I know there is already threads on this but I wont everyones opinion.
On my 97 TE it is pretty much see through so I need some tint, found it on ebay can choose from 35%, 30%, 15% and 5%. Not sure about all the rules but I've heard 35% is legal? and anything under is illegal? Anyway thinking of putting maybe 30% on side and rear windows and leaving front windscreen for the time being, if it turns out alright I might put a 35 on it. The reason im only going 30 s because of cops down here hopefully you cant tell that much differnce from 30 to 35.
Anyway how easy is it to install, it shouldn't be too bad beacuse there is no frames on the windows but how about the back window is that easy enough to install?
Thanks

i would seriously pay someone to do it, ask around they will do illegal tint for you. My tint im sure is illegal and got done by the previous owner at a store, receipt says $275

also, you cat EVER tint your front windscreen, except the top 100mm i think, its just that top little bit

Tinting is pretty easy just might take you a few dodgy first windows to get it right.

Biggest issue with tinting is keeping everything clean, you need a shed to do it in and to possibly hose it down and let any dust settle before hand.

Topless doors make it easy as. First lay the tint on the outside of the glass with backing still on using your spray mix then squeegee out to hold in place. Then using a sharp blade run it round the top of the glass at roughly 45 degrees to cut the tint to shape, make sure you leave enough over hang at the bottom. Then fit it to the inside, Squeegee from centre out.

Once its all fitted and let dry for a while finish by running a needle file around the top of the glass.

EDIT: You also need to shape the tint to the curve of the glass. You do that with the tint on the outside with backing still on using a heat gun working the creases out until you get the desired shape.

I know there is already threads on this but I wont everyones opinion.
On my 97 TE it is pretty much see through so I need some tint, found it on ebay can choose from 35%, 30%, 15% and 5%. Not sure about all the rules but I've heard 35% is legal? and anything under is illegal? Anyway thinking of putting maybe 30% on side and rear windows and leaving front windscreen for the time being, if it turns out alright I might put a 35 on it. The reason im only going 30 s because of cops down here hopefully you cant tell that much differnce from 30 to 35.
Anyway how easy is it to install, it shouldn't be too bad beacuse there is no frames on the windows but how about the back window is that easy enough to install?
Thanks

You cannot put anything on the front windscreen. You also cannot put anything on the fron door windows eventhought ting places do it and so do new car dealers. Have a look at autoperfection's website. Its got a link to some legislation.

with the front windscreen AFAIK its the top 10% of the windshield is allowed to be tinted but not the bottom 90%

You cannot put anything on the front windscreen. You also cannot put anything on the fron door windows eventhought ting places do it and so do new car dealers. Have a look at autoperfection's website. Its got a link to some legislation.

I didn't realise you couldn't tint your front windows... that's ridiculous! I've never seen a car that's been tinted, and the front door windows havent been done

AFAIK this seems to be some kind of weird SA rule. PM Madmagna as I believe he knows a loophole.

Of course you can tint your front side windows

EDIT: So its a SA thing, that sucks. Im sure there are plenty of cars down there with full tint though

not going into the laws.. BUT.. this is the way i got tought..

you'll need

a wind free invironment like a double garage enough to open both doors easily..
a green scotch brite pad
something like a stanley razor blade scraper
squirty bottle with some morning fresh/water in it
squeegee
a few blades for the scraper (only use stainless steel you'll be suprised but it won't scratch the glass!)
very fine meatal nail file
heat gun
talcom powder

squirt the glass inside AND outside with the soapy water,
scotchy the glass area,
then run over it with the razor blade scraper,
then squeegee

do that to all the side windows, the rear window ONLY scotchy over the inside of the glass, unless you don't want to keep your demister!

SIDE WINDOWS

step 2 - cut the tint to size..

squirt some fresh soapy water on the outside of the window..

place the tint onto the outside of the glass (it will stick with the soapy water there)

allow about an extra half inch, around the edges..

once cut to approx size, pull it off the glass, and peel the protective backing layer off the tint, and as quickly as possible spray the exposed sticky tint with the soapy water.. don't be scared, you cannot use too much of it.. it won't hurt your interior trims..

once you get it to sit right and down the bottom rubber about half an inch or so.. spray some more water on the fresh tint and sqeegee it in an outwards motion.. this might take a few goes to get the right idea.. but it's pretty easy..

once squeegee'd then trim the hanging over bits to size with the razor blade..

once trimmed to size with the blade, to get that extra neat finish use the fine metal file on the edge of the glass, in ONE DIRECTION ONLY file towards the ourside of the door! right round all the edges.. this is the finishing touch :) (you only do this on the rop egde with framed windows in other cars) it helps reduce the chance of the tint peeling off when the windows get wound up,

repeat that for your sides..


REAR WINDOW

the rear window is a bit trickey.. but still easy..

clean the outside of the window as mentioned before..

cut one large peice of tint to cover the whole window

sprinkle some talcom powder onto the outside of the window, and just wipe a hand width line across the middle of the screen, place the tint over the rear window, and cut to size to make this easier.. put a light or lamp etc inside the car on the back seat, and allow about an inch or so (little less maybe) covering the black out on the glass..

CUT to size..

NOW use a heat gun to lightly melt a bit of a shape to the tinting.. not too much or you will wrinkle the F%%k out of it.. just enough to shape a bit of a curve for the glass in it..

pull it off.. shake off the talc (it's only on the protective backing anyway)

peel off, wet and stick inside the rear screen! squeegee!



DONE!!! your car is tinted!!

a little tip he told me with our 3rd gens, and most subi's..

leave the windows down a TINY bit, just so the top of the tinting isn't hard against the rubber seal at the top of the glass.. just so it doesn't dry with a line.. don't have to.. but it doesn't really hurt it to..

enjoy :)

i belive that the reasoning why you can not tint front windows darker that 35% is so that driver is visiable to police. to ensure seatbelts are used... and phones not used...

most likley.. i can tell you for a fact that some unmarked police cars are DEFINITLY darker than 35%.. you can barley see the computer and radio equipment lights through thier tinting at night time.. and that is sitting right beside them at the lights! i didn't even notice the copper was looking at me till he moved!! that was in a new VE clubsport unmarked car..

When I moved to SA I challenged this with the transport department on our car as the reg had expired and had to go to regency.

They started with the "you can not have it" I then asked what the ADR spec was, they responded that ADR allows the tint on front door windows, I then asked again what rule overides which, ADR or State Law, they stated ADR over rides state law, they then conceeded that they can not really stop me from having the tint and then allowed the car to be registered.

Even the guys at Regency agreed it was stupid that SA was the last state left to change the law and that it is in fact safer in an accident as you do not generally get glass flying everywhere due to the tint acting like a laminate

When I moved to SA I challenged this with the transport department on our car as the reg had expired and had to go to regency.

They started with the "you can not have it" I then asked what the ADR spec was, they responded that ADR allows the tint on front door windows, I then asked again what rule overides which, ADR or State Law, they stated ADR over rides state law, they then conceeded that they can not really stop me from having the tint and then allowed the car to be registered.

Even the guys at Regency agreed it was stupid that SA was the last state left to change the law and that it is in fact safer in an accident as you do not generally get glass flying everywhere due to the tint acting like a laminate

very true.. which is why you cannot 'legally' put back a non laminated windscreen in an older car if you remove it.. (still doesn't stop ppl) but if you get someone like obriens to come out pop the screen out, so you can do rust repairs or respray it etc etc.. they will not come out and fit that non laminated screen..


also with DIY tinting - only use the metalised film... dyed film is much much cheaper.. but uber crap.. that is the stuff you see going blue/purple after a year or so.. the 'expected' lifetime of a decent metalised tint.. spending most days in the sun is about 10-12 years! :) the dyed stuff will lose colour after only 1-2 in the same sorta sun.. especially our aussie sun.. it fu$ks everything it touches..

hows about if I pay someone to do it properly how much would I be looking at spending?

Peter_Pan and I did our 5% tint ourselves, it turned out great imo. You just need a really steady hand to cut it to size. Also make sure to use a heatgun to shrink the rear window tint to size.

cops have thier front windows tinted.