So the only place I have found so far that can tint in southern California is tintplus.com. I noticed they have like 5 different types of tint and had a few questions hopefully someone can answer.

1) Lower the number the darker the tint correct? 5 is darker then 50?
2) I don't want to spend $400+ on tinting so I saw they have a comfort series tint for like $270. So is the comfort series 5 the same darkness as the Pinnacle Series 5 which is around $400.
3) Do cheaper types of tint not last as long. Comfort Series vs. Pinnacle Series and if not what is the major difference between the two besides a little over $100 because Comfort 5 has 99% UV 64% heat and 95 glare whereas Pinnacle has 99.5%, 61$, 94%

And I heard like over time some tinting turns purplish if that happens can a tint shop just take the tint off or does it damage your windows in anyway.

Thanks,
Sean

1.) The number regarding tint level refers to the amount of light that can pass through percentage-wise. 5 means that only 5% of all light will get through.
2.) $400 for tint is way too much. I've seen local shops do all 7 windows (front, back, mini back, and rear windshield) for about $175.
3.) Don't worry about the quality of the tint... that's what warranties and shop guarantees are for. The length of the warranty will determine how good the product is. The longer, the better.

:thumbsup:

Tint is tint no matter the % or the type when it comes to how much they are going to charge. It takes the same amount of work and effort to put in 35% as it does 5%.

I got mine done at 5% for $128. Don't let them fool you into believing that theirs is "special".... its not. All tint pretty much the same. It may reflect the sun a little more but not so much you would notice a difference.
If you get low quality tint from Autozone or whatever and do it yourself it can turn purple, but if you get it anywhere proffesionally done, it shouldn't. And if it does take it back and get it done over. Warranty FTW!!!

I'm actually getting ready to have mine tinted soon as well. I was wondering whether anybody has been pulled over or written a ticket for having their tint too dark or too reflective. I was just wanting to go a little darker and more reflective then what is legal and was trying to get an idea of just how likely it would be for the law to get their cut out of the deal. Thanks in advance.

normally you wont get pulled over just for tint. But if you're speeding or whatnot if the cop wants be a dick, he can write you another ticket for illegal tint.
All depends on the cop and the town. My old town in NY, the cops had nothing better to do than pull you over for stupid shit like that. But here in Texas noone has looked twice at it.

Thanks. I figured that's how it was going to be, but you never know until you ask. I'm probably going to just get what I want and take my chances. I was more worried because the look of our cars can draw attention (actually had a cop pull up next to me and ask what the car was. it's debadged of course)

anybody know of any good tint shops in Southern California that does it for under $200?
I can only find a bunch a TintPlus shops but like I said there pretty expensive.

good job answering..

Pretty much what i was going to say in a nut shell.

I have 35% and yet to go darker. The tint i have is the cheaper kind, because my dad didnt want to put dark good quality tint on my car yet (he thought i would be pulled over and have it ripped off).
But my tint has already faded, so im going darker and getting higher quality tint so fading doesnt occur.


:offtopic: i warned you! ;)
The spray to black out my tail lights is finally in, so ill be posting pics of that done to my car soon, when i get over to the shop. And the same day i might as well go darker tint.
Also yellow tint for headlights is available at my dad's shop so i will be going HID's most likely (not worrying about the DRL's ill just leave my lights on all the time.) And HID fogs as well (yellow) with yellow tint over top. Then im going to to get city lights/parking lights, reverse, brake lights, etc. Lol i still need to get my new head unit.

"Illegal" tints are only a FINEABLE OFFENSE. This means that you cannot be pulled over AND ticketed just for having tints. The officer needs to get you on something else before they can write you a ticket for the tints.

If you are speeding, no front plates (in some states), run a red/stop light, then the cop can pull you over for THOSE and then ticket you for THOSE plus the tints.

If a cop pulls you over and warns you about the tints, that's all they will do. If you get just one ticket for tints and that's it, contest the ticket and go to court. Then get a local tint shop to write you up a receipt that says "Removed front tints... $20" and date it before getting the ticket. You can give them a few bucks for the receipt.

Problem solved.

lancer4b11 you make it sound like there is a difference between good and bad tint while the others say there aren't. What exactly are the major differences in your opinion? You said your tint has already faded. How long have u had your tint? If most tint gets faded then it looks like I'll try to get the darkest possible.

i got a tint ticket in my lancer (35% front) it was stupid. i took it to court and explained how much better it is to have it than to not have it. for me its more of a safety feature, the glass wont shatter, it keeps heat and some light out, and blocks those damn truck/suv headlights that are behind you at night. they obviously saw this ticket as a waste of time and tax payer money so they let me go

Thanks for all the replies. Great info. I'm just going to go ahead and get it however seems best to me. The more people I talk to the more stories I hear about people either never having an issue or getting out of one. Now I just need to find a shop that can do it for a decent price. I'll post picks once it's done.

In New York the legal tint is 70%. In Texas it's 25% though.

My Eclipse has 20% tint over the factory tint which I assume is only about 90%.

Well, I was pulling out of a parking lot and I drove very slowly in front of a parked police car (with an officer in it) to see if he'd say anything about my tint, he didn't even do anything. I think that's because police in Texas aren't assholes like they are in New York.

@Seank426

Every state got different laws and rules.

Acc to California's laws, you are not supposed to do any tinting on driver side and front passenger side windows.
But on rear passenger windows and the back glass you can do any kind of tint you like to...it can be jet black as well but then you should have both side rear view mirrors in working condition.

However, you can do 50% tint on front windows(driver and passenger side), and black on rear passenger windows, that way it gives contrast and even if cop looks at it doesnt look that you got front windows tinted ....and ofcourse 50% is still good it absorbs good heat.

I got 50% on front side windows and 35% on rear windows and rear screen...n it gives good look to the car. n saves me from a lot of heat.

In Roseville near Sacramento, 7 windows(driver sides passenger sides and the quarters on rear windows and rear screen) cost me $175 and the guy did a pretty nice job.

and then later i got a tint for the front windshield and did it myself, making sure that it doesnt go below the sun visors...

Do you have any other pictures of your car so I can see what it looks like with the tint.

I have heard from other local Lancer owners that to install the window tint, each window also needs a felt liner on the belt strip (black molding around bottom of window opening)

Has anyone else had this come up on their tint install?