I finally got my sun shade from A&J Racing after a long 7 month wait. Total cost was just over $200 (including shipping - the wait was free though), with half down when I made the order (deposit).

Overall, I think the shade looks great and works well; I am very happy with it. Take a look for yourself. Since my car sits out in the sun all day, this (along with the tint) will really help protect the back seat.

I chose not to install the shade the way the directions on this site said (or rather, back in the day when there were directions posted for this shade), which involved cutting into the rear deck. I modified the feet of the shade and stuck "industrial strength" Velcro to the bottom surface - that shade isn't going anywhere, and I can take it out if I want without leaving any holes. If anyone's interested, I can do some DIY instructions (the shade doesn't come with any, just some hardware).

 

Good job, looks nice. I don't see it on the site though.
BTW how did you convert your remote to a 2003 one?

 

The shade was special ordered (it's not something they carry in their stock), that's why it took so long to get it.

The remote conversion consists of buying a 01-03 remote (you just need the case, but usually have to buy the whole thing), and shaving down the inside structure to allow the circuit board from your 99-00 remote. All the buttons line up, so it's a matter of shaving just enough out of the new remote case so the new board fits snug, without shifting. You need to shave the circuit board a bit too, but it's easy to do with a file or fine grit sandpaper. After I got all the parts together, it took about an hour or so to complete the job.

 

why not just get a regular sunshade?! i think you could have gotten one for like 50 that did the same thing.


your looks good tho

 

I thought a lot about that, and looked around everywhere at all the shades I could find. The one hurdle they all had a problem getting over was clearing the sub enclosure on the rear deck. So, they would all need to be modified, somehow. Some screw into the sides of the C pillars, some into the deck (like this one). Also, most of them were not the right size top to bottom (the width of the window at its base is not the same as its width at the roofline - and none of them came close to matching both measurements). What was left after cutting out all the ones that wouldn't fit, were cheap looking or had some sort of obnoxious writing (surprisingly, a lot of them had "Baby on Board" or something similar on the mesh). Eventually, I just stopped looking, shelled out the $$, and got a shade that was designed for the car.

 

ahh i got ya. i hate when i look for a long time for a cheaper substitute but eventually get the pricy version anyways cus nothing worked out

 

Those AJ-Racing folk need to get my badging in!!!!

 

looks nice, getting tints would of been better.

congrats.

 

From what I understand, they need to fill a container with orders before it will get shipped from Japan. So, if you're lucky, and get in towards the end of a large order, then your stuff should come through pretty soon. However, if the same thing happens to you as happened to me, where I made it in time for the last container, but then they had "supplier issues in Japan", miss the container, then have to wait for a new one.... 7 months of waiting is entirely possible.

Thought about that too. But, since I already have tint at a level that is definite higher than State Law permits - to pay to have the old stuff off ripped off and have it reapplied (even darker - more illegal) didn't really make much sense. Also, had I been caught with the darker tint, I would then have to pay to have it removed and re-applied again at the legal level. It's at that point, that a $200 sun shade looks like a bargain.

 

No offense, but your tint looks like the shop used a cheap film. It does not look like they used a Metallic film. A Metallic film will give you reduced glare and more heat rejection. It looks purple in the pictures to me. I would get it re-tinted. Your tint looks to be 35% at the most. You have a light interior color so you should be able to get away with 27% easily. Whats your states legal limit? The sun shade looks good. Nice work.

 

None taken. I've actually noticed this too. I bought the car used (it came off a lease), and it was already tinted; so I don't know what the last person tinted the car with. It's professionally done, but there are times when I question the type of tint they used. 99% of the time, the tint looks "black/brown", just like any metallic tint. Other times, it has that nasty purple look to it - but it depends on the light. I agree, in the pictures it looks purple, but in person, when I took the pictures it looks black. I've been meaning to take it to a tint shop in the area that did my last car (LA Tint - they do fantastic work), and ask them about my tint to see if they could tell me how dark it is. VA law says 35% allowed in the rear door windows and rear window, 50% on the front door windows (and as usual, no tint on the windshield - unless you have some prescription/doctors note). Any ways, if my tint starts to go towards purple, it's gone. I can't stand purple tint , and will pay whatever it takes to have it removed/replaced.

 

LA Tint is great in Northern VA. I have had 3 cars tinted at the Sterling location since 2001, the first being my TL. I love their work, the guys there are very professional. Plus they warranty the work for the life of your car. They do the job right the first, that is hard to find these days. VA has stricter tinting laws then MD, we are allowed 35% side and back windows. I am thinking to have my front wind sheild tinted to 50%, but I am not sure if I want too.

 

I couldn't agree more. I just hope they offer the service (if the day comes when I need it) to remove my old tint. I've never heard of an unhappy LA-Tint customer though. I'd be a little cautious tinting the windshield - I've heard that the police in MD a very much "law abiding citizens", and are more than happy to serve the public.