My front tints are being removed today. It's a real shame as the car (a black Skoda Octavia vRS) really suited them. However, I couldn't take the risk that the insurance would refuse to pay out in the event of a claim.

The worst thing is though that people can now see me driving a Skoda

Steve

 

Could you not have got them tested first?

Or did you

Nowt wrong with a vRS, not that I'm biased

Nathan..

 

Steve I feel your pain, had mine removed yesterday as well. Couldn't agree more about the insurance BS that is going on at the moment. Car still looks great (03 STi) but the tinted windows finished it off nicely in my eyes. Oh well I guess that was a waste of £300, what next a new law on gold alloy wheels

 

If the tints pass the new tests then why remove them?

Or have I missed a thread somewhere about an insurance company not paying out?

Nathan..

 

Nathan the new law states the tint must allow a minimum of 70% light through, this basically means no tint on the front windows. But some insurance companies are specifying this rule on all side windows, so you can see what the problem is, elephant even told me they will ot cover windows tinted with film

 

My front tints were removed from my Impreza yesterday - they were originally fitted by Pentagon, who also removed them and fitted clear Supaglass. They have had a few people in to get theirs removed.

I really liked my light smoke on the front and clear fronts mixed with smoke at the back is not as good but I now feel a bit relieved.

Brian.

 

The new rules state that the VLT for the side windows must be 65% or above for vehicles used after 01/04/1985.

If your insurance company wont cover you with tints, then this is their choice, but if you are just removing them because you think that they are illegal then I would suggest getting them tested before you did.

I keep meaning to get my untinted (with film) windows on my impreza tested.

 

In addition.

Trying to find someone with this light testing equipment at the moment is nigh on impossible

Not even our local Ministry testers have them yet!

Nathan..

 

Greenlight said to me that if the car "was not roadworthy" then the insurance was void. My standard windows had a tint and I had a 30% tint film fitted therefore I knew they were illegal without a test.

Steve

 

if you got an MOT then surely the car is 'roadworthy' ?!!??
isn't thats what the MOT is all about ?!!??!

 

The MOT only proves that the vehicle was road worthy at the time when it was tested though.

 

Ian

Agreed, but if the car passes the MOT with the tints on then it is roadworthy.

If you have an invoice for say 1st March for Tints then 10th of March for an MOT. The Insurance company would have a VERY hard job claiming the car was unroadworthy.

Nathan..

 

An MOT test is a safety check, not a check that a vehicle complies with Construction and Use regs.

 

Yes but the new window tint regs are due to be part of the MOT as well.

So if the car passes the MOT it will be deemed roadworthy.

Nathan..

 

Steve's car doesn't need an MOT yet

 

I take it side windows at the rear are ok. Mine is tinted rear screen and rear doors only.

 

The amended law just now is for the 2 front side windows.

The majority of window tinting firms offer various tints; from a light tint going through dark then to a limo tint. etc.

They will all fail the tint test using the tintman meter.

However if you do have the lightest tint - probably 50% you would only "be advised" to have it removed.
A medium tint is a 10 days notice to remove.
A limo tint is an impound.

There's an article on all the laws and the above, in a new Scottish mag, called Fast and Modified.

 

I just saw a fully marked up police car yesterday with very obvious illegal tints (Strathclyde area).

 

I think I've seen this car and yup I can agree, I believe there is more than one of them as well the usual one law for some one for the others

John.

 

Never had a car with tints but I may be.

Do you have to go some where to get em removed or if you take the window out can you just peel em off?

 

What next - no sunglasses!!!!

Typical knee jerk reaction from this sh*t government. Why ban them completely on front windows when there is only a small minority of drivers with tints that are too dark.


I'm leaving mine on until I get stopped (what a rebel!!!!!)

Simon

 

That is bad mate dont know about the tints but being seen in a skoda ????

 

Jesus,

I thought this thread had died and gone to hell!!!

Brian.