[jfried1016]

So I was wondering legal limit in AZ is 33 and I need to decide between getting 35 or 15 on my front. What are your guys opinion?

[Drifa]

I use 3M crystaline on all mine, it's only 40% at the darkest but the heat reflection characteristics are just so nice in a hot climate. Plus the added bonus of not breaking any laws

I do 40 on everything but the front which gets 90.

[jfried1016]

Originally Posted by Drifa

I use 3M crystaline on all mine, it's only 40% at the darkest but the heat reflection characteristics are just so nice in a hot climate. Plus the added bonus of not breaking any laws

I do 40 on everything but the front which gets 90.

It's suntek Carbon I can opt for 15 all around of 35 on the front but the windows on this car are basically just the two fronts Lol

[XutvJet]

I used the most expensive heat reflective 38% tint (legal in Kansas) that was available. I wouldn't want it any darker.

[jfried1016]

That looks good. I ended up going 35 in front and 15 around the rest.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by jfried1016

That looks good. I ended up going 35 in front and 15 around the rest.

Damn; wish I'd caught this. SunTek is not really an A-level tint brand; I'd have avoided it. Also, you didn't note what line of SunTek tint you were using. There are five:
- CXP
- Carbon
- Infinity
- HP
- Standard

CXP and Carbon are the only ones to consider, and I hope the only ones the installer offered for you. Both are nonmetallic.

[jfried1016]

I believe he only had CXP and carbon. I went with Carbon.

[jfried1016]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

I used the most expensive heat reflective 38% tint (legal in Kansas) that was available. I wouldn't want it any darker.

Quick question... Did the bumps by the rear of the window show up lighter than the rest?

[babysarah]

Suntek is actually a great brand. I've had Suntek (carbon) on two of my vehicles now. In my most honest opinion, when you are comparing similar films (say, carbon) across certain brands, 9/10 you (the consumer) will never notice a difference in quality from one brand to the other. As long as the film has been properly applied, I would say in terms of quality, Suntek is neck-and-neck with Llumar. 3M is good this is one of those circumstances in which you're paying for a brand, not quality itself.

Of course, to each their own. Everyone has their opinion.

Peeling? Bubbling? Fading? Those things are all characteristic of a poor install and improper care - not the film itself. You can't see a difference (unless colors are different), you can't feel a difference (unless you're the one applying).

My experience with film has been with Llumar, Suntek, Viper, and 3M. I've had all but 3M put on my vehicles in the past.

Edited to mention: Yes, tinting over the defroster/antenna lines will always cause the tint to look "lighter" on those parts. The lines are raised, so that difference in level when the film is applied versus being applied on a flat surface will always show.

[BentZero]

I have Suntek CXP and I love it. My tint is ridiculously dark though. 55% windshield, 18% sides and 5% rear window. If I had to do it again I think I would do 18% all around with the 55% windshield. In terms of looks though, my car looks pretty sick. Had a cop pull up behind me at a stop light and he didn't pull me. I was sweating bullets though. I need to get a Rx from the eye doctor for light sensitivity saying that I need the tint. That'll make me legal.....I hope.

[jfried1016]

Originally Posted by BentZero

I have Suntek CXP and I love it. My tint is ridiculously dark though. 55% windshield, 18% sides and 5% rear window. If I had to do it again I think I would do 18% all around with the 55% windshield. In terms of looks though, my car looks pretty sick. Had a cop pull up behind me at a stop light and he didn't pull me. I was sweating bullets though. I need to get a Rx from the eye doctor for light sensitivity saying that I need the tint. That'll make me legal.....I hope.

Yeah I'm happy with how it looks but yeah I just didn't want to take the risk. Az cops are aggressive lol. It's legal to tint your windshield there?

[BentZero]

tint

[BentZero]

App didn't upload my pics :/

[jfried1016]

Originally Posted by BentZero

App didn't upload my pics :/

Looks good! I'll take some tomm.

Did you have any problems with the bumps on the back of the window?

[M235iguy]

I went 17% in the back and due to state laws was forced to go 43% front. 17% or 20% all around would be ideal for me.

[BentZero]

Originally Posted by jfried1016

Looks good! I'll take some tomm.

Did you have any problems with the bumps on the back of the window?

Yeah, the tint isn't going to be flat due to the defroster lines. I knew that going into it though. There's only one spot that I'd say is abnormal and it's super minor. I'll take a pic after I'm done washing the car today.

[SteveInfante]

Not legal unless you have a medical reason to be exempt from the state law, like light sensitivity. I have 5% rear and rear sides, 15% front sides, 45% front.

[BentZero]

Here's the best pic I could get. The camera had a hard time focusing. That's the only imperfection I have on the rear window. The rest I would say are due to the things that are already on the rear window. I do have a series of small bubbles on the front passenger window that I thought would go away. I'm going to take it back to the shop next week to get fixed.

Oh, just to clarify, the imperfection is that line going to the right from that upside down shark fin.

[jfried1016]

Originally Posted by BentZero

Here's the best pic I could get. The camera had a hard time focusing. That's the only imperfection I have on the rear window. The rest I would say are due to the things that are already on the rear window. I do have a series of small bubbles on the front passenger window that I thought would go away. I'm going to take it back to the shop next week to get fixed.

Oh, just to clarify, the imperfection is that line going to the right from that upside down shark fin.

Nice. Yeah I have a series of tiny bumps on each window that are unable to be tinted perfectly.

Here's what mine looks like.

[SteveInfante]

Same here. I may have the front windshield done again with a lighter more heat cancelling film in the future.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by babysarah

Suntek is actually a great brand. I've had Suntek (carbon) on two of my vehicles now. In my most honest opinion, when you are comparing similar films (say, carbon) across certain brands, 9/10 you (the consumer) will never notice a difference in quality from one brand to the other. As long as the film has been properly applied, I would say in terms of quality, Suntek is neck-and-neck with Llumar. 3M is good this is one of those circumstances in which you're paying for a brand, not quality itself.

Of course, to each their own. Everyone has their opinion.

Or, an opinion based on experience, research, and friends who are in the tinting biz ...

Yes: Suntek and Llumar are about equal. Both are class B brands that used to be class A brands. They've both shifted their business model recently to serve car dealers more by pushing in-house template tinting hardware and training. This has resulted in a noticeable lowering of the quality of the tint itself -- according to the shop that I have my tint done at, which recently dropped Llumar after a long (15 years-plus) relationship with it.

Granted, that business model shift hasn't made a lot of independent shops happy at all. But others have moved away from SunTec and Llumar because of film quality issues combined with a lowering of B2B supplier-installer service quality. if you don't believe me, peruse a couple of the tint-specific forums that exist. The drop is well documented if you dig enough.

Thankfully, there are more tint brands than ever now. 3M is class A; you're not paying for the name all that much because it's a relatively recent entrant in the auto-tint market (it's produced tint for commercial buildings and such for decades) and it's aggressively digging out market share. Another class A brand, Huper Optik, is all but unknown to those outside the tint industry but is among the most expensive, even though its technology is roughly the same as what 3M uses.

[marcelo929]

I got my car tinted this weekend. Unfortunately the only place that carried Huper Optik (which was my first choice) had bad reviews regarding customer service and I wasn't too comfortable having my windows done by them.

I was recommended Solar Gard Ultra Performance film by a local guy who does some of the higher end cars in town. I ended up going with it and it looks good and seems to have good heat cancelling qualities that will be much needed in South Texas.

Not sure how good of a film it is, but I am happy with the overall look and the great customer service I got.