MK6 Front Tint to match factory 'Dark Tint' option

[coastie]

On the tint report my front transmission is 35% and the rear is 17% with only UV clear applied, so there will always be a mismatch in light transmission if they remain legal at 35% on the front.

[Corey_R]

On the tint report my front transmission is 35% and the rear is 17% with only UV clear applied, so there will always be a mismatch in light transmission if they remain legal at 35% on the front.

What brand and model "UV Clear" did you use? Because a "clear tint" will still only transmit a certain % of Visible Light (VLT). Even "clear glass" doesn't transfer 100% VLT.

For example, Solargard's LX70 only transmits 72% VLT when installed on 3mm glass and yet it is considered virtually invisible.

The reason I ask is that, the 17% VLT on your rear windows may be much lower than the Volkswagen Factory Tint would be without the UV Clear on it.

[dave_r]

Yeah, I know. The company that VW partnered with to develop a matching film-based tint for the fronts does not appear to bring the required tint to Australia. So "Street Legal" is apparently as good as it'll get here. There is no way I'd not have a tint due to heat and UV etc.

Yet another reason why VW should just not subject it's customers to a half-arsed job.

I wish they didn't fit it at all, I haven't bothered with tint for years so not really fussed. But the more I see cars with factory tint on the rear and nothing on the front the more I think it looks retarded.

I noticed a lot of people put those mesh shades over rear windows to stop sunlight hitting the precious kids (never did me any harm), its not something crazy like that is it?

[Corey_R]

No... the factory tint is in the glass itself, not even a film. So it has the potential to be better than a film tint. The issues are:

• Volkswagen have not published the specifications of the tint
• The tint apparently does not block all types of UV
• The tint apparently does not block anywhere near as much heat as many quality film tints
• The tint is only applied to the side rear and rear windows
• The tint is difficult to match in colour to the film tints available on the (Australian) market
• It costs about what it'd cost to get the entire car tinted with film anyway (where individually optionable)
• "Clear UV" tint film to increase the UV and heat blocking effectiveness of the VW tint is more expensive than regular tint and then means you lose all the advantages of having a glazed tint anyway!

So as I said... well done VW... you've done a bang-up job
*sigh*

[hooba]

I noticed a lot of people put those mesh shades over rear windows to stop sunlight hitting the precious kids (never did me any harm), its not something crazy like that is it?

It is more about protecting them from direct sunlight, when they are strapped in (can't move out of its way) and are too young to understand how to block the sunlight when it hits them in the face by themselves. The normally tell you this by crying / screaming, which annoys the crap out mummy / daddy who are probably already sleep deprived.

[dave_r]

The normally tell you this by crying / screaming, which annoys the crap out mummy / daddy who are probably already sleep deprived.

LOL fair enough then

[Super]

On my GTI I opted for no tints at all from the factory, with a view to getting the dealer to organise for the whole car to be tinted once it arrives at the dealership. They've offered Street Legal tinting, but said they offer only one shade of darkness (which seemed pretty light in the grand scheme of things).. and want to charge me $595 for it.

Presumably an aftermarket tinting place could do a 5dr Golf for less than $600? I'll be making some phone calls this week to find out for sure, but can anyone give me a rough idea about how much doing 5 windows might cost??

[Corey_R]

You'd be best to check the other tint thread.... http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/f112...ess-40510.html

[diop]

Hi guys, thought this little bit of info would be of interest to many of you/relevant to this thread...

I happened to come across a PDF file of New Zealand's specs & options for MY10 VW Golfs/GTI's and noticed that the rear window & rear side window privacy glass is a $650 option on all models of TSI/TDI/GTI. The file seems to have been around prior to release of the R, so it would be reasonable to assume it is also an option on the R.

Here is the link: http://www.ausmotive.com/downloads/V...I-NZ-specs.pdf

Hmmmm.......

[Corey_R]

Specs have been availabe for the Golf R in Australia for a long time now. We already know that rear window & rear side window tint is standard on the R, an option on the GTI/GTD, and as part of the "Sports Package" on the Comfortline and not available on the Trendline models.

I'm not sure what the point of posting irrelevent specs from other countries is....