[DaleHeinz]

Can't remember what brand I have, but I went with ceramic 20%. Have done this in all of my/wife's cars for years. Great quality and heat reduction, plus a little added privacy. No fading and very durable. (Before anyone flames the 20%, we have a waiver for for wife's skin disorder). I had 35% on one of my last cars, but when she was diagnosed, we went a little darker and it was well worth it. If you can't go that dark, 35% ceramic is still a great option and will be a noticeable difference.

[Maynard]

Couple of Q's from a newbie to tints - thinking about this, but of course NY just amped up the laws on it; not sure I can do anything, and if so fairly light.
-is the %age the amount allowed through (so higher number is lighter shade - i.e. 30% is darker than 70%)?
-do you get much heat rejection from lighter tints? I think I can only go to 70% (transmitted through), most everybody on here is at 50% or lower.
-Is the temp difference really noticeable/worth the cost, or is that just what you tell your wife (and the cops) as a legit justification?
-and finally, do they cover the whole front side window, or leave the top strip uncovered where it rests against the rubber?

[StarMan]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Couple of Q's from a newbie to tints - thinking about this, but of course NY just amped up the laws on it; not sure I can do anything, and if so fairly light.

-is the %age the amount allowed through (so higher number is lighter shade - i.e. 30% is darker than 70%)?
Correct


-do you get much heat rejection from lighter tints? I think I can only go to 70% (transmitted through), most everybody on here is at 50% or lower.

The darker the tint, the more heat rejection. However, some tint brand and models offer better heat rejection with the same tint percentage versus others

Example:
Formula 1 Pinnacle 35 (38 % Tint) offers 55% heat rejection
where as the lighter 3M Crystalline 50% tint offers 56% heat rejection rejection

At the same time 3Ms Color Stable 50% tint line only offers 37% heat rejection..but costs a lot less

With that said, if 70% is the legal limit, you are limited in choices. That is basically almost clear.

Your option would be "LLumar AIR 80 BL SR HPR" 78% tint which blocks about 43% heat rejection. (this tint will give a slight blue hue to your windows, like the Mercedes windows)

3M Crystalline 70% tint blocks 50% of heat rejection. But this will actually probably meter out at 65% light transmission on your car due to the slight factory tint. Not sure how picky the inspection stations are up there (where i am located the legal limit is 35% but there's some slack down to 33% , any percentage lower one cannot pass inspection or can get a tint ticket if pulled over). Either tint you go for will make a difference in heat rejection, just not in the looks department

-Is the temp difference really noticeable/worth the cost, or is that just what you tell your wife (and the cops) as a legit justification?

Here in North Carolina YES! Go to a local tint shop, and they should have a hot bulb behind the tint to show you the difference.

I am not sure how hot it gets at your location, so not sure if it's worth it. If you want the best heat rejection and stay the legal limit in NY then look at the tints TSER% (Total Solar Energy Rejection). The higher the better

*Some tint examples specs:
http://www.formulaone.com/pdf/FormulaOneSpecSheet.pdf
http://solutions.3m.com/3MContentRet...bute=ImageFile
http://w3.llumar.com/pdf/en/LLumarSpecsAutoDomestic.pdf

-and finally, do they cover the whole front side window, or leave the top strip uncovered where it rests against the rubber?
Professional shops should almost cover the entire area, leaving about 1\16th of an inch of space

[Maynard]

Thanks, very good info to start shopping around on. We aren't NCarolina, but the parking garage laves me with two basic choices: door-dings in the shade, or baking all day in the sun (or getting here 45min early). Choice B is the no-brainer, but it gets pretty toasty if it is a day of full sun.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Thanks, very good info to start shopping around on. We aren't NCarolina, but the parking garage laves me with two basic choices: door-dings in the shade, or baking all day in the sun (or getting here 45min early). Choice B is the no-brainer, but it gets pretty toasty if it is a day of full sun.

That info from starvmarv is dead on. The brand I usually use, Huper Optik, I use primarily because its tint provides the best heat rejection-light transmission ratio of any tint on the market. Here in Texas, where the tint limit is 25 percent -- a percentage that is not that common among tint manufacturers; 30 percent is the usual offering (and that's what I have on my car) -- that's the No. 1 priority.

I'll also add that different manufacturers have different color profiles in its tint. For instance, Pinnacle is known for a fairly even gray among its ceramic tints, while LLumar's 'charcoal' actually has a slight blue hue to it. This is especially key if you have a car that is gray, like I do. Llumar's blue-ish gray tint would actually look better on an Mineral Gray BMW since MG has a slight blue tint to it as well. Conversely, LLumar tint would have looked horrible on the dark gray WRX I owned a few cars ago since that shade of gray has a slight bit of brown in it.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

.... Pinnacle is known for a fairly even gray among its ceramic tints, while LLumar's 'charcoal' actually has a slight blue hue to it. This is especially key if you have a car that is gray, like I do. Llumar's blue-ish gray tint would actually look better on an Mineral Gray BMW since MG has a slight blue tint to it as well. Conversely, LLumar tint would have looked horrible on the dark gray WRX I owned a few cars ago since that shade of gray has a slight bit of brown in it.

Thanks, I do have an MG 228, so this is dead on. Starting to think it may be simpler to have one of the docs I work with write me for a 'photosensitive medication' and get the state medical exemption

[SCCThree]

Formula One Stratos. Being in Texas, I went for the top of the line.

[Dylan86]

I did 3M Crystalline, 50% up front and 35% in the rear. With these dark interiors you don't really need more, from a privacy perspective. Anything darker than 50 gets you pretty good UV protection.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by SCCThree

Formula One Stratos. Being in Texas, I went for the top of the line.

Well, "top of the line" is somewhat subjective these days.

F1, Huper Optik, and LLumar are all owned by Eastman Chemical, which bought the brands in 2013 from its former parent, Solutia, for more than $4 billion. Eastman Chemical is considered by some as similar to Harman International (or FMIC: Fender to non-musicians) in that during the past 10-15 years it has actively bought brands to diversify itself. Only thing is that in doing so, it starts to cut corners and dilute those brands.

For this reason I very well may abandon Huper Optik -- which, IMHO, is more 'top of the line' than F1 -- for my next car in favor of 3M. At least 3M has essentially built a tint division from scratch instead of acquiring it. I'd rather use a product that's still being improved to gain market share than a product that's banking on existing market share and (likely) no longer being improved.

[mutmat]

Just a note about window film color. 3M Crystalline 70 has a slight blue-ish color to it. I hear darker shades are more grey.

[StarMan]

Originally Posted by mutmat

Just a note about window film color. 3M Crystalline 70 has a slight blue-ish color to it. I hear darker shades are more grey.

I've never seen 70 installed...., but i have seen their 40% and it def. has more of a brown tint to it ... but i guess it depends on interior color, lighting, and angle you look at it

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1144962

[Ceejay18]

Llumar CTX ceramic 35% rear 50% fronts.. not too dramatic on the darkness (California) and great heat protection!

[Zandar]

Originally Posted by Ceejay18

Llumar CTX ceramic 35% rear 50% fronts.. not too dramatic on the darkness (California) and great heat protection!

This is what I ended up going with, Llumar CTX. It looks great on the car. There don't seem to be any color undertones other than gray, which looks great on the car. I put Llumar on my Acura 8 years ago and it still looks great.

[F-16Spike]

Originally Posted by Zandar

This is what I ended up going with, Llumar CTX. It looks great on the car. There don't seem to be any color undertones other than gray, which looks great on the car. I put Llumar on my Acura 8 years ago and it still looks great.

Attachment 1617299

Attachment 1617300

Looks great! I noticed your UCF alumni. Do you live in Orlando? I'm looking to have my new 230i tinted also and live in Orlando and am looking for a good installer. Thanks.

[Zandar]

Originally Posted by F-16Spike

Looks great! I noticed your UCF alumni. Do you live in Orlando? I'm looking to have my new 230i tinted also and live in Orlando and am looking for a good installer. Thanks.

Yes, I got them tinted at the Waterford Lakes Car Wash. I have had three vehicles done there. My Acura is 8 years old and the tint still looks like new. They use Llumar. There is another place that was recommended, this one is downtown, HID Pro. I think they use 3M tints.

Go Knights!

[B58togo]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Couple of Q's from a newbie to tints - thinking about this, but of course NY just amped up the laws on it; not sure I can do anything, and if so fairly light.
-is the %age the amount allowed through (so higher number is lighter shade - i.e. 30% is darker than 70%)?
-do you get much heat rejection from lighter tints? I think I can only go to 70% (transmitted through), most everybody on here is at 50% or lower.
-Is the temp difference really noticeable/worth the cost, or is that just what you tell your wife (and the cops) as a legit justification?
-and finally, do they cover the whole front side window, or leave the top strip uncovered where it rests against the rubber?

Unfortunately, in New York, all you can legally do if you want to pass inspection is tint the rear window. Front/rear sides on passenger cars have to transmit minimum 70% which is what they are from the factory. No restrictions on rear window, provided you have dual side mirrors, which most all cars do. All NYS inspection stations now have tint meters and will fail you unless you can sway them. I was thinking of doing 35% on the rear window, 50% side rears and then leaving the fronts alone and crossing my fingers next April when my inspection's due. Hoping they'll let the quarters slide since 50% is pretty light and the fronts will still be 70%.

Stupid law; trucks and SUV's are only restricted to 70% on the front windows since pretty much all of them come with 20% tint from the factory on the rear and rear sides, but passenger cars need to pass 70% on the rear sides. It's really not fair.

[Maynard]

Didn't realize this was already 70% - that really is light. And I also agree that there are a slew of vehicle laws that unfairly, sometimes unsafely favor SUV/trucks (light/bumper heights are probably the first thing they should standardize).

[DanielGr]

I've got 3M Crystalline on mine - 40% I believe.

[F-16Spike]

Originally Posted by Zandar

Yes, I got them tinted at the Waterford Lakes Car Wash. I have had three vehicles done there. My Acura is 8 years old and the tint still looks like new. They use Llumar. There is another place that was recommended, this one is downtown, HID Pro. I think they use 3M tints.

Go Knights!

Thanks. If you see an Alpine White 230i honking at ya, it's me!

[B58togo]

Originally Posted by DanielGr

I've got 3M Crystalline on mine - 40% I believe.

That looks great.

[Zandar]

Originally Posted by F-16Spike

Thanks. If you see an Alpine White 230i honking at ya, it's me!

LOL! I will keep an eye out for you!

[goover]

Not to revive and old thread, but do the dot matrix on the glass with the tint bother you at all?

Just got mine done in Suntek Ceramic and it kind bothers me along the dot matrix.