Apart from maybe filtering out sunlight, what is the point of privacy glass?
To me it makes a car look odd when the windscreen and side windows have normal glass and the rest of the car has dark windows. It must cost more too.
Its mostly people carriers and exec 4x4's that seem to have it fitted but those I've seen recently only had two people in them, a driver and front seat passenger who were clearly visible so no privacy for them!
If they were carrying kids in the back, why would they require 'privacy'?
Anyone?
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I personally don't like it and went to a lot of trouble to get mine without it. The car we hired in the US did have it and the benefit was that it kept it a bit cooler inside.
Still don't like it though.
Andyfr
Edited by andyfr on 20/08/2008 at 19:14
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It makes people feel superior they they can see without being seen. About as much use to most cars/drivers as a bicycle would be to a fish.
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It makes people press their noses to the glass in the hope of glimpsing Madonna or Gary Glitter or Saddam Hussein or someone like that. Car has to be detailed after every trip into town to get rid of the oily noseprints.
Edited by Lud on 20/08/2008 at 19:25
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My car came with the back windows dark tinted. Wouldn't have paid extra for it but it came like that. Don't give two hoots what anyone else thinks of the appearance, it's my car not theirs. It's actually very useful to me as I use my car as a van during the week and it helps to disguise all my work kit which is generally on board.
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if your going to have privacy glass you may as well go the whole hog and ruin the car completely with spinners on the wheels and 101 chrome doodads all over the body work
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My Roomster had it as standard - I chose that spec because, occasionally it will be parked up with a dog in the boot area and I consider its cooling properties as an advantage. It does break up the Marmite looks of the Roomie a tad. I saw a lower order version yesterday and I think it confirms this view. Remarkably effective in the dog area.
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My kids appreciate it, the eldest (5) in particular gets quite iritated by bright sunlight in his face
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I think it looks awful on a blingy car (X5s etc), but on Nissan Notes, Roomsters etc, it looks positively ridiculous. Like ........ what drug-dealer would be seen dead in a Roomster??? ;-)
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at drug-dealer would be seen dead in a Roomster??? ;-)
Well - there was a funny smell in the back o mine today but I couldn't see in because of the Privacy Glass. I don't care what it looks like, its a practical thing.
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I see it as another advertising ploy by manufacturers to buy their products.
'Get privacy glass' they exclaim and your lifestyle will be enhanced beyond belief.
The fact the car looks odd is strangely forgotten.
Its funny that cars advertised in brochures and in glossy mags often appear to have full darkened glass all round.
There's even a Nissan ( I think) which appears on an advert on this very website which looks quite good with darkened glass all round.
See one in the flesh however and its a different story.
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Panda 100HPs come with it as standard. It's certainly not a feature for which I'd pay extra and I could easily live without it, but it has certain advantages:
1) Does keep the sun off B Jr (admittedly not so much of an issue this summer...)
2) I have a wide-angle interior mirror which doesn't dip - so the additional tint reduces glare from ill-adjusted headlights following.
Certainly not a lifestyle or image matter for me.
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Panda 100HPs come with it as standard. It's certainly not a feature for which I'd pay extra and I could easily live without it but it has certain advantages:
The fact is that you have paid extra for it!
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Its up to the individual - like everything else in life really. Having driven, and oh yes enjoyed, Bangle designed cars I learnt not to care about other people's prejudices - its all very liberating once you get the hang of it.
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The fact is that you have paid extra for it!
The bits for which I've paid extra are the remarkably enthusiastic 1.4 engine, sports suspension and excellent brakes, which combine to make an otherwise extremely tedious commute more bearable. The dark glass is included in the spec.
On the Doblo, on the other hand, privacy glass is an optional extra costing £100.
The point that I was making was that if a particular model of car I want comes with privacy glass as part of the spec, so be it; if it is a cost option, I wouldn't ever bother.
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My view until I bought the Roomie - wouldn;t be without it now in any car that carries my dogs.
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there was a funny smell in the back o mine today but I couldn't see in
Have you been monitoring your dog's associates PU? Look for:
- Bloodshot eyes
- Poor school performance
- Demented laughter for forty minutes or more following poor joke or boring incident on street
- Slatternly dogettes with dyed ears hanging about near your house
- Dubious and gloomy philosophic propositions uttered over the breakfast table
- Excessive use of mobile phone
This sort of thing is serious. Consult a lawyer sooner rather than later.
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what drug-dealer would be seen dead in a Roomster??? ;-)
I thought tinted glass was for undertaker wannabees.
How to make your car look like a hearse without the expensive coachwork.
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I haven't seen a black Scout version (with aforementioned hated glass) but I have seen other versions - the black standard version looks good in a melted wellie sort of way.
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Would blinds not do the same job with the option of folding them away when not in use ?
That way you get the cool during the day for children/dogs and the increased visibility at night.
What's the difference between tinted glass and tinted visors for a biker ? I know on a bike a tinted visor is for daytime use only. Not really practical to have to change your car glass for nightime use.
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Didn;t think of that - but the 70% shaded glass is very low maintainence option. As I say the glass gives the Roomie a certain "something" which possibly the automotive equivalent of Penicillin would sort.
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Just to ask a potentially silly question.
I abhor certain cars related choices, I loath some colours for example. I squirm with derision at the sight of a spoiler screwed to the back of an otherwise mundane motor. I positively hate some whole categories of car.
Do the owners of these vehicles give a flying whatever about my opinion? Of course not and rightly so. My opinion means nothing to them, they simply don't care.
My car has privacy glass. I find it useful for reasons stated earlier. Why in the name of anything vital should I not have it or have it removed because some people don't like it ? It is quite simply no one elses affair is it ?
Not that I feel strongly about this sort of thing you understand.
:-)
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Blimey, keep your hair on Humph otherwise we'll have to get the defribrillators on standby.
Charge to 120...Clear!
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I was carrying the old toilet in the back the other week (to the tip)following a new bathroom and too tight to hire a skip.
Sat there upright in a corner of the load bay it gave a notion that what with the rear window privacy glass (does plastic tint count?) I could just perhaps cut a hole in the floor and bolt it down as a new extra.
I don`t know if plastic film causes knicker elastic to modulate upwards of £7,000, but it was obtained new as a freebie on negotiation.
;)
Edited by oilrag on 21/08/2008 at 08:50
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It seems Ford now have it as standard on the Titanium spec Focus. With a 2 year old who regularly gets upset by the sun in her eyes (not this summer mind!) I'd consider it.
I would also automatically confiscate the car of anyone who fits illegal tints to the front windows - an absolutely stupid idea.
Is checking for this part of the MOT test as I see plenty of older cars with it done?
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Agree with Dave on this.
Only yesterday, saw a car with heavy tints on the front side windows, couldn`t make out the driver at all.
If I were buying a new car, why not give a little privacy inside? I had a Doblo a while back and with the low glass line, it was like being in a goldfish bowl in the City.
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Privacy glass is for people with ugly children. I can understand it, if my children were ugly I wouldn't anyone being able to see them either.
For the problem of the sun shining into childrens eyes (very much a problem, especially when they are very young) some good quality sun blinds (as in those built into the doors on Fords) do a much better job.
Privacy glass? - it's just more bling along with spinners, chromed oversize wheels, fake plastic air vents (a la S-max), oversize exhuast tips etc.
Each to their own...
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Celebrity wannabes - it looks wikkid on the bling-merchant rap video bentley, so let's pimp our Fiesta!!
BUT the tint film certainly helps the car stay cool in hot weather, and has the added advantage of adding antishatter properties in the event of some scrote trying to liberate you of your possessions at a traffic light.
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Will they be the type of sunblinds my 2 year old loves grabbing hold off and pulling about?
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I had this fitted as it is an estate and felt like I was on display in an aquarium, I think this was made worse by pale grey interior. The tinted windows reduce the brightness on the inside so that it is more private because it is darker compared to the outside (which is what the eyes are adjusted for) it is more private. It also reduces the annoyance of lighting up the interior by those people who follow behind at night with badly adjusted headlights who are probably the same people here cocking a snoot. ;o)
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Would really like this on my cars as my 2 year old seems to have inherited my eyesight, meaning we both struggle in certain light. I have several pairs of sunglasses in the car to deal with varying light conditions that force me to squint.
Problem is my 2 year old pulls any blinds off the window. Have got a static sheet in the same vein as privacy glass, but is (too) easily removed, meaning it gets ripped off for a pass time.
The only blinds that have found survived little fingers were those on the Picasso we hired on holiday. I really couldnt give 2 hoots about image (got a battered old Xsara after all), but it does bother me seeing my daughter covering her eyes as is in so much discomfort, or burying her head in the car seat.
Fortunately she does seem to like wearing her own sunglasses more now, which is starting to resolve the problem, and think she is starting to realise the big creased black thing on the window is there for her benefit too meaning stays in place longer than before.
Someone did mention they see it a lot on MPVs, try getting into a car with a big glass area on a sunny day. My old Picasso was bad for this despite the heat reflecting windscreen.
So would I have a car with it- of course I would.
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>>Do the owners of these vehicles give a flying whatever about my opinion? Of course not and rightly so.<<
Most entries on this thread have focused on the bling aspect. Like Humph, I can form my own opinions of the drivers of such cars and their reasons for buying them. But as another road user, I find it a nuisance not to see clearly through their windows (it can be useful to see what is beyond occasionally) and making eye contact can be an advantage too. Some models come with darkened glass and it isn't necessarily the driver's deliberate choice, but the message that comes across is of wishing to feel like a toff and to interact as little as possible with what is outside. Not appropriate in dense traffic, IMHO.
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Apart from maybe filtering out sunlight what is the point of privacy glass?
ermmm... maybe that's the point?
I don't want to sound like I'm having a go, but so what if some like to have it and others don't, or some have a good enough reason to have them?
Maybe we should all be a little more tolerant, as it seems from the messages on here that not all drivers of cars with dark tinted glass are drug dealers/4x4 wannabees? Live and let live, it's not hurting you is it? Of course bad driving should be treated separately.
I suppose I'm a touch defensive as having a 3 year old and now a 3 month old, I've just ordered a black Touran with...tinted glass. For me, it looks good AND it filters the light. I'm spending a lot of money on a car, shouldn't I want it to look nice and be practical? I am buying a Touran and trying to not turn old overnight ;-)
Now, foglights that are always on, there's an issue to get worked up about (discussed many times, etc.) p.s. not trying to go off topic!
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I have the back windows on the Charade done mainly for security of my work kit, but we have been very impressed with it and when funds allow, we are going to get the Picanto done too as it certainly helps reduce the glare from the sun and keeps the interior cooler. At £40 a window, its not expensive either.
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Maybe we should all be a little more tolerant as it seems from the messages on here that not all drivers of cars with dark tinted glass are drug dealers/4x4 wannabees? Live and let live it's not hurting you is it? Of course bad driving should be treated separately.
Erm...would beg to differ being a biker I have had a few narrow misses with MPV's reversing out of spaces and for some reason (whether it be the tinted glass, design of vehicle or driver error) not seeing the bike behind them. I'm always nervous when I can't see the driver of any vehicle as it usually means they can't see me.
I too have two nippers under the age of three. Blinds work fine for them. I suppose it's down to the manufacturer and how they design them. Volvo offer the choice of roller or fully fitted blinds for the side window which little fingers can't reach.
The rear rollerblind is too far back for them to reach too.
As I asked in a previous post, why is tinted glass allowed after dark but not visors ?
If bikers can't see after dark through a tinted screen/visor, how can a car driver ? I think what makes it worse is many new cars now also having autodimming rear view mirrors both inside and in the doors.
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For cars is only legal on rear windows- not windscreen or front side windows for visibility.
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Untinted windscreen and front side windows don't do much for visibility when going backwards.
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If bikers can't see after dark through a tinted screen/visor how can a car driver>>
I understand exactly what gmac is saying. Many years ago I motorcycled over to a friend's house on a bright sunny day (remember those?). I used my tinted visor - and I thought I looked soooo cool. When I returned after dark, I couldn't see a thing through the visor and had to ride back visorless through clouds of moths etc. That taught me my lesson! Shortly after that, tinted visors became illegal.
Not only does 'privacy' glass look awful (IMHO) - it restricts vision (fact). Full-stop!
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I am a libertarian on this as on other matters. I don't think black glass looks bad on cars, or especially good either. No doubt it does restrict vision, but so what? People drive vans that are worse, and get away with it.
Live and let live.
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I am a libertarian on this as on other matters. Live and let live. >>
So presumably, Lud, you thought it was OK for that blind chap to drive - he had someone telling him which way to steer, after all.
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I did think it quite sporting of him, yes, and very sporting indeed of the friend. I have often wondered what they were on, too.
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Each to their own, I think it looks daft, if you want to make your car look daft then good luck to you. It's reminiscent of the black plastic louvres that were fitted to rear windows in the 70's and will probably disappear just as quickly.
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To be honest, after a couple of recent incidents I genuinely believe some drivers would not be aware of me coming towards them with untinted windows even if I had a 6ft high flashing pink neon arrow on my car (latest one was an Escort storming down the round side of an empty two lane road to enter the single track pinchpoint I was already in).
GMAC, are you advocating that motorcyclists should be allowed to have tinted visors at night, but car drivers must have clear windows all round ;-)?
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GMAC are you advocating that motorcyclists should be allowed to have tinted visors at night but car drivers must have clear windows all round ;-)?
No, I'm asking why tinted screens/visors are illegal for one road user and acceptable for another.
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It's quite possible that those who advocate privacy glass aren't aware of the availability of sunglasses. They aren't too expensive and, when it gets dark, you can take them off. Maybe I should have patented this idea!
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It was about 6-30am this morning, quite a nice morning compared to what we've had recently ... I was returning home from my early? morning walk with Milo, my 8 year old Rhodesian Ridgback - off the lead, not to annoy any peds, but he's ok - being a Hound and not a Terrier, Retriever or something that wants to round up his fellow quadrapeds, anyway, I see's this jamjar going around the round-about and (yes, you've guessed it) it had this so-called privacy glass on the side & rear windows ... the car was a BMW wannabe (Audi), an estate, so its probably an Avant, not that I know as I've never owned, or wanted to own an Audi, although I have owned 3 BMW's ...
It hit me when I saw the Audi, with its blacked out windows - Hearse ... it looked liked a funeral car ... nuf sed !
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It's quite possible that those who advocate privacy glass aren't aware of the availability of sunglasses.
Most privacy glass is from the rear door backwards (certainly as a standard fitting rather than aftermarket), and I understand that all new cars have to have a certain degree of tint in all glass nowadays to protect us from over exposure to the sun, so unless you are talking about back-seat drivers.....
Edited by b308 on 22/08/2008 at 10:39
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>>>>>>> It's quite possible that those who advocate privacy glass aren't aware of the availability of sunglasses. <<<<<
Oh yes they are.
Derek and Skelator are much into darken car window glass (security you know) and she, tiz rumoured in addition to wearing those Everest full sheet doubleglazing sun glasses everywhere during daylight, does so at night in bed...
dvd
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They just look like drug dealers to me. Apparently the law was changed because the police don't like not being able to make eye-contact. Same here.
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If Mr Tevez drives his Bentley in a decorous manner, and turns out to be technically non-resident and therefore entitled to drive on his Argentine licence, I hope the poor fellow will be paid appropriately eye-watering compensation.
As for people choosing to wear shades at night and having black windows on their cars, I can't get worked up about it. In fact it can be argued that by 'looking like drug dealers' they give people something to stare and point at and help bring some excitement into circumscribed, tabloid-influenced lives...
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Iv'e just bought a xtrail with the rear tint, it was a standard fit , i dont use a rear cover so it does give some privacy when i have fishing gear ect in the boot, on the down side the rear view is definatly darker.
I wouldnt pay extra for it.
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My Altea has it and I like how it looks as well as giving some privacy inside.
On our summer hols to France it was good to hide stuff in the car and kids liked it as they could see DVD screens without any glare.
Just need to find the black louvres and vinyl roof to finish it off :)
Edited by BobbyG on 07/02/2009 at 21:13
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We tinted our Grandis along with the respray. We think it looks great and yes it cuts down glare in the back and hides the luggage.
If the Impreza was black, i'd tint the windows on that too.
I like it. Each to their own.
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Just picked up my new motor, Mondeo 2.5 in a dark grey colour with privacy glass. Looked silly but the car was too good to pass by, and I'm already getting used to it.
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I rather fancy privacy glass which has a coloured reflective outer coating, like you can get with sunglasses. I've always wanted to be a bit of a flash git!
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