Is 20% Tint too dark?

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

Hey got my VE booked in for window Tinting on friday, going for the darkest legal tint which is 35% tint, i asked what was the next darkest tint and they have told me 20% tint, is this too dark? and as i have a wagon is it legal to have my rear windows darker than my front passanger?

[bigjim92]

Front windows can only be darkest legal, rear window and rear passenger windows etc can be darker.

[Jonno]

wellll

my rears are 15, and reversing/driving at night..forget about it haha

looks good tho!

[.FOREVER SIDEWAYZ.]

i used to have 5% on my ve omega on all windows but got defected so got 20% on front now and looks great and good visability much better then used to have

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

i rang up today to ask and the guy said that its illegal to have darker than 35% on the rear windows on wagons? ive never heard this i always thought you could go as dark as you like on the rears as long as the front passangers are 35%, fark it im going for 20% all round! cheers guys

[Troy711]

Honestly, you're a tool if you had 5% all round. Way to drive blind at night. Good thing the cops defected you before you pulled in front of someone because you couldn't see.

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

TROY what is your tint? i like yours

[TinSnips]

Just make sure it's metalised tint if you're going darker than you should. Dyed tint is horrible to see through past 35%.

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

yeah its not metalised, black car = black dyed tint, hard decision hmmmmmm................

[FATMOE]

20% is not dark enough, mmm 5% is not dark enough either. 2 shades of 5% and were talking lol

[loku16]

Well... i got done by the cops during a road blitz in melbourne at 10.30am. They blocked both sides of the street and checked each car for the tint with a device that measured the light transparency (i assumed). Mine was one shade darker than the 35% and now have to get the two front ones re done. No fine luckily and only a minor defect notice. But still a pain in the butt to get things organised. He said mine was 8% lower than the legal limit after measuring it. I sort of argued that if the factory put a 5% tint and that if the legal tint was put on and the instrument he used had about 5% error margin, then that would account for the 8% error he was receiving..... it was a nice try and he just looked at me and told me to just get it done! Didn't argue as I didn't want him to measure the db on my exhaust hahahahahahahaha

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

haha nice try!
so u only had to change your 2 front passanger windows? i thought because you have a passanger and drivers side mirror than you can get the rear of the car as dark as you like?

[astroham]

Honestly, you're a tool if you had 5% all round. Way to drive blind at night. Good thing the cops defected you before you pulled in front of someone because you couldn't see.

then i guess im a tool ... its not as bad as you think

[bdc74]

Front windows can only be darkest legal, rear window and rear passenger windows etc can be darker.

This is highly dependent on what state you are talking about. In Vic, the darkest legal tint on ALL windows regardless of type of car is 35%

[HoldenOnn]

Thought I would post a link up for Western Australian Law. I know the OP is in SA, but its interesting to know how they word the law.

As you will read, even if the car has factory tint, the TOTAL light tramittance through the windows cannot be less than 35%. So this means that just getting 35% tint installed, definetely does not mean that your car is going to stay legal.

Alot of 4wd import vehicles come from the factory with privacy glass (which passes Australian Design Rules for Imported Vehicles) on the rear windows which is equal to 20% tint and sometimes even 5% it seems. Obviously this example also shows that if you installed 35% tint on these privacy glassed windows, your car can be defected. And the law doesn't allow you to tint the front windows to match the rear windows. The 35% rule still applies.

ROAD TRAFFIC (VEHICLE STANDARDS) RULES 2002 - REG 38

[StoneX]

This is highly dependent on what state you are talking about. In Vic, the darkest legal tint on ALL windows regardless of type of car is 35%

This is correct for Victoria. See attachment.

Well... i got done by the cops during a road blitz in melbourne at 10.30am. They blocked both sides of the street and checked each car for the tint with a device that measured the light transparency (i assumed). Mine was one shade darker than the 35% and now have to get the two front ones re done. No fine luckily and only a minor defect notice. But still a pain in the butt to get things organised. He said mine was 8% lower than the legal limit after measuring it. I sort of argued that if the factory put a 5% tint and that if the legal tint was put on and the instrument he used had about 5% error margin, then that would account for the 8% error he was receiving..... it was a nice try and he just looked at me and told me to just get it done! Didn't argue as I didn't want him to measure the db on my exhaust hahahahahahahaha

Which suburb? Need to know where to avoid I bought my car with tint already on it but it's clearly darker than legal I've had on previous cars.

[DeeVee]

Ive got 20% all round on mine. looks nice but would prefer if it was a tad darker, like 15%. I have decent visibility while driving at night. wouldn't want to go to something like 5% tho.

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

decent visibility? lol is that a good thing

[loku16]

This is correct for Victoria. See attachment.
Which suburb? Need to know where to avoid I bought my car with tint already on it but it's clearly darker than legal I've had on previous cars.

Melbourne CBD. Right opposite fed square!

[PHANTOM SPORTSWAGON6]

[Blockab]

20% aint too dark look at my photos thats whats on my ute no dramas at all

[loku16]

Doesn't matter if it looks dark or not if it doesn't comply, you are at the mercy of the cops!

[bladerunner]

ain't it funny how the law says 35% max limit yet the cops (up here at least) sit on the side of the road with their unmarked/marked bastard speed camera sedan/ wagon/ van /ute/ 4x4"s with 5% side and bottom half tinted 5%rear windows just so we " cough" law abiding motorists can't supposedly spot them- funny how they get away with it in the interests of " road safety". By the way up here in qld the back window of utes can be dark as you want and I'm sure the rear 1/4 windows can be also, as mine are -i looked it up on the qld trans web site

[revinR1]

We had 15% on our Landcruiser wagon.Since I drove it mostly it wasnt a major concern but have to say 15% is way to dark if you do a lot of night driving.I used to put the window down to reverse at night or in underground carparks.Forget being able to see a trailer.That was a pain also.

Our VE has what looks like 35% and this I agree isnt dark enough (we it is for adults) but when you want to keep the sun off a baby it could be a little darker,but we bought them stick on shades

The tinter I use says he can get 25% and thats what we`ll probally get on wifes Aurion or next car

[Troy711]

then i guess im a tool ... its not as bad as you think

Yes it is. I have it (legally mind you) on the side slider and rear window of my van (fronts are 35%). It's dark enough during the day time and night is worse.

I'll take a photo from inside and out and post it.