2012 JSW tint options - radio/alarm signal deterioration

yohyatt

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
Location
Oakland
TDI
2012 TDI wagon
I'm looking at getting my JSW tinted to keep the pups cooler while in transit and my local tint vendors (sf bay) all are letting me know that the metal tints on the market will affect the RF signals for the radio and alarm (anything controlled by remote).

There are ceramic tints that don't affect but they cost a lot more and are less available, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the HP films and how much did it affect the distance of the remotes effectiveness.

I'm not worried about loosing AM signal but a little worried about FM in case XM goes out of business.
 

skinnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Western, NC
TDI
2013 JSW TDI
My radio works just fine however I have regular llumar tint on mine. That is what my tint guy uses and it has worked great for years.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
 

msantram

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Location
PA & NYC
TDI
2011 SportWagen TDI DSG (Buyback 2018.01.30)
have you thought about the SonniBoy shades? I got them to keep my pup cool in the back, but also to keep his head in the cabin. I'll post some pics later this week if you are interested.
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
There are basically three types of window tint film. First are the dye based films. These are the cheap ones that tend to change colors over time (have you seen older cars with purple windows?). Second are the metallic films. These are much more stable but they have the downside of partially blocking some RF signals (like GPS, etc.). The third (and usually best) type of tint file is ceramic based (millions of ceramic nano-particles instead of metallic nano particles). There is considerable variation in each of these categories of tint films.

I live in the middle of a desert and the summer sun here is brutal. I use a multi-layer approach that may be overkill in other parts of the country. I have Llumar Air 80 tint on all windows (including windshield). This is a high tech ceramic tint that lets through 80% of the visible light but blocks over half of the heat. It is legal to put on windshields in all but 2 states. I then have the Sonniboy removable sunscreens in all of the side and rear windows. Then from about June through September, I install a HeatShield insulated sun screen into my pano roof. All this is so my AC doesn't have to work so hard.

Have Fun!

Don
 

bfalke1

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Location
Houston
TDI
2013 Golf TDI, Tech Package, 6MT, 4 door - SOLD
Listen to Don! Except I think he meant to say illegal to tint the windshield, unless he meant he only did the top. I think 3 don't allow at all (NJ, PA, MN). I see people with the whole thing done in Texas, but I think it is only legal with "medical justification".

I am in Houston, where our sun is not as bad as LV, but our humidity is typically much worse, and the sun is still pretty brutal in the summer (triple digit heat with 95% humidity is normal from anywhere between 10-30+ days a year). So heat is a pretty big concern.

My tint is 18% all around except windshield. Most states set their rules by NET tint, so keep that in mind when selecting, at least if you care!

We are only allowed 35% tint on the front windows (30% NET visible light is the rule, but auto glass blocks ~5% - so the aggregate of the 35% tint + the 5% glass is 30% visible light pass-through), we are allowed anything you want on the back windows (but be careful, I will explain at the end), and we are allowed windshield tint in Texas, for the top 5 inches, or to the AS1 line if you have it, and is just for you eyes, not for heat protection. Personally I don't like the way this 5 inches of tint looks, unless it is really light, and then what is the point of doing it?

Most inspection shops in Houston will let you slide with front windows, just roll all windows down when you pull in, and leave them down as you pull out, but the windshield is so obvious most inspection shops will not let you pull out with a sticker, unless you "grease the inspector".


So to the part about being careful. I had a Ford Explorer in the past that had Limo tint all around (8% visibility + 5% glass). When the thing was spotless, during the day it looked amazing, I had nothing else done to the truck at all, bone stock, and I got a lot of compliments, and a lot of questions as to where I got it done.

However, visibility was a major problem!

I would not allow anyone to ever drive it at night, because unless you had spent a lot of time in the car, you could not see other cars beside you at night, even when they had their lights on, and the biggest PITA is that, I had to roll down both front windows every time I had to back up at night, often sticking my head out of the window (really fun on rainy nights!) because the reverse lamps and the did not provide enough light for my rear window to be of any use. I could see headlights behind me, but my passengers always complained they could not see anything. It took serious adjustment, and even after driving it like that for a couple years, I still couldn't backup at night.
 
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JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
Listen to Don! Except I think he meant to say illegal to tint the windshield, unless he meant he only did the top. I think 3 don't allow at all (NJ, PA, MN).
I'm not sure about today, but when I bought my tint (about 4 years ago) I was told that this 80% transmission tint was legal on the windshield in every state except for MN, and NJ. This might have changed in PA in the last 4 years.

However, visibility was a major problem!
This is exactly why I put this 80% tint on all windows. When I was waiting for my car to arrive, I drove a Jetta (gasser) loaner for about 2 weeks. I hated it. It had "legal" tint (35% I think), and I felt blind at night. When stopped at a red light, I had to roll down both front side windows to see if there wad a pedestrian crossing the street. I could see nothing through the tinted windows. I hated to drive that car after dark. I felt blind.

Have Fun!

Don
 

BMLO13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Location
Pa
TDI
2010 Sportwagon
have you thought about the SonniBoy shades? I got them to keep my pup cool in the back, but also to keep his head in the cabin. I'll post some pics later this week if you are interested.

The SonniBoy shades have worked great for us. Helps keep the car cool in the sun, as well as keeping people from seeing whats in the car. If you have passangers they are easily removed so they can see things too. The dogs love them!
 

SwimmerDave

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Location
Decatur, GA
TDI
2014 JSW 6MT
I'll third the SonniBoy shades. They install easy, come out easy, and don't mess with the RF signals. Most importantly, they don't/won't cause damage to the defroster if/when they need to be replaced.

They also work with the rear windows rolled down, either partially or fully rolled down. Nice for running around town on a hot, sunny day.
 

SVTWEB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2001
Location
Beyond Comprehension
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI Cup-Edition EVO 4-Motion
Or you could opt not to have any tint on your vehicle and get the factory dark-tinted windows from the B-pillar back. I am just finishing up the installation on my 2013 JSW.
 

BrShootr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Location
Utardia
TDI
MKVI JSW
I have the metallic ones in my JSW and had the m in my Golf. No issues with GPS, cellphone, FOB, radio, etc. I'm sure "some" of the reception is affected but electronics these days are good enough that the tint hasn't affected them in a way I could notice.

Maybe I could lock the car from 20ft further without it? Either way, I can't tell the difference.
 
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