I'm preparing to have my Vanagon windows tinted soon also. I have some
questions.

I have heard a few people (such as below) say that the dark, non-metallic or
non-reflective tint only makes the vehicle interior hotter. I have had two
cars with dark, non-reflective tint on them, and I don't feel that this is
the case. I don't have any hard and fast data to back this up.

I do want to put dark tint company on the van. I want to do this because I
just think that the dark look would be better on my Vanagon than the silver
or reflective look.

Can anyone offer any hard and fast data (data is what I am looking for, not
conjecture) showing that dark tint retains heat? I can believe and accept
that dark may be less effective than reflective. But my question is whether
or not dark tint does not work or is actually counter-productive.

Cheers,
Bruce
motorbruce
motorbruce@hotmail.com

>From: Doug in Calif <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
>Reply-To: Doug in Calif <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Question about running reflective tint in CA
>Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 14:29:12 -0700
>
>Any other vanagon folks have any experiences with running various types of
>window tint in CA  or Oregon, Nevada, AZ, WY, WA, ID, UT, or other places I
>may travel out west.
>
>Here's the specifics to my questions:
>
>The non reflective "dark limo" tint will actually raise the interior temps
>of your van.
>It absorbs heat and radiates this heat into the van.
>
>The "reflective" (slightly mirrored) tint will reject this heat energy and
>will cool down the interior.
>
>State laws on tint are all over the place on what is legal.
>
>CA has a MNIR law which states (must not increase reflectivity)
>
>Yet I could not find the specifc MNIR vehicle code.
>
>The closest thing is could find is 26708.a-1
>Which pertains to blocking of light not reflectivity.
>This would also not allow you to tint the back window at all.
>
>I called my local police and call the local California Highway Patrol and
>they told me "the way its enforced"
>is you can put whatever you want on the back and sides just not the
>windshield and front drivers/ pass windows.
>
>I asked specificly about a "reflective or mirrored" tinting and was told
>"no, you should not have any problem with that, just as long as its only on
>the back and side windows".
>
>The guy at Tap Plastics told me the (reflective, mirrored, metallic) types
>of tint are only sold for residential use and not "recommended" for auto
>applications.
>
>Reason given is the mirrored tint can reflect sunlight into the eyes of
>other drivers.
>
>The reflective tint is the only tint that has the heat rejection ratings
>that are worth putting on.
>The dark limo tint is junk in my opinion.
>
>Any thoughts of California enforcement  or what others have had as far as
>other states on this would be appreciated.
>
>Just trying to keep the solar gain down out here in CA, temps near 100
>today.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Doug