Hi,
I have an 05 X-Type Estate in metallic black, with a few chrome bits on.
I have no rear load cover and so I want to get the windows tinted.
This is a UK car, and our law states you can have limo black on rear windows, but anything before the b pillars (basically, drivers, passenger) has to be much lighter...can't remember the exact amounts at the moment.

So these are my options:

1. Limo black on rear screen, rear quarters and rear doors.
Leave front door windows clear
2. Limo black rears and a lighter tint on the front doors
3. See if I can get limo at the back screen, getting lighter as it moves to the front.
4. something else

I don't want it too look odd, with it being a black car, as I fear the front ones with a lighter tint on might stand out. This is something I can only afford/want to do once so really want to get it riht.
Thanks in advance

 

my other car is all black and I personally think it looks quite odd to have different darknesses of window film on a car. I would do it all the same...i.e.: as dark as is allowed on the drivers window

 

15% front / 5% on everything from the B pillars back.

/thread.

 

From my own experience, I had pretty dark tint all the way around on my Saab, but having the front side windows tinted was a bit of a PITA. I couldn't see much out of them at night, which can be a little dangerous. If you live/drive in the city ever more so. I'd have to put my window down sometimes when making turns so I didn't clip a concrete median curb, or to see a dark car in my side view mirror coming up in my blindspot.

So I voted for option 1.

 

I agree with this. I have 35% on all the side windows and 20% on the back window of both my black X-type and Silver S-type. Both have black interiors. The X-type actually looks a bit darker in the day, but both cars look good, and I don't really have any issues driving at night.
I've been in other friends cars with much darker tints and I was like how do drive like this at night?

I think different shades on the side windows shows and doesn't look too good, but if you make the back window darker no one can really notice.

Take care,

George

 

I have 15% all around and I wouldn't go limo all around. It'll be too hard to see at night with limo tint. I would do 15% in the front and 5% all around. Florida's legal tint limit is 35%, which is basically no tint in my opinion.

Can you tint your windshield? If so, I would tint it as well to give it that total dark look.

 

I have 20% in the rear, and 35% all the way around. The tint looks light but I didn't want to go to dark because of cop troubles. I live in a town that has no crime whatsoever so if you have anything to be pulled over for, they'll get you. Overall though I think 20% all around would be ideal.

 

On the X-Type we used 15% on the rear and rear sides deciding to do nothing on the drivers and passengers side for reasons of night driving.

I do not drive the car that often however, it really could do with tints on the drivers and passengers front in the height of summer.

 

I have 20 all around. I agree with the comments to match the side windows. If my interior was an extremely light color (vanilla or dove grey), I would leave the windows untinted - as it looks cleaner that way (and will net you higher points at judged car shows).

 

i got limo rear, and 20 percent up front, and mines anthracite black, what ever that mans, if u want picks, i can send them to u, just pm me

 

5% on rear and 20% everything else.

 

One note on the 5% tinted rears: I can't see sh*t at night when I'm trying to back up... I always have to roll the rear windows down a bit.

 

I can second that, my friends lifted f-250 has 5% and at night its as good as not having windows.

 

thats true

 

That's why I leave my windows untouched lol

 

no tint is an option? why hide the beauty at the interior?

 

I've elected to not tint mine - the ivory interior is nice to see from outside the car (when contrasted with the adriatic blue exterior) and doesn't get very hot. If I had a black or dark interior though I'd probably at least tint them a little bit.

 

mine's black with a black interior, so not really that fussed about showing the interior to people, especially as I have no rear load cover, one of the reasons for opting for a dark tint.
I also like the look of tinted windows, but appreciate it's not to everyone's taste

 

Did your tint shops do the back window without taking the rear deck lid off? Cause my tint shop wants me to take off the back deck lid and pay 120$ from a shop to get it done...did anyone else have this problem with there x-type?

 

My guy did both my X-type and my S-type in one piece without removing the deck. He cut the tint on a plotter of some sort, then used a dryer sheet on the outside of the window and molded the tint to the outside of the glass. Then peeled it and put it on. No issues. My advice - find a more competent / proficient tint guy..

Take care,

George