Hi,

I would like advice on aftermarket window tinting of my car (BMW 320d estate). I have tried, unsuccessfully, to use blinds that are fitted to the shape of the exact car (Vanstyle privacy shades). Currently held in place with duct tape, but even then they fall off. Vanstyle not returning my emails and I am now fed up with the jerry rigged approach. Fell off this morning again and it irks me. 🙄

I was thinking of getting the windows tinted (mainly for keeping light out of eyes child, security for bike when left in back, keeping the car a bit cooler).

-Anyone know a good reputable tinter in the Guildford/South Surrey area?
-What level of tint is dark enough (but not gangster image)? 65%? Will this look similar to factory tinting from the likes of VW/BMW etc?
-I presume having a go yourself is a nightmare?

Dont do it yourself, its a mare of a job and it will look diy.

We got our rear passenger windows and back windows done on three vehicles and it came in at £150 per vehicle.

We are in Scotland and it was a local guy we used, look for firms that do vehicle wrapping and that type of stuff.

Whatever you do, bear in mind that the front side windows (i.e. passenger and driver doors) cannot legally have anything more than a 30% tint. Front and rear windscreens cannot be any more than 25%.

The rules are only for the front passenger and windscreen windows and they must let through at least 70% of the light.

@Liftman – that only applies to vehicle first used before 1 April 1985 –

LINK to government website…

Thanks all. Only looking to do rear passenger and back window of vehicle. What percentage tint is recommended as a good balance? I think prices I was looking at was circa £200 for one car.

Hi

I got mine done at Old School Windscreens in Ottershaw. Very good service and £60 inc vat per window.

GB

Also worth noting that most car glass comes “tinted” already.

Manufactured car glass only let’s through between 70% and 80% light.

So at the front end, it’s illegal to add any tinting film at all as it would go beyond the limits.

We got our Skoda pimped tinted for about £130..
I got 15% tine (I.e. only lets in 15% light).
It’s pretty ‘limo black’ from the outside, but makes the rear seats a much more pleasant place for the lad/bikes etc.

I’m waiting for my drug running and arms dealing business to pick up before I get the fronts (including the screen) done…

DrP

Interested in this as I was thinking of getting the vanstyle kit for my C-Max.

ir_bandito. Wish I had gone for tinting in the first place. Blinds are well made, but attachments are not good for my model of car (plastic clips with adhesive that does not stay on in the heat or the cold). Have heard someone on here with a Passat saying he has no problems, but for me it has been a pain.

johnellison – Member

LINK to government website…

And you still got it wrong. 😆

(Rear windscreen can be completely blacked out)

Bloody hell, how did we all survive our childhoods with all that nasty sun in our eyes? 🙄

And you still got it wrong.

(Rear windscreen can be completely blacked out)

Dammit, rumbled… 😳

That said, I still don’t think it’s a good idea. My MR2 has a tint film in the rear screen which I keep threatening to take out. I can’t see much out of it at the best of times because of the spoiler and the tint really doesn’t help especially at night.

how did we all survive our childhoods with all that nasty sun in our eyes?

We just did. Likewise how did we used to communicate without using a computer?

Technology advancing is a good thing!

Vanstyle ones seem to work well for some cars and not for others. Fits great in a Golf but a bit rubbish in the Beemer. Now just using some sucker ones I picked up from a French supermarket for a couple of euro!

how did we all survive our childhoods with all that nasty sun in our eyes?

Yes. The 50s and sun care are certainly a era to follow…

😉

DrP

Bloody hell, how did we all survive our childhoods with all that nasty sun in our eyes?

Kids were made of stronger stuff back in the day. We could sit on plastic car seats in shorts where the upholstery was at melting point on sunny days.

Car? You with yer Corniche shelf flaunting yer privilege… 🙂 Me and the other gutter snipes never had cars, we had to walk over broken glass…etc etc, yawn, snore 🙂

I just had the rear windows in my wife’s mini clubman tinted, by Fleet Auto Shades, (as you would guess they are in Fleet) very pleased with the results. We had Dark Smoke tints, which I think are 85%, they look darker than factory. It is only a one man company, but a very professional set up.

It could have been me who mentioned the sun blinds in my Passat Estate. I have been, and still am pleased with them. On my Passat, they have metal clips that tuck into the window trip, the shade panels are then held in place by these, I have had no problems with mine at all.

There were less drive bys in those days, hence the tinting did not need to be so good – so my peeps in Compton tell me (that there Compton off the A3, not in Los Angeles).

You don’t know what suffering is until you’ve leapt onto the vinyl back seat of an Austin maxi that’s been baking in the Dordogne heat of a 30c+ summer day. Between that and the home made nylon safari suit that my mum made me wear on holiday I’m surprised I made it to adulthood without permanent scarring.

On the ops point, I’ve found that tinting makes little difference to be honest, the same effect can be had with a decent window blind without making your car look like you’ve got something to hide in the back of it.

The OP has already tried blinds with little success.

I’ve just been to stay with friends in Las Vegas and everyone tints their windows there. It gets so hot the air con doesn’t work if it isn’t helped with the tinting!

bigG – thanks. I remember the good old days of vinyl seats stuck to my bare legs, obviously wearing very short shorts in those days. Oh the joys of the mid 80s cars. Lucky to get a car with a wireless, let alone some fresh dolby cassette action.

Although it isn’t a problem at this time of year, in my experience I find it does help keep the car cooler with tinting (when I have been in other cars that do have it in place). Black seats in my car don’t help though.

Limo tint all the way blud. It’s how I roll… 8)

Did the side windows myself, but it’s very easy on a Blingo as they come out easily. Back window I attempted myself with a kit but gave up after the third attempt and got a pro to do it.. 😳

Could always try Pentagon Glass if they have a place near you. Used them for the last two vans, full black limo tint on rear windows, and they do a good job.

makes the rear seats a much more pleasant place for the lad

Yes, indeed. It was soooo hellishly uncomfortable when I were a child. While sitting there in such intolerable conditions, I found that the pain would induce a trance-like state where I would dream of the day when people could apply tinting to the rear, side windows of their cars. Oh !, the journeys endured, on that seat, While I sat there, sizzling in my own body fat, under that merciless sun (are we discussing the UK ?). Oh, the horror. Still, I was distracted from my impending need to visit the local ICU, by being able to observe the passing scenery. In light of seeing how children are imprisoned in dark, gloomy, second row seats of a vehicle, today. I feel quite lucky to have been permitted to use my eyes to see further than the LCD screen mounted on the seat head restraint of the seat in front of me. Not to mention that I was allowed, to have the window wound down, Health n Safteyeeeeee !
🙄

Well done.
You win.
Your certificate’s in the post…..

DrP

Tints done well improve the cars aesthetics too IMHO

Well done.
You win.
Your certificate’s in the post…..

DrP

Not at all, Doc. Its just that I don’t buy the ‘keep the nippers cool‘ story, esp in light of the wide proliferation of A/C in cars today and for the last 10 plus yrs. And where as some (shudders) think cars look better for having tinting applied. I for one, hate the sight of it.

Put simply, it looks shyte and I’ve worked in the car industry long enough to have earned my opinion.
😀

Carry on.

+1 for Fleet Auto Shades had my T4 van windows done there a few years back top job

Its just that I don’t buy the ‘keep the nippers cool’ story, esp in light of the wide proliferation of A/C in cars today and for the last 10 plus yrs

Yes, but the A/C won’t have to work as hard to cool the inside of the car if its not as hot as it could be, therefore its cheaper to run.

Yes, but the A/C won’t have to work as hard to cool the inside of the car if its not as hot as it could be, therefore its cheaper to run.

Cancelled out at resale cos me and many others won’t buy your car with that hideous tinting applied to it.
😉

Just bought a van so i’m not scuffying up the leather seats in the estate but want to tint the back windows and i’m sure theres things on the market such as film etc that I can apply myself, can you advise?

Where do you get Limo tint from?

Also as the back is open to the front i’ll have to put up a curtain blind for the front window, does anyone else have any other suggestions?

Luckily the sides have wooden panals, however the roof doesnt, does anyone have any ideas on how to insulate the roof area? Perhaps, cut a MDF board to the size of the roof and use self tapping screws into the C sections?

Thanks, S.

Christ, our Galaxy would be like a bloomin greenhouse if the windows had no tinting. (Talking the stuff it left the factory with here, not pimp daddy style aftermarket stuff).

Kayak – is that Henstent campsite in Llangynog?

Hopscotch- after watching a professional spend best part of an hour doing the rear windows of my van, I wouldn’t even attempt to do it myself despite being pretty competent with the tools. He also pointed out that the materials available from most motor factors aren’t the same as those he used, and are pretty difficult to get a decent result with.

Kayak – is that Henstent campsite in Llangynog?

The same. Recognised the lump? 🙂

I’ve done all my own windows on my old Sedona, it takes a lot of cleaning (and more cleaning) then any concave windows are a total pain!

A standard tint doesn’t stop UV (and consequently the heat coming through)

You’ll need a specific UV resistant tint for that.

Interested to hear how the OP gets on… My previous 3 series saloon had sunprotection glass from the factory my touring doesn’t – i read somewhere that on after market tints you get white lines around the heater lines; don’t know if its true on the pro jobs.