Window Tint, what kind?

Max* · May 26, 2015

I'm so confused... I'm looking to get the windows tinted, specifically to avoid heat issues for the child seats. The company I used on my current car send me 5 choices...

* Solar Gard HP Smoke Metalized film (5 year warranty)

* Solar Gard Galaxie Non-Reflective, color-stable film (National, Lifetime warranty)

* Solar Gard Ceramic UP Performance, High heat rejection with high VLT film (GPS Signal Enabling, Lifetime, National warranty)

* 3M Color Stable Film, Non-Reflective, color-stable film (National, Lifetime warranty)

* 3M Crystalline Film, High heat rejection with high VLT film (GPS Signal Enabling, Lifetime, National warranty)

1. Do I need GPS signal enabling film?
2. Does anyone know how the 3M Crystaline Film is better than the Solar Gard Ceramic UP Performance film?

cmu5p · May 26, 2015

If those are your only choices- please disregard my post.

I had mine done with Llumar- I can't remember which, but the best one (Platinum, maybe?). 50% front, 35% rear and hatch. Very pleased with results. No GPS interference. Kids no longer complain about heat in the jump seats. Also have the rear hatch window shade up there which also helps.

Max* · May 26, 2015

cmu5p said:
If those are your only choices- please disregard my post.

Those are the only choices form my previous installer (whom I know did a good job). I'm going to contact a few more places I think...

cmu5p said:
I had mine done with Llumar- I can't remember which, but the best one (Platinum, maybe?). 50% front, 35% rear and hatch. Very pleased with results. No GPS interference. Kids no longer complain about heat in the jump seats. Also have the rear hatch window shade up there which also helps.

Thanks.

supratachophobia · May 26, 2015

cmu5p said:
If those are your only choices- please disregard my post.

I had mine done with Llumar- I can't remember which, but the best one (Platinum, maybe?). 50% front, 35% rear and hatch. Very pleased with results. No GPS interference. Kids no longer complain about heat in the jump seats. Also have the rear hatch window shade up there which also helps.

I think mine was Llumar as well. It was ceramic so as to not block cell/gps. But a very high UV reflection at the same time, hence the expense. I also have the rear sun shade as well to compliment the tint. Its the only way to may the back seats bearable.

anxman · May 26, 2015

I've used CTX and Llumar. They both seem to perform identically. Went with 35% and find it to be the perfect amount.

JimmyAZ · May 26, 2015

I use Suntek CarbonXP on our cars. 36% in the front and 18% in the rear. If you can find that, I highly recommend. It stands up very well to the heat in Arizona. Crystalline would be my second choice.

1ton · May 26, 2015

I went with Lumar ceramic 15% all the way around. It's the best for Lumar. Now I've heard great things about 3M Crystaline tint. Considering using the Crystaline for my front windshield as it's legal and blocks UV.

JimmyAZ · May 26, 2015

1ton said:
I went with Lumar ceramic 15% all the way around. It's the best for Lumar. Now I've heard great things about 3M Crystaline tint. Considering using the Crystaline for my front windshield as it's legal and blocks UV.

I used Crystalline on my Aston Martin windshield - great idea! I'm noticing heat still coming through the windshield on our S as well. I'm pretty sure in the next few weeks I'm going to have it done as well. You can't even notice the tint is there, but the heat savings is awesome. Plus it saves the wear & tear on the dash.

The only trouble is when you get a rock chip and have the windshield replaced you have to do it again. This happens a lot in AZ (The Aston had a couple chips).

Cyclone · May 26, 2015

My tinting gets done in the morning. I wasn't able to nail down which film manufacturer they use, but it is a ceramic tint. Good to see others saying they trust Lumar's ceramic line as I'm 90% sure it is a Lumar film as a friend got the Air80 applied to his Model S, windshield included. Made a huge difference in heat characteristics. In fact, I spent some time earlier tonight debating which level I want and narrowed it down to these three:

- 35%
- 40%
- 45%

araxara · May 27, 2015

Please see the thread Model S Window Tinting for an extensive discussion on tinting. A large majority of owners have used Spectra PhotoSync with great results.

1ton · May 27, 2015

The percentage of tint is just personal preference. I doubt you will see much of a difference with the options you are asking about. Here's mine at 15%. If I were you I'd go 35%.

Max* · May 27, 2015

Thanks everyone. I guess Llumar is a popular choice, I'll see where the local installers are...

Yeah, percentage wise is a personal choice (and legal?). I think I'm going 35% once I get the Tesla...

Cyclone · May 27, 2015

Max* said:
Thanks everyone. I guess Llumar is a popular choice, I'll see where the local installers are...

When I dropped off my car this morning, the shop had 3M Crystallize samples up too and I asked him about it. He said it is slightly more effective than the Llumar, but few clients end up going with it. A - it's nearly twice the cost as the Llumar film job he's doing on my car, and B - it's got a brown tint color. The latter has put many of his clients off unless they have a similar earth-tone color car. I would imagine Titanium would look great with that color, but my Dolphin Gray won't.

Max* · May 27, 2015

Cyclone said:
When I dropped off my car this morning, the shop had 3M Crystallize samples up too and I asked him about it. He said it is slightly more effective than the Llumar, but few clients end up going with it. A - it's nearly twice the cost as the Llumar film job he's doing on my car, and B - it's got a brown tint color. The latter has put many of his clients off unless they have a similar earth-tone color car. I would imagine Titanium would look great with that color, but my Dolphin Gray won't.

Thanks, that's good to know. And yeah, this place also had the 3M Crystalline Film at nearly twice the cost of the Ceramic tints.

I emailed a few more local shops, lets see what they use.

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