OCD as well, especially with my cars, but once I got used to my window tint after a week or two, it just started looking the same to me. I had the same problem with matching the tint on my old Grand Cherokee so I wasn't surprised to have the same problem with my 4R.

 

[HB 4X4]

Stock privacy glass is technically 25%.

.[/COLOR]

It's closer to 30%. To be exact, it's around 28% if I remember correctly.

Second, 3M tint film is too sketchy. They all have a different color in them that gives off poor coloring when sun is shining through your windows. All 3M products are green when looking out. Find a Formula 1 dealer in your area if you want it done right. I'd say go with 35% on the rears and let them be a little darker than the fronts, because no matter what you do, it will not match perfectly if you are as OCD with these things as I am. I have spent $1200 to get my tint perfect, so take my word for it.

Take a look at icantsee's before and after pictures and compare the background scenery behind the back glass and then with the front. The white car in the background is green, look closely. That's 3M for ya.

 

[MI4Runner]

I am in the same boat as many others in regards to having OCD when it comes to matching the factory tint. I have put off tinting because I don't want to have two different shades.

Today, I visited a tint shop that said it can match the exact tint %. The tint brand is Solar Gard and they make a 28% tint. Has anyone ever heard of Solar Gard? It comes with a lifetime warranty but I don't know anyone who has used this tint shop.

Also, for those of you that have had their door windows tinted, is it standard to have the entire window tinted or does a small part of the window get left untinted. The tint shop said that if I roll down the window, there will be a thin line of untinted window (the part of the window that is under the seal when the window is rolled up) remaining. Does anyone else have this issue? I think it would drive me crazy if there is a portion untinted.

 

[Uneek]

Also, for those of you that have had their door windows tinted, is it standard to have the entire window tinted or does a small part of the window get left untinted. The tint shop said that if I roll down the window, there will be a thin line of untinted window (the part of the window that is under the seal when the window is rolled up) remaining. Does anyone else have this issue? I think it would drive me crazy if there is a portion untinted.

Depends on the installer and the technique they use. I've seen some installers leave no edge/gap at all, because they bring the tint film above the edge and use a file to cut the film. Other installers say they need to leave the gap because it prevents it from peeling.

I have Huper Optik on one of my cars the installer left a very small gap. However, Huper Optik films are a lot thicker than the average tint, thus the gap is probably a must. I can't tell if there should be a gap because there is only one authorized Huper Optik installer in NorCal.

 

[qballjr13]

Stock privacy glass is technically 25%.

When I had my fronts done the guy that runs the shop had a meter and tested the backs for me so I could match them. They came back at 20%. That was the two rear passengers windows and the tailgate window.

I thought I was anal, but you guys have me beat bad! I can't see any variation in my tint. Plus in all your pictures its very hard to tell because every picture has a different background.

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

The variation that is noted is only on the inside windows. 20% will appear as close to perfect as any level will get on the outside, where as on the inside the front windows in 20% will appear darker as the tint has been applied (the rear windows <b> DO NOT</b> have traditional tint, it is colored glass as other members have noted).

(I have 20% on mine and love it even though I see that it is darker inside the cabin.

 

[PAULUNM]

Anyone know what brand tint best matches the color of the stock tint on the rear windows? Looks like the 3M matches well on the post above...

 

[PAULUNM]

Anyone know what brand tint best matches the color of the stock tint on the rear windows? Looks like the 3M matches well on the post above...

Anyone??

 

[HB 4X4]

Anyone??

Apparently you do not listen very well. I have already discussed the "defects" of going with 3M tint in this thread. 3M is the average tint. Yes, there is cheaper quality tint, but most shops will use 3M because it is cheap when compared with brands such as Formula 1. You get what you pay for. If you want to save a few bucks, then get the 3M, but don't be surprised when the light coming into your truck makes your interior look red or green, as most 3M will do. It will also look green from the outside on the front windows. But do what you want, just my 2 cents.

Notice to all:
Do not use 3M if you ever plan to tint you front windshield. Due to the green "tint" that the film has, it will provide poor visibility. If you have ever looked through 3M film for a long period of time, it will give you a headache because of the poor coloring, and the blur. Anything other than clear(which is 70%) will have this visibility defect.

 

[PAULUNM]

Uh, I think I listen just fine. You say that 3M has a green tint to it, which I don't want- but you don't say anything about the color of Formula 1, or Llumar, or anything else...

Apparently you do not listen very well. I have already discussed the "defects" of going with 3M tint in this thread. 3M is the average tint. Yes, there is cheaper quality tint, but most shops will use 3M because it is cheap when compared with brands such as Formula 1. You get what you pay for. If you want to save a few bucks, then get the 3M, but don't be surprised when the light coming into your truck makes your interior look red or green, as most 3M will do. It will also look green from the outside on the front windows. But do what you want, just my 2 cents.

Notice to all:
Do not use 3M if you ever plan to tint you front windshield. Due to the green "tint" that the film has, it will provide poor visibility. If you have ever looked through 3M film for a long period of time, it will give you a headache because of the poor coloring, and the blur. Anything other than clear(which is 70%) will have this visibility defect.

 

[HB 4X4]

Uh, I think I listen just fine. You say that 3M has a green tint to it, which I don't want- but you don't say anything about the color of Formula 1, or Llumar, or anything else...

If you use the search feature you would find numerous tint threads discussing these differences. Specifically threads by either myself, or Josh200. I do not have the time to do your research for you.

To give you an easily understandable conclusion.

3M: Either red or green from inside, with a green appearance from outside.

Formula 1: Charcoal in color, both inside and out, excluding when 5% is put over clear glass. Then the green that is seen, is from the glass, not the tint.

I have compared these side by side. I had formula 1 on the front windows, and 3M on the back. I had to do a second layer of tint on the back (formula 1) because the windows appeared green when looking out, and let in a red light which made my interior appear red. (How it let in red light when it looked green, I have yet to figure out. )

Even from higher end 3M dealers, such as Campbell Tinting, it's the same discolored material.