Pic Request: Red XJ's with tinted windows

[Red91Laredo]

I'm wanting to get my windows tinted soon and am trying to decide how dark to go, so I'm asking other owners of red XJ's with tint to post a pic or two and state how dark your tint is. Feel free to mention if you like your tint or not with regard to visibility, both while driving and looking into the interior from outside.

I had my Jeep broken into last summer and things stolen out of it, so I want them dark enough that someone can't easily see into it from outside, but trying to avoid the blacked out gangsta tint look which I am not a huge fan of. I'm leaning towards 20% all around but am not really sure yet... Also considering 15% on the back for extra privacy, but then I'd probably want to go one or two shades lighter on the front for better visibility and to not be blatantly illegal, which I think wouldn't look as good as having the same shade all around. Any thoughts?

 

[WB9YZU]

Check your DOT rules before you tint anything, it will save you from scraping it off undesired areas.

Stock XJs only tint the back and sides. Windshield and Driver and Passenger windows are usually Off-Limits.

A blanket does wonders to keep things out of sight you don't want seen. And atleast here in WI, they are not out of character to have floating around a SUV.

 

[Red91Laredo]

I checked, 30% is the legal limit on the front windows, no limit on the rear windows (at least on SUV's). I'm pretty confident I can get away with 20% on the front windows, cops here probably aren't going to pull over a lifted Jeep for dark tint.

I do use a blanket to cover things up, and have a rear cargo cover, but in certain parts of the city where I sometimes have to park, you would still get your windows broken if there were obviously items inside your car hidden under a blanket...

 

[donthelegend]

No pics since I don't have my current XJ tinted, but I had my last one tinted and I've had other tinted vehicles.

20% seems to be a nice balance of noticeably darker windows (harder to see in) while still having good outward visibility at night.

15% does a better job of hiding stuff and you can still see out for the most part.

Any darker and seeing out at night becomes almost impossible without lots of extra light from something (auxiliary reverse lights, a well lighted parking light, etc).

Depending on where you're having your tint installed, they may not install darker than legal tint on the front windows unless you "know someone". On enforcement of slightly darker windows, ask around before you have it installed. It varies quite a bit by locale. While I was in college, there was a highway patrol station near campus and they were pretty merciless on window tint. I was pulled over several times for nothing other than window tint and got a couple tickets for it (had an officer asked me to roll the window up enough to put a tint meter on it before even asking for my license). In St. Louis, I was never pulled over for tint, and never even had an officer say anything about it after being pulled over for other offenses (of which there were quite a few).

YMMV.

 

[jackmb]

I realize this thread us a few montgs old, but the original pic request was never filled. So to complete it, for future searches/reference, here is a pic if my red CJ with tinted windows.
35%
My priority was block the heat from the sun. Lighter tint would let more sun in and make it hotter, but darker tint woukd attract more sun, making it hotter. This is the perfect balance. It provides decent privacy from outside, and it't not too dark to see outside of when driving at night.

 

[Talyn]

here is a pic if my red CJ with tinted windows.

First CJ I have seen that looks like an XJ.

 

[lesslimited]

First CJ I have seen that looks like an XJ.

It's got two doors and square headlights, that means it should be a YJ, right?

 

[rocknxj]

I have a low tint percent on the back windows. Don't notice it when driving. Just dark enough to block some light.

 

[joe_peters]

FYI--always check with your state's enforcement agency before tinting. Some vendors will sell you what you ask for, regardless of the local laws.

FYI--having a dark tint on that big piece of glass in the rear hatch seems like a great idea, at least until you can't see sh*t when trying to back up at night.

 

[PhotographerMike]

I have the factory mirror tint on mine. The harder you try to look in the less you see.
When we're on the road we also toss a black blanket over everything.
I don't know what years it came on, the '89 had it on the rear side windows and not the back.
The '96 (shown) didn't have any, but that's why they have junk yards.

Mike

 

[jackmb]

First CJ I have seen that looks like an XJ.

Typo. I posted that from my phone and didn't spellcheck. C is right next to X.

 

[Red91Laredo]

I ended up going with 15% all around. Really happy with it. It's pretty dark but I think it will provide the added security that I wanted. Most of time someone would have to be standing right next to the Jeep to see inside of it, unless it's a very sunny day with the windshield facing the sun (in which case I'd put my sunshade up anyway, which takes care of that). At night someone would pretty much have to put their face right up to the glass to see inside. I do keep a blanket to cover things up with, but when there's larger items like my camping gear or two gym bags, it's just obvious that I'm trying to hide something. While someone can still see inside if they really want to, they'd really have to make a point of going right up to the Jeep and deliberately looking inside. Hopefully, a thief would choose to move on to an easier target, rather than making themselves look suspicious.

If I didn't daily drive the XJ and didn't need the extra security factor, I probably would have went with 20%. It is a little bit hard to see out the back window at night, but I have been wanting to install auxiliary backup lights anyway, which I will think will help a lot. Rearward visibility is still better than I've experienced with a lot of newer cars, so I'm not too worried about it.

Legality is definitely a concern for anyone wanting to tint their windows. Tint laws are easily found online and one should read them before getting tint done. Any reputable tinter will know the laws and they can vary depending on if the vehicle is a passenger car, truck, van, SUV, etc. Here in Oregon, you can go as dark as you want on the rear windows of an SUV (including the rear doors), but legal limit for the front door windows for any vehicle is 35%. I tend to drive with both front windows rolled all the way down unless it's pouring rain, so I'm not too worried about it.

 

[Red91Laredo]

This shows how it looks in person pretty well, you can see that it's dark, but not totally blacked out like 5% would be.

 

[PhotographerMike]

. . . but I have been wanting to install auxiliary backup lights anyway, which I will think will help a lot.

Look to mine. '96 Olds Aurora back-up lights and license bracket.
Install requires cutting into the hatch for reflector clearance and if you have remote locking, the mechanism might get in the way.

Mike

 

[Red91Laredo]

Yeah I saw that those can be used on gojeep's site, might have to look into them. I do have the power lock mechanism on mine which I would like to keep. Do they put out a lot of light?

My other ideas were some inexpensive fog lights or led flood lights either mounted in the rear bumper (would require cutting holes obviously), or if I found some lights small enough, just mounted below the bumper but in front of the hitch where they will be protected.

I want something fairly bright, and I think rather than wire them into the reverse light circuit I'd just activate them with a toggle switch. Should be especially helpful to have for camping trips etc.

 

[PhotographerMike]

Mounting in the '89 with auto lock took some creative heat gun and reflector massaging of the left reflector to fit. (I've got TWO Cherokees . . . )
They aren't as bright as I thought they'd be, but I do have the mirrored windows.
Next time I'd use bright LED bulbs for more output with less power requirement.
If you're lucky you will have an unused wire or two for power in the hatch. Use the common ground.

 

[alex22]

I'm pretty sure these are factory tints on the rear doors and the rears. No idea what the actual % is.

 

[redneck]

I got this XJ from a friend of mine whos father bought it new in 98'. This is the tint that the dealer put on it. It is a reflective tint that I dont like the look of but it does a great job of cutting down on the AZ sun. I have no idea what it is. It has the mirror like look to it in direct sun light but in the shade looks like a regular tint. I have no issues with it at night. Here are a few different angles in different light. Tint is the same in every picture.

 

[Talyn]

That tint doesn't look that dark.. is it really as light as is shown in the pics?

 

[redneck]

It looks closer to the first picture normally in person. Its more mirror like than anything. I really dont like the way it looks but it works for the heat. The front windows are rolled down in the first picture.