tikkin

Hi,

Anyone do a tint for the front windows to match the factory tint on the back? I just came back from the tint shop and realized the color of "charcoal" tints they have are very green compared to the backs. I was advised to wait 5 days, but I seriously don't think the color will shift that much in 5 days. I'm planning to take it back soon.

Any of you had that problem, if not, which tint film could you suggest?

Thanks

madrye28

a black 15% tint should be the correct tint...It could be looking green if you have a taupe interior and the light from the windshield is hitting it? Unless you have a brown tint.

Domm

The 5 days is for the tint to properly settle in and don't open your windows until then!

tikkin

The green is definitely from the tint, when I look outside, I can clearly see the color difference between the front and the back stock tint. Talked to a sales manager from Acura today and he's confirmed that, yes, it's a specific color shade that it needs to match, and some places don't carry different color shades because they are not commonly needed. I will bring it to the place he suggested and have it re-tinted.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

if you want as close to matching the shade of the factory tint....depends on the tint. madico charcool tint claims to be the closest match to factory SUV tint in terms of shade.

i have this tint in both cars. in my MDX, the color matches very well (looks like the car came that way). no weird greens or other hues. it's almost a trasparent black. also, just FYI most factory SUV tint ranges in the 20-30% range.

twiz03

35% tint is what comes out from the factory, I dont know what color it is though. The tint from the factory is actually tinted inside the window, so i highly doubt you will get the perfect color match.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

was this a measured number?

i have 35% on my MDX and it's a shade or two lighter than the back windows.

GRDX

Keep in mind though much lighter the front glass is tinted too. I had a 2010 CR-V and found out by digging on the Honda Japan website with a translator that the front glass is 72% and back glass is 27%. If you put 35% tint on 72% glass the effective tint would be 25.2%. Maybe your MDX rear glass is around 20%? I know 72% is pretty standard industry wide for front glass when it is tinted since US DOT and Canada regulations only allow up to 70% (your state or province may allow more) so 72% gives a margin of error.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

yes, the OEM glass in honda/acura is around that 75% mark....which you have provided a harder number of 72%.

my brother has 20% on his MDX fronts and it's a pretty close match.

i have 50/35 on my TL. the 35% is still pretty see through, but dark enough to allow for some privacy. unless the tint itself (film) has some variations which i'm sure it does. it may say 35%, but it might be off give or take 2-3%.

007Acura

I just got 20% on my front windows and it is a perfect match.

rtist2g

I'd just like to follow up on this. My tinter measured the back windows at about 23%, and recommended i go with 20% tint for the front, since there's a little more light coming in from the front window, than the back. it matches beautifully.

madrye28

I just got mine done today at 20%.....matches PERFECTLY!!

tikkin

Thanks everyone for their inputs. For those of you who got 20%, have you notice a difference in color between the front and back windows when looking out from inside your cars?

Al Bundy

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but is the consensus that 20% tint in the front best matches the factory rear tint? What are most ppl getting to match the rears?

Also, when you had your front windows tinted, did the installer have to remove your door panels or were they able to apply the tint from the outside?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

^^mine didn't reomve the door panels. and the tint is applied from the inside of the car.

Al Bundy

Thanks. I actually meant to say applying it on the inside but using the outside first to mold the dimensions of the window.

hornyleprechaun

I believe they lay the tint on the outside to cut the tint to shape and then apply on the inside.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

TLtrigirl is a master of all things.

CoachRick

Mistress? Madam?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

hey since when did we start getting politically correct around here?^^ it's all good!!

weather

^^ No offense but Mistress sounds better to me

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

you guys are funny!

Shahryar

A little O/T but what are you guys paying for your just your front windows to be tinted to match the back?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

my tint guy charges around $70 just for the front windows.

docboy

Hmm... Am I missing something here?

Back on topic, I would like to know too. Is the consensus that 20% is the tint of the rears coming out of the factory?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

roughly...20-25%ish. need someone with a tint meter to go measure.

i have 35% in my front windows, it's a hair lighter than the rears. my brother had 20% in his front windows, and it was more or less the closest match. i have a black interior which helps make it look a little darker than it is.

tri=triathlon....get your mind out of the gutter! lol.

kfar09

I went with 20% and it matches perfectly from the outside. From the inside looking out, there is a color difference. $60 for both windows.

03acktls

20% is def whut u need

Al Bundy

Yeah, exactly. I just got the same thing done tonight. 20% in the front. It's a slight mismatch (tad different color) from the inside, but from the outside, it matches exactly.

Ironically, I also paid $60 to get this done today. Under the table since it's technically illegal where I live...

truelies

Which tint brand is best? How can I know if a store use good brand on my car instead of some very cheap one?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

it's not necessarily the brand, but the TYPE of tint the installer uses.

dyed tint is the cheapest and will purple/fade.
metallic tint may interfere with electronics
hybrid/carbon tint matches factory tint the best and will not interfere with electronics
ceramic tint will not interfere with electronics but has reflective properties which will result in a mismatch in the factory tint front to back (most expensive). ceramic tint will also have the greatest heat rejection properties.

so called trusted brand names: solargard, madico, 3M, huper optik, there are a few others. just ask the installer what they use, google, then learn. ultimately a really good installer will only use quality products. best to find an installer you can trust first then decide if the products they use will meet your needs. no sense in getting tint installed (no matter what the quality) if the tint job has a bubbles and lint in it (bad installer).

truelies

So we should choose hybrid/carbon tint to match the factory tint on 2013 RDX. But how to know if a store do a good job on tint?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

^^google and find reviews, ask in the regional sections here for recommendations from other members on where they got their tint done, friend's who have had their car tinted...ask questions, check their website, read reviews....do they hand cut the tint or computer cut (find one that hand cuts-and they have been doing tint installs for a long time). all of the tint shops around me dont' even offer the cheap stuff. they usually will have an intermediate/midlevel tint (a hybrid or carbon based tint) and ceramic.

C0rrion

The Llumar brand turned up a lot back when I was researching for the best tint for my car, and it happened to be what my preferred tint shop carried. I used Johnson Tint previously on my 03 Accord, still looked great after 9.5 years.

Here's a picture of my car with 50% Llumar tint in the front: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/re6fajbia...Q/IMAG0132.jpg

truelies

Asked a tint stire, they use Huper Optik. Only 30% available, does 30% lighter or deeper than 20%?

truelies

Texas only allow 25% at front, the store says it's illegal to put 20%.

CoachRick

My eyes aren't all that bad; but I have absolutely no interest in anything darker than the 'one step lighter' tint the dealer installed(even here in central Texas). Looks similar to COrrion's install.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

keep in mind that the windows have a light factory tint (at ~75%). so if you put 30%, then you'll be really close the factory tint. the light through the windshield will make it look lighter anyway. if you hvae a black interior it will appear darker as well.