Official 3rd Gen IS Tint Thread - add your pics here!
12-15-14, 12:41 PM
#391
Lexus Test Driver
If I can throw in a suggestion.
I had 35% on my genesis coupe and felt it was underwhelming. I put 20% sides and back on my camaro and love it. However, you have to be prepared to not see very well at night. You learn to adjust, and you put your window down if necessary.
I feel if you're going to tint though, tint sides and back the same. Otherwise, and its MY personal opinion, varying darkness tint looks cheap and inconsistent. Tint can make or break a car, and having varying tint will make me laugh at you over complimenting you.
Also, make sure you look at your state laws and know what you're getting into. PA, tint is a secondary offense. So I have to do something ELSE first before I can get written a ticket for tint. So I expect if i get caught for speeding, expect to add $200 on top.
Also be aware, if you drive your car through different states, they CAN pull you over (even if you're an out of state plate) for your tint. So try not to draw too much unwanted attention.
I have 3M tint on my windows. As was mentioned before though, your tint is one thing, but finding a quality installer is more important. It doesn't matter how good the material is, if the guy installing it does a poor job and it doesn't cure properly. You also want someone that takes pride in their work, because you will find people who are like "if you have ANY issue, i'll replace whatever you need", and those that say "well, for $, you can't expect perfection".
A great installer will also have a brand they trust and are usually qualified to install. Like a clear bra, you can be certified for tinting. Don't trust joe bob to install your tint because he's "giving you a good deal".
I had 35% on my genesis coupe and felt it was underwhelming. I put 20% sides and back on my camaro and love it. However, you have to be prepared to not see very well at night. You learn to adjust, and you put your window down if necessary.
I feel if you're going to tint though, tint sides and back the same. Otherwise, and its MY personal opinion, varying darkness tint looks cheap and inconsistent. Tint can make or break a car, and having varying tint will make me laugh at you over complimenting you.
Also, make sure you look at your state laws and know what you're getting into. PA, tint is a secondary offense. So I have to do something ELSE first before I can get written a ticket for tint. So I expect if i get caught for speeding, expect to add $200 on top.
Also be aware, if you drive your car through different states, they CAN pull you over (even if you're an out of state plate) for your tint. So try not to draw too much unwanted attention.
I have 3M tint on my windows. As was mentioned before though, your tint is one thing, but finding a quality installer is more important. It doesn't matter how good the material is, if the guy installing it does a poor job and it doesn't cure properly. You also want someone that takes pride in their work, because you will find people who are like "if you have ANY issue, i'll replace whatever you need", and those that say "well, for $, you can't expect perfection".
A great installer will also have a brand they trust and are usually qualified to install. Like a clear bra, you can be certified for tinting. Don't trust joe bob to install your tint because he's "giving you a good deal".
Last edited by Swacer; 12-15-14 at 12:44 PM.
12-15-14, 12:54 PM
#392
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I've found that a good quality versus price compromise tint is a Formula 1 ceramic. It offers better heat rejection than metallic, doesnt interfere with electronics, and doesnt fade. Of course it comes with a lifetime warranty. It's about $250. It's also good to find a local installer who has had happy customers. Look for local reviews as a bad install can make it frustrating to keep returning.
http://www.formulaone.com/en/pinnacle.aspx
Mike
http://www.formulaone.com/en/pinnacle.aspx
Mike
12-15-14, 12:55 PM
#393
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Here's the email the owner of the shop sent me. I do appreciate the time and detail he put into it.
Our FormulaOne Pinnacle runs $399 for a 4 door vehicle. Pricing does not vary by VLT, so all films in that series are the same price. Pinnacle is available in 35, 30, 15 and 5% VLT and the heat rejection varies according to darkness. We also offer AIR 82 by Llumar which is a ceramic product designed for full windshield coverage. The AIR 82 is $200 and we take 10% off if you do both at the same time. The products come with a Lifetime Warranty as well as No Fault Protection which is a one time neglect coverage warranty. All film is cut from a C&C Plotter computer cut pattern system which means that no cutting is done on the vehicle. This prevents damage to rubber gaskets and helps prevent etching of glass. By the way, we do all of the tinting and paint protection film work for Lexus of Austin.
As far as the 3M Crystalline product, we do not carry that product line. I have looked at it and I feel like the FormulaOne has it beat on several levels.
1. The 3M Crystalline does not heat shape very well. Heat shaping involves using a heat gun to shape the film to the shape of the glass. This allows us to film every glass in one piece, no seams. The FormulaOne Pinnacle shapes beautifully which helps the installation look better.
2. Durability & longevity. The scratch resistant coating on the FormulaOne is far superior. The Crystalline has the color apparently incorporated into the scratch coat and it can be removed far too easily during installation. It is not a durable film.
3. The 3M Crystalline is not available in darker VLT's, 40% is the darkest VLT.
As far as the 3M Crystalline product, we do not carry that product line. I have looked at it and I feel like the FormulaOne has it beat on several levels.
1. The 3M Crystalline does not heat shape very well. Heat shaping involves using a heat gun to shape the film to the shape of the glass. This allows us to film every glass in one piece, no seams. The FormulaOne Pinnacle shapes beautifully which helps the installation look better.
2. Durability & longevity. The scratch resistant coating on the FormulaOne is far superior. The Crystalline has the color apparently incorporated into the scratch coat and it can be removed far too easily during installation. It is not a durable film.
3. The 3M Crystalline is not available in darker VLT's, 40% is the darkest VLT.
12-15-14, 01:54 PM
#394
Do all of you who have had your car tinted, live in hot climates? I ask because I was thinking of getting it down here in Ontario, where we get very cold winters, and was wondering how the product holds up to below freezing temperatures.
12-15-14, 02:07 PM
#396
The person asking about tint and geographic location...I do live in south florida. In reality, tint only helps so much. It is nice for helping to keep you a bit cooler but nothing will prevent the car from getting scorching hot once you have left the car sitting in the sun for awhile.
I've probably had 10 or 15 cars of mine tinted but decided not to do it on this car and I havent really missed it much.
Mike
12-18-14, 11:11 AM
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12-19-14, 12:55 PM
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