Window tinting advice?

My new Forester came without tinted rear windows.

The radio antenna is embedded in one of the rear windows. Would tinting affect reception?

What kind of film, and what degree of tinting is best?

Reply to
Robert D.
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From my experience (2005 Forester XT purchased new in the desert Southwest USA) the Subaru side/rear window tint is for all purposes, pretty much non-existent, and they don't offer a deeper tint option on rear windows like is optional with other manufacturers.

My other car is a Dodge Caravan which has a tint band on the windsheild top, light tint on driver & passenger windows, and a deep tint glass on all other windows. (50 states legal) Granted, that was an extra $$ option.

I added an aftermarket tint film to my Forester. A while ago, I questioned Subaru USA as to why they don't offer a Forester deeper tint option, but got no answer. (Honda, Toyota & other imports offer it for US models. No idea why Subaru declines it)

BTW, Subaru has the radio antenna mounted on the window. Some folks say using metallic window films can adversely affect radio reception.

Formula One film makes a convincing argument for their Pinnacle series which uses a non-metallic, ceramic material so as not to degrade or disrupt radio signals. Go to

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and click on Series for their story.

Reply to
QX

The guy that tinted the windows on my Outback said that these are listed as "cars" instead of trucks, which means the rules for tinting windows are different. Vans and trucks can have dark tints, and cars cannot. I don't know if that's legit or not.

All I DO know is that I really like my Outback with the dark tinted windows. It's a lot cooler when sitting in the sun, and I don't feel like I'm sitting in a fishbowl anymore.

-John O

Reply to
JohnO

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