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Felixbiel

By Felixbiel
in Tint Laws

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Felixbiel

Felixbiel

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I had another guy try to argue with me (which I avoid arguing with customers if at all possible.) I was about to put the legal 35% on the sides of his A6 when he barges into my shop area and tells me that he just got off the phone with his friend (who is an inspector) and his friend said that 20% is legal on the sides. So I pulled up the VLT laws and tried to explain to him how it all works and why 35% will keep him right above the law and how the law is different on the rear doors then what state inspectors are required to check. The whole time I could tell he was thinking I was just blowing smoke up his arse. After wasting a good thirty minutes of valuable tint time I finally got him to relent, by asking why I would want him to go lighter than the law allow when I don't charge extra for going dark on the back glass. On top of all that he went the cheapest possible route he could to get film on his car and wasted way more time then needed. It's not totally his fault though he was just going by what his idiot friend (who should know his business better) was telling him.

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TintJunkie

TintJunkie

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I hear ya. I am a certified state inspector and they DO NOT require us to meter the rear doors on a sedan. It is only the two fronts. People dont understand that it is the TOTAL vlt of the film and glass together that cannot be less than 25% (state) and 20% (inspection). You also dont have to have a front plate. One seatbelt (driver) is acceptable...and if you were driving a 1987 Mustang (for example) with 5% all around, it is passable, but still against the law.

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tint123

tint123

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I hear ya. I am a certified state inspector and they DO NOT require us to meter the rear doors on a sedan. It is only the two fronts. People dont understand that it is the TOTAL vlt of the film and glass together that cannot be less than 25% (state) and 20% (inspection). You also dont have to have a front plate. One seatbelt (driver) is acceptable...and if you were driving a 1987 Mustang (for example) with 5% all around, it is passable, but still against the law.

All 4 side doors have to be 25% or lighter to be legal on the road, but only the 2 fronts for inspection ? This only applies to cars and not SUV's

is that correct ?

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Felixbiel

Felixbiel

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I hear ya. I am a certified state inspector and they DO NOT require us to meter the rear doors on a sedan. It is only the two fronts. People dont understand that it is the TOTAL vlt of the film and glass together that cannot be less than 25% (state) and 20% (inspection). You also dont have to have a front plate. One seatbelt (driver) is acceptable...and if you were driving a 1987 Mustang (for example) with 5% all around, it is passable, but still against the law.

All 4 side doors have to be 25% or lighter to be legal on the road, but only the 2 fronts for inspection ? This only applies to cars and not SUV's

is that correct ?

Yep, that was a 2003 Texas legislation. I get customers that want to argue about that too. Personally I think a car looks classier with the same shade front to back, but I don't believe it should be a law.

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nctinter

nctinter

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That is weird. Am I getting this right? You can have a film that reads say 22% on the meter and it passes inspection. But if a cop pulled you over, you could get a ticket cuz it is under 25%??? Shouldn't both kinda coincide with eachother? If that is the case, I would go with ATR 30. That won't meter below 25%. That is ofcourse if you use Lulu. Also Lulus ATR 20 will read 23-25%. I don't get it, it is definitely darker than the 30% but always meters higher than 20

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Felixbiel

Felixbiel

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That is weird. Am I getting this right? You can have a film that reads say 22% on the meter and it passes inspection. But if a cop pulled you over, you could get a ticket cuz it is under 25%??? Shouldn't both kinda coincide with eachother? If that is the case, I would go with ATR 30. That won't meter below 25%. That is ofcourse if you use Lulu. Also Lulus ATR 20 will read 23-25%. I don't get it, it is definitely darker than the 30% but always meters higher than 20

I dont use LuLu but the a true 30% film should read 22-23% when applied depending on the car of course and if the 20% is reading 23-25% it is not a 20% at all. A true 20% should read 12-15% when applied. But yes the law and the inspection requirements do not meet up. The law says 25% with a 3% variance on all sides front and back of sedans and coupes and inspection just says 20% on front doors. They don't even check back doors. It's absolute stupidity.

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nctinter

nctinter

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Yeah I know you figure with most films it drops down about 7 or 8%. ATR is weird like that. I am going by using standard GM glass now. Every time I measure 30% it is about 27 or 28%. And the 20% always reads like 22 or 23%. I have been telling the reps this for years. I forget the bs response they gave me. However, the 20% looks like any other 20% film. So go figure. I use it and like it. It is funny. I bet you could go pick up some ATR 20 and get away with using it on front doors with that 3% variance

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Ryker

Ryker

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On the ATR 20 note. When I switched from Sungard to Llumar I first bought the ATR 20% as I had been using the Sungard Slate 20. I switched to the ATR 15% after the first roll as I could SEE a difference in the 20%. It was lighter than what I had been using.....

Now I am using Global and I use the 20% again and it is pretty much the same as the Sungard 20 or the Llumar 15....

Llumar ATR 20 IS NOT as dark as other 20% films.

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nctinter

nctinter

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If other films look like ATR 15, then I am glad ATR 20 looks the way it does. 30 on fronts and 15 on the rears looks like ass. The 30/20 combo looks better imo. Does suck that it reads so high though

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