When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
How much extra was tinting the winshield? I was quoted approx $300!! Seemed a little excessive to me.
It was $225 and yes seemed very excessive in relation to the other windows, I did think "degree of difficulty" but then again the rear glass ain't no picnic right?
The sun-visor strip is an interesting concept... I think the car already has some built in... but based on your advise and these pictures I may just have them also tint the visor (although it would be 15%).
I think I can now finally tell the difference between the cheap tint (like SunTek entry-level stuff) and the nice stuff like Formula One Pinnacle and Huper Optik by looking at a car from a distance.
Before we know it, we'll be "purveyors of fine automotive tint" ... if there is such a thing
When I took it to the tint shop, they told me that my car was previously tinted (I didn't know), and that they need to remove the remaining glue from the last tint job.
I looked very closely at the windows, and could see the glue residue.
Not a huge deal apparently, but they're adding an hour's worth of labor into the cost.
The Air 80 does look awfully good in that picture. It's certainly tempting.
Have you tried wearing polarized sun glasses inside the car, with the Air 80 tint?
I'm super-concerned about any reduction in visibility through the windshield.
Just did my polarized test. No issues at all. A "little" color shifting on objects away from the car but the windshield didn't light up with that typical grid. My takeaway? Polarized glasses are good to go with a tinted windshield!
A shop I usually take my cars too gave me a quote of $380 for Formula One Pinnacle Ceramic 35% or $280 without ceramic. I will it get it within a few weeks once the weather gets a little warmer.
Here in Illinois, we can only legally go up to 35% tint.
Just did my polarized test. No issues at all. A "little" color shifting on objects away from the car but the windshield didn't light up with that typical grid. My takeaway? Polarized glasses are good to go with a tinted windshield!
Thanks for the feedback, Jekyll.
I have decided against tinting the windshield... primarily due to wanting to avoid law enforcement issues.
I'm having the Huper Optik ESC 35% removed from my LS and replaced with Formula One Pinnacle 30% tomorrow. The Huper Optik has a metallic silver/blue hint to it that I don't dislike, but the issue is that the front and rear windows of the LS are tinted different colors from the factory, and that difference is really amplified by the reflective tint. I've lived with it for 10 months or so now but I can't anymore. The Formula One isn't reflective, so it shouldn't be an issue.
For those considering Huper Optik, make sure its the dual layered film that comes in even % numbers, 30, 40, 50. The 35, 45, is the HSC single layer film and it has a very different look. Totally not what I was expecting after my exhaustive research. Like I said, I would have kept it if not for the color differential between the front and rear windows.
A photo example:
I'll post pictures of the Formula One when I can.
Not thrilled about paying $150 extra to rip off $400 worth of tint.
A shop I usually take my cars too gave me a quote of $380 for Formula One Pinnacle Ceramic 35% or $280 without ceramic. I will it get it within a few weeks once the weather gets a little warmer.
Here in Illinois, we can only legally go up to 35% tint.
Conversely, I would have LOVED to get the semi-reflective Huper Optik tint... just like what you have in your pictures... I just couldn't find a local (official) Huper Optik dealer that had 15% film (30% is too light for my taste)... thus I had to default to Formula One Pinnacle since it was both readily available, and convenient.
Interesting how opinions can differ
However, I did not know that the front and rear windows are different through... is that only in the SWB, or in the LWB also? Perhaps that's the crucial difference...
Originally Posted by SW15LS
I'm having the Huper Optik ESC 35% removed from my LS and replaced with Formula One Pinnacle 30% tomorrow. The Huper Optik has a metallic silver/blue hint to it that I don't dislike, but the issue is that the front and rear windows of the LS are tinted different colors from the factory, and that difference is really amplified by the reflective tint. I've lived with it for 10 months or so now but I can't anymore. The Formula One isn't reflective, so it shouldn't be an issue.
For those considering Huper Optik, make sure its the dual layered film that comes in even % numbers, 30, 40, 50. The 35, 45, is the HSC single layer film and it has a very different look. Totally not what I was expecting after my exhaustive research. Like I said, I would have kept it if not for the color differential between the front and rear windows.
A photo example:
I'll post pictures of the Formula One when I can.
Not thrilled about paying $150 extra to rip off $400 worth of tint.
I see that as the "cost of doing business"... i.e. if I want to drive a tinted car, occasionally I'll have to open the window if I'm parking in a pitch-dark area with absolutely no lighting.
Usually, it's necessary no more than once a week. I feel it's a fair trade-off.
Originally Posted by R Z
My LS came tinted as
shown below. I certainly find it more difficult to reverse park at night. I generally have to roll the back window down.
Conversely, I would have LOVED to get the semi-reflective Huper Optik tint... just like what you have in your pictures... I just couldn't find a local (official) Huper Optik dealer that had 15% film (30% is too light for my taste)... thus I had to default to Formula One Pinnacle since it was both readily available, and convenient.
Interesting how opinions can differ
However, I did not know that the front and rear windows are different through... is that only in the SWB, or in the LWB also? Perhaps that's the crucial difference...
I like the semi-reflective tint too, thats part of why I chose the Huper Optik, my issue is just the difference in color between the front and back windows and the fact that the reflective nature of that tint magnifies the difference. In some lighting, especially cloudy days, its REALLY obvious and strange looking. When it was untinted you could not tell.
I think it has to do with the front windows being double paned and the rears single paned. I believe on the LWB the rears are also double paned so that may help, but the rear opera windows and the rear windshield are still going to be single paned and will have that color difference I'm sure.
At the shop now having the swap done. Everybody here was dumbfounded by that color difference...
03-01-16, 01:09 PM
