Combat wet heat (cause it's the Southeast)

[PapaNer]

I'm going to get the windows tinted as dark as is legally acceptable under warranty at a local shop and buy one of those "cut-to-fit" windshield screens, is there anything else I can do to have it not be hotter than a horse in high heels when I get in my car?

Current ride is black - which is obviously just the worst for the heat. Got the A51 Maverick so at least that'll help some.

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[Swami37]

I'm going to get the windows tinted as dark as is legally acceptable under warranty at a local shop and buy one of those "cut-to-fit" windshield screens, is there anything else I can do to have it not be hotter than a horse in high heels when I get in my car?

Current ride is black - which is obviously just the worst for the heat. Got the A51 Maverick so at least that'll help some.

Down here in South Florida many people tint the front windshield with an UV tint

 

[PapaNer]

Down here in South Florida many people tint the front windshield with an UV tint

Like the entirety of the front windshield? Is it darker? I think one of the shops in town offered to tint the windshield in another car of mine but I'd worry about not being able to see as well at night.

 

[Swami37]

Like the entirety of the front windshield? Is it darker? I think one of the shops in town offered to tint the windshield in another car of mine but I'd worry about not being able to see as well at night.

Yes the entire windshield... It is an almost clear tint
I can get you the exact material name if you like

 

[SuckLemons]

Also, higher quality ceramic tint helps. We have had regular and ceramic and it makes a world of difference. I don’t run my AC half the time. Just fan.

 

[PapaNer]

Yes the entire windshield... It is an almost clear tint
I can get you the exact material name if you like

Oh I'll Google it, thank you! I guess I just assumed it would be a shade as opposed to something that could just block the UV rays.

Thanks for that input!

 

[PapaNer]

Also, higher quality ceramic tint helps. We have had regular and ceramic and it makes a world of difference. I don’t run my AC half the time. Just fan.

I have heard of ceramic tint - I guess I'll make sure to find out if my shop has it or check elsewhere. Thank you!

 

[Swami37]

I have heard of ceramic tint - I guess I'll make sure to find out if my shop has it or check elsewhere. Thank you!

Ceramic tint yes...like 75% some people here go darker with 35% also...

 

[UberGadgetFreak]

I would confirm windshield tinting options and laws in your state first, however:
I plan on using Ceramic tint for the front windows, and the stuff my tint shop offers to add UV blocking to the windshield - its like 'clear' tint but it does wonders here in NC., plus use a CoverCraft UVS100 sunshade. All combined, these make a world of difference.

 

[JASmith]

We're way past the days of just using dyes to block the heat.

The visible spectrum of light isn't where most of the heat is coming from, so there are virtually clear tints now that let the visible light spectrum through which is great for night driving, and yet will block almost all of the invisible UV and IR light that's cooking you.

So doing the front windshield will be a huge benefit, but make sure you only let a good shop do it. They use a ton of water and if they don't take precautions you can end up with water under the dash and all kinds of electrical problems when it gets on connectors and corrodes them or drips down wires into your head unit. Its harder to do than the tints on the side and back.

You can still get dark tint though if you just prefer the privacy. That's why I usually go with 35% all around here in TX because I like the bit of privacy you get, and when I park with a fold out sunshield on the front glass the interior tends to be so dark thieves can't easily peak in.

 

[Down]

The Arizona sun really makes me wish I could justify getting some UV tinting for the front windshield but since I replace it a couple times a year, I just can't. #jealous

 

[grumpyunk]

Down, are you following to closely, or are there just that many rocks thrown onto the highways? Times I have traveled across and up and down AZ I did not encounter excessive rocks. Traveling from Pietown NM to AZ there were very few rocks.
Would not windshield insurance cover the extra cost of the coating that is lost? You suffer a loss of more than just a windshield if it is coated, and should (perhaps) be 'made whole' by your policy, less deductible if applicable. In some states, insurance is required by state law to replace damaged windshields with no increase in premium nor any negative inferred from the claim.
tom

 

[notfast]

I'm going to get the windows tinted as dark as is legally acceptable under warranty at a local shop and buy one of those "cut-to-fit" windshield screens, is there anything else I can do to have it not be hotter than a horse in high heels when I get in my car?

I'd get quality tint over dark tint. I have full-ceramic tint that blocks 99.99% UVA/UVB but its VLT is 70% (so it's basically clear). I can press my arm right up against the glass and barely feel any heat, and I don't get the one-arm trucker tan anymore. It did cost a pretty penny, but it's worth every penny.

Tinting the windshield with full-ceramic is also an option. It's probably not legal in most jurisdictions, but if you get a 70-99% VLT film and get pulled over, it's probably not because of the tint.

 

[Rkbrumbelow]

I'd get quality tint over dark tint. I have full-ceramic tint that blocks 99.99% UVA/UVB but its VLT is 70% (so it's basically clear). I can press my arm right up against the glass and barely feel any heat, and I don't get the one-arm trucker tan anymore. It did cost a pretty penny, but it's worth every penny.

Tinting the windshield with full-ceramic is also an option. It's probably not legal in most jurisdictions, but if you get a 70-99% VLT film and get pulled over, it's probably not because of the tint.

In my old home town, cops carried meters to check tint way back in the day. I sometimes wonder what it’s frequency spread was so as to allow those wavelengths but not others. Then I think about the cost of designing a film with that kind of notch filter and say nah.

 

[PapaNer]

I'd get quality tint over dark tint. I have full-ceramic tint that blocks 99.99% UVA/UVB but its VLT is 70% (so it's basically clear). I can press my arm right up against the glass and barely feel any heat, and I don't get the one-arm trucker tan anymore. It did cost a pretty penny, but it's worth every penny.

Tinting the windshield with full-ceramic is also an option. It's probably not legal in most jurisdictions, but if you get a 70-99% VLT film and get pulled over, it's probably not because of the tint.

If I can block the heat with tint that also provides me more privacy I'm going that direction. Turns out my shop in town does do ceramic, but I didn't ask about their %s and stuff. I'm just going to check around.

I actually work pretty close to law enforcement. At least where I am - they don't even have the equipment to check tint.

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