Hello,

I've got a 2000 Acura 3.2TL, its black on black and I'm thinking of doing either 20% or 25% tint all around except for the windshield. What do you guys think abou it, or should I go with 30% or 35%? I'm in Chicago, so will it be ok to have that done, and lastly, does anyone know of any good tinting places in or around the Chicago area? Thanks so much!!

 

if Illinois doesnt have strict tint laws u will b ok...but i know in md they have a law saying that window tint must b 35% or lighter..I have a blk on blk TL as well and at 1st i had 5% limo tint...it was really dark...then i received a work order for it...next i got 20% wasnt too dark but was dark enuff and i got a work order for that too (i think it was just because i was young in a nice car...HATERS)...so now i have 35% all the way around including the windsheild so my windows dont appear too light...it looks good and i dont get nay heat from the cops

 

limo tint for the back windows, and 35% for the front windows. black on black. looks nice. that's how i have mine.

 

For black interior, stick with 25% doors and go 15 or 5 on rear window

 

yeah, your car looks real nice like that... I've kinda been wanting to steal your tinted windshield idea since I saw it, especially since I've got a light interior... will shops in MD still install tint on windshields even though it's illegal?

Illinois doesn't allow tinting the front windows per this website: http://www.tintlaws.com/laws/IL/
there aren't restrictions on the back side and rear windows, tho, so I say go the darkest you're willing to go

 

by the way, on tintlaws.com, am I crazy or is that a TL?

 

That's a TL alright. 3G

 

I'd say go with the dark tint. I just got my 2001 TL last weekend and I love the tint on it. The interior is pretty damn cozy, no matter how hot it gets here (Charleston, SC), which is great. I got the car from my brother who says that the tint is 15% all around, and something lighter on the windshield (I forget what). Anyways, heres a pic:

 

i would mix tint percentages . 20% is what i have on my black on black and this is what it looked like.....

 

been close to year with my 15% all around here in quebec canada were the cops are quite unforgiving - luck is on my side.

i love it, it looks great, but i do live a bit in fear.

if you have dark interior, you can get away with 20% as the interior will make it look darker than it is.

good luck.

 

Thanks for all the advice..so 20% or 35%?? and any good tint places in chicago?

 

Go with 20%. I have 28% on my car and I'm starting to wish I got darker tint. If your not into dark tint, then go with 35%. After a while, you will start to realize like me that 35% will be too light of a tint.

 

I went with 30% and sometimes i wished i went with 20%....if it is really sunny out and shining into your windshield, you can see right thru the tints.

 

i got 20% all around and never get mess with by the cops. just got to make sure that the tint place will do it for you if it is illegal in your state. at night i just open the sunroof visor to let some light in just to make sure the cops wont mess with me.

 

I got 18% on my LGM on all windows here in Mooresville, NC and I dont have anyproblems. Ive had them for about a year and it looks great, good thing I didnt go with 35%

 

I had 35% on my car and the cops still d*cked me for it, tried to gave me a damn ticket for speeding and tried to give me one for the tint. I told him it came like that when I bought it so he just gave me the ticket for speeding 60 in 35 damn pigs!!!! Pull my ass over but not the friggin truck with 10 fog lights tailgating my a$$ the whole way down a 4 lane street.

 

i would match it all around with limo, but be carefull on the road. In Florida the cops can't pull you over just for tint, so they look for something else. I got pulled over for a headlight out, and the cop checked my tint, but only the front driver's door window. I had limo put on it, which is 5%, but his machine read 1.5%. I don't know if it was b/c it was at night, or the factory windows already had tint. The citation was only to pay a fine, I did not have to remove the tint. That was the only time I got caught with illegal tint in 2 years, so I think it's worth it.

 

whoa! custom trunk?! if u want dark and dont want limo then go 20 all around. if i were u i'd 5 in rears and 35 fronts

 

i'd say be consistant with the % cuz it looks cleaner. the front windows will look lighter reguardless even if you keep it the same %. i feel like 30+ tint is like not having it at all almost. there are exemptions to tints if you're scared of getting it too dark. if you get a doctors note saying you are sensitive to light or something they might let you go. ask your doctor. this way you can get any kind of tint you want

 

what did you guys do about the dotted line around the back window?

 

theres no fix

 

i have black on black and have it 20% all the way around.. definetly don't do the 35%, it'll be too light.

 

well, if you are in chicago, then you know almost everyone breaks the tint laws. now if you dont want the hassle of being stopped (you know how the police in the burbs are), i would say do the 35%. if your interior is black as well, it will make the windows look darker.

both of these pics are 35%...The angle of the second pic makes it look darker





my tint was done in schaumburg for $280....this shop is great.

 

lol be my guest i dont mind setting a trend lol...and yea they will install anything just as long as u pay em

 

Sorry Jimmy, but that is not true. My tinter used black vinyl on the dots and I have a very clean tint job. Essentially, from the inside my window height was reduced since the black vinyl completely hides the dots on the top of the rear window. He actually got the tint to stick along the outer edges too...so, I am free of dots!!!!

 

$280????? Damn thats high!! I got mine done for $150 with lifetime warranty..I guess Illinois may be higher or something..wow. Your tint and car look great though.

 

i think 20% is a good number...

what about the front windshield? what percent? i wouldn't want anything too dark, but i live in socal... it'll also help lessen the warping of my dash

 

Ur car looks awesome cjitty, but the cops here can get pretty harsh so i think i might go with 35% or 20% in the back and rear passenger windows and not risk piling up tickets, i gotta be able to afford my car payments!

 

thats not a fix. ur free of dots but u have a big black strip along the top of your window. i'd rather deal with the dots.

$280 is too much. i paid $150

 

If you have a blak on blak and don't want to be pressed out go with 25% or 20% grafite tint. The Graphite 20 is a tad lighter than regular 20.

 

dammm $280...majority of tint done in MD is $100-$200 $200 is rare tho

 

Got mine done for 100 because I have had like 3 cars detailed and 2 tinted at this one shop of of Old Branch called All in one stop. I need a place to do my alarm tho.

 

yeah, its a bit pricey, but i searched out dozens of places in the CHICAGO area and there were some that were even more. went with a place that i was comfortable with (clean shop-massive pics of their work-firsthand look at other ppls car that were done there-very professional staff). didnt like paying the money , but i know i will never have a problem IF things go wrong with it....and when it comes to my car, i have never been hestitant to pay to have it done right the first time.....

 

Yup... I have black vinyl on mine

 

ive had the dots sanded down before and the it got rid of all the dots. anywayz, on my black on black, i put 5% on all windows except the windshield. i love it, but i just gotta look out for cops. i usually leave the sunroof inner cover open to let more light in. i think it helps a little. i heard that tinting ur windshield voids ur insurance if ur ever in an accident. i think theres actually some truth to that too. i dunno, someone might kno better?

 

I had 20% on all windows ex front windshield. The tint was dark but too dark for my taste after a while. It started to look ghetto to me, so I removed the tint and now I'm rocking no tint at all. I'm gonna go light and put maybe 30 or 35% all around including the windshield. I would give me that dark look, but still alittle clear which is fine for me.

 

I got my windows done at 35% last weekend all around except for the windshield and it looks awesome!!!

 

i got 35%


shoulda gotten 20 deng

 

I'd say go 20% all around and do the sunroof as well. Looks clean. Anything lighter and the po po might start botherin' ya. Btw, tintlaw.com isn't really accurate. I know for fact PA doesn't have a defined percentage yet for tint (site says 70% w/net tinting). They law actually states that it must not obstruct the view into the car, which leaves things at the cops discretion, meaning you can easily argue and win cases against them when they try to fine you. Here's 20% all around:

 

Jimmy, the strip is just the width of the dots and from the inside you can hardly even see it. You can't tell from the outside either. The vinyl is still a little translucent and it looks perfect if done right. It looks stock, enough for the Acura dealership to wonder how I had it done so they could do their showroom cars like that, mainly because customers complained about the dots. I may have to post a pic so people can see what I'm talking about. Others with the vinyl fix would probably agree with me that it is the best option to cover the dots other than sanding them off, just my thoughts.

I initially got 35% all around when I lived in Minneapolis. That is way too light now that I live in CO where the tint laws are much more favorable so I got the doors stripped and put 20% on the doors and another layer of 35% on the rear. The rear was still too light for me, so I had my tinter put on a layer of 20%. Now, my tint is about 5% on the rear window and really darkened up the car perfectly. Since I have bright tan interior, 20% doors and 5% rear is a perfect combo I think.

Colorado has a two rule setup.
No lower than 27% all around or the other rule is as dark as you want on any windows behind the driver as long as there are dual side mirrors. I've seen some cars with 5% on all the rear windows and it looks kind of weird. Then again, most people around here roll with 5% all around for privacy and quite frankly the brutal Colorado sun. Believe it or not, the mile high elevation makes a difference in UV's and sun intensity.