Hey everyone. My 2022 IS is about to land and I'm starting to try to get appointments for window tinting of the car. In my state, Florida, I can go 28% in the front and 15% in the rear. Given that 28% does not exist on a film, I am going to have to go 30% front and 15% rear to still stay legal. I'd prefer to go 15% all around, but that's besides the point. I've called a couple of places and have gotten pricing for them and would like to know what you guys think about the product itself. I am going for ceramic tinting with this vehicle. The pricing in all of these I find to be acceptable except for one which I will explain now.

- Location 1: Where I've always done by tinting, although I've done dyed tints before. The only Ceramic Option they offer is Rayno S7 for $315 for all the glass minus the windshield. My girlfriend had this one done since it was done for free through the dealer and truthfully the heat rejection is really really good, although I find it slightly lighter in terms of color than I would've liked, even though she got 35% and 15% which is what is on my vehicle currently. They cut their tints by hand. They give you a paper from Rayno but for some reason they don't show up on the authorized dealers for Rayno

- Location 2: A new location which is authorized for Llumar products. They are offering me Llumar Formula One Pinnacle for $309 and it is computer cut tint. They also offered me the Formula One Stratos for $549.

- Location 3: The only authorized Rayno installer that shows up on their website in my area. He is a mobile installer and would come to my home. He offered me Rayno S5 for $200, S7 for $250 or S9 for $300. I would be opting to go S9 with this option.

Truthfully, despite having gone with Location 1 for all my previous tints, I am inclined more with the other options as I can get what I believe to be better products, for less money. Not to mention that the locations are closer. I've also heard good things about a product called 3M Crystalline which many refer as the top dog, but it seems to be in the $500+ range. Also, at the lower end of the spectrum it only offers 20% and 40%, meaning I'd have to do 20% in the rear and 40% in the front if I want to stay legal. I've also seen the Xpel films, although they all seem to have a very blue tint to them which truthfully I do not find appealing whatsoever. And lastly I've also heard people talk about Huper tints, but I know nothing about them. I'd love to get your insights on this. Thank you.

 

We use Suntek CIR in our shop, which is also a full ceramic film. We charge $295 plus tax for a full sedan, so the pricing isn't too far off. We are in Clemmons, NC. Crystalline is one of the best, if not THE best, but it comes at a much higher price than most other films. So if they are telling you about $500 for Crystalline, that's actually not too bad either. Huper is a great film, but not commonly found. Some higher end dealers install their film before delivery of the new cars they sell. I have not seen a local tinter ever carry their films. Xpel is decent, and it does have a slight blueish haze to it if you do their dyed film. Their ceramic or nano ceramic film has a bronze haze to it. I don't know about the other films you mentioned as I have never used them.

A word to the wise, and I am sure I will get blowback from this, but I would never use a mobile window tinter. The ones in our area, we have to fix their work all the time due to dirt or debris being in the tint once they're done. You cannot get a nice clean job out in the elements as you can a shop.

 

Any specific brand you'd recommend over another for keeping cabin temps down? I'm looking at getting my tint replaced, its pretty rough at the moment.

 

Just about any of the full ceramic films will work. Obviously Crystalline being the premium, but it's pricey. Brand doesn't really matter. Crystalline is a 3M product, so they are a well known household brand. But don't let that sway you one way or another. The ceramic films are all pretty good.

That being said, if you leave your car outside on a hot day with the windows up it will still get hot inside the vehicle. No matter what tint you have. If you leave your windows cracked a lil, that will help with releasing some of that heat. If you can leave your windows cracked a lil and use a windshield shade also, that will help even more. Where the ceramic films really do their job is when you get in and start driving, get your car cooled off to your liking, you won't feel the heat coming in on you. The best way to describe it, roll you window down and lay your arm on the door by the window. Your arm will get hot in a matter of seconds. Now, once it's tinted with ceramic film, if you lay your arm in the same spot with the window up, you won't (or shouldn't if they used ceramic film) feel the heat.

 

Thank you for the insight and pointing out the flaw in a mobile detailer. I too had the same concern and especially since I don’t have a garage I was a little iffy. And thank you for your insight on the products. Have you personally dealt with or seen the Llumar Formula One Pinnacle? I’m still waiting to get calls back from other shops but that’s what I’m leading towards currently given the options I’ve been given. Thank you in advance.

I forgot to mention. I did get a quote for Suntek but it was a from a big name chain, Tint King, and they wanted $450 for it. Which is way overpriced in my opinion.

Anddddd just got off the phone with a 3M Crystalline dealer and they wanted $599

 

I don't have any dealings with any of the Llumar products but I can tell you, Llumar and Suntek are both made by Eastman Products. So I would assume they would be just as good. Tint King does use Suntek but the one in our area is very expensive. We get a bunch of their customers simply for that reason. For example, they use the CXP line of films and charge at minimum about $50-100 more per car than we do and we use the better CIR film. CXP is still a decent film, but we have had issues with it in the past so we stopped using it.

I am not going to talk bad about Crystalline, as it is a great product. But they are very expensive at $599 for a sedan. But then again, I know of other tint places that get more than that. So it's all in what you want. I would suggest going to a couple different tint places, have them show you some differences with a demonstrator box. Don't just read about it. You need to feel it. That is the best way. I can't tell you how much our demonstrator box has helped us sell CIR over the basic Carbon line. Once they feel the heat difference, it sells itself.

 

^^ It is great to have a pro in this line of business to contribute to the forum! I swear that I lived closer, I wouldn't let anyone else touch my car than you!! I know the level of details you put into your work and tooo bad there aren't more people like yourself who take pride in their work.

 

Thanks man, I appreciate it! Yea I am a little too OCD to do anything other than a good job, but I don't know if you could call me a pro. I might not be the best around, but I always tell customers the truth, even if it means they go somewhere else. I never try to sell someone on something they don't want.

That being said, I wish all you guys lived in my area and came to us. It would be great to put faces with names and cars! I enjoy meeting people I talk with on the forums. I met several when I had my Tacoma that came to me from tacomaworld. They are still customers to this day.

 

I went with Suntek CXP on my car, from a reputable shop. I'm in the Bay Area and it's not crazy hot where I live. My daughter uses a mobile installer that is highly rated and has had good luck with her two cars. She got Suntek ceramic on hers for the same price as I paid for CXP. I think if the installer is good, no matter where you take it, and you have a lifetime warranty, you should be ok. I'm not an installer. My two cents.

 

Suntek CXP is a good film, and works really well. We had used that film for about 10 years before we switched to CIR. As far as the heat rejection goes, they are very similar.

That is the problem with the mobile installers around our area. They don't warranty anything, so if they get trash in it or scratch it, when the customer calls back, they can't reach them. Thus, they usually call us to fix their problems. I am not saying a mobile installer can't do a good job. But the ones around here don't. If you can give a good installer a decent clean environment, they can do a good job for you. As long as it's not windy or raining, you should be fine.

Warranty is key. We lifetime warranty ever vehicle we do. As long as you hold onto your receipt. If you can't prove we did the job, then we will cut you a break, but we can't "warranty" it fully. We have customers who got their tint done many years ago, when they have a problem, we fix it no questions asked.

 

^^ That is the key to a good business model and assuring longevity. So many business don't understand the importance of customer service, they want the initial profit and instant gratification but treat a customer well and don't d*ck them around and they'll come again for future business and recommend you to their friends...So your boss deserves a good pat on the back. Look at how much we bash the dealers here that are greedy and just want to exploit customers....

 

The company I work for has been in business since 1997, he did all of my vehicles, even when he was working for another tint shop before he opened his shop. I have been with his company for 11 years now. So he/we have a ton of repeat customers, and that is primarily the customer service. In this business or any business for that matter, even if you can't make every single customer happy, you have to be polite and understanding. Oh, and do a good job, forgot about that...lol

 

Thank you for the thorough explanation man. I really wish I could have you work on my car lol. Yesterday evening I got a quote for 3M Crystalline for $475 and 3M Ceramic IR, both hand cut. And one 3M Ceramic Ir at $350 for computer cut. What are your thoughts on hand versus computer cut? The last couple of times I’ve had hand cut done and they always slightly cut off a slim piece of the window trim at the bottom. Nothing major but something I’ve noticed. As it stands, I’m currently leaning towards getting the Llumar Formula One Pinnacle which is computer cut for $309. And they have over 300 reviews on google with 4.9 stars, so I’d say their work is definitely great.

 

At $475 for Crystalline, I would be all over it honestly. That said, the other films are just about as good.

Now, onto the hand cut vs computer cut. I do not hand cut anything. I didn't start tinting until the computer programs came out and that's what I can do well. All the lines are cut perfect, there is no chance of damaging a customer's car and to me it just looks better. Our owner can hand cut obviously, as long as he's been doing tint, he should. Even he doesn't like to do it since the programs have come out. It takes more time and there is a possibility of damaging a customer's car. Which sucks. I am very particular when it comes to my cars, and if someone cut anything on the outside of my vehicles it would be very upsetting. So if we have a pattern in any of the 2 programs we use, we cut off of that. If it has to be cut by hand, our owner does it. But most newer cars, and even some of the older muscle cars and trucks are in our programs.

 

Gotcha so computer cut is basically the way to go it seems. The thing that has me iffy about crystalline is that it basically goes from 40% to 20%. Which means, if I want to keep it 100% legal for Florida, I’d have to do 20% rear and 40% front. Which I’m scared is too light. And one shop warned me about it having a bronzish gradient to it. Basically not being full of a black tone. Do you know if the new 3IS or 3.5IS as some are calling it, is in your programs already? Thanks for the help man.