Maine-iac

My new S4 will go in for a window tint and clear bra on Monday. The car is in Ibis with black Napa leather. By state law the darkest I can go on the front windows is 35%. No tint restrictions on anything behind the front doors. I have narrowed it down to three choices:
1. 35% front & rear doors and rear window.
2. 35% front & rear doors and 15% rear window.
3. 35% front doors, 15% rear doors and rear window.

Anybody have any experience here? What would look best on an S4? I'm leaning toward #3. Would it look unbalanced if the rear doors were darker than the front? Comments appreciated....

zulujams

Some others have posted your dilemma as well. It does come down to personal preference for you. I went with 35% all around to be MA compliant (just heard a rumor that MA raised it to 45%?? not cool if true). 35% isn't really dark, but it does make a difference versus stock and it allows you to see out the sides and back in the rain and at night. Looking at the car from the outside, I would have liked it to be just a little darker but inside I like it. I personally prefer a balanced look between front and rear windows, but you'll see mixes with a lot of factory SUVs and minivans so why not on a sedan?

I'm almost on the RI border and don't find myself in ME often. I don't have plans up there anytime soon. If you want to see 35% GeoShield ceramic on Ibis, and are willing to take a ride, I could meet you a little to the north of me and shave off maybe 20 min of driving each way. Could also help with some vagcom stuff if you want though not everything on the list works with 2013 yet until others figure it out. PM me if interested.

skiracerblah

I think 15% rears will be too dark. You won't be able to see anything at night. I got 20% in my rears and they're dark, but i'm somewhat able to see out of them at night.

Maine-iac

Thanks, man - definite possibility - I'll let you know. Although I don't get down into MA very often. Still dunno what I'm gonna choose for a tint. Got the weekend to think about it.

Maine-iac

I've actually had the 35/15% combo before and it was no problem at all to see at night. That car was a coupe. I'm just a little unsure about having the front and rear doors a different tint. Wish I could see some pics of both.

EF99

If looks is your main criteria (assuming heat rejection is not a big issue in Maine, and all window films, even cheap ones, have >98% UV blocking), mixed darkness does look a bit odd, probably more so on a high contrasting paint color like white (relative to the black tint). If you go mixed, probably least noticeable with option 2 since you wouldn't have dark and light side by side.

A mixed tint car would probably stick out more on the streets of Maine than in Phoenix. A majority of cars in Phoenix get darker tint on the rear windows for the generally higher heat rejection that usually comes with the lower VLT for a given tint (VLT=Visible Light Transmission, lower = darker), so it doesn't really draw attention because it's common.

Prior to my S4 I have always gone with max legal 35% on fronts and 20% on the rest, but my night vision isn't what it used to be and I decided to go with 35% all around, but a high heat rejection film.

zulujams

I have a few pics in my albums here on AW. Not the best, but I took some camera phone pics of the before and after of 35% in the same spot, same lighting (cloudy). You can tell that you can't see into and thru the car as much, and you get get a general idea of a uniform tint. I really should take some higher quality pics at some point. I could likely meet late Saturday or Sunday morning off 495. Marlboro would likely be the area which is around 20 min north of me past the MA Pike. I've met others at a hotel lot there for vagcom stuff. Easy off/on (Rt 20). Let me know...

riu

I will tell you what I have and what I think.

I have a Black S4 and when I bought it I planned to put 35% because that is the legal number in Florida.

When I got to the tint place I put 20 or 28 (for some reason I remember it being 28 idk why lol)

Now that I have it for a year I have very mixed emotions. During the day I LOVE that I have it because I never have to squint or worry about the sun being annoying. I also like that its cool in the car once I am in it and never have the sun beating down on me.

At night, its a whole different story! If I am on a road that is not extremely well lit I cannot see well out of the side and back windows. In my area where I live I find myself moving up in my seat when I turn to make sure I dont hit curbs or anything.

I also have a 70% on the front window which I did mainly to protect the dash from the sun and its no issue with visibility.

I also hate the look of two diff tints.

If I was you, and was doing this over again I would prob go for 35% all around.

zulujams

Maine-iac, I just took some more camera pics in direct sunlight that may be of help. I tried some different angles for you. Still just camera pics but I left the sizes higher. A 2013 Fastback with factory tint is in some pics to give an idea. Not sure the % on that, maybe you can fid it on the web. Hope these help. Others may have pics of a split in tint levels for you. The pics are in my profile album called tint in sun or similar. Not sure how to link directly to the album and not a specific pic (just use the hyperlink?).

(yes, I know my wheels are dirty...it rained the last several days, time to wash everything again).

waffles

I did 35% all around, looks clean and nice without getting a little too ghetto/drug-dealer dark, plus I can see at night.

Window tint + sunshade is key. Keeps the car significantly cooler in the summer. I live in Atlanta and the sunshade is what makes it bearable if the car is left outside for awhile.

this is what 35% looks like. no real need to go darker in my opinion. unless you live in south texas.