Rear Window Tint & RD's

[MConnery]

Well I'm getting a tint done tomorrow, with a 5% on the back...

How much will that and tinting on the sides affect an RD (like an STi) ability to function properly? I know most people have different views on a tint strip on the windshield, but my car doesn't have that...and I may or may not add one...

So will a 5% back window tint affect ability of an STi (probably will mount it up high)?

What about the sides?

And the tint strip on windshield...if I decide to add it, does it have to be nonmetallic?

[jdong]

You definitely don't want to mount your detector behind something metallic. As far as the rear tinting, again I've heard both sides of the story... either it is bad bad bad for laser, or it is neutral or even possibly beneficial due to filtering out stray visible light.

[MConnery]

You definitely don't want to mount your detector behind something metallic. As far as the rear tinting, again I've heard both sides of the story... either it is bad bad bad for laser, or it is neutral or even possibly beneficial due to filtering out stray visible light.

I know I've read couple of posts regarding tint issues...I guess I definitely won't be getting a metallic one, but the rear one is debatable as you mentioned...

In the meantime, anyone know where i can get an official (chapter/section #'s included) to see tint laws for the state of TX?

I've seen many non-official sites, and they vary greatly...

The most reliable one I've found is from here, and it seems like its got the chapter and section number at the bottom.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/tint.htm

For inspection it says it should be above 20%.

For law, it says it should be 25% :shock:

WTH is the point of the inspection being 20% then? (I know after a couple of years the tint % decreases and can easily get in trouble for that...)but still why have the inspection below the law?

The guy that wants to do my tinting says he wants to do

5% rear
5% rear mini windows (I have 07 civic coupe)


35% front....

I want to do
5%
5%
20%

But if the law is supposedly 25%, I can live with that on the sides.

[QuickCummins]

Tx Dps will generaly let you get away with 20% to 18%, i run mine at 5% over my factory on the back and 5% on the driver and passenger window. as to inspections go to a little town to inspect it if you want it to be darker than legal.

[CJR238]

In general I have found you can completely black out all widows but the windshield, driver & front passenger and they can be up to a specific %. Think of it like having a van with no widows and that’s completely legal.

I have found that tinted cars get pulled over more than trucks :roll:

[MConnery]

well I did 20 Rear window, 20 Rear sides and 35 up front (the guy only offered 5, 20, and 35...so going 20 would've been illegal.)

The vision during the day is just as great as before...but I have to see night.

If theres not much difference with the vision, I may just ask him to do 5% on the back (I don't want people seeing my RD going off lol)

Can a cop see if the RD is installed above/below RVM if he's pulled you over and is standing next to you?

Or should i just have the RD in that STi visor pouch?

[jdong]

Can a cop see if the RD is installed above/below RVM if he's pulled you over and is standing next to you?

Isn't that a question you can answer by standing at your drivers side window and looking into your car?

[MConnery]

Can a cop see if the RD is installed above/below RVM if he's pulled you over and is standing next to you?

Isn't that a question you can answer by standing at your drivers side window and looking into your car?

lol well I was talking about a really good install, not just using the suction cups...

and I also don't have a radar yet...

so no I can't answer that question by just standing outside of my own car

[jdong]

well I was talking about a really good install, not just using the suction cups...

and I also don't have a radar yet...

so no I can't answer that question by just standing outside of my own car

Ah, sorry, missed that. If it's a good install, then it won't at all be apparent that you have a RD.

[thursdae]

You definitely don't want to mount your detector behind something metallic. As far as the rear tinting, again I've heard both sides of the story... either it is bad bad bad for laser, or it is neutral or even possibly beneficial due to filtering out stray visible light.

I know I've read couple of posts regarding tint issues...I guess I definitely won't be getting a metallic one, but the rear one is debatable as you mentioned...

In the meantime, anyone know where i can get an official (chapter/section #'s included) to see tint laws for the state of TX?

I've seen many non-official sites, and they vary greatly...

The most reliable one I've found is from here, and it seems like its got the chapter and section number at the bottom.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/tint.htm

For inspection it says it should be above 20%.

For law, it says it should be 25% :shock:

WTH is the point of the inspection being 20% then? (I know after a couple of years the tint % decreases and can easily get in trouble for that...)but still why have the inspection below the law?

The guy that wants to do my tinting says he wants to do

5% rear
5% rear mini windows (I have 07 civic coupe)


35% front....

I want to do
5%
5%
20%

But if the law is supposedly 25%, I can live with that on the sides.

You'll get a warning with 20 on your driver's side. A friend of mine knows a DPS officer, and he told us that most cops will just give you a warning for your tint being too dark.

20 on driver's side
20 on passenger's side.
5 on the rest.