OC tinting

[inventor00]

Had good experience at Western Glass tinting, Skypark Circle, Irvine - owner has a Prius she already tinted. Coupon on website for 10% off.
http://www.westernglasstinting.com/

[SalsaMike]

I highly recommend The Tint Pros in Huntington Beach. The tint the Prius for HB Toyota and they did an EXCELLENT job on my car!

The Tint Pros
(714) 964-TINT
16582 Gothard Suite Q
Huntington Beach, CA

http://www.thetintpros.com/

[dgstan]

I used Tint Plus in Laguna Hills. They have done several Priuses, so there was no worries about them driving it (or leaving it on).

The tint came out great and they were very helpful when it came to choosing the right tint for me.

Tint Plus Website


DGStan

[RU EXP 2]

Originally posted by inventor00@Jun 27 2005, 07:57 AM
Had good experience at Western Glass tinting, Skypark Circle, Irvine - owner has a Prius she already tinted. Coupon on website for 10% off.
http://www.westernglasstinting.com/

[snapback]101964[/snapback]

Have you had any problems with the GPS system? In the owners manual they warn that the metal in the tint may disrupt the GPS.

[NuShrike]

Wow, looks like we lost many of the tinting articles in here. It's like we never existed anyways.

[NuShrike]

Originally posted by chanterelle@Jul 29 2005, 03:48 PM
NuShrike -- There's a dealer in Costa Mesa that does the Huper Optik tinting called Wintech.  I got mine done there last year, and have had no problems since then.  There's a couple of installers there, one who specializes in Toyotas.

[snapback]111538[/snapback]

Thanks!

I called up Wintech and they said they split their business. Wintech now does only buildings, and the guy who did auto for the last 25 years is now:

PERFECT Window Tint
2650 B-206 Harla Costa Mesa, CA 92627
714-546-1002

ask for Salvador.

So I got my Prius done Aug-13 for $475 and have been letting it settle in before I say anything about it here. Gotta say it's absolutely great. No bubbles/ghosting at all, just a slight rippling in the way things look as it's shrinking in. Microbubbles? Got this done right before the OC Prius meet, but didn't have time to show it off. The windows were ready to roll down the moment I was driving off from the tint place, although I should wait 72 hours.

All windowing behind the b-pillar is Ceramic 40, and everything in front of that pillar Ceramic 60 - which almost looks like it's not there. Nothing on the 'plastic' glass section in the back. So the rear looks equally tinted now and still highly see-through. I hate tint that keeps me from seeing through cars during traffic because it turns cars into SUVs and this doesn't do that.

Makes me ponder putting 60 for the windshield. Lifetime warranty from the Salvador and Hüper and he will pull off my tinting for free if I get a ticket, or fix the tint if I have any problems. The tint itself supposedly should last 15 years.

CHP pulled over a car right in front of me the other night on the freeway, no complaints about the tint.

Salvador and his nephew Andreas took two hours to put in the tint using Wintech's parking garage still. It went on extremely easily and only the rear window needed a slight heat shrinking near to top; which Salvador made look like no effort. They fit and cut the film on the windows' outside, and then slightly pop off the door paneling and slide the film on inside, so no way to damage/scratch anything inside as somebody else seemed to experience here on PC.

They also showed me a interesting Hüper Optik demo box. Heatlamp, a piece of glass with different coatings to pass in front of it, and your hand underneath. Plain glass does block some heat, and dark (limo) tint feels no different from plain glass. Ceramic 40... where did the heat go? Exactly why I want the tint for.

So Salvador does cars, buildings etc also, and has been working for OEMs like Toyota of Orange, and even a few celebrities. He says Toyotas & Priuses (or just Japanese cars in general) are some of the easiest cars to work with because of the flatness of the window glass; Hüper Optik goes on very easily. All the complaining seems to be about German cars with with the highly-curved windows; not an issue for Priuses. I asked about the Formula One ceramic, but the professional opinion was Hüper was first and with the patents, and it performs better.

Have I noticed a difference? I park my car outside and it's cooler when I get into it around ~1pm these days by somewhere around 10-20 degrees. I have my AC usually around 78-79F (even when it was 100F+ a month ago) and it seems like I can to go 80F with the tint now. Also, I'm no longer getting a driver's tanned and burnt left arm anymore.

[greensurfdad]

I had an "OKAY" exerience with Western Glass Tinting. I called the week before and scheduled the installation for Tuesday at 8:30am (tinter is not in Sunday/Monday), the tinter guy showed up late at 9:40 and I finally got my car done around 12. The tint that was done is fine. I originally had a few bubbles in certain windows but they all went away within two weeks. No problem with GPS or any eletronics. The thing that I am real unsatisfied with is that the tinter did not tint my rear hatch back door small window (right below the spoiler). After I discovered this I called the office and they handed it off to the tinter (BTW - a sub-contractor who apparently "bids" on jobs). He called me back and told me that he didn't "bid" to do that small window. That he never tinted those lil windows on any Prius', but he would do mine for an additional $40. "The curvature of the window...I might break the glass with my heat dryer....". However, I have seen many other Pruis' on the road that have been tinted and all of them have that lil' rear window tinted. I fly out of town weekly and so the hassle of going back to take care of this issue with the "owner" is not really worth it. I wanted to share my experience here so others may have some benefit with my dealings with these folks.

[eclipse3g]

That small window in the hatch (below spoiler) comes tinted at ~35% from the factory. So I had both sides and the top of the hatch (9windows) also done at 35%. Tomarrow I can finally uses the windows again as the installer wanted it sit for 2 days before lowering the windows. During this time the small bubbles all dis-appeared and looks great.

[kazots]

I got mine done at Al's and Ed's in Huntington beach. They did a great job and also had my "clear bra" put on. I have a black Prius and rock hits would stand out. I've traveled a few road trips and it has protected my front without a mark.

[bestint]

Originally Posted by RU EXP 2

Have you had any problems with the GPS system? In the owners manual they warn that the metal in the tint may disrupt the GPS.

as long as you dont get a metallic window film, you wont have any distortion from GPS, TPS, radio reception.

the best films out there are ceramic or polyester base films for that matter. dont look for the best price when your looking for window tint. the type/brand of film makes the biggest difference. quality, clarity and performance all come into play.