Window Shades / Tints / Bright ideas for blocking the sun!

[=jon=]

Hi,

I've been looking at getting the rear windows tinted in my 110 CSW (with fixed rear windows) to keep it a bit cooler and stop it being so easy to peer in the back - however the local tint place is asking north of £300 for tinting the rear doors backwards, and will only consider it if I strip all of the interior trim out as apparently there are a total PITA to do as everything is so time consuming compared to a 'modern' car...

I've not got a garage / enough patience to do it myself so have been looking at other options...

Has anyone tried a set of custom window shades such as:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Window-Sun-Blinds-Privacy-UV-Shades-Land-Rover-Defender-90-3-Door-1990-on-/231149622791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35d1975607

They are a bit pricey, but if they are any good they are still cheaper than a 'proper' tint...

Any other suggestions? I did wonder about getting some fine mozzie mesh type stuff and making my own, securing it with the window trims but as it would be held off the glass it might look a bit naff, unless someone can come up with a bright idea to secure it to the glass, or to the inside of the window seal?

Thanks

Jon

[Boydie]

I guess it depends on your local laws but on my Disco I have used "Contac" the material used for covering school books on the Alpine and rear side windows, - you cannot see through it however but in NSW that's within the law. The rear window and rear passenger side windows I did myself in a reflective dark green tint, in NSW you are now allowed to tint the drivers side, front passenger side or windscreen.

[=jon=]

For the rear, I think you can go as dark as you like - but driving at night turns into a pain as you can't see for reversing or non-square junctions easily if they tint is too dark..

[landroversforever]

In the UK the windscreen and the two front side windows are restricted on what you can do, anything rearward of that is fair game to do what you like.

[Digger782]

You could try the spray type tint, available on eBay.

Graham

[muddychris300tdi]

I have fitted blinds similar to your link in my passat estate. From a driver's view there fine, they make it a little darker in the car but for a rear passanger there not good to look through as you have to focus through them where as tinted glass is just like a wearing a pair of Sun glasses. They don't really seem to keep the car cooler, they just keep the bright Sun of my kids.

I tinted my middle Windows in my Disco and its not hard if you take your time. I plan to do my 130 myself.

[western]

a read of this might save you from some problems https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules

[tacr2man]

If you are looking at mainly reducing heat transfer , you dont have to go dark , I had a 130 DC HCPU in Australia that had the rear side , and rear window done in a Ray Ban Platinum This had the same UV and Infra red rejection as the limo tint . try another tinter , as I have done a 110csw myself and its not that difficult , didnt need to remove the trim at all .

[=jon=]

Thanks everyone... For those that did the tints yourself - did you use the pre-cut kits, or off a roll? From what the tint chappie was saying he'd actually remove the windows, tint them and refit, I guess you didn't go to all that trouble? Did you just tuck the edge or the tint into the window seal?

Thanks

Jon

[FridgeFreezer]

Tint place might sell you some offcuts of their vinyl, I paid £10 for a substantial length of the clear security film for the shed windows from ye local tinting shoppe. You want a good squeegee, soapy water, and surgically clean windows or you'll get bits trapped. If you can unscrew the windows and do it on the pane out of the car you can get all the way to the edge nicely and with less faff.

Alternative: tinted perspex/makrolon etc. to replace the glass.

[bill comer]

I used rolls bought off the tinterweb.

It takes practise, a good few mistakes but you get there in the end. Watch the videos & tip - you can not use too much soapy water.

I did the rear passenger seats in medium & the rear in (I can't see through) dark.

I actually left the rear main window for ease of reversing. The rear little oval lights are a pain.

I left all the windows in.

Start with big windows to practise on.

[GW8IZR]

The small oval windows are frighteningly easy to remove and you could do them off the vehicle - I've only tinted one set of windows on an old Bedford van but it was very easy as long as you use lots of soapy water and be gentle with the squeegy

Last thing be very careful of any heated window elements when trimming - I had to remove the foil and repair a back window after a backward facing baseball hat job.