Should You Tint Your Car Windows?

We have all seen the cars. Driving around town, their windows are indistinguishable from their paint, their drivers unable to see at night, every possible glass surface on their vehicle has been transformed into the deepest shade of black possible. While this may be taking the idea to extremes a bit, one of the most common and arguably most affordable modifications that many do to their vehicles every year is having tint applied to the windows. While this may not be for everyone, far too many have their windows tinted without thinking about it, and then decide that they no longer want them, thus incurring further expenses in order to have them removed.

With that in mind, perhaps there are definitely a few things to consider before tinting the windows on your car. While these are generally not major issues, they are definitely things that may make one want to think twice before shelling out the money for tinting.

Definitely the first thing to think about is the money in question. While tinting windows is generally not very expensive, if you find a reasonable shop willing to do it, that largely depends on the size of the vehicle in question. Obviously, the cost to tint a two door Honda Civic is going to be very different than the cost to tint a Ford Explorer. So, before deciding to tint your windows, you may want to check out and get estimates from a couple of different places to make sure you are finding the best deal. However, it is entirely feasible, and very common, to only tint the back door windows or the very top of either windshield, to act as a sunshade. This may be a good point to mention that even though the self-tinting materials that can be bought at Wal-Mart or K-Mart for twenty dollars may seem like a good deal, it is generally a very horrible idea. Believe it or not, tint can be very difficult to put on right, and it's not like it can just be ripped off and tried again if you were to mess something up during the installation. Also, cheaper tint tends to "bubble" off of the windows and fade into purple far more quickly than would normal or professionally applied tint. Also, if possible, ask around and find people who have gone to different local places to get tinting done; ask them their opinions and make sure to figure that in when trying to find the best place.

Now that we have covered the matter of cost and the importance of getting tint done right, another important thing to consider is how it is going to affect your driving abilities. While dark, cool windows may seem like a great idea during the hot summer days, when the dark nights of winter come around, you may begin to regret your decision. Excessively dark windows can make it very difficult to see properly at night, and this can actually become very dangerous if one is not careful. Also note, if your car has a navigation system or brighter than usual stereo head unit (usually aftermarket) it is going to reflect heavily against tinted windows at night, thus making visibility even worse and creating a potentially dangerous driving situation.

All of this brings up another very interesting point: there are legal limits as to how dark your windows may be. Although each state is different, make sure to check into what the law allows you to do before actually tinting your windows. Remember that you can be pulled over and ticketed, as well as ordered to have the tint removed if it violates either local or state laws. Make sure to have everything done legally, it will save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run, as well as make sure that your car remains a safe method of transportation. The laws are there for a reason, and it is best to abide by them.

Although many do not think about it, tinted windows also increase the danger that you will be pulled over by a police officer. Although most tint their windows for looks or for comfort, others do it in order to make illegal activity easier, and to make it far more difficult to see what may be inside of a vehicle. For that reason, make sure that you do not tint your car limo black, or expect to deal with the consequences if you do.

Tinting the windows of your car, like any other vehicle modification, should be approached with reason and common sense. If you simply rush into it without thinking, not only may you be unhappy with the results, but you may also be endangering yourself and making life more difficult in the long run. Remember to keep it legal and sensible, and you will be able to enjoy the added comfort and better looks of tinted windows for a long time to come.