Part of living in Toowoomba involves accepting the fact that taking your 4WD on the beach is a ‘sometimes food’. To give some perspective, Double Island beach is a 5hr commute, and K’gari is a further 1.5hrs. However, as a beach lover, I’m often making the trek.
I love it. Don’t get me wrong, but these long drives do take a tax on the body. Driving a 32-year-old turbo diesel keeps you young – the 4 inch straight pipe drones, there’s no air conditioning because I fried my compressor when I rebuilt the 1HZ, there’s zero tint, the 35 inch tyres scream, there’s no sound deadening, and the white paint reflects into my eyes.
Screw it, I’ll give a dash shade a run.
The idea of a dash shade is to block the light that reflects off your bonnet and dashboard by covering the bottom 150mm of your windscreen. Before you ask, no, you don’t loose any visibility as the shade only covers the front of the car. I don’t believe this constitutes them as legal for road use, however I’ve never had an issue with mine, and I’ve been pulled over more times than the fingers on my hand because I do a lot of driving.
I’ve used mine for 6-months now, and I recommend them to everyone that asks. I’d like to think I’m not biased, because I got great use out of mine before I even started selling them. So, here is what I like about my shade.
Reduction in Eye Soreness
Even with a set of polarised sunglasses, your eyes are going to get tired when you’re touring. I’m not saying anything revolutionary here, but the UV is high in Australia, and your eyes do get tired from contracting all day. My Landcruiser has a white bonnet and blue dashboard, and the sun reflects right off it and into my eyes – there’s only so much that sunnies can do.
Cab Temp Killer
Here’s another familiar foe for the Australians. Getting into your 4WD after a hot day, and you realised you left the rig on 220o fan forced. This little 150mm screen does the same job as those janky windscreen covers, despite its small size. Why? Because the UV coming through your windscreen heats the dashboard and heats up the car. Here’s a thermal image I took of the 80 on a hot day, to evidence my point.
Easy to Put Up and Pull Down
Solar Screens don’t weigh much, so suction cups are used to keep them in place. The suction cups are made in Brisbane, just a walk from the Solar Screen factory. If you opt for a full, touring, or cargo set which covers your rear window, you’ll find this feature handy. The suction cups can also be reversed if you want to draw less attention with the reflective side in. They perform well, but some users mention they wear out in 3-4 years – fret not, Solar Screen sells a set for $5.
Looks Staunch
Now this point is a bit subjective, but Solar Screens do look good. They’re manufactured in Australia, so you’re supporting local business, they’re custom fit for the vehicle, so they fit perfectly (like, millimetre perfect), the material is top notch quality, and they really serve a purpose.
To Conclude…
After using my set for six months, I’m spreading the word of Solar Screens like it’s gospel. If you’re keen to get a set for your rig, hit MAKS up online, over the phone, or in store, and we’d be happy to help you find the right set for your rig.