Well, I've decided it is absolutely necessary to tint the windows of my CTS. I was thinking the back passenger and the rear windsheild I would do both dark limo tint. And the front would be a lighter more medium tint. On a white CTS.
Questions...

What would/did you pay for a tint job all around on a CTS?

Should I just go limo all around or is my initial idea good?


Thx,
eG

I'm going to have mine done just as you listed it next week. Medium on the fronts, limo on the rest. My problem is, any on the front results in $275 tickets from the police...it's not allowed in Calgary. I'm paying $200, so about $170 USD

I paid $175 for the max legal Colorado tint for my CTS. It was well worth the money!

$150 in LA...but you gonna have some issues with that matrix thing on the rear window...it doesn't hold tint that well and it may look a little off.

The matrix issue - as in the rear window has a built in crazy pattern on the back? How did others face this issue?

I think it would be more classy to do all the windows the same shade, if you dont want to go all limo around, I suggest 20% all around. I have 20 on my car, and people always ask if its limo, its dark, but not TOO dark.

I did Limo tint all around. Actually I went beyond limo tint the car had 35% all around and I put Limo 5% tint on top of the 35%. About the read just tint it like you would any other windows it doesnt look bad at all dont try to do anything crazy with the matrix just tint it normally trust me.

My suggestion is be consistant with the tint. Mixing will offset the balance IMO.:yup:

My suggestion is be consistant with the tint. Mixing will offset the balance IMO.:yup:

I have the same exact opinion I am against mixing tint level in the CTS.

Cost me $175.00 here in FL. 35% all around.

I feel the same way about mixing. just doesn't look right. I payed 180, and got 35% all the way around. It looks really good because the cts's already have 70% on all the widows factory.

I feel the same way about mixing. just doesn't look right. I payed 180, and got 35% all the way around. It looks really good because the cts's already have 70% on all the widows factory.

Same here man, did 35% all the way around. I like it but it could stand to be a bit darker imo.. Im not a fan of mixing though and I'm not trying to pay to have it re-tinted at 20% so I'm stuck. I may end up mixing but I would just tint the rear window and the little qtr windows on the rear doors at 20% just to add a little extra darkness. cost me $200, but it's seamless tint...

i had 20% all around on my last car and i plan on getting 15% all around on my cts. the tickets get thrown out if you get a note from a shop saying they removed the tint. its a joke, all you have to do is make sure the shop writes down your vin number. im pretty sure there isnt a record of the ticket after that so if you get another one its no big deal. then all you have to do is get another note. the tickets are 65$ over here and i got tired of paying them..

Around here the trooper hands you a razor blade and the tint comes off immediately or you go to the bucket. The second time you get caught you don't get the first option. The assumption is that you are trying to hide activity with drugs or weapons. The same guy that brags that his ride looks sinister as hell is the first to complain he is getting picked on.

Well, I've decided it is absolutely necessary to tint the windows of my CTS. I was thinking the back passenger and the rear windsheild I would do both dark limo tint. And the front would be a lighter more medium tint. On a white CTS.
Questions...

What would/did you pay for a tint job all around on a CTS?

Should I just go limo all around or is my initial idea good?


Thx,
eG

$165 with a lifetime warranty

I did 50% up front and 5% out back. It really made the car look more sporty and less grandpa-ish (its a good thing, and I dont mean to offend any GP's out there).

I just got mine done last week at 60 min auto tint in S Florida. Paid 240 for lifetiome 3M film. 3M was a $56 upgrade that is well worth it. Did medium on front and dark on back per salesman sugestion and looks great!!! I have Limo on both my other rides but it is just not pratical for the wife on this car.

The matrix issue - as in the rear window has a built in crazy pattern on the back? How did others face this issue?
Yeah, that....my tint guy did the best he could since I wanted the entire glass tinted all the way up...I can live with it..it is not that obvious, but to me it is cause you can see little air pockets where the tint didn't still well...he suggested the following two options which I declined:
1) Black or Body-colored Vinyl strip on the outside of the rear window across the matrix
2) Bring the tint up to the edge of the matrix

Yeah, that....my tint guy did the best he could since I wanted the entire glass tinted all the way up...I can live with it..it is not that obvious, but to me it is cause you can see little air pockets where the tint didn't still well...he suggested the following two options which I declined:
1) Black or Body-colored Vinyl strip on the outside of the rear window across the matrix
2) Bring the tint up to the edge of the matrix

ya, i dont think that i could handle either of those issues either. i just had him tint it all the way up. ive had it for about two weeks and due to a couple of warm days, almost all of the air in the matrix section is gone and it sealed up pretty good around it. i do love the lifetime warranty though. if you have this option get it. this is how i found out that the window lock button doesn't lock out the front passenger window. so if you get the fronts done and havve a friend in the front for the first couple of days make sure you tell them not to roll down the window.

Here's my take on tinting. I think it can look great. I'm sure I wouldn't like it though. We have a Hemi-Magnum and most of the windows have a deep factory tint. During the twilite hours I have a great deal of difficulty seeing well through them. My concern is mostly safety related. I don't feel a need for the limo-tint. Maybe if they offered a lighter tint?

Here's my take on tinting. I think it can look great. I'm sure I wouldn't like it though. We have a Hemi-Magnum and most of the windows have a deep factory tint. During the twilite hours I have a great deal of difficulty seeing well through them. My concern is mostly safety related. I don't feel a need for the limo-tint. Maybe if they offered a lighter tint?
limo isnt the greatest for safety, but i have 20% and I see perfectly fine at night, ive never had a problem. 20% looks pretty dark too.

limo isnt the greatest for safety, but i have 20% and I see perfectly fine at night, ive never had a problem. 20% looks pretty dark too.

Is 20% the lightest available?:hmm:

That is why I went with the 35%. It gives you a good tinted look but you can still easily see through it.

Is 20% the lightest available?:hmm:

You can get as light as 70%, which is actually how much light is let through the windows from the factory. It then goes to 50% light emmitence, then 35%, 20%, and 5%. I have talked to a lot of places that wouldn't do 70 and 50 percent because it is too thin and very hard to work with.

70 and 50 would be a total waste of money in my opinion, its barely noticable, 35 is the lightest of the ''dark'' tints. Its very easy to see through, and typicall on a nice day you can see fromt he outside to the inside also. 20% is a perfect medium between dark and light IMO. Ihave had this on 2 cars in the past and it gives the perfect amount of privacy without making it a safety issue. I wouldnt even mess with 5%. One of our cars is limo all the way around, and its a bitch to see out of.

Is this correct? 50% film eliminates 50% of the light coming thru it and 35% film eliminates 65% of the light?:hmm:

Is this correct? 50% film eliminates 50% of the light coming thru it and 35% film eliminates 65% of the light?:hmm:
thats right, so 5% tint would only let in 5% of outside light.

Is this correct? 50% film eliminates 50% of the light coming thru it and 35% film eliminates 65% of the light?:hmm:

Correct to make it simpler 35% allows 35% of light to come in and 5% would allow 5% to come in. If you are planning to get down and dirty in your CTS like I do I would recommend 5% and buy the sun shade thing you put in the front windshield. :thumbsup:

I think it would be more classy to do all the windows the same shade, if you dont want to go all limo around, I suggest 20% all around. I have 20 on my car, and people always ask if its limo, its dark, but not TOO dark.
Ditto had mine done about three weeks ago white also looks awesome:thumbsup:

the reason i went with 35 instead of 20 is because our windows are already at 70%. the 35% brings it down to 24.5% which works out great for me. Also i have a black interior so it makes it even harder to see in(or it at least gives it that illusion). I just enjoy being able to see out of my back window at night. my last car had 5% doubled up from the previous owner. I couldn't see anything, even durring the day. that is kind of what got me to do a little bit lighter and now i love it.

See I have 35% also but with the Tan interior so its doesnt look as dark as 24.5%. But it keeps the car classy looking which I like.

the reason i went with 35 instead of 20 is because our windows are already at 70%. the 35% brings it down to 24.5% which works out great for me. Also i have a black interior so it makes it even harder to see in(or it at least gives it that illusion). I just enjoy being able to see out of my back window at night. my last car had 5% doubled up from the previous owner. I couldn't see anything, even durring the day. that is kind of what got me to do a little bit lighter and now i love it.

70% from the factory so if you put 50% film the light gets reduced to 20%?
That seems like a lot.

Robert
no, with 50% film it will be at 35%. I put on the 35% which gave me the 24.5.

Robert
no, with 50% film it will be at 35%. I put on the 35% which gave me the 24.5.

what equation are you using? I had 70% from the factory and I added 5% so what do I have?

what equation are you using? I had 70% from the factory and I added 5% so what do I have?

65% of the light is coming thru? Do I win a Happy Meal?:bouncy:

65% of the light is coming thru? Do I win a Happy Meal?:bouncy:

Your way off robert it had 70% meaning 70% of light was able to come thru then I added film that only allowed 5 percent to come thru meaning the answer is less than 5% but I dont know the formula. Get the answer and I will buy you a happy meal if you come to Cali.

Hahaha, yall are crazy... I havent had a happy meal in, whoa, a very long time. Anyway I dont know the actual percentage SD but it has to be low, 2% maybe less.

No way r u able to see out at night, the rear view must be hella dark. I had 2% on my front windows in my Tahoe and zero in the back, or at least damn near zero. I put limo tint (5%) over stock 20% smoked glass in the rear, now that was dark. I had to roll down the front windows anytime I wanted to reverse or open the rear hatch. Even in July, on a bright hot sunny day u still couldnt see in the rears.. It was crazy, I only got pulled over once, $250 ticket. Paid it and just never drove thru that area again, lol.

It is 3.5% if you put on 5%. It is just simple percentage multiplication. if 70% of the light can come through and then you put on film that lets 5% of that trough, you get 5% of 70%. so .7*.05=.035=3.5% If you are driving in the city or well lit areas then 20% is easy to see out of. if you drive in poorly lit areas 20% is difficult to see out of. It is really the breaking point of being able to see out or not. that is why i used 35% to get me to 24.5%. When i drive at night it is mostly in poorly lit areas.

I've got problems with my rear window limo tint. purchased the car second hand, so I don't know the history on the tint, but the back window is difficult to see out of because it appears 'mottled' and bubbled. What the best solution for a repair?

I've got problems with my rear window limo tint. purchased the car second hand, so I don't know the history on the tint, but the back window is difficult to see out of because it appears 'mottled' and bubbled. What the best solution for a repair?

the best solution would have to be get it removed and replaced. If your other windows are still in good shape and aren't faded you could just redo the rear and that wouldn't cost very much. however if the other windows are faded, then it night not look to good to just do the rear. if its been on for very long there is really no way to fix it, you can only rip it off

Windows have been tinted. It came out to be $250 after tax, with liftime full warranty. I know it was a little pricey but I went in and had them work overtime to do it, I'm busy the rest of the week. Anyhow, it came out great and it looks good. I'll post pictures asap.

--EG