Poll: Will you tint the windows on your CTR?

Will you tint your CTR windows?


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sean465

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I notice you guys in the states love a bit of tinting, whereas hre in the UK we don't tend to anymore. Partly cos its illegal to tint more than 25% out the front and 30% out the front side windows, so while you could do the rear it looked like you are driving a van.

Plus, spending all this money on the car....don't you want people to see who is driving it??!
 

yargk

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I notice you guys in the states love a bit of tinting, whereas hre in the UK we don't tend to anymore. Partly cos its illegal to tint more than 25% out the front and 30% out the front side windows, so while you could do the rear it looked like you are driving a van.

Plus, spending all this money on the car....don't you want people to see who is driving it??!
Yeah, and when you say illegal to tint more than 25% and 30%, you mean that a 75% tint is the darkest allowed in the front and a 70% is the darkest allowed on the sides (75%/70% of the light must get through). I honestly think this is how it should be in the states for the sake of visibility (it often is this way, legally, but it's not enforced it seems). There are 90% (light-through) tints that block UV/IR, so you don't need dark tint in hot areas (I work where it's 105F regularly), and if you want darker then get sunglasses, which can be removed at night. Just my feeling on the subject, but to each his or her own.
 

GSquared

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Yeah, and when you say illegal to tint more than 25% and 30%, you mean that a 75% tint is the darkest allowed in the front and a 70% is the darkest allowed on the sides (75%/70% of the light must get through). I honestly think this is how it should be in the states for the sake of visibility (it often is this way, legally, but it's not enforced it seems). There are 90% (light-through) tints that block UV/IR, so you don't need dark tint in hot areas (I work where it's 105F regularly), and if you want darker then get sunglasses, which can be removed at night. Just my feeling on the subject, but to each his or her own.
I think you might be confusing some things here.

The solar energy rejected by lighter tint is generally much less than you would want unless you get a premium tint. This is what keeps your car cooler, not necessarily the UV blocking that is pretty standard across most tints now.

For instance, if you look at the Photosync tint I have, it does up to 79% reduction in solar energy. 3M Crystalline at 90% (similar to what you mention in your post) only does 34% reduction. That's quite a large difference for a lighter tint which is also in the premium sector.

If you want heat reduction, you need to get premium tint and most likely as dark as you are comfortable with to get decent benefits out of it for heat reduction.
 

yargk

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I think you might be confusing some things here.

The solar energy rejected by lighter tint is generally much less than you would want unless you get a premium tint. This is what keeps your car cooler, not necessarily the UV blocking that is pretty standard across most tints now.

For instance, if you look at the Photosync tint I have, it does up to 79% reduction in solar energy. 3M Crystalline at 90% (similar to what you mention in your post) only does 34% reduction. That's quite a large difference for a lighter tint which is also in the premium sector.

If you want heat reduction, you need to get premium tint and most likely as dark as you are comfortable with to get decent benefits out of it for heat reduction.
Thanks for the information, I was playing it a little fast and loose with the data.

The Photosync tint you mention that reduces solar energy by 79%, is a 35% tint. That tint has a VLT (visible light transmitted) of 32%, so you lose 68% of the light/visibility for a 79% solar energy reduction. Not bad, but it means that your bang for the buck is 79/68 = 1.16, so you get only a little more heat reduction compared to light lost. Too heavy a trade for me.

Comparatively, the 3M Crystalline reduction of 34% would still make a huge difference in terms of heat, but it only reduces VLT by 14%. So its bang for the lost light is 34/14 2.42, and you get almost two and a half times the heat reduction compared to the lost light.

Although if you want more than 34% heat reduction, the photosync 75 option looks great. 58% solar energy reduction with only 25% lost light, a great trade for hot locations. It's just hard for me to understand needing more than 58% solar energy reduction and therefore hard to understand why go darker than 75% tint (25% lost light).

I've been running no tint in the WRX for 10 years, but for the last 3 years I commute where it gets over 105F regularly, so I've been thinking about getting tint on my next car. I'd definitely do the 3M crystalline 90 though because a 34% reduction in heat would be more than enough for me.

(My logic for why 34% heat reduction is a lot is just that without any tint my AC does fine, which means that on a hot day, say, the car heats up by some amount, that we will call 1. Then the AC cooling must be more than that, because the car gets cool, say the AC effect is -1.2. Over time the temperature goes down at a rate = 1 - 1.2 = -0.2. If you get a 3M crystalline 90 tint, then the car heats at a rate of 1 - .34 = .66. So with the AC the car will cool at a rate = .66 -1.2 = -.54, which is almost 3 times as fast as without the tint, even for only having a 34% solar energy rejection!)
 
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GSquared

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Yeah, down here in Florida, it's about the same type of heat with temps in the car reaching extremely high as they just bake in the sun. 35% tint down here is generally considered a low number based on what I have seen. A lot of people go 20% or darker down here honestly, whether it be for looks or for heat reduction. Some of the tint is practically impossible to see out of!

I had 90% Crystalline on my windshield in my last car, really helped. Photosync only goes as high as 75% I believe it is, so that's what I got this time. It's pretty light though, so I'm happy with it. Drastically reduces the heat in the car. Everything isn't completely scalding, only the shifter is after a long baking session in the sun! I really don't mind the light lost in a 35% as it also provides glare reduction and such at a bit higher level.

If you are open to it, you may want to check out Photosync's 75% for your car as you mentioned. It really is a great tint so far and it's what is on my windshield as I mentioned. Some people even haven't believed me when I told them the windshield is tinted. Only downside is $$$, it's very expensive.
 

17CivicTypeR_Brian

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Got mine tinted today and love it!! Gotta protect the interior from them harmful UV rays, won't want pink seats lol 15% back and rear sides 35% front sides and 70% on the windshield

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Just wondering - do you drive the car or do you put that plate on for photos?! Haha. I want one!


I notice you guys in the states love a bit of tinting, whereas hre in the UK we don't tend to anymore. Partly cos its illegal to tint more than 25% out the front and 30% out the front side windows, so while you could do the rear it looked like you are driving a van.

Plus, spending all this money on the car....don't you want people to see who is driving it??!
I hear you on that. I hate to hide my recaro kid seats because I've gotten as many comments on them as I have on the car, but honestly yes. I do want to hide in the car when my family is in it. I have a 5y/o boy and a 4 year old little girl and I don't want scum of the earth to even know she's in the car. Yes I'm a target for police, but they probably won't shoot me. I automatically drop all 4 windows the instant I get pulled over - or think I'm about to get pulled over. I'd rather the 'bad guys' think twice about approaching my car - even though I can probably outrun or outmaneuver the evildoers of the world.


Side note @sean465 can you hook us up with a source for some UK/EU Honda parts?!
 

Plombhpa

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Thanks for the information, I was playing it a little fast and loose with the data.

The Photosync tint you mention that reduces solar energy by 79%, is a 35% tint. That tint has a VLT (visible light transmitted) of 32%, so you lose 68% of the light/visibility for a 79% solar energy reduction. Not bad, but it means that your bang for the buck is 79/68 = 1.16, so you get only a little more heat reduction compared to light lost. Too heavy a trade for me.

Comparatively, the 3M Crystalline reduction of 34% would still make a huge difference in terms of heat, but it only reduces VLT by 14%. So its bang for the lost light is 34/14 2.42, and you get almost two and a half times the heat reduction compared to the lost light.

Although if you want more than 34% heat reduction, the photosync 75 option looks great. 58% solar energy reduction with only 25% lost light, a great trade for hot locations. It's just hard for me to understand needing more than 58% solar energy reduction and therefore hard to understand why go darker than 75% tint (25% lost light).

I've been running no tint in the WRX for 10 years, but for the last 3 years I commute where it gets over 105F regularly, so I've been thinking about getting tint on my next car. I'd definitely do the 3M crystalline 90 though because a 34% reduction in heat would be more than enough for me.

(My logic for why 34% heat reduction is a lot is just that without any tint my AC does fine, which means that on a hot day, say, the car heats up by some amount, that we will call 1. Then the AC cooling must be more than that, because the car gets cool, say the AC effect is -1.2. Over time the temperature goes down at a rate = 1 - 1.2 = -0.2. If you get a 3M crystalline 90 tint, then the car heats at a rate of 1 - .34 = .66. So with the AC the car will cool at a rate = .66 -1.2 = -.54, which is almost 3 times as fast as without the tint, even for only having a 34% solar energy rejection!)
I spent over $600 for the 3M Crystalline tint and buy the end of the day the car is just as hot as it would have been. I have to cover the shifter because it is to hot to handle. I live in Arizona.
 

yargk

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I spent over $600 for the 3M Crystalline tint and buy the end of the day the car is just as hot as it would have been. I have to cover the shifter because it is to hot to handle. I live in Arizona.
Even with the best tint (photosync or crystalline at 50% or darker), the car is still going to be hot after a day in the sun. In my understanding tint isn't supposed to completely fix this problem (although interior damage due to UV should be less). I could find the link, but the difference was something like 140F with tint and 150F without tint, after time in the sun (with 50% tint!). The shifter will always be too hot.

Two points, first the minor one, then the more major one. I'd argue that separated by a week, sure you won't notice 140F vs. 150F. But if I had you hop in one car, then hop in the other, you could tell. Regardless, the more important point is that tint tilts the balance toward a cooler car when you're driving. The AC won't have to work as hard and therefore the car will cool down faster. I'd bet that if you got into your hot car while the sun is still shining and timed how long it took to get comfortable, the time would be significantly less with tint.

Also apparently side windows let UV in, which is bad for you, so tint fixes that.

Edit/update: here's the chart showing that a car with a tint that reduces heat by 50% on all windows only reduces the temperature in a car left in the sun by 10-12F. That's okay though, it's still cooler and it makes a bigger difference when driving down the road.

Honda Civic 10th gen Poll: Will you tint the windows on your CTR? epcp-1204-05-o+3m-crystalline-automotive-window-film+temperature-graphs
 
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UFO CTR

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I spent over $600 for the 3M Crystalline tint and buy the end of the day the car is just as hot as it would have been. I have to cover the shifter because it is to hot to handle. I live in Arizona.
Wow! $600 is good! I was quoted $1425 with windshield for the 3M Crystalline, so I went the other route for $650, which came with Suntek CXP 70/55 and Solar Guard 80% for windshield...
 


UFO CTR

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Even with the best tint (photosync or crystalline at 50% or darker), the car is still going to be hot after a day in the sun. In my understanding tint isn't supposed to completely fix this problem (although interior damage due to UV should be less). I could find the link, but the difference was something like 140F with tint and 150F without tint, after time in the sun (with 50% tint!). The shifter will always be too hot.

Two points, first the minor one, then the more major one. I'd argue that separated by a week, sure you won't notice 140F vs. 150F. But if I had you hop in one car, then hop in the other, you could tell. Regardless, the more important point is that tint tilts the balance toward a cooler car when you're driving. The AC won't have to work as hard and therefore the car will cool down faster. I'd bet that if you got into your hot car while the sun is still shining and timed how long it took to get comfortable, the time would be significantly less with tint.

Also apparently side windows let UV in, which is bad for you, so tint fixes that.
The way I see it, with proper ceramic or crystalline tints, the AC system will not have to work that hard to bring the entire interior temperature down. Don't forget, your seats, dash, basically all interior plastics starts out at a higher temperature if you don't have tint. So anything to reduce the "initial" interior temperature is good news for the AC system. :thumbsup:
 

Raw 381

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Just wondering - do you drive the car or do you put that plate on for photos?! Haha. I want one!




I hear you on that. I hate to hide my recaro kid seats because I've gotten as many comments on them as I have on the car, but honestly yes. I do want to hide in the car when my family is in it. I have a 5y/o boy and a 4 year old little girl and I don't want scum of the earth to even know she's in the car. Yes I'm a target for police, but they probably won't shoot me. I automatically drop all 4 windows the instant I get pulled over - or think I'm about to get pulled over. I'd rather the 'bad guys' think twice about approaching my car - even though I can probably outrun or outmaneuver the evildoers of the world.


Side note @sean465 can you hook us up with a source for some UK/EU Honda parts?!
I got my car like 3 weeks ago still haven't got plates so I've been rolling around with that plate on instead of dealer plate, dude, had to get it!!!!

Honda Civic 10th gen Poll: Will you tint the windows on your CTR? IMG_1078.JPG
 

17CivicTypeR_Brian

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I spent over $600 for the 3M Crystalline tint and buy the end of the day the car is just as hot as it would have been. I have to cover the shifter because it is to hot to handle. I live in Arizona.
Dang! I guess that's heat getting in through the roof probably...?

Wow! $600 is good! I was quoted $1425 with windshield for the 3M Crystalline, so I went the other route for $650, which came with Suntek CXP 70/55 and Solar Guard 80% for windshield...
Holy crap! I'm quoted at $475 for a spot about an hour south of me in MD for 3M Crystalline. No front windshield though...

I got my car like 3 weeks ago still haven't got plates so I've been rolling around with that plate on instead of dealer plate, dude, had to get it!!!!

IMG_1078.JPG
I gotta score one of these plates!
 

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I spent over $600 for the 3M Crystalline tint and buy the end of the day the car is just as hot as it would have been. I have to cover the shifter because it is to hot to handle. I live in Arizona.
You have to get front windshield tinted for the shifter to be not 'too hot to handle'. I had every window tinted in my last car and I put in an aftermarket metal shifter...never had a 'too hot' moment. Even with every window tinted in the CTR, I never had a burning hot shifter.
 

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You have to get front windshield tinted for the shifter to be not 'too hot to handle'. I had every window tinted in my last car and I put in an aftermarket metal shifter...never had a 'too hot' moment. Even with every window tinted in the CTR, I never had a burning hot shifter.
Mine has gotten to the point where I don't want to handle it even with the tint, but not the point it used to get to where it would sear an imprint on your hand just from lightly touching it. That was absolutely no fun. Baking in that Florida sun!
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