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Winshield Tint - Llumar Air Blue 80

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by rstark18, Mar 21, 2010.

  1. rstark18

    rstark18 Member

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    I got all my windows (except front and sunroof) tinted with 3M Crystalline 50. For a while now I've noticed that on sunny days the heat coming through the front window is so much stronger than the heat coming through the tinted side windows even when the sun was hitting the side windows more directly. I called my installer a couple of days ago and discussed this with him and he suggested Llumar Air Blue 80 for the whole front window. This is what he has on his Smart Car and he said it is very effective. It has a very, very slight blue tint to it that he says you really don't notice. I'm looking forward to reducing the heat coming through the front window

    I'll try to take some pictures of the before and after. I will be heading over there sometime this week to see his car and most likely do my front and sunroof. I know PriusChatter "going red baby!" did the same and likes it.
     
  2. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    I have Air Blue 80 on my windshield, it's GREAT. Cuts 99% UV some IR, not as much IR as Pinnicle 50, but it sure is better than nothing!!!
     
  3. rstark18

    rstark18 Member

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    Great. I'm not expecting it to block as much heat as my side Crystalline 50 but as long as it blocks half as much I'll be happy.
     
  4. halfmoonray

    halfmoonray New Member

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    I just put ceramic 50% all the way around including front windshield and I like it. I was skeptical about the putting the blue on the windshield and black on the sides because of the slight color difference. I personally noticed it on other cars and did not like it because the blue is visible and figured it would bother me being a different hue especially since the the Prius windshield is so angled.
     
  5. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    Can you even see the blue? The factory glass is tinted green so does it still look green?
     
  6. halfmoonray

    halfmoonray New Member

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    I see the blue....to me it's annoying.
     
  7. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    So blue on top of green looks blue overall rather than green?
     
  8. Nuckz23

    Nuckz23 Member

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    Anybody have any pictures of their windshields?
     
  9. SDM44

    SDM44 SeƱor Member

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    I took a picture with my Blackberry from the inside with 50% on the windshield and 35% on the side doors. The picture is blurry so I won't post it but the 50% was actually 'darker looking' than the 35% on the sides. I went darker on the sides now to 24% but then the windshield looked too dark, so a good compromise would be 70% on the windshield. I may do that later if I think I'll need it this summer.

    IMO, if you tint the Prius windshield (due to the rake of windshield angle), I would go 2 shades apart from the front side windows if you want to see a noticable contrast.
     
  10. halfmoonray

    halfmoonray New Member

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    I have only seen blue tint on cars that have tinted the rest of their windows in the other shades of ceramic or metallic black. In such cases the front is a different color than the sides--it is this contrast in color that is visible and annoying to me.

    Now that you mention that it's blue on top of green--and because it is a very light green and a very light blue on top that may create some kind of color effect that just does not sit right with me. I don't know exactly what color the result is but it looks cheap when the front windshield color does not match the rest of the windows. I don't have a problem with different shades of the same color like 50% black and 38% black on different windows on the same car because the color is the same. I don't have a problem with blue all the way around like mercedes does (but blue all the way around like in mercedes is also not my preference). I am really hooked on my 50% front windshield. I will take pictures and post as soon as I can.
     
  11. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    rstark18, KK6PD and going red baby can tell us if it looks blue, green or some other color effect.
     
  12. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

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    Here's a pic taken with no flash with the door open. Right side is through the windshield, left is no window. I think it's showing a bit bluer than it really is due to cloud density/hue, especially the further right you look.

    I'm going to take another pic tomorrow when there's no clouds. Maybe I'll put newspaper on the windshield and hold it on the open side.

    I have Madico ceramic all around, I think there are only 3 different shades of Madico. I have the darkest on the rear passenger sides and back, medium on front sides and the lightest on the windshield.

    Also just thought I'd mention that I don't notice any distortion on oncoming headlights at night. I remember someone posting that they did. I think the only little bit of distortion I have is due to the application, not that the windshield is at too much of a slant. I have yet to take it back for this.

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    It's such a minimal amount, that when the film completly dried on the window, after a couple of days I stopped noticing the excessive brightness coming through the front window, and started enjoying the ride!!!
    I was worried about the "Blue Thing" also, well....fuggagidabout it!!!!
    It's no big deal!! Going Red's pic pretty much captured the effect!
     
  14. rstark18

    rstark18 Member

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    Well I'm getting it done right now. I went with the Air Blue 80 on the front and while they were at it I had them do the sunroof with 3M Crystalline 20. I'll let you know how I like it later this week after it's completely dry.
     
  15. deltron3030

    deltron3030 New Member

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    I have airblue on every window of my gen lll, I hardly notice it anymore, except on excessively bright days
     
  16. ajc

    ajc Member

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    Can someone tell me more about airblue tint? I would like to tint my upper front windshield where there is no protection from the sun. Is there a link to a web site?
     
  17. rstark18

    rstark18 Member

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    Here ya go
    http://www.llumar.com/pdf/News/NRAIRBlueLaunch.pdf

    After driving with it I can honestly say if I didn't tell you it was tinited you wouldn't know. I don't see any noticable color to it. The heat reduction is noticable.

    The Crystalline 20 on the sunroof let's me drive with the sunroof slider open without the heat bothering me. I was intending to put the Air Blue on the sunroof but the owner was saying it really wouldn't be worth it. He suggested I go with the 3M 20. I was concerned it would be too dark and wanted to go with maybe 35 or 50 (like I have on all my other windows) but he convinced me.

    I got it done at Sunshield Glass Tinting (w ww.sunshieldglasstinting.net ). They are great there. They take their time to explain everything and answer all your questions. Going Red Baby!, Hamid remembered you.
     
  18. going red baby!

    going red baby! still a n00b

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    I bet he did. ;)

    I'm going to have him do a bunch of windows in my house pretty soon. Hopefully that will help with both heat and fading.

    I was wondering about doing the sunroof... do you think it was worth it?

    For others who are curious, I just took some more pics.
     

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    Tracksyde likes this.
  19. rstark18

    rstark18 Member

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    I do think the sunroof tint makes a difference. Normally I don't leave the slide open during the middle of the day because the sun is too hot. Today I drive around all day with it open and it felt just fine. I'm really glad he talked me into the 20%.
     
  20. Fussion101

    Fussion101 Junior Member

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    Rather than creating a new thread I'll just bump this one....

    Did the installer cut around the dot matrix and mirror or did they tint over it?

    If possible could you take a closeup picture where the tint meets the dot matrix on the front windshield. Thanks!