at1ce how 'bout some pictures I want to do the same tint to mine that is 20% in the back 35 in the front but I would like to see how it looks first.

 

Hey Sway, here are a few for you as requested. And no, I don't eat thejunk at Popeye's but the owner is a friend.

 

I put in my vote for 15-20, but i think i have 23%, it looks like this in the day.

[IMG]local://upfiles/33073/EFF351298B864E6CBB220FF03EB144CE.jpg[/IMG]

 

Simple solution. Don't use a metallic tint. There are plenty of quality ceramics on the market nowadays. BTW, what is the V1?

 

one thing i didnt see mentioned in here was felt/moleskin. i remember when i had my MB tinted, the guys over at mbworld were talking about tints and felt/moleskin applications.

do you guys have the same reccomendation? I mean my tint guy knows what he's doin anyways, but I'm just askin.

 

To be completely honest with you (and I may really be showing my ignorance) I have no idea what you are talking about. Care to drop some knowledge?

 

lol, no problem. basically its a liner on the inside of the door where the glass slides up and down. to protect it from getting scratched. this was a problem if you didnt have felt/moleskin for w203's [c class].

 

V1 = Valentine 1 Radar detector. As for metallic tint vs. non-metallic tint, it can still reduce the range of the radar detector apparently:

Car and Driver supplied four tint-film samples, which we tested on clear window glass. Clear glass cuts laser range by about 25 percent, and all of the samples cut laser range by an additional 25-35 percent. Metallized films had about the same effect as ordinary tint films. (Source: http://www.valentine1.com/lab/MikesLabRpt2.asp - although the study is linked back to 1998, but still seems like a feasible issue)

 

I think we are talking about two different aspects. Yes, tint does hurt laser range because it is cutting down the amount of light transmitted, and that's all laser is-- focused light. So in this case I don't think metallic tint makes a difference. For the record, I think the V1 article's reference to 'metallized tint' means tint which appears reflective from outside.

Now radar is also affected by tint, but not in the same way laser is. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think most tint on the market is metallic-based, whether it appears reflective or not. This is what intereferes with radar detection. Today we have access to ceramic tint, which will not interfere with radar detection. I'm not sure that ceramic was an option in '98 when the V1 test was done.

I could be wrong here, so feel free to correct me if that's the case. I couldn't find much hard data regarding the metal content of normal tint, nor any info regarding when ceramic was made available.

 

Yeah, I can't find too much studies or sources on the information outside of that old Valentine one. Tint isn't a huge deal to me, though I would eventually like to get it. Thankfully I'm in the Bay, so it's not quite as hot as LA or elsewhere - but the privacy would be nice.