My 200 Disco II is bone-stock, window wise, and I am going to add pre-cut tint to help the air conditioner. I have found very little online on the factory tint, but one post I saw regarding an 03 states that the factory on the back (behind the driver's window) is 75%, meaning it passes 75% of light through. To my eyes, the driver's window looks the same.

Texas allows up to 25% tint (light blockage) on driver's windows, which seems to indicate that the factory tint is the maximum on those windows, and has no restrictions on windows further back, but I do want to be able to see something when I change lanes or back up.

Can anyone confirm the 75% figure?

By my calculations, any tint I put on the windows will reduce the existing 75% tint by X percentage (whatever the new tint is rated to block) of the remaining light. So, if I put 30% percent tint on the back windows (meaning it blocks 70% of light), it would reduce the light passing through by 70% of the 75% figure, right? In other words, to get a 25% tint (meaning, it only passes 25% of light through, which would be fairly dark but not blind), I would need about a 35% tint added... or am I wrong?

 

the front windows do not have as much tint as the rear. If you go to much with the rear window it will be a pita at night. Contact and of the company selling the kits and they should send you out a couple small samples to try, it not use another company

 

Multiply the tint level to each other such as: (which you already said but verifying that is correct)
original window (FACTORY TINT) = W = 75% (lets 75% light thru)
Added layer of window tint = T = 35%

(T x W) = (75% x 35%) = (.75 x .35) = 0.2625 or approximately 26%.

I have 20% on the rear and 35% on the front mine so guessing installer used 25% rear tint if the factory tint is in fact 75% (.75 x .25 = .1875) to get it close to 20% but I dont know that for sure. In Missouri (and kind of assuming other states) you are allowed 2% error range.

Edit -- I did some quick googling and most discussion I found said 20% was the factory approx. tint level for the rear

I can see fine at night with 20%. My current other car and previous 3 cars I had 5% on the back and yes you couldn't see anything at night out of them if no street lights but it never really effected me since most parking lots have lights and I can still backup just fine with the tint. You can see car headlights just fine with 5% as well

 

The factory tint is already pretty dark and I've never noticed any temperature differences on vehcles with dark tinted windows. I think it's really just a sales pitch the tint shops use and doesn't really do anything to keep the inside cooler. It can be a PITA at night and usually draws more attention from the police.

 

I've actually been interested in this topic. Cant move forqard with the tinting until i repair my rear defroster.

Any chance you could share some photos of what your tint looks like to give us an idea of what to expect with those tint percentages?

 

I want a windshield with TINT already in the upper area / glass.
Any URL's to order such a wind shield or a vendor to buy from?

Trying to AVOID made in China glass.

 

I too am interested in this.... I'd like to get my final % in the rear to be around 30-35% and 50% on the front two sides. Unfortunately, every one of these threads i read really doesnt help much. No one can ever seem to pinpoint the actual current % of the factory tint on the rear windows

 

Well to fully disclose my wife makes and sells wax for warmers and artisan soaps, and we take them to events and festivals. It really amounts to an excuse to go to events and festivals almost every weekend. I've removed my back seats to turn the rover into a stylish wagon and we travel up to six hours away almost every weekend. So in addition to needing to keep heat at a minimum, we also want to hide our contents.

I have to say, though, that I have an old Mercedes diesel that has a converted r12 AC system, meaning that it doesn't put out alot of cold air, and tinting the windows dark made a huge difference in temperature for the better.

 

Live in Florida... Enough said. There are pros and cons... up to each owner. I put 5% on driver/ pass windows and 20% on all others including sun roof, 6" on windshield (5%), and alpine windows. I have all black interior.
I can testify that my temperature I noticeably cooler than my wife's car. Both have similar exterior colors. She has factory windows.
The way I look at it the pros outweigh the cons. Saves the wear on the dash, leather and overall glare/discomfort of hot Florida sun. I have never gotten a ticket for them or stripped them. The con is harder to see at night. You can look at my Album on this site to see the tint.

 

I will get picture of mine when I get home for reference as some asked for. I can say on a black interior car it will look darker than my tan interior. Legal limit in Missouri is 35% on the front. I got pulled over I think two or three times by small town cops saying it was to dark until they light tested it

And for me tint has a lot more pros than cons but I know most of these are or could be opinion based.

Pros --
Keeps car cooler in the summer
In and SUV doesnt matter as much but headlight from other cars do no blind you
Privacy from picking your nose to possibly preventing theft. With the 5% you can't see in at all in the back
I think it make a car look better but that opinion
Most have UV protection in them so keep you skin safe.
If you have kids helps keep bright sun out of their eyes (yes you can buy other things to do this)

Cons
All I got is visibility at night but this has never been an issue for me even with 5% on my other car. If out in the middle of nowhere with no external light I could see this but a maybe a rear spot light when needed?

Cost me I think 185 to get mine done at a highly review show and that included the top glass on the back and lifetime warranty.

One other lesson I have learned that I didn't have issues with in my cars is watch for letting the seatbelt go as soon as you unbuckle it. It will snap into the glass I guess because of the high seating position. Hasn't damaged it but figured it could.

Looks like on amazon you can get a light meter for about 20 dollars or I saw this on youtube which shows using you aperture on you camera to get a reading as well (but not complete accurate). I have also read there are cards with words on them that depending on what you can see it can give you the reading but I cant find those. And last and maybe best idea is I see that iTunes has an app for the phone (didnt check android yet) call Pocket light meter that someone may try?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pock...381698089?mt=8