Best tint % for rear window M3

[Stan2600]

Hi, does anyone know which tint % matches best with the model 3 rear window factory tint that’s already on the window? Trying to have no line or separation from the factory tint and new tint being applied. I mean by looking at it from inside the car not outside

Getting xpel plus tints, doing 35% on passenger windows
Want to do the full rear window not half
Thank!

 

[euro.r]

If I'm understanding correctly, you don't want to see any differentiation between the factory tint and the tint you're putting on the rear window? Does that also mean you don't want to see a gradient-like transition? If so, I'm not sure that's possible since whatever tint you end up with will make the existing tinted section darker. For what it's worth, I did 35% all around including the whole back window and called it a day.

 

[E90alex]

It’s impossible to not see the line inside because it’s a gradient and fades off. There’s no way to match the fade and have it look like one uniform color inside.

Just get the whole rear glass tinted the same shade as your sides.

 

[Stan2600]

If I'm understanding correctly, you don't want to see any differentiation between the factory tint and the tint you're putting on the rear window? Does that also mean you don't want to see a gradient-like transition? If so, I'm not sure that's possible since whatever tint you end up with will make the existing tinted section darker. For what it's worth, I did 35% all around including the whole back window and called it a day.

Correct, guess it is hard to make it perfectly blend. Thanks for the help

 

[Evpowerdan]

Hi, does anyone know which tint % matches best with the model 3 rear window factory tint that’s already on the window? Trying to have no line or separation from the factory tint and new tint being applied. I mean by looking at it from inside the car not outside

Getting xpel plus tints, doing 35% on passenger windows
Want to do the full rear window not half
Thank!

Unfortunately as the rear window goes up, so does the darkness of the factory tinted glass.

It would be great to split the rear window tint to two different pieces, one with dark tint for the lower half and lighter tint for the upper potion.

To me, when you tint the rear window 20% or darker, it makes the rear glass roof above the passangers very dark - noticeably different than the glass roof above the driver and passenger. Sure one piece looks more uniform - but that one downside Plus the costs. Another downside is that the tint on the glass roof will increase the temp of the glass - which can make it more prone to cracking.

Then their is the price of most tint shops for Tesla's - typically double at most.

Here is what I do on all my vehicles. Ceramic tint - Either LLumar (CTX) or Xpel (XR black).

When comparing window tint specs - TSER - Total solar energy rejected - the real value to compare window tint.
70% - 80% Windshield (Basically clear - but rejects 40% of the heat and 99% UV).
30% Driver + Passenger Door
20% - All windows behind the driver (35% if the windows have have factory tint - like the model Y).
*I prefer to see at night and no issues getting pulled over.
**Heat rejection, UV protection and added security were my priorities.

On the model 3, I went with 1/2 the rear glass tinted to keep the light in my black interior brighter. The tinted Tesla top portion of the glass roofs does an outstanding job of heat rejection.

Costs, my tinter did all the windows in LLumar CTX for $450 (including the front windshield and 1/2 way up the rear glass). Other quotes were in the $800-$1000 range for all the windows - especially if they did the rear window in one piece. I added a sunroof shade - as that helps tremendously in the Texas summers.

 

[FrostByt371]

Here is my car with 20% tint all around. To not have that seam.. tell your installer you want a full back glass and not partial. The one inside is freshly done in the shop. Then the next picture is the next day outside in the sun. Just so you can see the difference. I did a full back window and its uniform, so not sure why some people are not getting it.

20% all around is a clean look, not too dark, not so light. Blends well with the factory.

20% front 2 doors, 5% back doors, and rear, this will give you a blacked-out look. Some like it. Some don't. I like it. I may go back and do the rear.

Or, if you want just the UV and not so much tint, you can do 35% front and 20% rear.


Should run you anywhere from $449 - $1500. Depending on the shop.

 

[Stan2600]

Here is my car with 20% tint all around. To not have that seam.. tell your installer you want a full back glass and not partial. The one inside is freshly done in the shop. Then the next picture is the next day outside in the sun. Just so you can see the difference. I did a full back window and its uniform, so not sure why some people are not getting it.

20% all around is a clean look, not too dark, not so light. Blends well with the factory.

20% front 2 doors, 5% back doors, and rear, this will give you a blacked-out look. Some like it. Some don't. I like it. I may go back and do the rear.

Or, if you want just the UV and not so much tint, you can do 35% front and 20% rear.


Should run you anywhere from $449 - $1500. Depending on the shop.

Hey thanks for the pics. Happen to have a pic of the rear window taken from inside the car to see how tint looks?

 

[Stan2600]

Unfortunately as the rear window goes up, so does the darkness of the factory tinted glass.

It would be great to split the rear window tint to two different pieces, one with dark tint for the lower half and lighter tint for the upper potion.

To me, when you tint the rear window 20% or darker, it makes the rear glass roof above the passangers very dark - noticeably different than the glass roof above the driver and passenger. Sure one piece looks more uniform - but that one downside Plus the costs. Another downside is that the tint on the glass roof will increase the temp of the glass - which can make it more prone to cracking.

Then their is the price of most tint shops for Tesla's - typically double at most.

Here is what I do on all my vehicles. Ceramic tint - Either LLumar (CTX) or Xpel (XR black).

When comparing window tint specs - TSER - Total solar energy rejected - the real value to compare window tint.
70% - 80% Windshield (Basically clear - but rejects 40% of the heat and 99% UV).
30% Driver + Passenger Door
20% - All windows behind the driver (35% if the windows have have factory tint - like the model Y).
*I prefer to see at night and no issues getting pulled over.
**Heat rejection, UV protection and added security were my priorities.

On the model 3, I went with 1/2 the rear glass tinted to keep the light in my black interior brighter. The tinted Tesla top portion of the glass roofs does an outstanding job of heat rejection.

Costs, my tinter did all the windows in LLumar CTX for $450 (including the front windshield and 1/2 way up the rear glass). Other quotes were in the $800-$1000 range for all the windows - especially if they did the rear window in one piece. I added a sunroof shade - as that helps tremendously in the Texas summers.

Thanks for the detailed reply

 

[NBCGLX]

I'm not new to having tinted windows on my car, I think I've had probably ~20 vehicles tinted since the late 90s. But I just got my Model 3 and I was concerned how the rear would look given it's really both a roof and rear window glass. I chose 30% because that's just my go-to with window tint, and while the roof portion of the rear glass is darker than the front portion that's over the front seats, it's not terribly noticeable. I think if one were to go darker than 30%, however, it would start to become very noticeable. Also, definitely go with a one-piece rear tint. If your shop won't or can't do it, find another one. My shop actually removes the interior trim pieces to do the full rear window properly. It turned out great and I'm really happy with it.

 

[Anh Tran]

I'm not new to having tinted windows on my car, I think I've had probably ~20 vehicles tinted since the late 90s. But I just got my Model 3 and I was concerned how the rear would look given it's really both a roof and rear window glass. I chose 30% because that's just my go-to with window tint, and while the roof portion of the rear glass is darker than the front portion that's over the front seats, it's not terribly noticeable. I think if one were to go darker than 30%, however, it would start to become very noticeable. Also, definitely go with a one-piece rear tint. If your shop won't or can't do it, find another one. My shop actually removes the interior trim pieces to do the full rear window properly. It turned out great and I'm really happy with it.

Hi, can you please share pictures from inside your car looking up to the front glass roof and rear window glass in sunny morning? I want to see how much of a difference between those two glass portions. I’m leaning towards one piece rear windshield 35% tint. It would be great if you also share your 30% rear glass tint looking from the outside too please.

 

[kevlar88]

I'm not new to having tinted windows on my car, I think I've had probably ~20 vehicles tinted since the late 90s. But I just got my Model 3 and I was concerned how the rear would look given it's really both a roof and rear window glass. I chose 30% because that's just my go-to with window tint, and while the roof portion of the rear glass is darker than the front portion that's over the front seats, it's not terribly noticeable. I think if one were to go darker than 30%, however, it would start to become very noticeable. Also, definitely go with a one-piece rear tint. If your shop won't or can't do it, find another one. My shop actually removes the interior trim pieces to do the full rear window properly. It turned out great and I'm really happy with it.

Also interested in seeing the inside. Scheduled to get my M3 tinted and curious if I should do 30% all around, higher on the rear, or skip altogether - don't want to remove the view entirely.

 

[Highline]

Hi, does anyone know which tint % matches best with the model 3 rear window factory tint that’s already on the window? Trying to have no line or separation from the factory tint and new tint being applied. I mean by looking at it from inside the car not outside

Getting xpel plus tints, doing 35% on passenger windows
Want to do the full rear window not half
Thank!

24% is what the top of the back window meters to. So go with 25% on the complete vehicle

 

[Evpowerdan]

Get asked this question a lot on tint and %. Really depends on your state, but doing darker does not necessarily mean substantially more heat reduction. TSER is the best metric to compare the different tint performance. What that metric does not tell you is clarity to see through it.

I like LLumar and second is Xpel. Both are very optically clear to see through.

LLumar Ceramic Products: CTX (better) or IRX (Best) - AIR for the Windshield.
Xpel: PRIME XR BLACK (better) or PRIME XR PLUS (Best) - both have a 70% for the windshield.

Also - Lots of places will have a "Tesla" price bump for window tinting and etc. Call around to get quotes and ask if they do Tesla's. Prices and quality of installation vary a lot.

My go to percentage for ceramic tint to avoid a ticket or be too dark at night to see is:
- 30-35% driver + passenger door,
- 20% on the rear doors and back window.
*Back window in one piece on a model 3 is super expensive and takes skill to do it right.
**You can get a partial back window tinted (up to the dark transitions - though you'll see a seam/break only on the inside).
- 70-80% on the front windshield.
Other insights:
- Skip the glass roof panels, they already have a superior coating that rejects heat. More tint just increases the glass temperature on those windows and more prone to cracking. That's where the roof sunshades/shields come in handy (amazon has plenty of them) - they make a world of difference and easy to install quickly.
-White seats will make any tint lighter - dark seats make the tint look darker.
-Leave the "cabin protection" setting on 100 degrees - will keep the car cool sitting in a parking lot - but uses some energy.
-Change the air cabin filters once a year too.

My goal was to reduce the heat, be able to see and reduce the glare of the bright sun. Texas Summers are brutal with temps and sun.

 

[kimberj]

Get asked this question a lot on tint and %. Really depends on your state, but doing darker does not necessarily mean substantially more heat reduction. TSER is the best metric to compare the different tint performance. What that metric does not tell you is clarity to see through it.

I like LLumar and second is Xpel. Both are very optically clear to see through.

LLumar Ceramic Products: CTX (better) or IRX (Best) - AIR for the Windshield.
Xpel: PRIME XR BLACK (better) or PRIME XR PLUS (Best) - both have a 70% for the windshield.

Also - Lots of places will have a "Tesla" price bump for window tinting and etc. Call around to get quotes and ask if they do Tesla's. Prices and quality of installation vary a lot.

My go to percentage for ceramic tint to avoid a ticket or be too dark at night to see is:
- 30-35% driver + passenger door,
- 20% on the rear doors and back window.
*Back window in one piece on a model 3 is super expensive and takes skill to do it right.
**You can get a partial back window tinted (up to the dark transitions - though you'll see a seam/break only on the inside).
- 70-80% on the front windshield.
Other insights:
- Skip the glass roof panels, they already have a superior coating that rejects heat. More tint just increases the glass temperature on those windows and more prone to cracking. That's where the roof sunshades/shields come in handy (amazon has plenty of them) - they make a world of difference and easy to install quickly.
-White seats will make any tint lighter - dark seats make the tint look darker.
-Leave the "cabin protection" setting on 100 degrees - will keep the car cool sitting in a parking lot - but uses some energy.
-Change the air cabin filters once a year too.

My goal was to reduce the heat, be able to see and reduce the glare of the bright sun. Texas Summers are brutal with temps and sun.

Can you please share your tint contact?

 

[techzelle]

Went ceramic tint, 50% windshield, 35% sides and one-piece back, 50% sunroof. Its a white interior which makes it look lighter than a black interior.
The factory tint is not ceramic, so add a layer if you want better heat rejection.

With 35% rear, you can see the gradient tint in the sunlight. If you want to hide the gradient, go to 20%

Do not get half back tint. It may not be so noticeable from the outside, but there will be an ugly, visible seam from the inside.

 

[Evpowerdan]

Can you please share your tint contact?

Austin Texas -

Suntint - 512-467-6767
SunBusters (Austin one, not Lakeway) 512-794-8468

Done a bunch of vehicles at both over the years. Call to see which one fits your needs and budget.

 

[Evpowerdan]

Went ceramic tint, 50% windshield, 35% sides and one-piece back, 50% sunroof. Its a white interior which makes it look lighter than a black interior.
The factory tint is not ceramic, so add a layer if you want better heat rejection.

With 35% rear, you can see the gradient tint in the sunlight. If you want to hide the gradient, go to 20%

Do not get half back tint. It may not be so noticeable from the outside, but there will be an ugly, visible seam from the inside.

IMO - Better to go with hight quality ceramic tint with superior TSER values.

50% windshield is hard to see out of on a dark road at night with not lights on the road. It's a minor increase in reduction in TSER - to me its not worth the risk of getting a ticket or worse - as removal is expensive and so it the ticket costs in Cali.

One piece back window takes an experienced tech, and they have to remove the inside panels to do it right. Plus costs a 2x to do it. Yes, it looks better from the inside in one piece.

 

[techzelle]

IMO - Better to go with hight quality ceramic tint with superior TSER values.

50% windshield is hard to see out of on a dark road at night with not lights on the road. It's a minor increase in reduction in TSER - to me its not worth the risk of getting a ticket or worse - as removal is expensive and so it the ticket costs in Cali.

One piece back window takes an experienced tech, and they have to remove the inside panels to do it right. Plus costs a 2x to do it. Yes, it looks better from the inside in one piece.

50% is easy to see out of. No issues at all.
I did order the 70%, but by mistake they put on 50%. The shop offered a free redo - or just remove and refund. I got the refund, and drove it for a week and I liked it - then told them forget about the removal. It's not even that noticeable from the outside because of my white interior brightens it up.

You don't have to remove tint in CA. It's a fix-it ticket. You just need to pay a little bigger fine.