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Privacy Glass

13K views 52 replies 20 participants last post by  tangey 
#1 ·
I believe the option of "Privacy Glass" is a subject that strictly divides customers, it is ( I think) a marmite issue, you either think it looks great or you would not have it on any car. I fall into the latter category and as such I tend to refer to it as "Drug Dealer Windows". My wife's Focus was delivered with Privacy Glass that had not been specified and after some hassle, I had dealer change all the windows for the standard light tint.
I feel darkened glass makes manoeuvring harder as it is more difficult to see through and I just plain dislike the look, hence my pet name for this accessory.
I wonder if others feel strongly on this item?
 
#2 ·
I think it depends on if you like the Black Pack option or not. I personally feel that the "black out" look is a current fashion trend in the automobile industry. it gives the car a modern and aggressive, yet clean look to it. I have the black pack and I had my front windows tinted to match the rear. I doubt people think I am a drug dealer when I'm out in it.

what fits in the category of a drug dealer's truck in my opinion would be, chrome wheels, chrome window trims, chrome everything, dark tint, and really loud sound system that shakes the ground from 100 feet away playing gangster rap...haha
 
#3 ·
I have to disagree that privacy glass makes manoevering harder. On my current Evoque I use my wing mirrors and reversing camera which gives much better visibilty than using the rear view mirror. I also find that factory tinted glass appears to have a polarised effect in that it appears lighter looking out than looking in.

I have not taken the factory fit option though on my DS and have gone for after market tints (but fitted at the dealers) purely for a practical reason that I have young kids and by going aftermarket I can go even darker (true drug dealer style) and therefore avoid having to have ugly window blinds that also stop you from dropping the back windows.
 
#4 ·
After 300 miles in the dealer's HSE Lux which has dark glass rear of the A pillar, I have found NO issues with visibility at all. It's barely noticeable from the inside.

As I have a dark blue DS with very light leather, I'm now wishing I'd taken dark glass and pondering after-market tinting.
 
#5 ·
In the UK, tinting of front door windows or windscreen is illegal. You might get away with a very subtle tint, but put privacy tints on the front and the old bill will be pulling you over for fun....
 
#6 ·
Nick2611 said:
In the UK, tinting of front door windows or windscreen is illegal. You might get away with a very subtle tint, but put privacy tints on the front and the old bill will be pulling you over for fun....
in the US too, but they are not that strict as long as you don't do anything stupid to catch their attention. just like front license plate, it's illegal to have it off, but people do it anyway.
 
#7 ·
I took the decision that privacy glass enabled me to remove the boot cover but retain some ability to obscure its contents when parked.
A young family in tow means we'll be using the third row quite a bit (I didn't want the problem of finding somewhere for the removable boot cover to go)

It's also my understanding that the factory glass does offer enough sun glare protection to elleviate the need for accessory sun blinds.
I have blinds on the current car (aftermarket) and they are a pain in the arse as the suckers inevitably fail during a journey and end up with my one year old wrestling with it in his car seat.
 
#9 ·
smayo said:
BobbyBox said:
It's also my understanding that the factory glass does offer enough sun glare protection to elleviate the need for accessory sun blinds.
I can assure you thats not the case. Blinds are still needed as I have the privacy glass in my Evoque.
Hmmm, I wonder what the rating is on the glass then? A neutral density value or attenuation value/light index. Naively I assumed it was like buying sunglasses. Which ironically is what we might be getting the children now :)

BB
 
#10 ·
smayo said:
BobbyBox said:
It's also my understanding that the factory glass does offer enough sun glare protection to elleviate the need for accessory sun blinds.
I can assure you thats not the case. Blinds are still needed as I have the privacy glass in my Evoque.
Thanks for your assurance, but I regret in my opinion, and that of my children who sit back there, it is nonsense
 
#11 ·
Surely privacy glass is no more than a must have fashion. What purpose does it serve in reality? To my mind, it makes any car look out of proportion together with the fact that it is illegal to apply it to the front windows. Reminds me of the fashion for Matt black bonnets many years ago, in imitation of the rally cars of the day. A few years on and they looked ridiculous. Still, each to their own, but at £350?
 
#12 ·
Ehhh, I guess you'd say the same about sunglasses
 
#14 ·
I got this for the first time on a car and it was to help shield the dog when on board, rather than blinds. It seems to work but we haven't had much of a summer in Scotland this year :(
 
#15 ·
Ludwig said:
Surely privacy glass is no more than a must have fashion. What purpose does it serve in reality? To my mind, it makes any car look out of proportion together with the fact that it is illegal to apply it to the front windows. Reminds me of the fashion for Matt black bonnets many years ago, in imitation of the rally cars of the day. A few years on and they looked ridiculous. Still, each to their own, but at £350?
You could say the same about metallic paint etc, it's all a matter of choice and what looks good to you may not to others.
 
#16 ·
It's the idea that it's just for show I object to. It keeps the car cooler, it's keeps stuff out of easy sight, it keep the sun out of the kids eyes and stops moaning, it keeps the sun off their iPads etc and stops moaning. It's as functional many other bits thrown on the car.
 
#17 ·
Disco said:
in southern California, it gets up to 110 degrees in summer, privacy glass or tinted windows are almost a must.
In Southern California I would be minded to go for Open Topped Chevvy, sunglasses and a hat!!
 
#19 ·
I personally don't like the factory privacy glass as the 85% tinting (15% light) creates such a stark contrast to the front door windows that I think it makes the car look like a van. I want my car to look balanced but understand this is completely my personal view

I will have the windows tinted with 35% foil which has the added benefit of having small metal parts which better reflect the heat than coloured glass. I will have all windows except for the front tinted the exact same way
(35% foil on 15% standard LR tinted glass creates an overall efect of some 55% light which is legal in NL for all windows)
 
#21 ·
Ive got it to keep the car a bit cooler and protect the dogs.

Its a bit like 20 inch wheels, you dont need them but some people like them and think they look better.

Its each to there own and that whats makes the world intresting
 
#23 ·
It's an interesting topic which divides opinion in my house.

My last two big cars have been SUVs. A Mazda CX-7 and my current Freelander.

Both cars black. (Both occasions all the dealer had in stock)

Both have privacy glass, standard on the Mazda and specked by the dealer on the Landy.

It looks great - if you want your car to look like a van. Black windows especially on the Freelander in Santirini Black really does make it look like a Transit Connect.

My DS will be in Kaikoura Stone. I didn't want black glass.

It's coming with it because my wife. Who has a great eye for detail style and colour (She teaches art) convinced me that it would accentuate the lines of the car and minimise the 'fat arse' that it has. Blues it will highlight the forward rake of the C post. She was going to
Add a black roof but that for me was a compromise too far. :)
 
#24 ·
As others have said, this is entirely choice. What is right for some isn't necessarily what others like. Which is why it's good to have the forum section where people can post their pics so we can all see what our own ones cans look like.

My last LR Disco 3 we had after market darkest tint windows fitted by the dealer, these proved great for privacy as intended for my children and ultimately did keep the car slightly cooler. But tbh, my initial instinct when adding them was primarily for the look, as its what myself and my Husband liked.

My current S Max titanium X Sport has them as standard and they really are quite dark, which again is great for the privacy, but I also think looks really lovely and adds to the sport look (if you can call it that on an MPV). Now on my S Max, I have the panoramic roof, with electric blind, but even with this across, the cool is never ever cool feeling...even in the winter! It's one stuffy car, so I couldn't say the privacy glass was of benefit to cooling the vehicle.

So as I have ordered the HSE Black in Corris grey, I am primarily going for the aesthetics and not for the function of privacy or cooling!!!! Though I am glad it now comes as standard with the black model otherwise I would have specced it up to be included.

My only other thing which I am not sure whether to add is the side steps. Having 4 children, thinking it would help for the rear most seats. Not sure as yet!!
 
#25 ·
Luanmapo said:
My only other thing which I am not sure whether to add is the side steps. Having 4 children, thinking it would help for the rear most seats. Not sure as yet!!
After some extensive dealership based testing I can confirm the side steps make it marginally easier for adults to get in and out of the 3rd row (not that you'd want to be there too long); they're a little too narrow to be of much use to the kids who tend just to clamber across the door sills and jump down. Looks nice though.

Agree with the S-MAX privacy glass by the way - fantastic for privacy , but with black seats and without a sunroof it does feel a bit like a cave; looking foward to having a sun roof and pale seats to help the kids get over their carcolepsy.
 
#26 ·
Thanks for the response blame the parents. Only my youngest 5 yr old will be using the rear seats and we have the other seat down, with doggy using the rest of the space, so perhaps not worth going for.

At present, she tends to clamber in the boot to her seat in the S Max, so even more reason perhaps not to worry about the side steps.

Interesting to read another post with a response from you regarding the 20'' wheel ride. Do you have the same S Max model as me currently?... I do find it a hard ride, but used to it now.. And certainly feels more comfier than my Husbands Porsche!!

I only test drove a HSE standard model and not a black model, so haven't experienced the larger wheels, but a little concerned if you say they're even firmer than your Fords.

I don't know about you, but my current car also eats through tyres like nobody's business too, and aren't cheap are they?!!..... All in a quandary now!!..... Maybe I need to go back to Halesworth Marshalls dealership and see if they have a black model I can test drive for certainty. Because at present, I am purely going on the huge fact I love the look of the black model, with the HSE spec I want.
 
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