Tinted 'Pimp' glass - legal on front?

[Tyre Smoke]

Now, for reasons best known to me - if you are a husband, you'll understand I have purchased a small vehicle for Mrs Smoke - namely a 4.6 Range Rover complete with the blacked out windows. That's every window, except the windscreen, her spec not mine

I know it's illegal to tint the windscreen, more than the factory fit tint. But I have heard that the front side windows are also illegal. I dispute this, but see a lot of Jap imports with just the back windows done which makes me think it may be illegal in Japan and the 'myth' has spread over here with the cars.

Thoughts folks?

[rsvmilly]

If you post this over on Speed & Plod and get DVD's attention he can straighten you out

[Liszt]

Excessive tints on front side windows is also a no no in the UK.

[Tyre Smoke]

Liszt said:

Excessive tints on front side windows is also a no no in the UK.

But what's excessive?

[obes]

I looked this up not that long ago as I had a car with tinted glass. IIRC, the reply I got from the local plod was that there is a legal tint limit for front side windows, they measure it with some kind of photowhatsitotometer. Windows behind the front door pillar can be darker.

>> Edited by obes on Thursday 5th January 16:21

[Rawwr]

Tyre Smoke said:

Liszt said: Excessive tints on front side windows is also a no no in the UK. But what's excessive?

Painting it in tar, I imagine.

[cy88]

See here...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=183824&f=91&h=0

ETA: the tinting company wouldn't touch my front windows when I had the car done recently.

>> Edited by cy88 on Thursday 5th January 16:27

[Liszt]

Tyre Smoke said:

Liszt said: Excessive tints on front side windows is also a no no in the UK. But what's excessive?

Seem to remember that have to allow 70 to 80% of light through.

It is not very dark at all

[theaxe]

You jest but about 8 years ago I saw a Cavalier with a wooden wing on the back and the side windows painted in black gloss (on the outside) with a 2" x 5" gap in the middle.

The driver was having a chat with the police at the time.

[chris.mapey]

It IS illegal to have the front doors tinted to more that (IIRC) 60% light passing through...

B pillar back is OK.

The plod know that it's illegal, but tend to only use it as a reason to pull you over if they need to. ie a chavv'd up Saxo with the front windows tinted is more likely to get stopped than your Mrs in a RR.

From my main dealer days, all the tinters round here have an agreement that none of them will tint the front windows. May be different near you (or is the car already tinted)

Hope that helps

Chris

[Kentish]

Maximum of 30% on front windows, rears I believe can be anything.

[deevlash]

The legal position is that the front side windows on all cars must allow 70% of light to pass through them. That figure also applies to the windscreens of cars first used before April 1985; any car first used from then onwards has to let 75% of light through the windscreen. Thats a quote from a website, im pretty sure that if its less than that then the plod will "advise" you to remove the tints from the offending windows and fine you up to £2000 if you dont. They have a device that measures window tints as previously mentioned. The other solution is to drive with the windows wound down every time you see a police car! I seem to remember Max Power advocating that technique when they tinted a Seats side windows dark yellow! (yes I used to read Max Power embarrassment )

[thetruemackie]

What if the windows were tinted before the law changed?
I ask because my friend has a Lean Cupra with tinted fronts and I reckon they are too dark but they may have been done (by the previous owner) before the law changed.

[Tyre Smoke]

Strange this, because the tinting was put on by the LR main dealer in 1996.

Don't know if this gives you much of an idea, but all the windows have the same level of tint.

[Rawwr]

If you want to know how much fun it is, get a lid with a tinted visor and then drive down your local High Street around 11pm.

NB: Not near me.

[Tyre Smoke]

Rawwr said:

If you want to know how much fun it is, get a lid with a tinted visor and then drive down your local High Street around 11pm. NB: Not near me.

Different thing altogether. Front screen is not tinted - well, no more than Solihull fitted when built.

[Rawwr]

I only said it would be fun

[Flat in Fifth]

Personally I would think about the incoming aggro when 'er indoors gets a tug for the illegal VRN plate and then gets picked up on the excessive window tint.

What was it Brunstrom said, one offence likely to find more?


Coat>hat>taxi!

[Tyre Smoke]

Flat in Fifth said:

Personally I would think about the incoming aggro when 'er indoors gets a tug for the illegal VRN plate and then gets picked up on the excessive window tint. What was it Brunstrom said, one offence likely to find more? Coat>hat>taxi!

Not our plate, was the vendors. What is illegal about 2 EX? He has it on one of those horrid Yank pick ups now. Spaced correctly and everything.

[xm5er]

Dunno about you but everytime I see a chelsea tractor with tints I always think "Must have ugly kids"