I live in California so mainly looking for good uva/uvb protection. What makes a good tint material that meets these requirements? Something with good longevity would be nice too.
Thanks
Thanks
Can someone please school me on window tint?
- Thread starter PlzRepond
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http://www.tintproscp.com/auto_tint.html
A ceramic film can last the life of the car. About $500 around here or $700 for the 3M branded film.
The basic 3M film will last about 5 years and cost $300.
Mid-tier 3M will last longer and not turn purple. Price will run $400. This from the best tint shop around here. Excellent reviews.
A ceramic film can last the life of the car. About $500 around here or $700 for the 3M branded film.
The basic 3M film will last about 5 years and cost $300.
Mid-tier 3M will last longer and not turn purple. Price will run $400. This from the best tint shop around here. Excellent reviews.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Most name-brand tint will block 99%+ UV.
Ceramic claims a significant reduction in IR (heat) as well.
Through the same installer (literally, the same son of the owner of the shop), we had non-ceramic, “premium” tint installed on our FXT, and ceramic tint installed on our Legacy. The sun feels a lot less intense through the Legacy’s windows. Pretty impressed, to the point where I’ll likely have our shop install ceramic on the FXT soon.
Ceramic claims a significant reduction in IR (heat) as well.
Through the same installer (literally, the same son of the owner of the shop), we had non-ceramic, “premium” tint installed on our FXT, and ceramic tint installed on our Legacy. The sun feels a lot less intense through the Legacy’s windows. Pretty impressed, to the point where I’ll likely have our shop install ceramic on the FXT soon.
If you're really looking at a film for all the benefits and not "the style" of a tint job, the extra couple hundred for a ceramic film is totally worth it.
I had the two front side windows done with 3M ceramic film on a 2017 Toyota Highlander for $199.The Highlander does have OEM tint but not much on the front side windows, lifetime warranty from 3M. Make sure you stay legal with the right percent of light passing thru the tint or you could get a ticket and have to remove the tint, every state is a different percentage. Makes a big difference when driving.
You do know that tinted windows are illegal here?
If you drive down to Mexico they'll do the whole job for less than 20 dollars with ceramic tint included.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: Chris142
You do know that tinted windows are illegal here?
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
Originally Posted By: CT8
Tinted windows look ghetto.
Where's your nearest ghetto, I wonder. Do they even have Ghettos in Idaho???
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
Good point. IIRC, late-model Subarus block a lot of UV light without any tint at all.
I like the look of slightly darker tint (basically, OE-level tint, all around.) If your vehicle is out long enough, the temperature will equalize and then exceed outside temps. My experience so far has been that the ceramic tint on my Legacy will slow down this process and works very well for blocking IR while stopping and going while running errands. It definitely helps with cooling the car down more quickly than without it, since the A/C isn't fighting outside and inside air temps AND all of the heat input from the sun, through all of the glass. Whether this is worth it for you is debatable.
I'm the type who drives 15-25 minutes to work without using the heater in 0F weather, because I dress for the weather and don't mind a bit of chill in order to let the engine warm up. I run the A/C only when necessary. When my wife and toddler are in the car, I don't have a choice. The additional money spent on ceramic tint is worth it for that reason alone, regardless of whether I myself am more comfortable or longer able to resists cranking the A/C when it's just me in the car.
YMMV
You do know that tinted windows are illegal here?
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
Originally Posted By: CT8
Tinted windows look ghetto.
Where's your nearest ghetto, I wonder. Do they even have Ghettos in Idaho???
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
Good point. IIRC, late-model Subarus block a lot of UV light without any tint at all.
I like the look of slightly darker tint (basically, OE-level tint, all around.) If your vehicle is out long enough, the temperature will equalize and then exceed outside temps. My experience so far has been that the ceramic tint on my Legacy will slow down this process and works very well for blocking IR while stopping and going while running errands. It definitely helps with cooling the car down more quickly than without it, since the A/C isn't fighting outside and inside air temps AND all of the heat input from the sun, through all of the glass. Whether this is worth it for you is debatable.
I'm the type who drives 15-25 minutes to work without using the heater in 0F weather, because I dress for the weather and don't mind a bit of chill in order to let the engine warm up. I run the A/C only when necessary. When my wife and toddler are in the car, I don't have a choice. The additional money spent on ceramic tint is worth it for that reason alone, regardless of whether I myself am more comfortable or longer able to resists cranking the A/C when it's just me in the car.
YMMV
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
I can't speak for California in specific, but there are jurisdictions, including this one, where no tint on the driver and passenger side front windows is permitted, regardless of light transmission, with part of the reason having to do with the side glass not behaving as it's supposed to under breakage, when it's all held together by a film of some sort, since that behaviour isn't what it's supposed to be in a crash, and it doesn't matter whether the film is pitch black or perfectly clear.
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
I can't speak for California in specific, but there are jurisdictions, including this one, where no tint on the driver and passenger side front windows is permitted, regardless of light transmission, with part of the reason having to do with the side glass not behaving as it's supposed to under breakage, when it's all held together by a film of some sort, since that behaviour isn't what it's supposed to be in a crash, and it doesn't matter whether the film is pitch black or perfectly clear.
Had all mine tinted all-round with Huper X3 Ceramic 40 Series. The windshields were tinted with Huper Nano-Ceramic 70, which is clear. Lifetime warranty, holds up well in temperatures over 130ºF, keeping the interior cool.
Funny enough I got a Cars window shade in Disneyland, which was discolored in just 3 days without the tint. Started using the second one I bought after I got the windshield tinted, and that hasn't faded in the last year and a half. I think that little experiment speaks volume.
Funny enough I got a Cars window shade in Disneyland, which was discolored in just 3 days without the tint. Started using the second one I bought after I got the windshield tinted, and that hasn't faded in the last year and a half. I think that little experiment speaks volume.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
I can't speak for California in specific, but there are jurisdictions, including this one, where no tint on the driver and passenger side front windows is permitted, regardless of light transmission, with part of the reason having to do with the side glass not behaving as it's supposed to under breakage, when it's all held together by a film of some sort, since that behaviour isn't what it's supposed to be in a crash, and it doesn't matter whether the film is pitch black or perfectly clear.
Interesting - thanks for the info.
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
All tint, even if most or all of the light is let through??????
I can't speak for California in specific, but there are jurisdictions, including this one, where no tint on the driver and passenger side front windows is permitted, regardless of light transmission, with part of the reason having to do with the side glass not behaving as it's supposed to under breakage, when it's all held together by a film of some sort, since that behaviour isn't what it's supposed to be in a crash, and it doesn't matter whether the film is pitch black or perfectly clear.
Interesting - thanks for the info.
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
I thought so too but recently learned otherwise. The windshield blocks both UV-A and UV-B. the rest only block one of them -- I can't remember which .. but the UV type that causes skin cancer still passes through the side and rear windows.
-m
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
I thought so too but recently learned otherwise. The windshield blocks both UV-A and UV-B. the rest only block one of them -- I can't remember which .. but the UV type that causes skin cancer still passes through the side and rear windows.
-m
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
The major concern is turning the tins into what is essentially a large piece of very coarse sandpaper, against human flesh.
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
The major concern is turning the tins into what is essentially a large piece of very coarse sandpaper, against human flesh.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
The major concern is turning the tins into what is essentially a large piece of very coarse sandpaper, against human flesh.
I just pictured that in my minds eye - ugh...
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I wonder what about the film makes it deleterious to crash worthiness. I can understand that it could potentially cause problems for those TRYING to break away the window to escape. In an accident, I'd assume the film would result in less shattered glass being flung about.
The major concern is turning the tins into what is essentially a large piece of very coarse sandpaper, against human flesh.
I just pictured that in my minds eye - ugh...
Originally Posted By: meep
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
I thought so too but recently learned otherwise. The windshield blocks both UV-A and UV-B. the rest only block one of them -- I can't remember which .. but the UV type that causes skin cancer still passes through the side and rear windows.
-m
Yep, I have to remember to put on sunblock if I'm driving for more than an hour in the summer, during peak sun hours, despite having the window rolled up.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Unless you have a 40 year old car, the windows already have UV blocking. Tint definitely help keep the car cool as you're driving though...doesn't seem to do much when parked.
I thought so too but recently learned otherwise. The windshield blocks both UV-A and UV-B. the rest only block one of them -- I can't remember which .. but the UV type that causes skin cancer still passes through the side and rear windows.
-m
Yep, I have to remember to put on sunblock if I'm driving for more than an hour in the summer, during peak sun hours, despite having the window rolled up.
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
I just pictured that in my minds eye - ugh...
I received a much more vivid exposure back in collision analysis training with the portion on the history and evolution of automotive safety technology. Early windshields were worse than tinted glass, though. Combined with no seat belts, they often resulted in decapitation.
I just pictured that in my minds eye - ugh...
I received a much more vivid exposure back in collision analysis training with the portion on the history and evolution of automotive safety technology. Early windshields were worse than tinted glass, though. Combined with no seat belts, they often resulted in decapitation.
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