Window film - what can you get away with?

[johny transit]

Ahh the old chestnut...
So has anyone experience of what is and isn't tolerated by the authorities these days (for front side windows).
I'm thinking 1/ not to get pulled over. 2/ not to fail mot.
I read a lot of different things and it seems 70% of light has to pass through strictly speaking - but I always had Dark Smoke on the old transit and never had any bother (that's something like 15-30%?). Mind you that was then and this is now.
The Transit has large glass and lets a lot of light in the cab so it never seems that dark looking from the outside compared say to the same level of tint on a small windowed coupe...maybe that was how I got away with it before.
Always found the dark smoke perfectly convenient and safe (not like limo - tried that once even if it was legal wouldn't put it on the front side windows!).
So just wondered what people have been getting away with in practice

[AlanN]

Didnt think you could put any film forward of the B post now...

[therawtradingco]

I thought it was 70% light transmission on front windows but anything goes on rears

[AlanN]

Im sure I read something about it in one of the magazines last year, about the law changing, I could be wrong, Im sure there is loads on the net about it

[redcube]

I had a light blue tint on my windows had to remove it for the test

[johny transit]

I had a light blue tint on my windows had to remove it for the test

Now that's interesting - and what I wanted to hear about ie peoples experiences rather than whats on the web - there is a lot about it, mostly conflicting but I wanted to see who has been ok with what.
I think the thing about no film allowed is if you already have factory tints then anything added would take it over the legal limit, so to best of my knowledge I can put a 70% 'er on. And that's another confusing issue because sometimes it's described by what it lets through and sometimes by what it blocks.
So I guess nobody else at all bothers with tint film in the front?

[redcube]

Well the new ford Mondeo has a blue tint on the window and some new cars have black out back windows but i think if its a OEM (Original equipment manufacture) item then its allowed but if it an aftermarket item then its a no no

[jolly olly]

The lad just had his car done in jan 30% max tint on front, i took it for its test a week later and passed no probs even with his hids.

[johny transit]

Did they measure the tint with anything at MOT? Or is there a section on the mot that mentions anything about visibility?
I was in another car shop today - the good film is theTrilogy Defender stuff (I think they also call it Savage). And I think light smoke will do me - but not sure what % it is.

[Mike]

Current hot potato around here, the Police are carrying meters to measure light transmission.

[jolly olly]

No idea as left the car at my mates test station and he is to the letter on the tests.

[captain hook]

Not part of the test...

[BROWNYS V6]

got film on my front windows, darker than others ive seen, been on for at least 2 mots an a pull by the plod

[bigmastif]

the law states 70% thru the front side between the A post and B post windows (cab door windows),
75% light transmission via the windscreen on cars built before april 1985, and 70% on cars after, most traffic divisions have "tint-man" units in there vehicle that fires a hi pulse light thru the window and tint. as alan said anything past the b post is fair game and you can go as dark as you want

alot of modern cars are fitted with dyed glass that is pretty much at the max of what you will get away with give or take a few %

[johny transit]

This it it - there seems to be quite a bit of leeway in practice - yours does look dark - is that Dark Smoke?