Model S - Window Tinting

[lloyds]

Ok, I braved 100+ degree weather to bring you these Spectra PhotoSync photos. The tint used is 65% all around with 75% used on windshield. The pano roof is not covered. Tinting was installed by Cactus Window Tint in Scottsdale, AZ. I've included some representative photos here. You should know that since I was doing spot metering the light levels are different for various pictures, so it may look darker between pictures. I should have just locked the camera to one setting, but I was not thinking at the time. A complete set of pictures with larger resolution can be found in my Flickr account.

Rear Window UP

Rear Window Down

Thank you soooooo much for posting these shots. I love how it looks! I'm going with the same plus the pano roof. I had my M3 done with Spectra Photosync last week and it was a night and day difference compared to Pinnacle on my X3. With my M3 sitting outside for much of the day, when I get in, it's much cooler than my X3. I'm switching to Photosync on all of my future cars from now on.

 

[Colasec]

I believe premier film located in Orange is the only dealer in Southern California that carries Spectra films. I have had 3-4 cars with the F1 pinnacle ceramic film with great result, but the videos on the Photosync film looks very promising. Maybe we can setup a group buy for those interested in tint?

I'm definitely interested. Count me in if the timing works.

 

[Skintrade]

@araxara - awesome! thanks for posting those. Few questions:
How much is it helping with that Arizona heat?
Do you think putting it on the pano roof will make a big difference? Concerned about heat coming in through there. I noticed pano looks pretty dark already. Do you know if the pano is tinted glass or tinted film?
If you don't mind, how much did it all cost? I've been quoted $650 for sides/rear, $250 for windshield, $350 for pano

 

[araxara]

@araxara - awesome! thanks for posting those. Few questions:
How much is it helping with that Arizona heat?
Do you think putting it on the pano roof will make a big difference? Concerned about heat coming in through there. I noticed pano looks pretty dark already. Do you know if the pano is tinted glass or tinted film?
If you don't mind, how much did it all cost? I've been quoted $650 for sides/rear, $250 for windshield, $350 for pano

The Spectra PhotoSync has made a tremendous difference in the AZ heat, especially while driving. I don't leave the car out that frequently, since I just drive from garage to garage mostly. While driving, you don't feel your arms burning from the sun. The windshield tint also helps allot, since the windshield is tinted and the dash is black. Previously, while driving into the sun, you could really feel the sun's heat on your chest. Now, you do feel some warmth, but it is quite tolerable and the dash is just warm, rather than scorching hot. If I had to do it again, I might choose a darker tint for the rear hatch and passengers – not because of the heat, but primarily to help keep sun out of the passenger's eye's.

The pano is tinted glass, not tinted film. I don't think adding tinted film to the pano roof will make much difference. I do notice some slight heat from the roof, but it's mostly conducted heat. Maybe the tint would add a layer of insulation, but being that close to the glass, I think there would still be some conducted heat.

The cost for my installation was $600 for the sides/rear and $250 for the windshield. I didn't get a quote for the pano roof. Prices for Spectra PhotoSync are about 10-15% higher than 3M Crystalline due to the higher cost of the material.

 

[Colasec]

The PhotoSync looks awfully blue in the pictures. Is that how it looks in real life? I want to pick a film that would look best with my black MS.

 

[araxara]

The PhotoSync looks awfully blue in the pictures. Is that how it looks in real life? I want to pick a film that would look best with my black MS.

The Spectra PhotoSync does have a bluish cast, although the pictures seem to highlight it a bit more. My car is brown and the bluish cast does not bother me. I guess if I were to have a black car, I would mind the bluish tint less. It all depends on the lighting angle and the reflections. Once there are reflections, you don't notice the tint color cast. I know many people here in AZ do a a two layer tint: one is used for the color and another is used for the heat blocking. My main objective was to reduce heat and still maintain visibility, especially in the dark. Here is another picture of my car from another angle where you can see that shadowing and reflections mask the tint color more

 

[lloyds]

I got mine back several days ago and WOW, what a difference!!! I went with Spectra photosync 45 all around and did the windshield with 75. It's been a scorcher here and I barely feel the heat when driving now. Also I'm running my AC @ 25% whereas before it was blasting on full, so this will help me conserve a bit of energy. I have Huuper on my other cars and there is a noticeable difference with photosyn. I also love how it looks tinted on the outside, but when I sit inside, I can't tell it is there, so it's very clear looking out. All of my cars I buy from now on this will be my 1st mod. Highly recommended product. I got my photosync done through Premier in Fremont and very happy with their quality'n service. When I picked up my car, there was a black P85 there as well getting the same.

 

[SCW-Greg]

I got mine back several days ago and WOW, what a difference!!! I went with Spectra photosync 45 all around and did the windshield with 75. It's been a scorcher here and I barely feel the heat when driving now. Also I'm running my AC @ 25% whereas before it was blasting on full, so this will help me conserve a bit of energy. I have Huuper on my other cars and there is a noticeable difference with photosyn. I also love how it looks tinted on the outside, but when I sit inside, I can't tell it is there, so it's very clear looking out. All of my cars I buy from now on this will be my 1st mod. Highly recommended product. I got my photosync done through Premier in Fremont and very happy with their quality'n service. When I picked up my car, there was a black P85 there as well getting the same.

This is so gorgeous! White was my second choice. With this tinting, it just looks so smart.

So question for all you Tinters out there... Is there a tint brand/product that does not interact with polarized sunglasses???
My carbon tint is causing a rainbow effect. I had my windshield (80%) done as well, and I'm beginning to wonder if that was a good choice.

 

[lloyds]

This is so gorgeous! White was my second choice. With this tinting, it just looks so smart.

So question for all you Tinters out there... Is there a tint brand/product that does not interact with polarized sunglasses???
My carbon tint is causing a rainbow effect. I had my windshield (80%) done as well, and I'm beginning to wonder if that was a good choice.

Thanks! I see it ever so slightly when I wear my sunglasses, but it does not bother me at all. The benefits of this film, for me at least, more than justifies the rainbow effect.

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I wish Tesla offered something like PhotoSync so I could have ordered it with the car. Would have been so convenient.

 

[slickbond007]

Hi,

Looks gorgeous. How much did it cost? Looking to do something similar. Any concerns (from CA law perspective) with the 45 on the front windows. Deliberating between the photosync 45 and the 65. Thanks.

Thanks! I see it ever so slightly when I wear my sunglasses, but it does not bother me at all. The benefits of this film, for me at least, more than justifies the rainbow effect.

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I wish Tesla offered something like PhotoSync so I could have ordered it with the car. Would have been so convenient.

 

[SteveW25561]

Really interested in the photo sync tint.

Any installers in Vancouver, British Columbia, or alternatively near Seattle?

I've tried emailing the manufacturer but no reply.

 

[gocken2]

So question for all you Tinters out there... Is there a tint brand/product that does not interact with polarized sunglasses???
My carbon tint is causing a rainbow effect. I had my windshield (80%) done as well, and I'm beginning to wonder if that was a good choice.

I got the 3M Crystalline tint and do not see any rainbow effects. I got the 40 on the sides and back with the 70 on the pano.

 

[ModelS8794]

Really interested in the photo sync tint.

Any installers in Vancouver, British Columbia, or alternatively near Seattle?

I've tried emailing the manufacturer but no reply.

No help on local dealers, but I can say I also contacted the manufacturer and after a bit of a long delay they responded to my email. I guess this must be a new product? because they are still not selling to anyone in my area either (Philadelphia) but promise me they will be in touch once they locate a dealer/installer for me.

 

[SCW-Greg]

Interesting.

When looking at outside car windshields, do they appear colorized at all - shifting from red to green?

I don't notice this as much out the side windows, but primarily see it out my windshield tint. Does seem (I think) to be getting better as it dries/cures. However it's really prevalent in the windshields of oncoming cars. Also white cars can appear pink to green at times. Not sure if this is related to the moisture used in applying the tint, or just the type of tint itself.

 

[lloyds]

Interesting.

When looking at outside car windshields, do they appear colorized at all - shifting from red to green?

I don't notice this as much out the side windows, but primarily see it out my windshield tint. Does seem (I think) to be getting better as it dries/cures. However it's really prevalent in the windshields of oncoming cars. Also white cars can appear pink to green at times. Not sure if this is related to the moisture used in applying the tint, or just the type of tint itself.

Now that def doesn't sound like what I see esp w/ the pink and green. I only see a very slight rainbow effect on my windshield, but hardly noticeable at all to me. I guess we both have two different products, so maybe that's the difference? I don't see the slight rainbow effect except for the windshield.

Update: My car's been sitting outside at work the entire morning and checking on my phone it's 104 degrees inside (outdoor is 98). Turned the climate control on for 5 mins and the car is a cool 72deg. Previously with the same outdoor weather, my cabin would be 120-130 deg and take 15mins to cool down. Not bad at all. Very happy with it.

 

[Musterion]

Tesla pano roof light/heat blocking specs and web diagram

Hi folks -- the Model S features page (screenshot below) shows an "All glass panoramic roof" with a continuous heat blocking section extending from the top of the car down to and including the rear hatch (basically everything except the front windshield and the side windows). Next to it it says it blocks 98% of the visible light and 81% of the heat. My questions are:

1) Are these specs and image accurate? If so that would imply most coatings on the pano will not do much, including the rear window. However the visible light spec can't be correct for the rear hatch, unlike the picture implies. Does it still mean the rear hatch has the heat blocking? What is the picture supposed to represent by calling out the entire top surface as specially treated for light & heat blocking?

2) If taken at face value, what tint films match this heat block rating of 81%? [presuming a VLT of 2% is not going to be possible to match].

 

[SCW-Greg]

Hi folks -- the Model S features page (screenshot below) shows an "All glass panoramic roof" with a continuous heat blocking section extending from the top of the car down to and including the rear hatch (basically everything except the front windshield and the side windows). Next to it it says it blocks 98% of the visible light and 81% of the heat. My questions are:

1) Are these specs and image accurate? If so that would imply most coatings on the pano will not do much, including the rear window. However the visible light spec can't be correct for the rear hatch, unlike the picture implies. Does it still mean the rear hatch has the heat blocking? What is the picture supposed to represent by calling out the entire top surface as specially treated for light & heat blocking?

2) If taken at face value, what tint films match this heat block rating of 81%? [presuming a VLT of 2% is not going to be possible to match].

View attachment 25105

Good catch... but actually this tinting only applies to the two roof sections and not the tail gate glass (despite what the graphic implies). Hence why virtually all tinters are getting this section done, and very few are doing the sunroof panels.

 

[Colasec]

I'm considering immediate post-delivery detailing and protection with a product like Glare or Opti-Coat. Should I wait to get that done after the tinting, so the glass can be protected too (and any paint scratches introduced by the tint guys can be removed), or before tinting (so the paint can be protected from the tint guys)? If I do it before tinting, should the glass be left bare?

 

[SCW-Greg]

I'm considering immediate post-delivery detailing and protection with a product like Glare or Opti-Coat. Should I wait to get that done after the tinting, so the glass can be protected too (and any paint scratches introduced by the tint guys can be removed), or before tinting (so the paint can be protected from the tint guys)? If I do it before tinting, should the glass be left bare?

The tint guys should be safe enough on your car's finish, but it does make sense to do the coating afterwards. Both will need a few days to properly cure. Btw, I've never heard of anyone coating the glass with anything but RainX or Aquapel.

 

[onesixeight]

Interesting.

When looking at outside car windshields, do they appear colorized at all - shifting from red to green?

I don't notice this as much out the side windows, but primarily see it out my windshield tint. Does seem (I think) to be getting better as it dries/cures. However it's really prevalent in the windshields of oncoming cars. Also white cars can appear pink to green at times. Not sure if this is related to the moisture used in applying the tint, or just the type of tint itself.

Greg:

I have Crystalline 70 on my windshield and I don't see any rainbow effects - with and without polarized (Maui Jim) sunglasses.