Window Tint Help

[Smoky14]

Just got a new car and need to get the windows tinted. I'm in the desert SW so it is almost a necessity. The only local guy is quite expensive and uses Lumar tint. I've had past luck with 3M but that was 20 years ago.

What do you guys recommend as a good tint which will last a good long time in the SW.

Thanks for your help.
Smoky

 

[UNC036]

lumar

 

[abycat]

I heard that stuff was one of the best if not the best. You get what you pay for with tint installers as well. I know a guy that did a bird on the back window of a firebird in the 90's and the car is still driving around in this town. The car is falling apart and i dont think its street legal anymore, but the bird is perfect. I think the bird was more than the car is worth now.

 

[synthetic_crazy]

I have lumar on my Corolla that has held up well here in the brutal Texas sun. In reality any tint will wear out; as long as you find a quality tint shop that applies the tint well ... you will be fine.

 

[The Critic]

Huper Optik if your car has relatively flat glass. It has the highest heat rejection in the industry, period. I have it on my Prius and the stuff is fantastic. $500 for all of the windows. The color is slightly different than conventional tint; it looks quite similar to an UV coating:

No film is going to last forever, but Huper Optik and other true ceramic films are your best choices.

If Huper is too expensive, I would consider the Formula One Pinnacle ceramic film. It is a high-end line made by Llumar. Cost for this should be about $400.

The price is going to vary greatly depending on your installer's quality and the local market. I would ask to see samples of work first. Your installer should be capable of hand cutting; the computer cut patterns are not always perfect. Also see if your installer can file the edges, as this gives an OE appearance.