I’ve decided I need to get some window films for the back of our car as the crappy stick on shade things are just a nuisance and I don’t want the kids to go blind…

So…
Where’s best to buy?
what fair to pay?
Any good tips for fitting?

Anyone?

Is window film UV protecting? If it’s not, your pupils dilate even more due to the lower light and let even more UV in, that’s why sh1t sunglasses are bad for your eyes.

If you just want to pimp your motor though, and the kids are justification, then go for it. Innit.

The only thing I’d say is it is quite frustrating not being able to give drivers behind you the finger when they annoy you a friendly wave when they do something kind.

Is window film UV protecting? If it’s not, your pupils dilate even more due to the lower light and let even more UV in, that’s why sh1t sunglasses are bad for your eyes.

and the glass? 😆

thomthumb – Member

Is window film UV protecting? If it’s not, your pupils dilate even more due to the lower light and let even more UV in, that’s why sh1t sunglasses are bad for your eyes.

and the glass?

Don’t get it?

I bought a kit off ebay to do my Berlingo.
The side windows were easier as they could be taken out. I came to do the rear window. It was hard! I messed it up twice. It was very, very hard to get it flat down into the compound-concaves of the glass and I always ended up with hideous ‘fingers’ in the film.

In the end, I got the back screen done by a pro, cost me £50.. (The same week an upsidedown bicycle fork scratched a tear in it, but thats another story)

My advice would be to just get a pro to do it, so much better job. A bloke in Telford did mine. He was mobile too so I don’t think location is such an issue…

Is window film UV protecting? If it’s not, your pupils dilate even more due to the lower light and let even more UV in, that’s why sh1t sunglasses are bad for your eyes.

If you just want to pimp your motor though, and the kids are justification, then go for it. Innit.

Good point about UV protection, I can’t imagine too hard to get UV filtering films, although as tomthumb pointed out even clear glass does naturally attenuate UV, the thing is I wear my sunglasses when the sun is bright and thus protect my eyes, but getting an 18 month old to wear sunglasses is trickier I’m not particularly in the know about window films etc, hence the questions…

I only want a rear windows kit (Front windows are illegal anyway aren’t they?) for the kids as the current array of stuck on sunshades are a crap solution TBH…

As for pimping my motor 😆 it’s not really a pimpable vehicle like I said a purely functional thing…

Dont forget you cant tint the front screen or side windows at the front of the vehicle, and if you get it done get some anti shater film fitted on the front windows, may well protect your stuff as they usually smash the front windows.

Don’t get it?

Most car screens block UV, which is why photoreactive glasses don’t work in the car. Even my DriveWear lenses only darken part-way, and they’re fairly dark to start with.

We had both our cars done. Overall they are good but beware the following

* they are a declarable modification and a few insurers dont like them
* they reduce the ease with which you can see dark / grey / silver cars in poor light conditions
* it is harder to show your gratitude
* you will knock small chunks out of them with bikes especially in the boot
* reverse parking at night isnt as easy as they effectivel reduce the benefit of your reversing light. Learn to use your mirrors more
* a bit of extra caution is needed at night especially in urban areas

Pros
* happy children and better cocealed bikes
* badly adjusted hid lights on chelsea tractors no longer a problem
* cuts glare on bright days

most of the downsides are easy to adapt to.

Professional fitter the way to go imo. And i would say a less than 50% tint. Ours are about that and you.really dont need darker.

project – Member

Dont forget you cant tint the front screen or side windows at the front of the vehicle

Yes you can, as long as the windscreen still lets 75% of light through and the side windows 70% (from memory).

We got our skoda done professionally – rear 3/4 only…

I think I was convinced by him to go ‘limo tint’ which he assured me “wasn’t too dark”…. It’s 80% (=blocks 80% of light) which IS pretty dark, but regardless IS very effective at keeping junior happy and the car cool.

I think ‘drug dealer tint’ would be a better description…

DrP

Um, sunglasses and hats for the kids, and an old duvet cover for the bike?

Given that it’s dark early for a period of the year, I’d not want to be reducing the stuff I can see.

made to measure sunshades from vanstyle here

Please don’t .We haven’t gone blind in the past hundred thousand years so why now?
All tints do is make visibility hard for others.
They are not needed , just wanted and irresponsible.

+1 for vanstyle shades

I choose these over tints as:

1. You can have the window open & still have sun/insect protection
2. Fitting is very simple

Overall I’m very happy with them. We live in Bavaria & its very hot & sunny through summer & they work well. No probs with visibility either.

On the down side, they’re expensive & not 100%UV block. Not sure if older kids may try to remove them, although they’re a snug fit.

Pays yer money……

+1 for vanshades here too.
Added benefit is you can take them out in winter to see out of the rear window better when reversing.

Cheers all. Didn’t know they were a declarable modification (makes sense I suppose), likely to have much impact on the insurance? Thanks for the heads up.

Thinking about it, it may be slightly wiser to not to tint the tailgate window any way, just the rear side windows as this is the main route by which the kids are dazzled and hence the windows that are currently plastered in stick on shades.

TBH it is a year round issue as the low setting winter sun get in their eyes too.

I might have one last look at shade type products rather than films, see if there’s some wonder product out there that I’ve missed, but I sort of doubt it exists TBH… It’s only really while they’re little, but I reckon I need something for the next couple of years at least that isn’t a fiddle magnet and isn’t prone to randomly falling off.

I have exactly the same issue and ordered fitted van shades for a BMW touring (3 series).

I don’t know if it is me, but I can’t get them to stay in place very well. The two that sit in the rear boot space windows are fine, but the ones for the back two windows don’t seem to stay in place. I have ordered new adhesive clips, but he shades don’t tend to stay on. I have followed the instructions.

Any tips from anyone appreciated.

My vanshades don’t have adhesive clips? The clips slide behind the window rubbers and are very secure. No probs with windows down at speed etc.

Don’t do it yourself, it will end up looking crappy down the road.
If kids is your main motivation then consider the heat reduction value of the film. Ceramic tint is expensive and low light blocking but huge heat reduction. Carbon dyed films block more light but less heat.
I went 35% tint on the rear with a 40% solar energy reduction and a 75% film with 40% heat on the driver and passenger fronts…huge difference over bare glass. Both films are 99% UV also.
I also did the rear on then car with van style shades for summer heat. They can come out for winter and visibility will be less challenged vs if I’d gone 10 or 15% film.

Tints and shades probably ran me iro £400 all said and done on a mazda5 but worth it IMO for privacy, security and heat reduction

Our insurer charged no extra but wanted to know. They will only replace with standard glass though.

Buttonmoon, bottom of the shades on the rear passenger doors fix to the car with metal clips that slide in behind either the window rubber, or window pillar. The top has a small plastic adhesive clip, which affixes to the top of he car door frame. The position of these adhesive clips is hard to get right, as the instructions do not show where they are supposed to attach.

If I did it again I would probably pay for someone to do a tint of the windows, as at least it would not fall off. Funnily enough the blinds usually hold in ok with window open at speed, but just don’t stay fixed in place when door opens/closes.

Further to my post above, my shades are called uv car shades and were sourced from palm automotive, as recommended on a BMW forum. Maybe not the same thing as van shades, so hope I have not misled. Having said that, the website is van style dot co uk

Wish I had done some more research as I think I could have got either a window tint for circa £200 or shades that were better quality. Shades cost me £80.

My shades came from Palm Automotive too. I think they are the same company as van shades from memory.
On a Passat Estate the rear passenger shades have 2 clips at the top of the window, the rear luggage space shades are held in under tension and the rear window shades are held in with one clip on either side. I have never found the shades to move unless I needed to remove them.
For ~£100 great purchase, and will buy more when I eventually change car.

Thetallpaul, sounds like the blinds for the Passat perhaps fit a bit better than the BMW. It might just be the strange window sill design. The actual cut if the blinds look good and hey do cool the car.

I have asked for some direction from palm automotive.

Their customer service was pretty good for me. They sent out replacement clips for free after my 6yo daughter managed to remove her blind and send the clips flying into the countryside. 🙄

do they come with a shade for the rear window (i.e. rear windscreen)

Rob, yes I believe they all do.

All tints do is make visibility hard for others.

Isn’t that the whole point? Why do ‘others’ need better visibility?

Anyone used WindowSox?
Just looking at the vanstyle ones. Is it worth the £80?

Well, good question bandito. I wish when I bought our car I got one with tinted windows in the first place, as even though the car was second hand, there were loads of models on offer (but we got ours from family).

The shades are well made and plenty above seem happy with them. I am just trying to sort fixing mine in place properly, but they do add to privacy, shade the car loads and look better than the stick on shades with mickey mouse etc on. They are also designed for each model, so look neat when in place.

If I bought another car, I would make sure I had the tinted widows option (just think it makes sense to keep the cabin as cool as possible, helps keep sun out of kids eyes etc). Also was helpful when I had my Nissan Juke – could just leave my bike on the back seat and it looked very unobtrusive.

OP – are you blind? Did you grow up in a car with tints – I’m pretty sure most of us on here didn’t?

9 month old thread?

9 month old thread?

His eyesight isn’t great.

Sun damage from when he was a kid I think 😉

😆

OP – are you blind? Did you grow up in a car with tints – I’m pretty sure most of us on here didn’t?

He should prolly remove the airbags and seat belts going by that logic.

Wow, I have no idea how I found myself on this thread, I really didn’t mean to resurrect it 😳