Is it time window tint was part of MOT?
Discussion
Evanivitch said:
Mont Blanc said:
Many of the windscreen tints you are seeing may be perfectly legal. Especially the ones available in reflective blue/red/green/chrome 'chameleon' tints where you can't see into the car through the windscreen.
See this video of the police testing one: https://youtube.com/shorts/Pfzb9eJo6PQ?si=Z2U9zsHy...
TBH I wasn't aware this was the case. But useful to know. I thought it was just another one of those blatantly illegal modifications that people chanced.See this video of the police testing one: https://youtube.com/shorts/Pfzb9eJo6PQ?si=Z2U9zsHy...
Glassman said:
Some cars come with solar reflective windscreens which look like the chameleon tint films. Also, there are now chemically heated windscreens which can also appear to be 'tinted' like the cars in the images.
I think there is (or was) an option on BMW's that looks very much like the blue chameleon tint aboveReminds me of those Iridium motorcycle visors from the late 90's, imo the ones in that pic above are too pronounced so wouldn't pass the light test.
I think VW have them fitted as factory to some vehicles which is why people are trying to imitate, I looked into getting a tint to reduce the amount of stone chips on the windscreen but they apply them to the inside so offer no protection.
I think VW have them fitted as factory to some vehicles which is why people are trying to imitate, I looked into getting a tint to reduce the amount of stone chips on the windscreen but they apply them to the inside so offer no protection.
Mont Blanc said:
No, but a friend of mine had one put on his new 911 as he is utterly obsessed with preventing any kind of chip on any surface (he basically PPF'd most of the car) and the idea of replacing the factory fitted windscreen due to a chip or crack would probably cause his OCD to boil over.
It seemed good to be honest. You couldn't see it was there, and it doesn't cause wiper judder or anything. I understand they can chip and mark when hit by some stones, but I suppose better that than the screen itself. Easy to replace the PPF.
I've been keeping an eye on matters. My understanding is that the 3M product was expensive, nobody liked working with it and it wasn't really that good. STEK seems to be the product of choice; cheaper and better results all round. However, I've now changed three 'protected' windscreens. in summary, if a stone hits the screen hard enough, it will crack it. Even if you're lucky and it leaves you with repairable damage, you can't repair it because, um, there's a film over the glass. It seemed good to be honest. You couldn't see it was there, and it doesn't cause wiper judder or anything. I understand they can chip and mark when hit by some stones, but I suppose better that than the screen itself. Easy to replace the PPF.
In summary, it won't prevent windscreen damage, but will make it less likely. I think.
I've spoken to a few people who've had it put on and one in particular said he didn't like it. His wipers were making a noise on it and he said he could 'see' the film - a haziness - which made his view of the road less clear than glass.
Mont Blanc said:
Evanivitch said:
Seeing more and more windscreen and front window tints, many of them very clearly illegal. As it's something that's not easily removed and replaced for an MOT, is it time that it was part of the MOT?
The equipment seems only a few hundred quid. The test doesn't look complex. With more EVs on the road there's time-saved on doing emissions tests (so across a day probably shouldn't add much time).
And it's one less job for plod that seem to occasionally focus on it for a week.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules
Many of the windscreen tints you are seeing may be perfectly legal. Especially the ones available in reflective blue/red/green/chrome 'chameleon' tints where you can't see into the car through the windscreen.The equipment seems only a few hundred quid. The test doesn't look complex. With more EVs on the road there's time-saved on doing emissions tests (so across a day probably shouldn't add much time).
And it's one less job for plod that seem to occasionally focus on it for a week.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules
See this video of the police testing one: https://youtube.com/shorts/Pfzb9eJo6PQ?si=Z2U9zsHy...
But yes, generally I see a lot of cars where the front side windows are clearly excessively tinted and would surely be an incredibly obvious and easy pull for the police, yet it rarely seems to happen.
Full disclosure though, I will hold my hands up and say that both mine and my wifes car have 70% tint applied on the front side windows. The lightest tint you can get, and you would be hard pushed to notice it. Still illegal though.
Glosphil said:
Mont Blanc said:
Evanivitch said:
Seeing more and more windscreen and front window tints, many of them very clearly illegal. As it's something that's not easily removed and replaced for an MOT, is it time that it was part of the MOT?
The equipment seems only a few hundred quid. The test doesn't look complex. With more EVs on the road there's time-saved on doing emissions tests (so across a day probably shouldn't add much time).
And it's one less job for plod that seem to occasionally focus on it for a week.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules
Many of the windscreen tints you are seeing may be perfectly legal. Especially the ones available in reflective blue/red/green/chrome 'chameleon' tints where you can't see into the car through the windscreen.The equipment seems only a few hundred quid. The test doesn't look complex. With more EVs on the road there's time-saved on doing emissions tests (so across a day probably shouldn't add much time).
And it's one less job for plod that seem to occasionally focus on it for a week.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules
See this video of the police testing one: https://youtube.com/shorts/Pfzb9eJo6PQ?si=Z2U9zsHy...
But yes, generally I see a lot of cars where the front side windows are clearly excessively tinted and would surely be an incredibly obvious and easy pull for the police, yet it rarely seems to happen.
Full disclosure though, I will hold my hands up and say that both mine and my wifes car have 70% tint applied on the front side windows. The lightest tint you can get, and you would be hard pushed to notice it. Still illegal though.
Mont Blanc said:
I did it for a couple of extremely minor reasons:
1) Both cars came from the factory with dark, practically black, rear windows and it just looked aesthetically unpleasant to have the totally clear front glass next to black glass. It offended my eyes. I like things to match. Darkening the fronts slightly with the lightest tint available helped the windows down the side of the car look lightly better and more matching.
2) I dislike the 'sitting in a goldfish bowl' feeling of totally clear glass in a car. I like to feel like there is a modicum of privacy. Even though 70% film is very mild, it still makes it feel a touch less like a goldfish bowl with everyone staring right in.
It also helps, to a lesser extent, to keep temperatures down when the car is parked during sunny weather.
Er, no front glass is ever ‘totally clear glass’, they all have a degree of (legal) tint from the factory as standard.1) Both cars came from the factory with dark, practically black, rear windows and it just looked aesthetically unpleasant to have the totally clear front glass next to black glass. It offended my eyes. I like things to match. Darkening the fronts slightly with the lightest tint available helped the windows down the side of the car look lightly better and more matching.
2) I dislike the 'sitting in a goldfish bowl' feeling of totally clear glass in a car. I like to feel like there is a modicum of privacy. Even though 70% film is very mild, it still makes it feel a touch less like a goldfish bowl with everyone staring right in.
It also helps, to a lesser extent, to keep temperatures down when the car is parked during sunny weather.
Richard-390a0 said:
O/P you make the assumption that those who don't care about the legality of their window tints would also care about getting a legit MOT rather than a postal one which clearly a lot of the delightfully modded cars around here clearly have.
What's the postal address please? 
Mont Blanc said:
Full disclosure though, I will hold my hands up and say that both mine and my wifes car have 70% tint applied on the front side windows. The lightest tint you can get, and you would be hard pushed to notice it. Still illegal though.
When you say '70% tint', are you saying it blocks 70% of the light, or lets 70% of the light through? I would say the latter, as you say you would be hard pushed to notice it. This would be a 30% tint, which would be legal.Super Sonic said:
Mont Blanc said:
Full disclosure though, I will hold my hands up and say that both mine and my wifes car have 70% tint applied on the front side windows. The lightest tint you can get, and you would be hard pushed to notice it. Still illegal though.
When you say '70% tint', are you saying it blocks 70% of the light, or lets 70% of the light through? I would say the latter, as you say you would be hard pushed to notice it. This would be a 30% tint, which would be legal.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff