Tint Strip - How dark?

[speedygonzales]

I need to put a 3-4in tint strip across the top of my Jetta's Windshield. I put the visor clip on, and it is just too visible for my liking through the plain windshield. I have an appointment booked tomorrow afternoon to get it done.

I've got wiring patched in place to mount my STi on the driver side visor... or maybe suctioned cupped to the windshield after the tint strip is in place....

Anyone have experience with tint strips and detectors?

How light can I go on the tint, yet be able to effectively 'hide' the STi visually, but have some sort of laser protection? My car is silver, so I'll likely get some bounce if shot with laser.... My understanding is the the tint strip shouldn't affect radar perfomance too badly.

Ran into my 1st LEO on patrol today, he was in the oncoming lane, and booting along, and well so was I, but he didn't have his radar on..... I saw him maybe 200ft away as I crested a knoll.... hit the brakes, and slowed down from 110kph to about 95-100kph in an 80.

Currently the STi is sitting on the black dash on a sticky pad, partially obstructed by the driverside wiper :cry:

[AirMoore]

I hate to say this... with a silver car, and living in Canada where RD's are illegal (unless you have a jammer), I wouldnt even worry about LIDAR.

I say that for a few reasons:

1st: Your probably smoked (especially having a silver car...without pop-ups) by the time the STi picks up the (laser) alert.

2nd: With Lidar if you do get an early warning, you have to whomp on your brakes pretty good to slow the speed down... which can be rather obvious in some cases, and an LEO will pick right up on that when they see your car do a front end dive. So besides a Laser Jammer the only thing that may gain you a precious second or 2 is lasershield+Veil from Roy... and still the silver car, without a sleek profile will hurt you.

3rd: I would assume they use it rather sparingly compared to ohhhh... lets say the NYSTroopers.



With that said I would go decently dark... as long as it isnt metallic or anything like that it shouldnt much effect your radar range.

[speedygonzales]

Airmoore,

Thanks for the reply. I agree w most of your assessments...

I am planning on getting the lasershield cover for the front plate, and VEiL soon. I am sitting on the fence with regards to a black vinyl bra in an effort to cover up a good portion of my silver frontal area.... I'm just hum 'n hawing over the added car maintenance required w a bra.

You're right, in my past experience with the V1 (used from 97-02 in Ontario), they don't use much laser.... and most of the traps were constant on....

I believe they use 'more' laser in the GTA (greater Toronto Area) population of over 3million.

The STi will be used too in a black current model CRV, VEil and Lasershield going on that, as well as a sport touring motorcycle. VEil'ing that too.

Thanks for your reply,
P

[SmaartAasSaabr]

3rd: I would assume they use it rather sparingly compared to ohhhh... lets say the NYSTroopers.

Yeah right! GTA has LOTS of laser, and even the rest of the OPP does a lot of laser. They aren't as nasty with the instant-on though.

It's Jammer Time!

[speedygonzales]

tint strip was installed today.... $30cdn plus tax, plus a 30min wait...

I'm going high!

I'll stick the STi on the Driver side visor until the tint dries completely, and try suction cups in a week or so....

P

[asianfire]

cool, tell us how it works. Mine works fine

[speedygonzales]

cool, tell us how it works. Mine works fine

The STi seems to pick up more sitting high and level in the cabin (currently using visor clip) than in the centre of the dash 10 in behind the wiper blades. I get stronger alerts from the grocery store automatic door openners with it up high....

You can barely see the silhoute of the STi when facing the car... Pretty happy with the results....

It should be warming up here over the next few days, and I'll try the STi w suctions cups on the tint strip after I'm sure that the tint has dried 'completely'.

SG

[stalker]

MAKE SURE THE TINT STRIP YOU GET IS NOT A METAL TINT this will effect your radar and laser detection bigtime. Get a DYE based tint.

Ive run a detector behind a tint strip for years, never had a problem.

[TeamQuack]

MAKE SURE THE TINT STRIP YOU GET IS NOT A METAL TINT this will effect your radar and laser detection bigtime. Get a DYE based tint.

Ive run a detector behind a tint strip for years, never had a problem.

x2, behind tint strip, no laser detection problem /w the v1. if u have other detectors and they dont alert to laser, might not be the tint strip, they might just suck like most of them do.