[aitchem]

Any tips regarding getting tinted windows on my car? Should I ask Carl the car man for a recommendation?

[scociny]

We have gotten our vehicles done by a place called Eco tint and it was a great experience. They are fast and they do a great job, IMO.

[airics]

desert tint (cost us $100 last year.. no issues whatsoever)

[MediocreButArrogant]

First question you need to answer is whether you are willing to spend the extra money on a premium window film. The premium films block a lot more infrared at the same VLT (darkness) as the cheap films, but cost a lot more, and are typically installed by installers who do not compete on price. The guy who tints cars for $100 isn't going to be installing 3M Crystalline. No matter who you go with, I'd make sure that I was getting a name brand film, even if it is just a dyed film.

Somewhere there is a post I made listing the prices at Eco-Tint for a few different films.

Found it: //www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ndow-tint.html

Llumar metalized film: $199
Llumar ceramic film: $299
3M Crystalline film: $499

If I lived here full-time I'd consider removing the dyed film on my car and installing ceramic. I had Eco-tint install Llumar ceramic film on my wife's car.

[ScoopLV]

I was CERTAIN that I wanted tint. Until I drove a friend's truck. Tint is great in the day. I couldn't see s*** at night, though. I had to roll the windows down so I could drive and feel comfortable that I wasn't a hazard.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

I was CERTAIN that I wanted tint. Until I drove a friend's truck. Tint is great in the day. I couldn't see s*** at night, though. I had to roll the windows down so I could drive and feel comfortable that I wasn't a hazard.

You can get window tint in shades ranging from 80% VLT, which is nearly colorless and undetectable, down to 5% (Limo tint) or even lower, which has the characteristics you describe. My car has 50% VLT film on the front windows, which is light enough that I don't get hassled by police in California, and I have no problems seeing out of it at night. My SUV has 15% film on the front windows and I often roll the driver's window down for better visibility when making a left turn at night.

You can get Llumar Air 80 at Eco-Tint, which is near colorless and almost undetectable, but it has 43% TSER (total solar energy rejection). That's the same TSER as Gila's (cheap DIY film sold at hardware and discount stores) 5% VLT film. That shows you that the darkness of the tint tells you nothing about how much heat it's going to keep out.

I'm seriously considering getting Air 80 for my windshield, because my car's windshield is large and steeply raked, and passes a huge amount of IR. The 80% film is so light that the police would not be able to see that you had it unless they measured it with a VLT meter. Just looking at it you would not think there was any tint.

[Scott456]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

First question you need to answer is whether you are willing to spend the extra money on a premium window film. The premium films block a lot more infrared at the same VLT (darkness) as the cheap films, but cost a lot more, and are typically installed by installers who do not compete on price. The guy who tints cars for $100 isn't going to be installing 3M Crystalline. No matter who you go with, I'd make sure that I was getting a name brand film, even if it is just a dyed film.

Somewhere there is a post I made listing the prices at Eco-Tint for a few different films.

Found it: //www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ndow-tint.html

Llumar metalized film: $199
Llumar ceramic film: $299
3M Crystalline film: $499

If I lived here full-time I'd consider removing the dyed film on my car and installing ceramic. I had Eco-tint install Llumar ceramic film on my wife's car.

I bought an used car with tinted windows. How do I find out which kind of film I have?

[las vegas drunk]

I agree that it is better to use a higher quality tint. I tinted my car for $25 a little over 3 years ago. I did 20% all the way around. Over the years, it has faded to where now it is like I have no tint. It now is about 90%.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by Scott456

I bought an used car with tinted windows. How do I find out which kind of film I have?

You look in the glove box for the written warranty from the mfgr. If there isn't one, you probably have some no-name generic dyed film that the installer was able to buy cheaply. Every time I have had tint installed and gotten a lifetime warranty, I got a written warranty that documented the installation.

[Danknee]

43% is the legal limit on front windows here, 100% on the windshield (no tint), windshield tint strip is permitted (3 inches?), as dark as you want on the backs. I went with 20% front (illegal) and 5% rear. If you put 50% tint over the stock greenish tinted windows (look hard, it is hard to tell that they are tinted at all) that come on most Hondas, Toyotas, etc. the layering of the two tints will bring the level smack on 43%.

I've never had a tint ticket in Nevada, but the Utah Highway Patrol ticketed me 3 times when I had 5% on my fronts.

I paid $25 for computer cut tint on Ebay, it looks and works as well as the tint I paid $135 for at a tint shop for my last car. If you want to try to DIY, watch a few youtube videos about the application, get a friend to help, and be prepared to have to buy another set of tint when you mess your first attempt up. Cutting the tint was the hardest part of the tint application job and now that you can buy it computer cut to fit your car it really isn't too difficult.