today was not my day

[rockfangd]

Hi All. Today I went to leave for work, got 2 blocks from my home and got yanked over by a trooper. He came up so fast I thought he wanted to pass. So I pulled over and found out he wanted me.

I have been driving my Deville for 5 years now and have not modified anything on it. He ticketed me for being unable to see in my windows. He stated my front windows are 28% and the legal is 7%. I Dont really know what that means. Maybe 28% visibility? I am not sure.

Now I have 2 problems.

1. Cops make me very nervous. I dont know why BUt I just get all messed up and my already high heartrate goes higher.

2. I was on my way to work so I ended up being almost 30 minutes late for my job in which I take my upmost pride.

Those 2 things just make disaster.

I dont know what to do. I really do not want to change the windows. The car came with them and they all match. I like the tint because it keeps the car cool, it helps my eyes which are very light sensitive, and the security helps. I am going tomorrow to the troopers barracks and see if there is anything I can do before the court date.

God forbid I have to remove them I do have a donor set that I can install. But he started talking about the back door windows also and there is no way I am touching them. I can just hope for the best that they give me a break of some sort, even if I have to pay something.

I guess I am glad it was a minor ticket but to me anything is a hassle.

just thought I would share my experience and if anyone has any insight on this I am all ears

[Bruce Nunnally]

First, glad you are okay.

Second, find out what the window tint laws for NY are; this sounds. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/27colli.html

Finally, ask a window tint shop what you can do to adjust. I assume the tint can be removed if needed.

[joeb]

ny is 70%. or it lets most of the light thru. ny is not a sunny place like florida or arizona. or do the cops want to see into car?

[KHE]

To add, if your eyes are light sensitive, you may be able to get a letter from your doctor stating such and present that to get out of the ticket. Keep in mind that you will probably keep getting pulled over for this issue so you might want to keep a copy of the doctor's letter in the glove box.

Tint can be removed without changing the windows. Once a corner is peeled, it will come off in a large sheet. The adheshive is then cleaned off the windows.

My '05 Deville had dark tint on it when I bought it as it was a Nevada car. I did not like it because it was difficult to see out the side windows. It did keep the car cool but I removed it from the side windows. I left it on the rear window as I was worried it would damage the defroster wires on the glass. I actually like it on the rear window as it blocks a lot of the bright headlights.

[Texas Jim]

In Texas they measure how much light can pass thru the window and tint combined.

For the driver and passenger windows to be Legal, they must allow at least 25 percent of light to pass thru.

Cops carry a little instrument that looks kinda like a stun gun that measures the light passing thru the window.

This straddles the window when you roll it partway down.

Mine have been checked a couple of times by cops...

My front windows measure 25.5%...just barely legal.... LOL

Back door windows are 20% and rear window is 10% limo tint.

.

.

[rockfangd]

I think it has to do with them not being able to see in the windows. And the little tool does look kind of like a stun gun. Shoot if I can go another 10 years without getting pulled over again it will be good. The only car I have without serious tint is my Seville

[adallak]

7%???? It means almost no tint since most of uncoated glasses transmit about 96%.

[lothos]

In Minnesota here you are only legally allowed 50% tint. On one of my old trucks I had 20% in the front and 10% in the back. Trucks don't need rear windows so the rear was legal but the driver and passenger windows were not. It is not a moving violation here but just a minor ticket and I think it costs $100. I was pulled over for the tint probably 4-5 times and every time I was given a warning and told to have it removed. Never did I get a ticket. I kind of suspect they don't really mind the tint as it gives them an excuse to pull you over.

Your state might have excemptions like Minnesota does. Here, if you bought the car from a southern state and the tint was applied in the souther state then it is allowed. The other exemption is to get a doctor's note.

If you wanted to remove the tint: you can get a spray bottle solution of window tint remover from Walmart or an auto parts store. It helps a lot in removing it. Also a razor blade, but like you stated be careful with the rear defrost lines on the glass.

I'm wanting to tint the windows of my 90 Coupe Deville and all they have in stores here is 35% 20% 10% 5%, they don't have the legal 50% tint. It's really cheap off of Ebay and I'm debating on ordering the legal 50% or going for the 35% which IMHO isn't really that dark.

[Cadillac Jim]

lothos - if your factory rear glass has a 7% or 10% tint (all Cadillacs come with tinted glass, and thus stop significantly more than the 5% of "clear" glass) and you buy 50% tint, the total transmission will always put you on the wrong side of the line, and easily measured as such. The 35% available locally probably puts you near the 50% limit with most factory car glass.

[rockfangd]

no luck today. Had bad morning and could not get to the troopers barracks. I know no matter what I am not changing anything other than the front windows

[lothos]

lothos - if your factory rear glass has a 7% or 10% tint (all Cadillacs come with tinted glass, and thus stop significantly more than the 5% of "clear" glass) and you buy 50% tint, the total transmission will always put you on the wrong side of the line, and easily measured as such. The 35% available locally probably puts you near the 50% limit with most factory car glass.

Jim, tint is measured by the amount of light that is allowed through. 35% tint is actually darker than 50% tint. The really dark "limo" tint is 5% or 10% because it only lets a little bit of light through.

[Cadillac Jim]

lothos - if your factory rear glass has a 7% or 10% tint (all Cadillacs come with tinted glass, and thus stop significantly more than the 5% of "clear" glass) and you buy 50% tint, the total transmission will always put you on the wrong side of the line, and easily measured as such. The 35% available locally probably puts you near the 50% limit with most factory car glass.

Jim, tint is measured by the amount of light that is allowed through. 35% tint is actually darker than 50% tint. The really dark "limo" tint is 5% or 10% because it only lets a little bit of light through.

Uh, thank you.

[lothos]

rockfangd,

did you end up taking the tint off? What did the troopers say?

[rockfangd]

sorry been busy. I replaced the windows. noted everything, sent pictures and a letter. I hope they dismiss it. Troopers couldnt help because once the ticket is given there is nothing they can do.

I will say again I love the door panels on the Devilles. easiest door panels ever and durable. I wish the eldorado and seville were as durable. I will update once I find out more

[lothos]

Did you already have the replacement windows?? All that's needed to remove the tint is a razor blade. There's a spray-on product that helps a lot but it's not needed.

[KHE]

sorry been busy. I replaced the windows. noted everything, sent pictures and a letter. I hope they dismiss it. Troopers couldnt help because once the ticket is given there is nothing they can do.

I will say again I love the door panels on the Devilles. easiest door panels ever and durable. I wish the eldorado and seville were as durable. I will update once I find out more

The trooper could have "helped" by issuing a warning. HE made the decision to write you a ticket, then offers the excuse "There's nothing I can do..."

[Texas Jim]

I got a ticket last month for "OBSCURED LICENSE PLATE".... as I was leaving on vacation.

I was actually speeding, but he was a real nice guy and didn't give me a speeding ticket.

I called the court today to pay it and the same cop that gave me the ticket asked if I had fixed the problem.

I said "YES"... and he changed the ticket to a warning and told me to have a nice day.

I thanked him... A LOT...

[rockfangd]

Did you already have the replacement windows?? All that's needed to remove the tint is a razor blade. There's a spray-on product that helps a lot but it's not needed.

I had the replacement windows from a donor Deville I had. I did not want to modify the windows that were installed. They perfectly match the others. I am not saying I am going to reinstall them. Wait maybe lol. the windows I installed are regular factory tint.

Wish I had gotten a warning but I dont have any luck like that.

[joeb]

Factory tint? U can do better than that. Just put on some lightly tinted stuff. Ur frt/rear windows must look mismatched. It's not hard to tint just the driver window.

[jndnaps]

sorry been busy. I replaced the windows. noted everything, sent pictures and a letter. I hope they dismiss it. Troopers couldnt help because once the ticket is given there is nothing they can do.

I will say again I love the door panels on the Devilles. easiest door panels ever and durable. I wish the eldorado and seville were as durable. I will update once I find out more

Yes they are.. Also very easy to replace the window motors. My problem is the darn speakers seem to blow in the front doors. Not sure why.. Maybe they're getting wet or something. I replaced them with factory speakers twice since I had the car and they're shot again. They still work, but with minimal bass they buzz..

[rockfangd]

thats weird. I have pioneers in my front lowers and they were in there when I bought the car 5 years ago. they work great.

[jndnaps]

thats weird. I have pioneers in my front lowers and they were in there when I bought the car 5 years ago. they work great.

Maybe that's my problem.. Ditch the factory speakers and get some pioneers..