I, personally, don't think there's a good combination of both that you mentioned above. If you want it to be dark inside during the day, it will be dark inside also at night. Hence, I just stick with what's legal. Good enough compromise for me and don't have to worry about any hassles.

Just my 2 cents based on my experience.

 

I agree, Not really a good combo of both.

My wife loves the 20% on her car with 5% brow but its boarderline on both being able to see out at night and see in at day.

But 5% during day is great, its what is on my truck and I personally don't have much trouble backing up at night or anything, my wife sort of does sometimes though.

 

Thanks for the info

How much darker is 20% vs 25%?

 

My truck is tinted when I bought it, and in the glove box I found the receipt for the tint from 2001. The tint is very blue and it is smeary looking on the inside. I'm not sure what percentage it has on it now but I'd like to go darker than what it has on it

 

Best bet would be go see a reputable tinter in your area. They will know the law, and can show what any % looks like. Keep in mind, if you go over legal limit, and by any chance are involved in a accident, you can be pegged even if not your fault otherwise...

 

great picture but I cant really tell personally, I would say its somewhere between 20-35%.

I don't think you would notice the difference from 20-25%.

i know troopers have a gauge where they can check the percent, not sure but a pro tint shop may have one and may would check it for you.

What helped me with the 5% is getting brighter reverse bulbs.

 

I have 25% on my front driver and passenger windows. That is the legal limit in TX. I have no issues at night. I do also have overtint on the back two windows and the rear glass...which came tinted from the factory already. I forget what the full numbers at. It is roughly 5% on those with the overtint. Factory tint was 18-20% I think. A little different between the sides and the rear. The 5% is a bit more difficult to see out of...but I have a reverse cam so backing out is not an issue. And you can see out of the side (25%) well enough still. I would honestly like darker on the sides...but staying legal so cant.

I dont do a brow. Mine came with the built in fade blue brow already.

Here are the tint laws: https://www.tinting-laws.com/texas/

 

It's a waste to go higher than 20% imo.

I had 35% on my 01 and it wasn't dark enough at all.

I did 20% on my 17 and it was just about perfect. If my tiny guy did 15% that's what I'd get. But he doesn't have 15% so I go 20. It's what I'll be doing on my 15 this spring. And ill likely do 5% over all the rears.

 

My truck was tinted when I bought it...the fronts are too dark and make it a pain to turn left or right in parking lots...I've even had to roll the window down to see...that big ass A pillar doesn't help much either.

 

Here's a pic of mine. 20% on fronts to match the factory tint on the rear doors and back glass. 5% brow. Pic is taken on an overcast day so it doesn't look this dark on a sunny day. This probably what you are looking for based on your first post. I've had 5% on all my windows in the past and you can't back up at night without rolling down your windows. Looks awesome, but If you want to see at night, 5% will be too much for you.

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• Zacb32
• Feb 7, 2020

 

Here's the link right to the Texas DPS Website....and the rules....

https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/consum ... owTint.htm

 

in my '15, the back glass is 18% from the factory. I told my tint guy to match the rear. Since so much light comes through the windshield and they do 15 or 20, he did 15. it looks just fine. it can be a bit dark at night in some situations, but that's what you get with tint

 

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• sevenjaguar
• Feb 4, 2020

factory tint is good, at night it provides plenty of "darkness"

 

Anyone know what percent of tint is on the factory second door windows?

 

It varies some by year. mine are 25% on the side from the factory.

While we are on the topic...the tint percent is printed on the windows.

My front side windows are 70% from the factory. They tinted these with 35% which calculating (.7 * .35 * 100 = 25%)

The rear side windows in the crew cab on my 2010 are 25% from factory. The tinted these with 20% which brought them to 5%

And the rear window is a range 22% +/-5% so can be anywhere from 17% to 27%. They overtinted this with 20% which takes it from 4% to 7% depending on what the factory actually is.

 

Thanks for the reply's

Would I get pulled over for having 20% tint ?

 

You never know. In TX...the installer is legally supposed to put their company info on the lower corner of the driver window and can be held accountable for not installing legal tint. %5 difference is just not worth it to me.

 

I've got factory tint on the back and rear seat windows. I had 35% put on the front (legal is 50%).

Darker would look nicer but the 35% is just right at night, I wouldn't want it any darker.

 

Thanks for the reply's

Would I get pulled over for having 20% tint ?

Wouldn't think so but if ya get pulled over for doin dumb### stuff I'm sure they'd add that on.

 

Doubt you will get pulled over.. I haven't been pulled over in my state yet for it and I have 4% on front two and 2% on back two. But they love to pull people over for a headlight out.

I know it's that because dummy here thought a K-9 unit wouldn't pull me over and I passed him 65 in a 60 and he said that was rude and checked my tint lol

 

If I ever get pulled over for tint i will ask why they are allowed to have limo tint on their windows and I'm not allowed to have half of that.

I'm sure they will cite officer saftey or some other made up nonsense for them to be allowed to be an exception to the "law".

But with 20% I have never known anyone around me to have an issue. Only case I do know of is a buddy was pulled over for expired tag and the cop nabbed him for tint. He had 5% on his fronts. Was just a fix it ticket though. He just ripped it off, went to the court and showed them it was gone, then went home and put it back on

 

If I ever get pulled over for tint i will ask why they are allowed to have limo tint on their windows and I'm not allowed to have half of that.

I'm sure they will cite officer saftey or some other made up nonsense for them to be allowed to be an exception to the "law".

Police are allowed to have it darker so it is not something made up. Don't get mad if the police ticket you for doing something against the law. I am breaking the law and if I get caught I will take responsibility, not get mad at the police. If you or I get caught the cop is doing their job. Remember, they don't make the laws they just enforce them.

 

But at what point do we keep accepting that old adage, "oh they are just doing their job".

What makes them so special that they get to avoid state "law" and have modified vehicles which us plebeians cant have?

 

But at what point do we keep accepting that old adage, "oh they are just doing their job".

What makes them so special that they get to avoid state "law" and have modified vehicles which us plebeians cant have?

Like I said, they don't make the laws. Stop being shitty to them and go out and try and get the law changed if you don't like it. If the law gives exceptions to emergency vehicles, your beef is with the people making that exception, not the police officer that stops you.
And if they are doing their jobs then you should always accept it. You should instead ask, at what point should people take responsibility for breaking a law and stop getting mad because they got caught while doing it.

 

When I had the the front windows tinted on our 2012 I just asked them to match the tint on the back windows from the factory, did the same on my 2003 Tahoe. If I remember correctly it came out to 20%. Have never had an issue with it being to dark