Window Tints

Hi All,

We're in Auckland, New Zealand and it's the tail end of summer. Had our Outlander for two months now and find the driver and passenger windows just don't take the heat out of the summer sunshine. Never had this issue before on several different past cars. Anyone else felt this? Has anyone gone for aftermarket tints for the front side windows to match the rears? Am seriously considering this, as well as a strip along the top of the windscreen...

Thoughts?

Is that legal there? I believe that tinted front windows are not legal in most of Europe.

maby said:

Is that legal there? I believe that tinted front windows are not legal in most of Europe.

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There is a limit on the level of tint allowed in the UK, probably an EU law!

Very sensible law. For appropriate levels of vision both ways.

CJ

It's not just about being able to see out. Being able to see the driver is also useful for other road users. Most motorcyclists including those who drive cars look to see if the driver in a side road has looked in their direction and hopefully seen them. If the wheels start to turn they haven't and you can hopefully take avoiding action. If the windows are heavily tinted others cannot see you.
In the UK there is a minimum light transmission rate, don't know if this is due to a European Directive. In the past some police forces have pulled over cars to test the light transmission rates. Those that are found to be overly tinted with a film, they peel off some of the film so that the owner is forced to remove the rest. If they cannot do this they take the registration number and require the car to be presented within a certain time frame to prove that the tint has been corrected.
Better check out what your legal situation is in NZ.

OK so I'm assuming none of the respondees above have gone down this route.

FYI, my current work truck (Rexton) has darker windows than those in the Outlander. Also, my experience in NZ as an ex-pat Brit is that the regulations for vehicle conditions, safety, emissions, etc. appear to be lower than europe. Of course I'll stick to the rules of the land, but not my original question.

Any advice on window tints? Or are we all a bunch of lawyers? ;-)

Hiro said:

OK so I'm assuming none of the respondees above have gone down this route.

FYI, my current work truck (Rexton) has darker windows than those in the Outlander. Also, my experience in NZ as an ex-pat Brit is that the regulations for vehicle conditions, safety, emissions, etc. appear to be lower than europe. Of course I'll stick to the rules of the land, but not my original question.

Any advice on window tints? Or are we all a bunch of lawyers? ;-)

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I think the answer is more that the majority of contributors here are from Europe and we are heavily restricted in our freedom to alter the window tints, so we really cannot provide much advice!

I will get this kind of window film installed next week: https://www.autofolia.eu/en/why-window-films/heat-protection-window-films
It meets the local rules here in Hungary

(it's a shame that Mitsubishi doesn't install heat-protected windows on a car where aircon efficiency is very important).

I have noticed this, getting out of my Prius into the Outlander is like sitting under a heat lamp.
In Australia the light transmission of the front side glass can be as low as the rear side glass so I don't understand why Mitsubishi have used clear or almost clear glass on the front windows. I'll be tinting the front side glass before next summer.

From South Australia's department of transport: -
This fact sheet provides guidance on some of the legal requirements relating to tint on your vehicle's windows.
Front windscreen The front windscreen of a vehicle must have a luminous transmittance (or visible light transmission) of at least 70%.
The windscreen may be coated in a way that reduces its luminous transmittance above the top of the area swept by the windscreen wipers or the upper 10% of the windscreen, whichever is the greater area. This area must have a luminous transmittance of at least 70%
Driver and front passenger windows
Interior windows Windows in interior partitions must have a luminous transmittance of at least 70%.
Windows behind the driver’s seat
The windows behind the driver’s seat must have a luminous transmittance of at least 35% unless they are interior windows.
The driver and front passenger windows must have a luminous transmittance of at least 35%.
Window tinting on vehicles Vehicle Standards - Light vehicle fact sheet
Further information Call 1300 882 248 Visit sa.gov.au E mail [email protected]
MR 430 8.14
Reflectance Any window that has been coated to reduce its luminous transmittance must not have a reflectance value of more than 10%. To check the reflectance value of your windows after tinting, consult the installer.

Got the tints fitted yesterday! According to the fitter, rear window tints are at 65%, the legal maximum(looks like NZ law follows Aussie law). Front driver and Passenger tints were at something like 3-4% standard. So they fitted 60% tint, bringing us as close as possible to matching the rear side windows. And a strip along top of windscreen (10% coverage of the screen - the legal maximum). But now summer is over, and probably wont feel the benefit of these until December!!!

I particularly like the idea of the dark strip across the top of the windscreen.

I drive into the rising sun in the mornings, and often stick a piece of cardboard behind the sun visor, to block the top corner, where the sun-visor lets the sun through!

Tinting is permitted only along the top 5 inches of the windshield. Side and rear windows may not be covered or treated with tinting that allows a light transmittance of less than 35%. Reflective material is not permitted on any vehicle windows. All windows except the rear window must contain 2-way glass.
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milwaukee window tint

PaulKrammer said:

Tinting is permitted only along the top 5 inches of the windshield. Side and rear windows may not be covered or treated with tinting that allows a light transmittance of less than 35%. Reflective material is not permitted on any vehicle windows. All windows except the rear window must contain 2-way glass.

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That may be true in the small part of the world where you live, but there are definitely different rules all around the world

And it will make you look like you’re back in the 80’s........