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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I just bought my Prius this past weekend, (it arrived at the port today so I should have it by the end of the week). Got exactly what I wanted first try with no wait list and without paying over the sticker price.

My question is can you tint the windows? The dealer told me that the Prius has "special windows" (or at least a special film) that helps reflect light and keep the inside cooler, and he suggested I have the dealership put on the tint (as they won't mess up the windows and understand the how the windows work). I would like to tint the windows slightly darker then stock, but would rather not use the dealer as the cost is about double.
 
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#2 ·
The car comes with solar glass which reflects about as much heat as windows can. If you are thinking of doing the tint application yourself I suggest you check out the parking lot at your closest High School if you live in the sunbelt. It's very easy to make one big mess! and it is really tough to remove regardless of what they say as per examples in the parking lots. The people who are in the business do a very creditable job but hesitate if you own a dog.
 
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#3 ·
If your Prius will have navigation you also don't want to use a metal based window tint. I had all of my windows, including the front, tinted with a ceramic based tint which did not reduce the GPS signal.
 
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#4 ·
Solar Glass vs Anti-Electromagnetic Metal Glass

hyperion said:
The car comes with solar glass which reflects about as much heat as windows can. If you are thinking of doing the tint application yourself I suggest you check out the parking lot at your closest High School if you live in the sunbelt. It's very easy to make one big mess! and it is really tough to remove regardless of what they say as per examples in the parking lots. The people who are in the business do a very creditable job but hesitate if you own a dog.
Click to expand...
Solar Glass in the Gen III HSD Prius.? Back in 2001 When I was learning
the features, devises, virtues of the Gen II Prius the "Classic", I remember learning hearing from a Toyota seminars 'Teach' then that
the Prius ( Classic ) came equipped with a _Metal-Glass_ ! Something to do with _not_ letting the Electro-Magnetic field-radiation invade the passenger compartment in order to "protect" the many computers within ?
Solar heat reflecting glass-does it have the _Metal_property characteristic
of the previous generation ? I do remember here in CA one of my customers were complaining about the Pre-paid toll sticker affixed inside
the glass can won;t get scanned by reading decoding devise installed in various bridges so they had to either De-metal the section where the sticker were affixed or glue the sticker on the _Out_side of the windshield
so will function as intended. ??
 
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#5 ·
BOXOUTBM said:
I just bought my Prius this past weekend, (it arrived at the port today so I should have it by the end of the week). Got exactly what I wanted first try with no wait list and without paying over the sticker price.

My question is can you tint the windows? The dealer told me that the Prius has "special windows" (or at least a special film) that helps reflect light and keep the inside cooler, and he suggested I have the dealership put on the tint (as they won't mess up the windows and understand the how the windows work). I would like to tint the windows slightly darker then stock, but would rather not use the dealer as the cost is about double.
Click to expand...

BOX,

I've got a Tideland and the first thing I did was have it tinted. I agree that the dealer could gouge you on that. Here's what I did - I called the local Lexus dealer and asked them who did their tinting. They gave me 2 numbers and the first one I called said they had done Pruis' before, so they know all about the little windows in front. They also knew how to drive one!

I know you're in Long Beach, but I ended up at Tint Plus http://www.tintplus.com/index.html, in So. Orange County. I don't know if that's too far for you, but they did a great job! I couldn't be happier.

They tinted the rear windows dark and the front windows a little lighter. The guy there said that combo was most typical. I know tinting the front windows is illegal in CA, but I figure if mine is no darker than most people get, I should be OK.

Also, don't worry about interfering with the NAV. The GPS sensor is on the dash, so it has a clear shot regardless of any tinting.


DGStan
 
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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Thank you for the Info. I am familar with That company. So. OC is not too far to drive, and I am always in that area (where I grew up). I am also glad to know that it will not affect the GPS. As soon as I get mine I might drive with it stock for a bit to see if I actually need it. Mine is Black and I think it would look really "Stealth Like" with dark windows.
 
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#7 ·
Tinting my windows was the best improvement to my car so far. I did 5 windows in limo tint and the other 5 (front side, front small and rear vertical) in medium. Metalic tint, lifetime gaurentee, $169.00. I did not tint the windshield as that is 100% illegal. Nav and phone works as before.
 
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#11 ·
I had my Prius tinted with LLumar, and yes; it's the metallic tint. Dark on the back window, and lite on all sides; with a slight silver metallic tint.

The guy did all of the small windows, the side windows, and the upper-back window for $200 US. Very professional job, and NO BUBBLES!

No problems with my NAV. The NAV satellite receiver is inside of the dashboard behind the center speaker/MFD anyhow, as I recall.
 
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#13 ·
geep,

I will be getting my car FormulaOne ceramic tinted tomorrow along with Llumar Paint protection on the front with Stoneguard for the headlamps and fog lamps.

I'll be doing all the back windows and a strip on the front windshield at the level of the black dots behing the rear view mirror. CA lets you do a 4 inch strip but I don't think with the windshield as big as it is that the near 6 inches will be a problem.

I'll have some pictures here by Sunday evening.

I have 5,600 miles on the Prius now and wish I had done the Paint Protection sooner. I've found some very minor chips on the front hood that I fixed with the paint pen that I got from my Toyota dealer. It works extremely well.
 
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#14 ·
Window Tint Picture #1

Well, the dealer's price quote to me was for $373.00 I was expecting to just have all the back windows done and a windshield strip. The original quote was actually for all windows including driver and passenger windows. NICE!

FormulaOne Pinnacle (ceramic)
 
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#17 ·
Invisible Paint Protection

At the same time the window tinting was done I had them do Llumar Paint Protection film using this pattern,


Here's the best picture I took attempting to show a film line. Note it below the windshield washer jets.
 
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