20 or 35% tint on a black S3?

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 10:14 AM

Hey everyone. I'm buying a 2016 S3 and am looking to get the windows tinted. I've always had black on black cars tinted at 35% but am thinking about doing 20% on this one. Does anyone have pictures of 20% on an S3? Any reason I shouldn't go that dark other than legal reasons? Thanks!

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**Rob2k68** · 04-03-2016 10:34 AM

Are you in the UK ?, if so anything rear of the B post is fine so rear doors, rear qtr and backlight. Front scree has to be 76% light transmission (LT) and front side windows 70% LT which I'm pretty sure are at that level from the factory.

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Rob2k68

Are you in the UK ?, if so anything rear of the B post is fine so rear doors, rear qtr and backlight. Front scree has to be 76% light transmission (LT) and front side windows 70% LT which I'm pretty sure are at that level from the factory.

No I'm in Wisconsin. The legal limit is 35% rear and 50% front. I've always run 35% all around but am between that or 20% all around.

**tateltot** · 04-03-2016 11:46 AM

20% is too much for me. Very happy with my 35%.

**sotodojo** · 04-03-2016 12:08 PM

this is 20% front and 15% rear

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by tateltot

20% is too much for me. Very happy with my 35%.

Any pics? I know stock window tint percentage varies so each brand of vehicle could look different. My BMW with 35 looks much darker than my VW with the same tint.

Originally Posted by sotodojo

this is 20% front and 15% rear

That looks damn good!

**Rob2k68** · 04-03-2016 12:35 PM

Ah gotcha. Personally I'd keep it the same all round then - prob hard to see the difference in pics. Just fancy a change or did you have any issues with the 35% ?

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Rob2k68

Ah gotcha. Personally I'd keep it the same all round then - prob hard to see the difference in pics. Just fancy a change or did you have any issues with the 35% ?

I like the 35% but have always wanted to go darker. I don't absolutely need to go darker though.

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 01:16 PM

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**tateltot** · 04-03-2016 05:09 PM

The angle isn't great for tint evaluation. Sorry about that.

**Michigan_Rings** · 04-03-2016 05:57 PM

Not the best picture, but I have 20% tint on the rear and 35% tint on the front.

Don't mind the rims/ride height. I was experimenting early on

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**Z32drifter** · 04-03-2016 06:22 PM

I did 20% all around.

**UWbadger91** · 04-03-2016 07:21 PM

Thanks for the replies! All of your cars look awesome! I guess I can't go wrong either way

**stefmiesterb** · 04-06-2016 02:19 PM

I went 30% all around on my black on black 2016 S3. I had 20% on my B8 A5 and B8.5 A4 and it was to my liking. The S3 has smaller windows so it appears darker in my opinion. I try and post some pics later if interested.

**magnessr** · 04-06-2016 04:01 PM

I had 35% all around on my GTI. Need to get some tint on the S3, but may try to get something in the 20-30% range as I would like it to be a bit darker this time.

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**UWbadger91** · 04-06-2016 09:14 PM

Do you guys feel that the pano sunroof lets more light in vs a normal sized sunroof? I'm wondering if that would be a good reason to opt for 20 or 25

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**UWbadger91** · 04-11-2016 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by DRTJRZY

here is a pic of my 2015 S3 in black with 20% tint all around about about 110-12" strip on wind shield

Any side shots? I just picked up a mythos black s3 and am considering 20 too.

**UWbadger91** · 04-11-2016 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by DRTJRZY

Here is one with it was in a hit and run last year on a flat bed

And they are 19s

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Thanks! Looks good!

**UWbadger91** · 04-11-2016 06:44 PM

What do you guys think of 20% on the rear windshield and 35% on the sides?

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**HarryPotter** · 04-12-2016 08:10 PM

Does anyone know what the tint is on the sunroof?

**UWbadger91** · 04-13-2016 07:20 PM

Solar Guard or Suntek? I have both brands available locally.

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**Cairo94507** · 04-13-2016 09:27 PM

The dark dark tint just looks to gangster for me. In CA it is illegal to tint anything in front of the B pillars. The cops tend to be cool so long as you don't go ghetto tint so no one can see inside the cars. Cops have a real safety concern as well as a public safety issue too. Personally, it just says "stop me anytime you want" to do that to your car here in CA.

**photocycler** · 04-14-2016 12:55 AM

I have tinted every car I have owned. For some reason I'm considering not tinting my my new black A3 as it looks so clean. Maybe that will change once it gets older or too hot with the black interior

**UWbadger91** · 04-14-2016 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by photocycler

I have tinted every car I have owned. For some reason I'm considering not tinting my my new black A3 as it looks so clean. Maybe that will change once it gets older or too hot with the black interior

I thought of it too as I don't want them messing with my door panels. It's weird not having them though so I'm going for it.

**UWbadger91** · 04-14-2016 12:24 PM

I stopped at the tinting place and I can get 25. Good compromise?

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**photocycler** · 04-15-2016 10:01 PM

Sounds like it. Let's see pics after

**UWbadger91** · 04-20-2016 06:29 PM

Just had 35% installed today. Everything went well. My only concern is I think they removed the door panels and the top of the door panel has about 1/16" to 1/8" gap from the actual door. I didn't look at it before taking it there so I don't know if that's normal. I'm pretty finicky lol.

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**Brunt182** · 04-21-2016 04:54 AM

I have 20% all around, including the windshield. As shown below, you can see it looks a bit different depending on the lighting outside.

**selp** · 04-21-2016 08:04 AM

18 or 15%. Cant remember. A must here in Arizona sun.

**Audi_Salesman** · 05-23-2016 03:07 PM

I'm getting mine done at 20% I'll post before and after pics

**UWbadger91** · 05-23-2016 03:31 PM

Thanks for the replies. I actually had mine done at 35%. 30% would have been perfect but it's not available by me.

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**Cairo94507** · 05-23-2016 04:11 PM

I can't imagine a cop ever letting a car with 20% tint all around, including the windshield, get by them here in CA. Just from an officer safety standpoint, that is not good. I guess if you live where it is 135 degrees all day long, that might be a consideration. It gets hot in CA, say 105 degrees, but since the law here is nothing forward of the B pillars, I try to be as polite as I can and did the absolute lightest tint available on the sides of the car. Consequently, I have never been stopped for tint. I also have a front license plate since they have started banging out those tickets. Never had a ticket since I turned 18 and don't want any. Insurance costs are high without tickets and accidents. Also, I am a big believer in never knowingly doing something to attract the attention of the LEO's out there. Not that I do anything wrong, I just believe in the 4th Amendment.

**Audi_Salesman** · 05-23-2016 04:42 PM

Out here in Delaware they don't mess around with you unless you do something stupid. I had a 2008 Accord coupe in black and had 5% all around no windshield tint and never had any issues my wife the same way with her old Jetta for four years. I used to live in So Cal and I've been pulled over just because it was after midnight so different states probably would be tougher then others.