Window Tinting

[trevelan]

Can anyone recommend a shop for tinting my Leaf in the San Francisco Bay Area? A shop in the peninsular is preferred, but anywhere in the Bay Area would be ok.

I've used Tint on Wheels in the past for a couple of cars. He comes to your location to install, but he does need an electrical outlet nearby for his dryer. Tell him James with the black S referred you.

Tint on Wheels
Andy 510-506-8468
tintonwheels.com

 

[intrepion]

I was thinking of getting 3M Crystalline 40 on the sides, the back, and the top 6 inches of the windshield. Any thoughts?

I mostly want the Crystalline because the specs show it has the highest % of Total Solar Energy Reflected (TSER) at 60% among all the >35% films.

 

[palmermd]

Here are my before and after pictures. Oregon only lets us tint to 50% so they are not that dark:

Looks like you tinted the car windows, but removed the tint from your name on the image.

 

[intrepion]

Oregon only lets us tint to 50%

Whoa, I'm really new to this whole tinting business so tell me if I'm missing something, but I thought the Oregon laws say 35%.

 

[aqn]

Oregon only lets us tint to 50%

Whoa, I'm really new to this whole tinting business so tell me if I'm missing something, but I thought the Oregon laws say 35%.

http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/815.html:
"815.221 Tinting; authorized and prohibited materials; certificate. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may apply tinting material to the windows of a motor vehicle in compliance with this section.
(2) Tinting material may be applied to the side and rear windows of a motor vehicle if:
(a) The tinting material has a light transmittance of 50 percent or more;
[...]
(c) The total light transmittance through the window with the tinting material applied is 35 percent or more."

The 50% only refers to the light transmission property of the tint film itself.
The legal limit for Oregon is 35%.

 

[patrick0101]

The 50% only refers to the light transmission property of the tint film itself. The legal limit for Oregon is 35%.

aqn has it right. the light transmittance of the film must be 50% or more, the reflectivity must be 13% or less, and the final light transmittance of the window must be 35% or more. at the shop that I went to they told me that Oregon used to consider this a "fix it or ticket" meaning that if you had it corrected they would waive the ticket. However, as of March 1st they just ticket you and if you have tinted windows without a compliance note in the car, that is a 2nd ticket.

 

[Deleted member 1464]

Can anyone recommend a shop for tinting my Leaf in the San Francisco Bay Area? A shop in the peninsular is preferred, but anywhere in the Bay Area would be ok.

I've used Tint on Wheels in the past for a couple of cars. He comes to your location to install, but he does need an electrical outlet nearby for his dryer. Tell him James with the black S referred you.

Tint on Wheels
Andy 510-506-8468
tintonwheels.com

I called Tint on Wheels and Andy came by yesterday - I went with 5% in the back and 50% in the front -

Andy did such a great job, I gave him a good review on yelp.com - http://www.yelp.com/biz/tint-on-wheels-berkeley - thanks James!

 

[Rake]

I went with 20%. The police in this area don't seem too concerned unless they can't see in with a flashlight, and it's really only the limo dark (5-10%) tints that do that. My mileage my vary, of course, but I'll take my chances.

 

[TEG]

That is what I want mine to look like, but I couldn't get away with that in California. They do tend to enforce little to no tint on the driver's side front window.

 

[IBELEAF]

I called Tint on Wheels and Andy came by yesterday - I went with 5% in the back and 50% in the front -

I see you tinted the windshield top. Can you take a picture up close? Are you happy with how it looks? I was reluctant to tint it because of the dotted middle part and tint shop did not recommended it.

 

[Volusiano]

I see you tinted the windshield top. Can you take a picture up close? Are you happy with how it looks? I was reluctant to tint it because of the dotted middle part and tint shop did not recommended it.

My tint guy has no problem tinting the windshield strip for me. The film material he uses there is not the metallic type so there should be no interference with antenna signals or something like that, if that dotted middle area servers as an antenna, which I'm not sure if it does or not. He charged me $20 extra for that.

My son at first didn't like the strip from the inside looking out because he said it makes the windshield look much smaller than it really is. But now he's more used to it. I on the other hand like it because I want as much light reduction as I can get. When I didn't have it before, I tend to have to flip down the visor to cut down often so I don't frown from too much light into my eyes. Now it's easier on the eyes even with the visor up with the strip.

Beware that in order for its bottom part to appear straight when you're outside looking at it from the side, it actually seems to curve down a bit on the sides from the inside in the seat. That's just because of the curvature of the windshield, that's all.

 

[hill]

If/when you finally get popped for front window tint - THIS is the bomb, right here:

This little sucker will steam off window tint like you've been doing it professionally all your life ... and for the cost of the unit, you'll pay a pro just about as much, only you won't have the hand held monster steamer to steam any thing else with! You'll have both front windows stripped spotlessly clean in less the 15 minutes, so matter how old/new your tint is.

 

[TNleaf]

I went with 20%. The police in this area don't seem too concerned unless they can't see in with a flashlight, and it's really only the limo dark (5-10%) tints that do that. My mileage my vary, of course, but I'll take my chances.

Nice Rake. That looks really good! All of these pictures are giving me LEAF envy! August needs to hurry up and get here!

I have 20% on my 350z, and I'll most likely be taking my LEAF to the same place to get 20% as well.

 

[csriram45]

I called Tint on Wheels and Andy came by yesterday - I went with 5% in the back and 50% in the front

How much did it cost you to get this done? Also, I thought you could not do that dark (5%?) in CA. What is the legal and darkest I can go in the front and back in CA? I am in SF Bay Area.

Also, what about the Windshield top tint?

Tks

 

[johnr]

How much did it cost you to get this done? Also, I thought you could not do that dark (5%?) in CA. What is the legal and darkest I can go in the front and back in CA? I am in SF Bay Area.

Also, what about the Windshield top tint?

Tks

In CA, you can go up to 30% for the front side windows, and as dark as you like for the rest. The top 4 inches of the windshield may be tinted.

http://www.tintlaws.com/laws/CA/

 

[Deleted member 1464]

I called Tint on Wheels and Andy came by yesterday - I went with 5% in the back and 50% in the front

How much did it cost you to get this done?
Tks

$250 for everything - the front and rear windows, the back, the windshield strip and the 4 small windows (2 in front and 2 in back). It took him a little over an hour to get it all done.

 

[Deleted member 1464]

I see you tinted the windshield top. Can you take a picture up close? Are you happy with how it looks? I was reluctant to tint it because of the dotted middle part and tint shop did not recommended it.

My tint guy has no problem tinting the windshield strip for me. The film material he uses there is not the metallic type so there should be no interference with antenna signals or something like that, if that dotted middle area servers as an antenna, which I'm not sure if it does or not. He charged me $20 extra for that.

My son at first didn't like the strip from the inside looking out because he said it makes the windshield look much smaller than it really is. But now he's more used to it. I on the other hand like it because I want as much light reduction as I can get. When I didn't have it before, I tend to have to flip down the visor to cut down often so I don't frown from too much light into my eyes. Now it's easier on the eyes even with the visor up with the strip.

Beware that in order for its bottom part to appear straight when you're outside looking at it from the side, it actually seems to curve down a bit on the sides from the inside in the seat. That's just because of the curvature of the windshield, that's all.

Sure, here's a picture of the tinted windshield strip -

I set the limit right where the dotted middle part stop; I like it, I also prefer less light.

 

[kgee]

Can anyone recommend a shop for tinting my Leaf in the San Francisco Bay Area? A shop in the peninsular is preferred, but anywhere in the Bay Area would be ok.

+1. I am in SF Bay Area as well. South bay is preferred but willing to drive for the right place..

I am bringing my LEAF to Auto Image Tint in Belmont (http://www.autoimagetint.com/). They've gotten some good reviews on Yelp.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/auto-image-window-tinting-belmont-2#query:auto%20image%20tint

 

[glennkfu]

For window tinting, I just had Andy from Tint on wheels work on my leaf. He came to my house in Dublin did a great job on my black leaf and I would recommend him to all. Friendly, polite and very professional. See yelp for his reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/tint-on-wheels-berkeley

 

[csriram45]

For window tinting, I just had Andy from Tint on wheels work on my leaf. He came to my house in Dublin did a great job on my black leaf and I would recommend him to all. Friendly, polite and very professional. See yelp for his reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/tint-on-wheels-berkeley

Pictures? Looks like Andy is gonna get a call from me soon. This wknd was hot and I guess having tinted windows would have helped.