Privacy glass - why 'default' and not 'optional' anymore?!
Discussion
I honestly cannot get my head around this. Feel free to abuse or mock me if I'm stuck in another era or something.
Mrs Mercutio is looking for a brand new small to medium size car. Is completely open to types of car (hatchback, small SUV etc) and has a decent budget
Her only condition is that it doesn't have the ever present window tints past the B pillar. She tends to reverse the old fashioned way by looking backwards and doing proper checks rather than relying on a camera. She doesn't like the darker view that tints provide.
I think that's fair enough. But wow... going onto configurators this morning, it's really odd to see that almost every trim line has privacy glass as standard. For so many makes and models.
Looking at an EQA, the promotional picture on Mercedes shows it without privacy glass.
Yet go to the Merc configurator, and every trim line has the wretched stuff baked in.
Same for so many other brands - it's as if it's now the standard for every type of car.
I'm blessed that my X5 was a car I could order without privacy glass from new. I have optional blinds if I want to shield the kid's eyes from the sun. But the maddest thing is that 'cheaper' offerings have it there as standard, along with the ghastly 'black pack' or 'night edition'.
So why is this?
Am I just stuck in the 20th century and privacy glass is a 'must have' for people?
Why can't we order a car with maximum visibility anymore, and we all have to be reliant on cameras with lines etc? Seems so weird.
Mrs Mercutio is looking for a brand new small to medium size car. Is completely open to types of car (hatchback, small SUV etc) and has a decent budget
Her only condition is that it doesn't have the ever present window tints past the B pillar. She tends to reverse the old fashioned way by looking backwards and doing proper checks rather than relying on a camera. She doesn't like the darker view that tints provide.
I think that's fair enough. But wow... going onto configurators this morning, it's really odd to see that almost every trim line has privacy glass as standard. For so many makes and models.
Looking at an EQA, the promotional picture on Mercedes shows it without privacy glass.
Yet go to the Merc configurator, and every trim line has the wretched stuff baked in.
Same for so many other brands - it's as if it's now the standard for every type of car.
I'm blessed that my X5 was a car I could order without privacy glass from new. I have optional blinds if I want to shield the kid's eyes from the sun. But the maddest thing is that 'cheaper' offerings have it there as standard, along with the ghastly 'black pack' or 'night edition'.
So why is this?
Am I just stuck in the 20th century and privacy glass is a 'must have' for people?
Why can't we order a car with maximum visibility anymore, and we all have to be reliant on cameras with lines etc? Seems so weird.
Generally you can still see out of a car with factory privacy glass perfectly well, it's not that restrictive and perhaps she's basing her opinion on looking in to a car with privacy glass from the outside?
Any cars she's been in with aftermarket tints may have much darker film applied.
The garage I bought my Land Rovers from order all their demo and management cars with clear glass and apply tints if the user wanted them, which could then be removed if desired when the car was moved on. A lot of Range Rovers are ordered with clear glass.
Any cars she's been in with aftermarket tints may have much darker film applied.
The garage I bought my Land Rovers from order all their demo and management cars with clear glass and apply tints if the user wanted them, which could then be removed if desired when the car was moved on. A lot of Range Rovers are ordered with clear glass.
You can easily see out of good quality factory privacy glass.
It helps keep the car cooler in the sun, and of course, provides privacy for passengers in the rear.
Looks are subjective but I suspect the vast majority think it looks better too.
I think it's more important on some cars than others. Large SUV's and estates need it, as do exec saloons. Coupes, less so.
Aftermarket tints on the other hand are generally horrible. They highlight the heater lines on the glass, and the white line around the edge is just... nasty. I've yet to see one that looks acceptable to me. I'd rather pay and have the glass replaced.
It helps keep the car cooler in the sun, and of course, provides privacy for passengers in the rear.
Looks are subjective but I suspect the vast majority think it looks better too.
I think it's more important on some cars than others. Large SUV's and estates need it, as do exec saloons. Coupes, less so.
Aftermarket tints on the other hand are generally horrible. They highlight the heater lines on the glass, and the white line around the edge is just... nasty. I've yet to see one that looks acceptable to me. I'd rather pay and have the glass replaced.
It was seen as "premium" originally I think, but now it`s everywhere. I saw a 2004 Hyundai Matrix on High Peak Autos YouTube channel the other day that had it. There do seem to be different levels though. The Volvo V40 we used to have was quite dark, whereas our current Mazda CX5 was much lighter and looked quite good. Mrs R90 wasn't impressed though, and as it is mainly her that uses it, it has ended up with gangsta tint over the top, so it`s like the black hole of Calcutta in there now.
I find it amazing that so many people are totally OK with the front and rear windows being a different colour. On a black car particularly, it just looks stupid. My last 3 cars have had it, but only because they weren't bought new or available without privacy glass.
If I could expand this to a 'top 3 automotive pet hates', I'd group it in with touch screen temperature controls and diamond cut alloy wheels.
If I could expand this to a 'top 3 automotive pet hates', I'd group it in with touch screen temperature controls and diamond cut alloy wheels.
resolve10 said:
I find it amazing that so many people are totally OK with the front and rear windows being a different colour. On a black car particularly, it just looks stupid. My last 3 cars have had it, but only because they weren't bought new or available without privacy glass.
If I could expand this to a 'top 3 automotive pet hates', I'd group it in with touch screen temperature controls and diamond cut alloy wheels.
4. Chameleon windscreen film. If I could expand this to a 'top 3 automotive pet hates', I'd group it in with touch screen temperature controls and diamond cut alloy wheels.
Glassman said:
4. Chameleon windscreen film.
Agreed, but I don't think any manufacturers force that upon anyone, do they? Also if you buy a used car with it fitted it'll almost certainly be a film so can be ripped out, the same way the dealer sticker comes out of the rear window as soon as I get it home!Supply and demand, surely? The majority of customers want it, so the majority of cars have it.
Something wrong with your tints though if you've to rely on a camera rather than be able to see through the window - assuming you're not just laying it on a bit thick. Shouldn't stop that at all.
Something wrong with your tints though if you've to rely on a camera rather than be able to see through the window - assuming you're not just laying it on a bit thick. Shouldn't stop that at all.
iphonedyou said:
Supply and demand, surely? The majority of customers want it, so the majority of cars have it.
Something wrong with your tints though if you've to rely on a camera rather than be able to see through the window - assuming you're not just laying it on a bit thick. Shouldn't stop that at all.
Agreed. I like tints. Protection from the sun/glare, hiding contents of the interior, privacy, ugly kids etcSomething wrong with your tints though if you've to rely on a camera rather than be able to see through the window - assuming you're not just laying it on a bit thick. Shouldn't stop that at all.
And standard factory tints are nothing like the limo tints you can get on the aftermarket.
These days is part of the answer WLTP? Many options that were once allowed are now locked off because the manufacturers have ring-fenced everything into option packs to avoid emissions testing costs. I know tints themselves won't change it, but they bundle them with others (like big wheels) which will.
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