dxchud

I had my front windows tinted w/ 35% Llumar and I am pleased. I was concerned about the semi metallic tint affecting my GPS reception so I opted not to tint rear windows, rear quarter & back since they were already smoked anyways. I had read on the GS posts that GPS could be affected by metallic tints...

What have you clublexus posters done with window tint? For those who chose llumar brand, did you tint the rear windows - what % and did it affect your GPS reception?

lexuslover

i can't vouch for the GX in particular, but i put window film on my GS430 two years ago. i did a slightly metallic, light gray (i don't know percentages or anything like that) on all the front windows (6 in total). i did a even lesser metallic medium darkness (it looks black w/ the black interior) on the rear window, but i still had some issues with my Nav and radio reception.

my tint guy said that non-metallic tints weren't very good and didn't look as nice. either way, i did lose reception strength because the GS has receptors built in the rear glass for radio and GPS. i think the GX, however, shouldn't have the same problem b/c it has an external antenna which greatly virtually eliminates the problem. i just bought an '04 RX330 and the Nav strength in the same spot is at least 10x stronger than in the GS.

navigator

it really doesn't matter, but just so you know, the antenna on your GS is UNDER the rear deck. (that piece behind the heads of our rear seat passengers) The GPS antenna has never been built into the window.

Johnny Mo

Isn't the antenna up front? or is that for the Lexus Link??? I would think with the flat vertical surface of the backlight would be an unlikely candidate for a GPS antenna as it does not give enough of an angle to the "open sky", but the raked windshield does.

I too can vouch for a loss of radio reception on my GS after window tinting.

lexuslover

i'm not 100% sure where the reception is on the GS (or the GX), but anytime the receptors are in the vehicle or built in to a part of the vehicle, i think you will suffer some loss of reception. i live in a particularly new neighborhood with lots of weak spots for GPS and cellular, so it's really frustrating with the GPS in the GS, because the green GPS indicator doesn't come on for 5-10 minutes after i leave my house. the RX330 is great though. dark black factory tinted (not film) windows and an external antenna - no problems anywhere near my house.

i went to three dealers when i first got my GS, and they told me three diff things about the nav receptors: (1) built into the glass, (2) on the dash/deck behind the passenger seats, (3) in the dash by the front windshield. either way, it didn't matter. my GPS and radio reception were noticeably weaker than before, and it was irritating. i've learned to live with it because i like the window tint. i think that Lexus has dealt with this, and i wouldn't be surprised to see an external antenna on all models soon (like the LS's small stubby one). flexible, foldable external antennas are the best solution IMO.

anyway, sorry to digress, but to make a long story short, just make sure you know where the receptors are located and stay away from heavy metallic tints. internally mounted receptors can still be affected by surrounding metallic window films, even if the receptors are not in, or directly next to, the tinted windows. if the GPS is controlled by the external antenna, then you should not have a problem tinting the back windows.

Lindy

Had my windows tinted front and back, the darkes that's legal. Have had no problem with GPS. Called my dealer first and he had his tinted on the LX and had'nt had any problem either.

Lindy

dxchud

Lindy:

What kind of tint did you choose. I saw your pics and though your windows looked really dark...I have Llumar 35% on front only. How did you compensate the front and rear to make them match>?

Lindy

Dxchud,

It is a bronze tint and the front windows are 35% and all the back windows including sun roof where done 15%. Discussed the GPS with my dealer he didn't have any trouble with GPS on his LX after tinting his. I then discussed it with the place who did my tint and he said so far no one has brought their cars back with a problem with the GPS. He told me if I did have a problem he would remove it. Have had it since March minus the about 4 weeks it took to paint it and have not had any trouble so far. The front is not as dark as the back. I think because of the angle and the bright sun when the picture was taken, just makes it look the same.

Lindy

Kash

does anyone know where the gps antenna is?

Lindy

Kash,

The GPS antenna is in the back windows that flip out. That is why they worry about tinting window might interfere with the GPS. The antenna on roof in back is the Lexus Link.

Lindy

sickman

I'm looking to tint the rear and all side windows on my GX with a metallic tint and wanted to make sure this still does not affect the GPS antenna in the rear window. A local tint shop (that came highly recommended by many people) says I should use a non-metallic tint but after 3 to 5 years, those turn purple so I don't really want that. Or I could use metallic tint on all windows except the 2 with the antenna which would use non-metallic but then they may not match. Any thoughts/suggestions?

gs400jon

My truck has the Lifetime Warranty Scotchtint Color-Stable (never turns purple) Film. The driver's side and front passenger windows have medium smoke tint. The rear window and the rest of the side windows have a dark smoke tint. I asked about the possiblity of reception problems with the side window antenna as mentioned in the owner's manual. California Auto Tinting (had them do my GS400 back in 1999) said they have had no interference problems with the metallic tint installations on GX470's. I chose to have them install the non-metallic version.

jacksonian

My Lexus dealer put the Huper Optik ceramic tint on my GX last year and I love it. Had him do all the windows including the driver and passenger windows. It sure did keep that baby cool in the middle of the summer, it was always comfortable. I'm pretty sure that antenna on the back of the GX is the GPS, because I don't have Lexus Link, but I have the NAV and I have that antenna.

My pics are in the gallery of my GX with the tint.

The only problems I get with the GPS come from my XM radio receiver. That can throw it off pretty good.

Rx900

Lexus link is the little rubber ducky on the rear.