Very Very Very Dark Tint

[thorpe84]

i just got my new 33 s2 im the first owner in australia and it has a really dark tint on the back windscreen and back side windows.

its so dark that you can put your hand against the inside of the back windscreen and from the outside you cannot see a thing, you cannot see my p's either. night driving and reversing is a nightmare.

anyway a friend told me that if i stacked it the insurance company wouldnt pay out because the windows are too dark to meet standards ect,ect.

is this true?

also, does anyone know if i can get it removed? if so roughly how much.

cbf googling and asking for online quotes, cheers

[ProphetR33]

Goto a window tinting place they'll remove it for you for around $50.

Replace the tint with something lighter and they'll probably do it for you for free.

Removing tint is pretty easy with a razor blade, heat gun and goo remover (or eucalyptus oil), but doing a rear window has obvious problems that's better left to a professional (heater grid in the window scraping off).

As for the legalities of the tint, it is legal as far as I know, I think your rear windshield and rear windows are excluded from the 30% tint law. Its only your driver and passenger window, plus windscreen that are illegal if tinted too dark. Cars with two different tints look ridiculous IMO, and if its giving you grief reversing or parking, get rid of it.

[ras1983]

afaik, a window tint is a film on the inside of the glass, so it should be able to be removed. if you become a SAU member, you can get access to discounted window tinting(among other things).

[ScorpR32]

I would be extremely suprised if an insurance company was to decline a claim based upon illegal window tinting on a vehicle. That would be insanely stingy!

[ProphetR33]

I would be extremely suprised if an insurance company was to decline a claim based upon illegal window tinting on a vehicle. That would be insanely stingy!

I know a bloke who got rejected because he had 2 chaser rims on instead of the factory alloys he specified in his policy. (Luckily it was not a major claim and not worth taking to court).

Insurance companies will do anything to not pay up. Anything that is deemed to hinder your driving and illegal will most certainly be used against you in a claim. Its not worth leaving up to chance.

[LOOF]

You get use to the dark tint though, 2 diffrent shades does look abit funny

[evil_weevil]

if the tint caused the accient, they can decline

just by having the tint, I doubt it....but also - depends on the insurer

call and find out

[SKY031]

If you want it gone, you can remove it yourself.

Get a spray bottle, fill it with water.

Spray the tint with water and cover it with a black garbage bag.

Leave the car sitting in the sun.

It should steam itself off.

However, it seems a bit odd that it would have passed compliance if the tint is "too dark".

[foznice]

Does SEVS compliance look at tint? I thought it was a roadworthy thing? Even still, you would have needed to get a roadworthy to rego it so yeah.

I suppose technically insurance companies CAN choose not to pay you out, but if they actually do or not is another matter.

It's really just a risk that you take.

The same applies if you plan on doing other 'illegal' mods to your car (they may not pay out).

You'll get used to night driving and reversing, you've probably started to use your side mirrors a lot more?

[mad082]

I would be extremely suprised if an insurance company was to decline a claim based upon illegal window tinting on a vehicle. That would be insanely stingy!

yeah i mean what sort of insurance company would refuse a claim because you have an illegal modification that reduces visibility.......

[ScorpR32]

yeah i mean what sort of insurance company would refuse a claim because you have an illegal modification that reduces visibility.......

What I really meant is that it would be very improbable that an insurance company would decline a claim based upon dark tint on the back/rear windows. Especially since that it is unlikely to have caused an accident in the first place.

[evil_weevil]

exactly, who drives out of their side and rear windows - hardly cause an accident.

[Black_Widow34]

they can and most likely will decline the claim if the dark tints caused or were part of the problem for example if u reverse into sometihing or if you hit another car while changing lanes as u cant see ur blind spot... if i was u i would get them removed and get tints to match ur front ones...

[ProphetR33]

exactly, who drives out of their side and rear windows - hardly cause an accident.

Get T-Boned on a road that bends around towards the back of your car and they won't pay guaranteed.

It doesn't matter if you're using an inch of your rear side window or the whole thing. If they can deem that any of the window obscured your vision, then they have reason to reject your claim.

I don't know about you, but it's pretty common for me to glance out my rear side windows whether it be changing lanes, at intersections, reversing, parking etc etc.

[cln]

my 32 came with a uber tint aswell, at night looking out the back window you could see nothing but dim lights. That being said it DID pass roadworthy (smelled dodgy) but i took it off asap as it was impractical as hell.

[ScorpR32]

they can and most likely will decline the claim if the dark tints caused or were part of the problem for example if u reverse into sometihing or if you hit another car while changing lanes as u cant see ur blind spot... if i was u i would get them removed and get tints to match ur front ones...

That's about right.

Otherwise I think you could safely run the gauntlet. Being in the industry I can't say I've ever heard of a claim declined based on window tint.

[evil_weevil]

Agree with ScorpGTX.

But yes, Of course changing lanes or reversing/blind spot etc through dark tint can deny a claim, once again depends on insurer. However as I said before - if its not the cause of an accident, highly unlikely a claim will be declined just because of tinted windows.

E.g - If someone hit you, as they failed to give way at a give way sign, and you have that tint, your car isnt going to be covered?

Or

For some unlucky reason you missjudged braking and ran up back of someone, did the tint cause that and are they going to deny claim because of tint?

highly unlikely.

[SS8_Gohan]

FBI tint is standard (or perhaps factory option) on the cars in Japan. That's how they come from factory, don't ask me why.

No legality issues for the windows the tint is on. That's why it's not touched during compliance.

[Scrub]

Someone probably asked this already, but are you sure its tint not tinted glass?

The rear windows in a lot of jap cars have very dark factory optioned glass and its legal

[thorpe84]

i have no idea, maybe the glass is tinted? how would i find out???

im guessing i should look for a thin film around the edges of the windows?