Window tinting - recommendation needed

[Dubby 0]

preferably someone in the Essex area who does mobile work? I tried Topgear Essex, but they only do it if you take the car in.

 

Anyone reccommend anyone? I'd rather go on a recommendation tbh.....

[Guest]

I thought you could get it done anymore?

 

wasn't there one of these 'sensible' EU laws that went through a while back?

[biggrim 0]

Well I got 3 points and a £60 fine for my tints being too dark. My advice is don,t get it done.

[steve_16v 0]

You can only have a light tint on the front windows, the rears can be as dark as you like. Any reputable place will tell you what the darkest tint you're allowed for the front is.

[Dubby 0]

I'm just after recommendations..........

[mrbeige 0]

Friend of mine has used Pentagon on several occasions, and the quality of the job is always superb. You'll need to ring them for the most local one to you.

 

Pentagon

[biggrim 0]

Your windows must allow at least 70% of light through them or you'll get shafted. Mine only let through 20 odd% IIRC.

[Dubby 0]

thankyou mr beige ;)

[Guest]

Your windows must allow at least 70% of light through them or you'll get shafted. Mine only let through 20 odd% IIRC.

 

yeah, thats what I remembered, didn't realise they gave you points though :(

 

unlucky mate.

 

what do 'legal' windows look like then? that doesn't sound too dark

[andyVR6 0]

the copper that gave me a £30 fine for the tints in my old polo said that the tint in the glass only lets 90% through. i'd leave the front ones as they are u'll only get unwanted hassle from the law

[Guest]

how exactly do they measure this?

 

I assume a paint chart device that they match it?

[StormchargedVR6 0]

Friend of mine has used Pentagon on several occasions, and the quality of the job is always superb. You'll need to ring them for the most local one to you.

 

Pentagon

I used pentagon, Top Job

[markp 0]

['H3R4POR]how exactly do they measure this?

 

I assume a paint chart device that they match it?

 

They have little machines that measure light levels. They will check it outside the car to get actual light levels, and then get in the car and check how much light comes through the window.

[Trig 0]

I reckon it looks cool on just the rears. Can you tint the rear window as much as you want or just the quaters?

 

There was a pic of a yellow C with tinted rears and it looked great.

[peanut 0]

['H3R4POR]how exactly do they measure this?

 

I assume a paint chart device that they match it?

 

theyve got a small handheld machine that measure the transluscency of the glass. Have a look at some of the vectra sri's they had a smoked tinted window option that was slightly darker than the norm and is about as dark as you can legally go

Gav

[peanut 0]

Had the windows on my s2 tinted a very light smoke,

[biggrim 0]

The device they use has two halves; a light source and a light detector. They are magnetic and stick together between the inside and outside of the window. It doesn't matter how light /dark it is outside, the source is always the same. The contacts are plugged into a little box with a button on it. THe copper presses the button in for about 20 seconds to get a reading. He then take another 2 readings across the window to get an average reading. He then issues you with 3 points and a £60 fine if your windows let in less than 70% light.

[Guest]

jesus, that almost sounds professional !!

 

and they all acrry these things around this them?

 

I was looking at getting mine done until I heard about the law change.

 

is that s2 legal then? still looks worth doing imo

[peanut 0]

yup, my s2 was legal, got stopped for speeding ages ago in it, federalis went over it with a fine tooth comb including checking level of tint. Not all carry them.

Gav

[Guest]

well it seems to be a significant change, so i'll have a look at getting it done.

 

what sort of price should I be expecting, I do remember there being quite a price bracket, and being told to steer clear of any places that are too cheap

[peanut 0]

aye, you want to go with someone that uses a good quailty film and knows what theyre doing ( daft thing to say i guess as that pretty much goes without saying) i had mine done by a mate who does it for a living. Expect to pay in the region of 150-200 id say to have it done properly. Check with your ins though cos people like Elephant etc will invalidate your policy if youve got aftermarket tints of any description. Even if you do try to describe it as safety film to portect you in the even of an accident...lol....errr...

Gav

[Dubby 0]

All sorted - car booked in for next week with Pentagon :)

 

They seemed to know what they were on about more so than the other places I tried.

 

Ps, I am not pimping my car :lol: this is one of those 'for the guv'nor' type errands......

[calorrado 0]

Yeh as stated be careful with the tint on the front windows, my girlfriend got pulled by OB :lcop: in her mk2 gti and was led to a nearby car park where VOSA inspectors checked over her car :oops: , her windows only allowed 20% daylight (needed to be 70%+) and was issued a 'Roadworthiness Prohibition Notice', basically got 7 days to rectify the tints and had to call for inspector to check and sign off as ok. They also checked her apparently noisy scorpion exhaust which passed ok thank god! Then told when leaving that she was only allowed to drive the car home or to a garage with the front windows wound down - unbelievable!!!

 

IMPORTANT: the VOSA tinted window leaflet they gave her states that excessively front side windows will invalidate you insurance, the police told her if she had an accident her fault or not if her insurance wouldn't have to pay. :pale: