Window tint
 

I know this is going to end up quasi commercial . . .

But It is time for tint on the VW, there have already been a number of days that I could have avoided using the A/C had I had tint.

Questions are

Is there any way to determine a tints heat rejection characteristics?

Is heat reflection directly related to light absorption?

Obviously I can't go darker (much anyway) than the law allows. However I was considering calling the Golf an SUV, then I could go CRAZY dark legally. Anyone think that would fly? It is about the size of an old CRV :-)

The DIY stuff I saw at the store had those rating on it I though.

Good question. My a/c delete is done. I was planning on silver tint this spring, but I hadn't really looked into reflective qualities. My gut feeling is that black tint will absorb energy, radiating some of the heat outside and some inside. But the silver tint should reflect energy back outside. Who's got the facts?

Fortunately, Missouri just removed their 'no tint on front doors' law. So I can tint all but the windshield.

could one place the clear UV tint on first then go over the top of it with a legal darkness tint? This would/might double the heat going inside as well as still be legal even though you had two layers

Any good film will give you UV protection.. I believe it was 99%. The metalized film will give you a little better heat rejection, and yes, the silver tint will give you the best, its just not legal in most states. When tinting double pane house/commercial glass, you have to use reflective tint exclusively, because the black tint absorbs the heat and will cause the window to expand and eventually crack, thats why you see buildings with reflective tint instead of the black/bronze tine you usually see on cars.