I'm planning on getting the Mini tinted soon and I'm wondering about doing the strip on the windshield. Are there any drawbacks to doing this that any of you have noticed? Do you think it looks better or worse with the front tint strip? Car is black and I was planning on going with a 20 or 15% tint all around. If I do that should I go lighter on the strip?

Thanks in advance

 

There's no drawbacks, just check with your local laws first. Also, I recall reading in another thread to make sure the person who does it cuts it right. if not, it'll look like a rainbow across your windshield and not straight across. I personally would go lighter on the strip for visibility reasons.

 

In my opinion the only draw back is that it looks cheap and tacky. I don't think I've ever seen it on a car and thought "That black line across the windshield really helps the look".

Just my 2 cents though

 

I think it looks best on MINI's with Black roof. The rest on my MINI is tinted Limo on the back 3 and doors have one shade lighter and I really like in the summer when MINI's become hot houses sitting in the sun. Also helps with SUV headlights at night.

 

I did mine with 5%. Unlike most, I didn't do it for looks reasons. I did it to help keep the sun out of my eyes. I would have used black vinyl but I was concerned about the wipers constantly touching it (vinyl goes on outside/tint is on the inside). Darker is better in my opinion. I don't need to see the airplanes in the sky anyways. get a light-n-sight if you go dark, and you'll be fine.

and like fatherdeth said, make sure they have the knowledge required to compensate for the extreme curve in the glass or youll get a rainbow shaped strip.

 

Looks tacky? hmmm....
+1 on checkin with your local laws

Well that was before...I prefer the whole windshield to be done up...then you cant even see the strip from the outside...

 

Well at least you could have done the windows with the same vinyl as the hood! LOL

 

Mine is done correctly, the curve of the windshield is compensated for.

 

I actually like the curved look in the w/s tint... looks sporty.

 

mine has only a slight curve, and comes down to the legal AS1 mark on the glass. (ignore the goober next to it,lol)

 

SnYpR, vinyl can be applied on the inside of the windshield too. I did that on my Mk2 Golf many, many years ago. I might just have to do it again in my MINI. It REALLY worked well - nearly no need for sun visors.

 

That isnt vinyl on the hood....

 

You sure..........looks like a DIY vinyl job.

 

looks like carbon fiber and paint to me

 

Ummm....yeah. I was there when he dropped it off to be painted and cleared. To have your body panels vinyled with CF lookalike is really really gay. I dont know why people would do it.

 

Mine is 18% and I also did it to keep the sun out of my eyes, it has a slight curve too.

 

What do you mean by the "legal AS1 mark"? Is that unique to your state, or is it a "50-states" sort of law?

Thanks.

 

When I had mine done in CA, they told me 6 inches was the max.

 

#1

 

Why would anyone get a CF hood and then paint the fenders?

 

Next time you look at your windshield, REALLY look at it. About 4 to 6 inches down, you will see a little mark embedded in the glass. This is the mark that tells shops how far down they can go with tint or windshield lettering. In some states, such as Virginia, you might as well not even have the mark, as they don't care. Most stuff on your windshield is illegal regardless.

 

Because, since the MINI's bonnet has the fenders incorporated in it, it looks funny. Look at a car that has a carbon fiber hood, but regular fenders that are the same color as the rest of the car. It looks slick. Look at a MINI with a carbon fiber hood. It looks funny to me. What AZBlackout has done, is to give the illusion that the MINI has a regular bonnet, and not a clamshell style. Looks really good. And by the way, there are a lot of manufacturers that put carbon fiber body panels on their cars from the factory, and they paint over them. There's nothing wrong with painting over carbon fiber, unless you want that much attention with it displayed.

 

This's mine...i really love the strip!

 

sorry, didnt mean to ignore your question, but fatherdeth picked up my slack most windshield are marked with the AS1 symbol with an arrow or line beside it do show the acceptable length tint strips can reach. Every state has different laws, some states are 5" some are 6", and others are AS1 which means it doesnt matter if its 2 or 9 inches...its whatever the manufacturer puts on the windshield.

 

Well...our fender is the one with the sidemarker in it. He wasnt going for the hood look....we just thought it would look good...LMAO. And for one...I dont think CF hood, fenders, hatch or anything left CF doesnt look good....but I am biased...