Illegal Factory Fitted Windows

[whitie]

Just taken a pic but my card reader isn't working. Here is the place where I got my ones done:

http://www.tinttechnique.com/

I got the lightest on the front, then darker on the rear, and the darkest on the rear windscreen.

[aido]

Matt, I would have said looking at your pics from the inside of the car, the tints are the same as mine, and they are rated at 50% if that's any help?

[SteveAudioX]

Can you not use one of the photography light ball devices to determine how much light there is present through your windows..

[MrADeveci]

Mat....

I would have loved to been able to help you out here, and would have suggested that you come along down to the station, so I could test your windows....

But unfortunatley, in the North East section of the MET only ONE(1) person is actually trained to use that tint gun, and that's not me !! - It's one of the traffic officers !

What did the officer initially say to you mate ? did he offer you a VDRS ? (vehicle defect rectification scheme)

What did he actually do/say !

Cheers.

[Wosket]

what about in the north west mr scar face, seems to be a lot of peeps getting pulled up and having their windows tested round here, very common so there must be mor than one dude in the north west testing windows.

it was in the paper that they did nearly 50 people one day in manchester city centre, i think it was the chinese new year celebrations when there were lots of peeps visiting and just after the legislation changed.

i think your tints look fine mr m, and i think its outrageous that you've been stopped, my tints are darker than yours and ive been pulled twice without any comments whatsoever.

[MrADeveci]

Hi mate ..... when I say North East ... I mean North East London, within the M25 .....

I'm not sure how the other forces work, ie Manchester ... etc.

Sorry.

[Matthew_McNally]

what about in the north west mr scar face, seems to be a lot of peeps getting pulled up and having their windows tested round here, very common so there must be mor than one dude in the north west testing windows.

it was in the paper that they did nearly 50 people one day in manchester city centre, i think it was the chinese new year celebrations when there were lots of peeps visiting and just after the legislation changed.

got to be honest - I don't have an issue with being pulled over this.

If the Manchester police found 50 people with excessively dark window tints, then fair enough.

I am actually quite happy that this guy pulled me.

The concept of police officers pulling cars for stuff like

- windows too dark

- car doesn't look roadworthy

- heavily modified, lets make sure all the mods are on the insurance

and such appeals to me a lot

I would much rather see a copper pulling people for driving obvious sheds than sat there with a speed camera.

i think your tints look fine mr m, and i think its outrageous that you've been stopped, my tints are darker than yours and ive been pulled twice without any comments whatsoever.

thanks for your support mate :D

thing is - I don't have tints

these are Lexus standard windows - which is why I posted, as surely they would not be allowed to sell illegally specified vehicles?

[aido]

You mean just like the cars with the HIDs and no headlight washers

Agree with your statements though Matt, would be a lot happier if they would start pulling these kids with the limo tints all the way around, there are a lot of bellends round this way with them on the front window and they definitely can't see much judging by their driving.

[Wosket]

thing is - I don't have tints

yeah i know, meant windows, i got confused when typing!

id personally rather see bobbys on the beat chasing proper crims in manchester rather than bothering motorists. thats probably cos i've been a bit of a victim since moving up here and bugger all gets done.

i agree with limo tints being pulled up everytime all the time.

[Wosket]

any news yet matt?

[Matthew_McNally]

not yet

am struggling to find someone who can measure the light level independently

[Matthew_McNally]

oh.

this might get embarassing!

the windows may be tinted.

went to Lexus today and parked up next to a GS, just to compare - and mine seem a touch darker.

Will be very unhappy if they are - I have been assured by Lexus Nottingham that they, Lexus GB and the RAC say the vehicle is completely unmodified, including window tints

[Wosket]

well you've certainly got a case against lexus mate.

so whats the plan of action now?

[ColinBarber]

Was the other GS a sport? I wonder if it looked a little darker because the rear tints were lowering the overall light within the vehicle?

[Chris.S]

Matt done some checking, they don't do any darkened windows on the GS as standard

your front side windows should be ultraviolet reflective with a green tint just like any other GS

[Dodgy]

Matt,

I've spoken to our traffic department.... and the bottom line is it is illegal to have your Main viewing windows tinted, that's to say your front pass/dri and windscreen. The enforcement with regards to the law will be words, main viewing.

I then contacted a window tinting company and I was shocked as to their reply. They confirmed that it is illegal to have your main viewing windows tinted. They went on to say that their company always informs the customer of the law and if they still wish to have their front pass/dri doors tinted then they always advise they have fitted the lightest smoked glass.

Can I just add the very nice lady to whom I spoke to said it all depends on the police in the area that you are in? They then went on to say that DURHAM is the worst for prosecuting drivers for this type of offence.

[Matthew_McNally]

yes - it does get embarassing.

My windows are tinted.

Took the car to a tinting company to check, and they are lightly tinted.

The guy had to pull the car window quite hard to the left, and then slid a piece of white card behind the back you could see the line.

They have been really well done - there is absolutely no visible lines or edges to the tints at all.

They go quite deep into the door jamb, and are utterly flush with edges of the windows.

The guy himself was impressed at how well they had ben done.

The guy advised to have them measured again though, as they are only lightly tinted, and no way are they only permitting 38% light.

Don't know what to do now.

Phone call to Lexus Nottingham is order - they assured me my windows were untinted

[Matthew_McNally]

I've spoken to our traffic department.... and the bottom line is it is illegal to have your Main viewing windows tinted, that's to say your front pass/dri and windscreen. The enforcement with regards to the law will be words, main viewing.

this is not what the officer told me.

Nor is it what the VOSA leaflet he gave me says.

I was told 75% light through the windscreen and 70% through the side windows.

[ColinBarber]

Is this the VOSA leaflet?

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/publications/t...information.pdf

[Matthew_McNally]

Is this the VOSA leaflet?

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/publications/t...information.pdf

looks like it Col

[GERRY]

Matt, i got my 98 GS300 sport mkII in 2002, it is black with tinted windows and i purchased it from Lexus Bolton. They did not mention the tinted windows. What's more amazing is i had a side shunt and had to replace the drivers door and the window, it was done at a Lexus approved repair centre. They said they had slight trouble in matching the tint but they found the NEW Toyota tint was the closest. This was 6 months ago, so are Toyota breaking the law ?

[Matthew_McNally]

Matt, i got my 98 GS300 sport mkII in 2002, it is black with tinted windows and i purchased it from Lexus Bolton. They did not mention the tinted windows. What's more amazing is i had a side shunt and had to replace the drivers door and the window, it was done at a Lexus approved repair centre. They said they had slight trouble in matching the tint but they found the NEW Toyota tint was the closest. This was 6 months ago, so are Toyota breaking the law ?

have a read of the leaflet gerry - you mat be - depends on the level of tint.

[Matthew_McNally]

Just spoke to Lexus Nottingham, and they are remarkably unconcerned that they have sold be an illegally specified vehicle.

Interesting to note that they are so blase about selling customers cars with illegal modifications, without giving them any notification at all.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

If the dealer has that attitude it would be interesting to see what Trading Standards have to say about it ............

[TheDon]

oh dear, there should be something to protect people when they dont know about mods like that