Until about two weeks ago, drivers could only have their back windows tinted. That's all changed. Now in Illinois you can have your front windows tinted as well, so long as they're not too dark.

While the cosmetic changes aren't great, experts say the overall impact on the car is.

"We've seen a little interest in it," says John Nisly, owner of Auto Trim and Sign in Davenport. "There's been a few people who have had windows tinted that otherwise might not have.

John Nisly says he's seen a steady stream of cars coming across the river and through his Davenport garage to have their front windows tinted. A new law allows drivers have their windows tinted to a level they call 35% darkness all the way around the car if their back windows aren't already tinted.

If the back windows are tinted, they can still tint the front ones, but they can't be as dark.

Law enforcement had been fighting against the front window tint for years because they were concerned that it could hamper their ability to see in windows and identify people who may have committed a crime.

Now drivers and lawmakers feel like they've reached a happy medium.

"When you do a light tint, it doesn't have the effect of hiding the driver, which is one of the reasons why they have those laws," says Julius Shoemaker, a sales associate with SolarVision in Davenport.

While the lighter tint may not look like much, experts say it can do wonders, particularly when the weather gets warmer.

"Tint has a lot of benefits," Shoemakers says. "Protecting your interior, reducing glare, keeping it cooler in the summertime."

"That gives you about 34% heat reduction and 99% UV reduction, so the 50% does help substantially," Nisly adds.

That heat reduction Nisly says will eventually mean big savings when it comes time to fill up the tank.

"If your vehicle doesn't get as hot when it's sitting out or as hot when you're driving down the road, you're gonna use your air conditioner less or have it on a lower setting," Nisly says.

While Iowa businesses are feeling the benefits of Illinois' law change, Iowa drivers are not. It's still against the law to tint your front windows in Iowa, and if you're caught doing it, you could get ticketed.

Dealers we spoke with say it takes around three hours and costs $180 to have windows tinted to Illinois' specifications.