Hulk311

I'd like some advice on tint brands. I am looking to install Formula One Pinnacle 50% all around on my car including the windshield but the closest F1 tint dealer is 160 miles from me (I live in MI) and I refuse to drive that far. What is the best F1 Pinnacle alternative?

There is a Huper Optik tint shop literally 5 minutes from my house but I am still unsure if I want to go with that tint. From what I have seen (photos on this site), Huper Optik tends to have a greenish/blueish tint to it. Is this true? I prefer the smokey/charcoal look.

Also, this is what I read from one of the posts on this forum:

"From what I understand Huper Optik window film is an excellent film for side window applications. But is not installable on most rear windows nor front windshields.

Many loyal Huper customers do not realize that they are getting Huper on side windows only... and a quality substitute on the back glass and windshield. This is true on over 90% of the current vehicles sold. The other 10% that have flat rear glass is what causes the confusion from truth."

And in addition, from what I have also read on here is that if the tinter uses too much heat gun the tint will look very foggy.

cruiser

Any thoughts on Llumar air blue? Is there something better?

Sevn86

Thanks for the info!

ditch2

thanks, nice write up

Davidcv4

Nice write-up

Kjjyi

The state guide link isnt working. the info helps me a lot though.

IneednSC

bump question! i have 15% on side windows and 50% windshield tint which are both illegal in Va ( ****ing hate this state) so yea i need to remove it, i was wondering does the steam method work? i was told not to do it because of glue being left behind. Tint is only a year old and was on the car when i bought it just a little more info!

mrBillFL

bbump.

going with 3m ceramic cs20. all around but the front. appt on sat.

opinions? SHOULD they pull the door panels? 2013 es model

LexBob2

They shouldn't have to. It might depend on the installer, but I've used two different guys on three cars (one was 2010 ES350) and both said not necessary "with the proper tools and technique."

DASMan

Say, does anyone have any experience how the auto dimming high beams and rain sensing wipers perform when the front windshield is tinted? Does it get in the way of those options performing the way it should, or do the still work just fine afterwards?

Thanks!

toyo

I'm not too up on all this tint knowledge so I kinda need some advice. I am wanting to get my 06 LS430 tinted soon. It is pearl white in color. I called a shop that was highly recommended to me the other day. We talked about several situations and the one I kinda liked was going with a ceramic tint at 35%. No idea what brand it was. Cost for doing all 5 windows is $300.00. Does that about right or at least an honest price? A friend suggested doing the front shield as well but i'm not keen on hat idea. He said I could do a clear that will stop a large portion of the UV though. Any info would be appreciated!

BigAnthony

I am considering tinting my new GS F-Sport with 3M Crystaline on all 4 plus the rear and have gotten quotes between $500 and $600. The crystalene is 2 to 3 times the cost of other tint. Anyone have any experience with this product and these prices?

LexBob2

Closer to the $500 figure doesn't sound too bad for Crystaline. Around here, at least, 3M installers seem to be well established shops and charge a little more than others. We had Crystaline installed on the front side windows of a new Audi SUV and are happy with the results.

MzKaylee

here another link for tints for law : http://www.tintlaws.com/

PondScum

I've seen very few posts in this thread that mention the important measurement if you're interested in keeping your car cool - solar heat gain coefficient and its inverse, total solar energy rejection.

Some people seem to have the misguided impression that the way to keep your car cool is with a really dark tint. The nearly colorless Llumar Air 80 rejects as much heat as some 5% limo tint films. The way a film achieves high TSER without being dark is to be spectrally selective and block out the IR spectrum really well, without blocking the visible spectrum. AFAIK only ceramic films have this property.

On my wife's old car we put Llumar Air 80 on the front windows, which has high TSER but is so light you can't tell the windows are tinted. This is a CA registered car (law says net 70% VLT on the front windows), but we spend a lot of time at our second home in Las Vegas, so a colorless tint that has high TSER is needed. We actually went with a cheaper non-ceramic film on the rear windows and hatch, as those were tinted much darker, and a conventional film had sufficient TSER. Llumar Air 80 is also a popular film for windshields in Las Vegas, since it's nearly undetectable, even close up (windshield tint is illegal in NV).

One of the knocks against Llumar Air 80 is an "orange peel" appearance that seems to take months to go away. I noticed it initially on my wife's old car, and it was still there several weeks later, but it eventually went away.

We're taking her IS250C to Las Vegas for a couple months. I thinking about waiting until we get there to have it tinted, and take it to the same place we took her old car. In Northern CA the weather is so mild you almost don't need aftermarket tint, except for the enhanced appearance.