Hello all!

Newbie here with a 2013 Milano Red Fit base model with MT. I LOVE this car! However, I live in eastern NC and can already tell it will turn into an oven in the summer, especially with a less than robust AC.

For those of you who have tinted your windows for the purpose of lowering the interior temperature of the car, how effective have you found it to be for that? I know what the tinting shops say, but what is the reality? I plan on going no darker than what is legally allowed in NC (35% visible light transmission). I want to keep this car as long as I can without the inside being eaten away by heat, like my last car.

Apologies if this is a redundant thread. I used advanced search without much helpful results. Thanks for any advice!

 

other than "helps a lot" I haven't heard of any quantitative observations.

I'm interested too (went from covered to uncovered parking this winter). I'm not sure I like the aggravation of darkened windows when there's not much light out.

maybe there's some window film that allows most of the visible spectrum but reflects UV and IR?

The largest offender is the windshield. Maybe a sun shade is enough.

wanders off to google...

 

I am in Colorado and we have hot summers with lots of direct sun . The legal limit here is 35% as well- I got mine tinted early on so cannot compare to non-tinted. What helps most is a windshield cover since the dash seems to get really hot unless it is covered. I also go out of my way to park in the shade.

 

You could get a dash mat if you want to protect the dashboard.

 

from the advice on this thread I ordered one of these:

Ref Number:HD-50 -
Fits Years 2009 - 2013 Fit
Intro-Tech brand Roll-up Insulated windshield sunshade $19.95

at this website

 

Where in E. N.C.? I'm in Wilmington.

 

If I weren't under cover parking and garage kept most of the time, that's the sunshade I would buy. The tinting helps. You should consider that as well, Steve.

 

hmmmm

who'd you use?

 

Place out in Hiram called, Gotcha Lookin Good. Depending where you're in the metro, that could be a drive.

Can't recall what type of tint? Maybe Johnson films? Would have to check receipt. Definitely not the stuff that doesn't have any heat/uv rejection properties.

 

A sunshade helps a lot. I never bothered with one for any of my previous cars (living in Vermont, the summers aren't generally super hot), but got one very, very soon after buying my Fit. You could probably bake bread on the dash on a summer day without it.

That said, I haven't tinted the windows, so I can't say how much that also helps.

 

I bought these sunshades for the front windshield, and I actually put a white sheet over the back of the back seat and across the very back floorboard of the car, just because I had one to throw in there.



I would look into polarized tint, as well, I'm thinking I heard that helps more, and its not super dark. And slap some wax on your car before the sun fades it to pink ;-)

 

Sunshade for the front window. Went on Google and found one that's one piece. Pain in the butt to put it in the window, but....it can get 120 degrees here in Phoenix in the summer, so that is the first thing I bought for the car.

 

Thanks, all, for the input! I purchased in Intro-tech sun shield and it fits great. I had originally ordered a Heat Shield because I had good luck with them in the past, but it just didn't fit quite right, so sent it back.

Game plant at this point is to keep gathering info, and keep a bottle of magic bird poop remover in the car for when I park in the shade.

Delta Bond: Definitely plan on waxing the car 2-3 times a year. "Milano Pink" just...makes me queasy thinking about it.

 

You should look at getting ceramic window tint. It helps in keeping more heat out out of the car but it cost more than "regular" tint.

 

also review this tip:
Quickly Expel Hot Air from Your Oven-Like Car with a Japanese Door Trick

 

i have sunshade. it's useful.

 

I've got my windows tinted for the same purposes as you and it does the job like a charm. I've went to a professionnal local shop here and they did an awesome job. They recommend 3M high performance film if I remember well. It's the best of the best they said, period. They tried other cheaper stuff and many clients were coming back with problems.

Also, I ha ve a lifetime warranty if a problem occurs.

Limo tint rear (0%) to keep theft away.
Legal front.
6'' lip up winshield (A MUST, in my opinion).

You can see what it looks like here :https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-birthday.html

 

You DO know that thieves go for cars with 0% because they think you have something you're trying to hide. Out of a parking lot of cars, it's your car yelling, ME ME ME over here. Normal tint is safer because they can just peep in. Move on if they see nothing. Same goes for Jeep Wranglers with soft tops. It's better for insurance purposes to leave top off when weather permits. Nothing you plan to leave in an opened Jeep will be even close to replacing a cut up top.

 

I have to park outside at work so I do the following:

-Park in a shaded spot (but not directly under a tree)
-25% rear tint, 35% front tint
-door visors (these help when driving too)

I also bought this sunshade, it's massive and covers the whole windshield but still folds into the pocket behind the passenger seat: