Who said you have to tell anyone? Just use clear ceramic on windscreen. All else fails get a Dr. note.
2 Likes
Off topic, but… Is there a clear ceramic? When I tinted my windows, I only saw 70-80% (which was actually so close to untinted that it would’ve taken sharp eyes to notice).
2 Likes
I’ve put ceramic tint in my windshield on my last half dozen cars or so. Never noticed any issues with clarity, distortion, etc. I don’t wear sunglasses often, but when I do, they’re polarized, and I don’t recall any issues.
I usually do 70-80% on the windshield, 50% on the front sides, and 30% in the rear. Isn’t quite CA compliant, but it doesn’t jump out as being dark. You’d never know the windshield is tinted, but it makes a world of difference living in the desert and getting overbearing sun.
3 Likes
The 70-80% is close enough to clear. You could probably see a difference if you tinted half the windshield, but that’s about it
1 Like
Any product you like, I might just do so.
2 Likes
I like madico wincos And 3M crystalline. Put suntek carbon xp on my GT and didn’t love it.
Photosync is crazy expensive but supposedly awesome, tesla owners here love it.
2 Likes
+1. Really like my Crystalline. And 70% really DOES look almost totally stock (so don’t be afraid to go darker).
1 Like
Man love the Chrysler 300.
1 Like
Tint on the any of the front windows is illegal here in CA. I have 70% ceramic on the windshield of my ranch truck and 50% on the rest. I’ve never had a problem with cops.
I also have 70% on the windshield of my M5 with 30% on the fronts and 50% over the rear factory tint. Again, no issues with cops.
2 Likes
So this is a feature that my wife can’t live without, and so I’ve looked into it fairly extensively. A few thoughts.
There is a difference between ventilated and cooled seats. Cooled seats are called cooled, air-conditioned or climate controlled. They essentially have upgraded thermal units in the seats which can blow cold or hot air. There is a significant difference in the different makes and models and how well they work. I found the American companies to have very weak units (i.e. most of the impact is on the bottom of the seat and minimally up the back)(excepting the Cadillac Escalade which has good cooled seats). Range Rover has super cooled seats. Infiniti has a reasonably cooled seat (and is what I personally went with). You really need to sit in them and test them out given the differences within car manufacturers and car models.
Ventilated seats just blow or suck air from the cabin through the seat. They are significantly weaker than the actively cooled seats and if this is a feature that is important to you I would not go for anything with ventilated seats. (BMW, Porsche, MBZ all unfortunately have ventilated seating only AFAIK)
One thing to keep in mind is also naming conventions. Some people say “cooled seats” when they mean ventilated, some times they mean climate controlled.
Finally, these are the manufacturers that I know have climate controlled seating.
Range Rover
Jaguar
Lexus - I believe only on their biggest suv
Infiniti
Cadillac - Escalade only (I believe), they also have ventilated seats in some cars
Other brands may have cooled seats of course, just be sure to sit in them and test them out.
Hope this helps.
4 Likes
My Expedition has cooled seats (available on many Fords/Lincolns) and I live on the surface of the sun (PHX). While it’s a nice feature to have, I value remote start a lot more. Getting the seat cooled down before you sit on it is a game-changer. I have a 2009 328i convertible with the special sunscreen leather - that stuff really works. I almost never put the top up, even when parked at the store, and the seats are much cooler when I come back than any of my non-convertible cars.
The cooled/ventilated seats make the most difference when driving long distances, at least to me. The Ford ones work pretty well, but they are loud. True story - my wife’s first experience with cooled seats was in the Expedition of a friend she had just met. It was there first time going somewhere together, and my wife didn’t realize that the car had that feature. She was certain she had wet herself somehow, and was trying to figure out how to explain it to her new friend, when she finally realized what it was She shared the story immediately, and they’ve been almost inseparable for like 7 years now.
5 Likes
Lincoln mkz reserve 2 has heated/ventilated seates
1 Like
They work different. Ventilateed aren’t supposed to chill you. Again, those of us who sweat a lot (as opposed to simply feeling hot/warm without necessarily sweating a lot) might like the ventilated seats better than the cooled ones b/c we prefer to be dry, as well. When I sat in a cooled seat, I felt like I was sitting in a cold puddle.
1 Like
There are so many mainstream cars that have ventilated seats, albeit in their higher trims.
Kia Tellurides even offer heated/ventilated second row seats.
1 Like
Palisade too, at least on the limited trim
1 Like
In my 2015 CTS, it was not very noticeable
1 Like
Excellent insights from the LH community, thank you all!
For reference I have a 2018 BMW 340i black on black sensatec and am in L.A.
Evidently mine was the last 340i on the lot at Palm Springs BMW because “nobody in PS buys black/black”
This is the first car out of my most recent 4 cars that I’ve put tint on, and even then it can get quite toasty.
I also just got a nice cheap $100 tint but they did a solid job all things considered.
1 Like
My family members SRX and Silverado it was ice cold
1 Like
It’s important when looking at tint to remember that not all created equal. There’s a huge difference in how much IR cheaper tints don’t block vs more expensive stuff.
1 Like
Cheap tint doesn’t work. Getting a reputable shop to properly install Formula1 tint for $300-$400 is well worth the extra money.
3 Likes