Car Window Tint

[deepcreek]

Can anyone offer advice on getting aftermarket window tint installed on a vehicle?

I don't plan on doing it myself. 

I just want to understand the pros & cons of different products available before I meet with an installer.

Any recommendations as to the best manufacturer and type?

Thanks!

Joe

 

[bkharman]

Can anyone offer advice on getting aftermarket window tint installed on a vehicle?

I don't plan on doing it myself. 

I just want to understand the pros & cons of different products available before I meet with an installer.

Any recommendations as to the best manufacturer and type?

Thanks!

Joe

Best advice is go through a car dealer. I went through mine last year and they sent me to a bloke who did a bang up job. I couldn’t believe how cheap it was!  Laser cut for my exact car.

Even if you have an older model, go to them to see what they might have. Also check with MB/Audi/BMW. They know the good guys and gals to go see.

Cheers. Bryan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sparktrician]

Get a tint that blocks 99.5% of the UV.  The cheap ones don't do much UV blocking.  Also, check your state's laws on percentage of light transmission.  Here in VA, the front windows must block no more than 35% of visible light.  Behind the front seat, the windows can be tinted to 50%.  Darker tints are possible, but one must have a letter of medical necessity or plan on getting a ticket.  Also, look for "non-metallized ceramic technology" that won't interfere with GPS and cell phones.  I took my truck to LA Tint here and got a Llumar tint that works very well.  [smile]

 

[RKA]

Huper Optik, 3M or Llumar would be my number 1, 2 and 3.  Ceramic tint, 30% in TX sun, unless you have difficulty seeing at night, in which case 40-50% (whatever the tint manufacturer offers). 

 

[RustE]

What are you after? Looks or performance?

I have 50% Llumar CTX ceramic on the front two windows. The heat rejection is far better than the lower-priced acrylic tint. Could not go any darker due to local laws and the rear windows are factory tinted at ~35% VLT.

The shop that installed mine used a laser to cut the film, making for a nice clean edge when the window is slightly cracked. Otherwise, the installer has to trace the film with a razor blade while it is shrunk to fit on the outside of the window.

Make sure to clean the interior and exterior of your vehicle just before the installation appointment. This reduces the possibility of contamination getting on the film.

 

[deepcreek]

I'm primarily interested in reducing the heat gain during the hot Southeast Texas weather. 

Privacy is not really an issue as I want to maintain good night vision.

 

[RustE]

Night vision with 50% tint on the driver and the passenger windows is still good. I had 35% tint on these windows for a few weeks and felt like it was too difficult to see through at night. Although the 35% was a basic acrylic film and not a ceramic, so that could be part of it.

My measurement standard is a poorly lit country road, like coming back from a fishing trip. Someone who never leaves the city might have a different answer.

For comparison points:  Llumar CTX 50 rejects 43% of solar energy and Llumar CTX 35 rejects 48% of solar energy.

 

[deepcreek]

Night vision is important.  I live in the country so no streetlights, narrow roads, ditches on both sides, and critters galore.